I'm a 44 year old who would love to inspire other women about fitness and get certified. Where should I start?

There are numerous ways to get certified and so many different certifying agencies so it can be overwhelming to start. Some of the top are ACE, NASM, ISSA, NFPT, NESTA. Search these and look at what they have to offer and see if their certification programs fit what you want to do. Most require that you are either already CPR certified or that you obtain CPR certification before completion of the training course. You are already off to a great start by losing weight and having a passion for wanting to help others. You want to look at programs that are accredited. For more information on accreditation IDEA has some great information on their Website at ideafit.com. Best of luck to you!

I highly recommend NASM and NCSF as beginning certifications. For advanced certifications Resistance Training Specialist classes are fantastic as well. For a beginner though, I think NASM is a great place to start. Good luck to you.

You sound A LOT like me. I lost 25 pounds while my husband was on a 3 month deployment. I ended up getting certified in Spinning since that is what helped me lose the weight. I just recently took and passed the AFAA Personal Trainer Cert. I choose that one over the others as I'm a CPA by nature and don't have any background in fitness other than my own workouts. AFAA provided me the hands on tools I needed to make sure I was working out correctly. If you have been working out at a gym, talk to the instructors. That is how I got my start. They all knew I loved cycling and that I was good at it. So I got certified and they hired me on as an instructor. I'm loving my life every day now having lowered my stress (no longer doing the accounting thing) and knowing I am helping improve someone's life every day, whether it's by them losing weight, getting their heart stronger, getting them off meds, or just by being a friendly face they see and say hi to on a constant basis. Good luck to you!

I would start by spending some time at your local fitness center(s). Tell the managers what you are thinking about doing and ask for their input to find out what's going on in your area, what their members are seeking when they come in the door, and see if you could possibly "shadow" a trainer for a session or two to see what it looks like up close and personal.
You should soon begin to see that there are SO MANY different aspects to "Personal Training" beyond just teaching the basics to those new to fitness (though that is a very worthy focus also), like training athletes, training body builders, working primarily with kids, focusing on helping seniors, becoming an expert on folks with health and structural issues (who may also like to lose weight and get fit), etc, etc, etc!
Find that one thing that lights your fire, gets you excited, and that challenges you to learn all you can to help that group accomplish what they came to you for...then look for the organizations that not only certify you, but also provide you with tons of continuing education to keep you at the forefront of your chosen area!
Personally I chose The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and have never regretted it for a minute! Best to you in your new adventure!!

National Spokesperson for The American Council on Exercise

Bobby Morrow, ACE cPt

First, find out what you LOVE to do.. cycling, pilates, yoga???? I changed my life through fitness too- became addicted and love it. Have incorporated healthy living and keep exploring and networking healthy choices. I did my WITS certification at a nearby college for personal trainer. All the BEST to you!

I suggest you start with what most inspires YOU. I agree w/Maria E's answer:
what aspect of fitness are you most passionate about? Do you know why? Can you demonstrate your passion through your actions and communicate your passion through your words?

You will be most effective inspiring other people when you live your work (not work to live). Like other responders said, there are a variety of avenues to being a health and fitness professional. Most fitness jobs require some kind of certification whether that be personal trainer, group fitness instructor, wellness coach, pilates or yoga. ACE, ACSM, NASM are great places to start. Go to a fitness convention like IDEA, IHRSA or ECA or if those are too big/expensive, seek out smaller conventions like DCAC (Houston/Washington, DC).

Subscribe to fitness magazines like Shape and Women's Health if you don't already. If you're going to work w/people to improve their health and fitness, you need to know what they're reading.

If you intend to be a personal trainer, educating yourself on the basics of nutrition is imperative. In addition to a personal training certification, I recommend looking at ACE's Lifestyle and Weight Management Coach certification. Excellent info and credential.

Good Luck to you!

Laura
Certified Personal Trainer/ACSM
Certified Lifestyle and Weight Management Coach/ACE
Certified Yoga Instructor/YogaFit
Life and Wellness Coach/CTI

Hi Betty,

Adding to the great answers above, I'd recommend going to fitness conferences - especially the IDEA World or Personal Training Summit.

Find some experienced trainers in your area (or at these conferences) and ask questions. You may even want to look for a trainer who can mentor you.

There are several nationally recognized, accredited certifications out there. You can explore them here: http://www.starting-a-personal-training-business.com/accredited-personal...

Best of luck!

I like the NESTA certifications, because they show you in detail how to correctly perform the exercises and how to prevent injury. I choose NESTA Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist program because it really helped me to understand how to help others lose weight and become motivated to stick with a program. I also finished the Spenser Pilates Mat and Ball certification because it is great for people just learning Pilates yet challenging as well. Much success to you, women need what you will have to offer. Fitness is more than just an exercise routine and a program, but it is a way of life.

Fateria Johnson

I agree with all of the other posts...It all depends on what exactly you are looking for, the type of client you would prefer to have or the setting you want to work in.

NASM is a wonderful organization for beginners that is also incorporating a lot of the new concepts in functional training and movement dysfunctions that are very important to think about.

But, the most reputable ones that you could take to just about any gym across the country would be ACSM, NASM, NSCA, ACE

Betty,
Congratulations on your weight loss! I think your definitely the right track to inspiring others. Afterall who better to lead than someone who has "walked a mile in their moccassins" as my Mom use to say?
I've been in the health & fitness industry for over 30 years and I suggest you start with American Council on Exercise (ACE). Without any formal education in health science it's tough to jump right into American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or Coopers Institue for Aerobic Research (CIAR). I believe these are two of the best certifications out there.
Both are costly and very prestigious once obtained. ACE affords you to enter at a beginner level as a trainer and then you can personally take it from there. Over the years I have trainerd many trainers both for the United States Air Force (USAF) and a large wellness module medically based in Flint, Michigan prior to opening my own personal training studio.
I have been interviewed by many potential trainers. I tell them the same thing I just wrote you. It's always prudent to find "leading, respected" trainers in your area and pick their brain. You may think they don't have time but I personally have always made myself available as well as mentored many "new" trainers.

Good Luck & Much Continued Success,

Michele

Betty,

I think it's fantastic that you would like to share your passion with others! Your excitement will be infectious and it is such a blessing to be in a position to make positive changes in the world.

I would start with attending conventions and my favorite is IDEA. The conventions that I have attended in the past, I have left with so much information and met so many wonderful people to share information. It would be a great place to get a plan of where you would like to take your career.

After that, start researching certifications and find which one would be a good match for you. Take as many classes as possible to observe teaching styles and shadow trainers. Never stop taking classes or pass up an opportunity to learn something new! Even if it's not in an area that you may not think applies to what you are interested in because you may pick up one or two ideas that you can use.

Best of Luck!
Kim

Possible start with getting a group fitness certification or pick something you love like spinning, pilates, yoga, etc....and get certified and start teaching classes. Teaching a class is a great way to inspire and motivate people and after a while people will start to come to you.

Remain positive and always approach people in a loving and encouraging manner. Once you get established maybe start a fitness group or club in your town. Getting women together to set goals for the year like a sprint triathalon or a road race and work together to accomplish those set goals.

Educate yourself in terms of direction, all the above posts support ways.
Start small and build on your successes.
Stay well

Research how other fitness professionals in your area are certified. This sometimes makes a difference if lots have one certification then you get one no one has heard of.

I would first decide if I wanted a group fitness certification or a personal trainer certification. All of the above organizations are great. I have my group fitness certification through ACE - it's a well respected certification, and accepted almost everywhere.