How I Started Online Training

In 2015, I was a busy in-home personal trainer in New York City. I spent every weekday popping in and out of people’s apartments (and apartment gyms) 2-3 times a week for 60-minute sessions. My schedule was packed, and these were rich and rewarding relationships. I’m still friends with many of these confident, very cool women.

But then I noticed a surprising pattern…

Anytime I went on a vacation for a week or two and left my clients with DIY assignments, they got amazing results! They were consistent and engaged even without me there. 

At first I was confused.

But when this happened more than once, I realized that there was an important psychological shift that my clients experienced during these periods: self-empowerment and independence, with structure and support.

They didn’t need me standing there, counting reps! 

For these busy women, the lack of appointments was a time management relief, and shorter, more frequent workouts made life easier. And I get it! Especially now that I’m a mom, anything that I can do on my own (without a fixed, in-person appointment) is so much easier. 

I started offering online training as an option to these women, and almost immediately started picking up clients all over the country, as well, because of my online health writing. Women who didn’t have time to exercise – when exercise meant going to the gym or going to a group class – suddenly realized they did have time to exercise, if they could do it in 30 minutes on their own. Yes, they needed the structure, specifics, and accountability of a personal trainer, but they didn’t need someone breathing down their neck – they just needed someone to give them direction, and to put together the big picture of workouts and nutrition.

For years, I blended in-person and online training, and some of my clients actually did both. But over 2019 and 2020 (especially once I had Gabby), I started shifting my business more and more toward online training. Now, it’s the only service I offer to new clients, because I know it works so well, and the level of service I can offer is so high.

Many people are skeptical that online training will work for them – they’re not sure if they’ll be able to be consistent without a gym to show up to (or a trainer showing up at their house). But as my former online client Kelly said, “The support is just insane.”

So, if you’re wondering, “How does online training really work?” … today’s blog post is for you!

What Online Training Is

Basically, I become the expert project manager of your goals, so you can live life without obsessing over the details. I see the big picture and put it all together, and give you digestible small goals to accomplish day-to-day. You can rely on me to be in charge of the latest research and to create a plan for you that really works, weaving together exercise, nutrition, and mindset. 

The service consists of:

• Workouts that are designed for you, which you can follow in my app, keeping track of your progress 
• Nutrition planning/coaching that is completely personalized to you 
• Zoom calls to set goals and troubleshoot issues 
• Unlimited messaging where you can get answers to questions fast 
• Complete privacy – no challenges, groups, or public accountability 

It’s incredibly efficient and effective, and gets right to the issues of what holds most women back: time, confusion about nutrition choices, and body image pressures. Plus, I focus on education and independence, so that you don’t need to do Zoom calls forever – ideally at the end of 6 months, you’re either ready to fly on your own or to reduce your commitment to a much lower level of service (or even come and go as you need support during particular seasons of life). 

Common Questions about Online Training

Especially because I often work with beginners to strength training, I get a lot of questions about how online training works. Here are some common ones:

Q: How do you teach strength training without seeing the client?

A: The videos I provide give tips and instructions for form, and if you have questions about anything, we can resolve it on a video Zoom call. You can also film yourself and send me the video, and I will send you detailed feedback. However, this is not a workout class via video – I do not provide this service. 

Q: How do you provide accountability without being there in person?

A: You get a calendar with your workouts all scheduled out (including cardio). I can see your calendar and your food tracking (if you do this) every single day, and I keep in touch via message. I limit the number of client I take on in order to provide this high level of attention. 

I will be honest – this service is not for someone who really needs the accountability of showing up somewhere in person. If you absolutely know yourself, that you will not exercise unless someone is physically standing there with you, then this service is not for you. 

Q: Do I need a gym?

A: A gym membership can be helpful (and I work out at the gym myself), but most of my clients work out at home for various reasons. We can get a lot done with just a few pieces of the right equipment. 

Who Does Best with Online Training

Whether you are a beginner with exercise or an experienced weightlifter, whether you want to lose 40 pounds or no weight at all, online training is a great way to map out new goals for yourself. This format works best if people:

• Are self-starters and fairly organized, but food and exercise is lagging behind work and family
• Want personalized attention vs. being in a group environment 
• Have average body image and food struggles 
• Are open to growth and change (including working through some self-limiting patterns) 
• Have a budget that is comparable to paying for talk therapy or physical therapy out of pocket 

If you feel like this is you, click here to apply! 

It is not a good fit people who: 

• Genuinely need the in-person accountability of a personal trainer at a gym (or a class) 
• Are not ready to change their lifestyle 
• Currently struggle with an undiagnosed/suspected eating disorder like binge eating disorder or anorexia nervosa (i.e., you don’t have a period because of your body fat) 

If you are not sure, you can always e-mail me and I can make a referral if I feel that you need a different professional. 

But if you are ready to work on your goals with accountability, structure, and support, and lean on me so that you can cut out all the unnecessary learning curves… you’ve come to the right place. Apply for a 1:1 coaching spot now!