How to Start—and Stick With—An Exercise Plan with this Great App

Finding the perfect trainer is half the battle when it comes to fulfilling a New Year’s Resolution to get in shape. Gyms typically charge a fortune for their services and only provide a small pool of fitness gurus, making it difficult to identify Mr. or Mrs. Right. Okay, it may sound like we’re talking about your love life as opposed to your exercise habits, but the two topics aren’t entirely unrelated. In both relationships, you want to be inspired, supported, and challenged.

That’s where Find Your Trainer comes in. The web service, which launched this month and is available in over 300 cities across 10 states, connects users with a wide selection of personal trainers in their neighborhoods (this InStyle writer’s zip code revealed 88 potential matches!). Sessions with these fully vetted instructors begin at $49 and require no gym membership, commitments, or equipment.

John Ford, a trainer based in N.Y.C. and former athlete, says that Find Your Trainer “gives consumers a lot more agency in the process of finding a specialist.” “You want to find the person who can help you cut through all of the physical fitness information and trends,” he says. “These trends aren’t bad, but you need to figure out what works for you and your lifestyle.” Below, Ford’s top tips for starting (and sticking with) an exercise plan.

Do Your Research Ford suggests thoroughly researching your options before booking a session, and to remember that you’re not committed to a single instructor. He says: “Once you start working with me, you’re my product, so if I’m not helping you improve, we might not be the right fit. And that’s okay!”

Set Long-Term Goals Once you’ve chosen your guy or gal, Ford recommends “looking ahead and discussing long-term fitness goals.” It’s important for both the trainer and trainee to be on the same page in order to achieve visible progress.

Be Realistic “Be realistic with your goals,” says Ford. “Don’t overcommit to too many sessions.” For exercise newcomers, Ford suggests beginning with two to three appointments a week during times you know you’ll be energized, whether that’s the morning, evening, weekends, or weekdays. Ford adds: “You want to look forward to your work outs, not see them as stressful obligations.”