If you’re already working with a personal trainer, terrific! The relationship you have with your trainer will help you reach your health and fitness goals – fast! If you’ve not yet made the decision to hire a trainer, you may have a few questions.

When you think of a personal trainer’s job, what comes to mind? Do you think endless squats in a boot camp-like atmosphere? If so, think again! Your personal trainer does so much more than teach you how to use a leg press. Here are 6 things a personal trainer will do for you that you may not have known.

1. She provides education on nutrition.

A professional personal trainer takes a holistic approach to health and fitness. That means she won’t just focus on the physical activity you engage in. She’ll also teach you how to eat right.

A personal trainer does more than just put you on a diet, though Your coach will help you make lifestyle choices you can stick with. For instance, she may recommend something as simple as skipping the creamer in your coffee, or something as involved as switching to clean foods and whole grains.

Personal trainers, as a part of their certification, receive extensive education on nutrition and the way your body uses the foods you eat. They are then able to pass that knowledge on to you in a way that’s suitable for your unique lifestyle.

In that way, your personal trainer isn’t just your trainer – she’s a true lifestyle coach, assisting you in making changes to promote your long-term health.

2. Your personal trainer is your cheerleader.

Different personal trainers have different styles. When you interview your trainer, consider your own preferences, learning style and motivational needs. One trainer may take a drill sergeant approach to your training while another might be gentler and more soft spoken.

No matter his teaching style, your personal trainer has two goals: to motivate you and to help you reach your goals. Your personal trainer is your cheerleader.

Everyone has a bad day. Heck, you might eve be having a bad week. Your personal trainer knows this, and even though you gave in to that fast food double cheeseburger yesterday, your coach is going to help motivate you to get back on track.

Again, your preferred style of motivation may be different than your neighbor’s. But when you work with a personal trainer, you’ll find that your relationship is based, in part, on the encouragement your trainer can offer you.

3. Your personal trainer teaches you good habits.

People hire personal trainers for different reasons. Maybe you’re trying to break a bad habit like smoking or alcohol. Or maybe you want to improve your fitness level for health reasons. You have your own unique reasons for enlisting a trainer’s help.

It’s strongly encouraged that you share that reason, at least in part, with your trainer. This will help your personal trainer formulate a workout and nutrition plan to work with your lifestyle. But that’s not all.

Most people find that, through work with a personal trainer, they’ll find that they develop strategies to kick other habits, too. You’ll find that your self-discipline improves and that you’re more readily able to make healthy choices. In fact, you may find that the accountability of sharing those choices with someone who cares about your well-being will help you throughout the day – even in other areas of your life!

4. Your personal trainer is good for your mental health.

According to Harvard University, one in every ten adults in the United States alone suffers from depression. However, another study by Harvard University found that adults who participated in mild to rigorous exercise, three times each week, saw symptoms of depression reduced by as much as 47 percent!

It’s true – exercise is good for your mental health and emotional well-being. As a matter of fact, you’ll feel some of those effects immediately. Exercise causes your body to release endorphins, the natural “feel good,” pain-blocking hormones in your body. (They’re the same hormones that are released during sex.

Not convinced? Regular exercise improves sleep patterns. Sleep is essential not only for health and weight loss but also for alleviating symptoms of depression. Working with your personal trainer will further improve your life because exercise helps you manage stress. Of course, stress management makes you feel better but can also contribute to diabetes, obesity, heart conditions and lessened brain function.

Finally, exercise improves your relationships. There are multiple reasons for this, not least of which is the confidence you’ll exhibit when you exercise regularly. Hormones also have a lot to do with these improved relationships. And couples who work out together are shown to communicate better!

5. He’ll give you a sense of accountability.

We touched on this briefly, but the accountability a personal trainer offers is super important. Yes, your trainer is your cheerleader. And he can certainly help you build habits that you’ll stick with for a lifetime.

But consider this: if you have a meeting with your trainer tomorrow, how likely are you to skip your workout today? How likely are you to overindulge on dessert if you’ve got a session the next day?

Your personal trainer will give you a sense of accountability. Your means of accountability may differ from someone else’s. Perhaps you’re motivated by the money you’ve spent for a month’s worth of sessions. Maybe you’re motivated by your online personal trainer, knowing that you can message him when you’re about to experience a setback. Or maybe you’re just feeling a sense of accountability knowing you’ve got to turn in your food journal on Thursday.

Accountability is a huge part of sticking with a fitness and nutrition program. Can you be successful on your own? Sure, if you work hard! But you’ll find that you have more success when you’re accountable to someone who wants to see you reach your goals.

6. Your personal trainer is your confidant.

Your relationship with your personal trainer is just that – it’s a relationship. When you first meet with your personal trainer, it’s important to be honest with her. Tell her your goals and your struggles. Tell her what you hope to accomplish and let her know the issues that have caused setbacks for you in the past.

As your relationship develops, you’ll find yourself continuing that honesty. It’s no longer difficult to tell her about those post-argument beers, or the fact that you just couldn’t make time to get to the gym yesterday.

Your relationship with your personal trainer is a judgment-free zone. Her job is to create a plan that you can stick with, but also help you get back on track when you step off that path. Sharing the triggers that have caused slips or setbacks only assists her in creating a more customized, more realistic plan for your health and fitness.