I have a fairly nice gym set up for myself at home. This gives me the flexibility of exercising whenever my schedule allows. I did work with a personal trainer for about a month. On my own at home, I notice that my effort seems less. Even though I am doing the same exercises, will there be the same effect as when someone is coaching me?

Direct studies of the effects of exercise with and without a coach aren’t available yet. More and more exercise-based research is being done, so this type of information may be reported in the near future.

There are several ways to help yourself keep up the desired pace. Music with a steady beat can keep you on task. Using a metronome is another way to keep the right timing. Another option is to time yourself so that you complete each set of exercises in the same amount of time each session.

Keeping a personal log or exercise journal is also helpful. In this way, you can keep track of how many repetitions you’ve done. By recording your daily workout, you can slowly build up without losing ground. Monthly or even semi-annual (every six months) check ups with an exercise expert may not be a bad idea.