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Hi Dave, 
I was wondering what your take is between going to the gym or exercising at home with one of those fitness programs you can purchase on TV.  I have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes so I need to lose weight.  My wife and I are starting to walk which will get my wife and I out and getting some exercise but I really would like to get back into shape.  When I had turned 40 I was going to the gym 4 times a week and started to look great.  Unfortunately now that I am 51 I really need to get back into that. 
So basically what I was wondering is, should I go to a gym and find a personal trainer or do I purchase an at home exercise program. 
Thanks for helping out!

Chris


Great question Chris and I'm quite sure that you aren't the only one who finds himself in this situation.  The most important part of any fitness program is CONSISTENCY.  So with that said, whatever mode of fitness you are most likely to stick with is what you need to do. At 51, you're far from being ready for a rocking chair but there are certain things you need to be more careful about than a 30 year old.  This is where a good trainer will show their value. Many people find success in working with a trainer to get started out and regain a good level of conditioning and then move off to working out on their own and get great results.  Many of the popular at home workout videos such as P90x and Insanity are very high intensity and someone with low initial fitness will have a tough time getting going and sticking with these programs. 
Additionally, you mentioned diabetes.  I STRONGLY recommend going to see a nutritionist as most diabetic issues can be handled through some slight changes to your eating habits, specifically the timing and frequency of meals.  As a trainer, it's not really in my scope of practice (or any trainer's for that matter) to give specific nutrition advice.  Depending on your insurance, a visit with your nutritionist may actually be covered so it would be a no brainer to have a consultation.  




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