When picking a trainer, you want someone who will give you that tough love, right? Like you are paying someone to help you get progress, and that only happens if you change something about your life. But also, it can be super intimidating to work out with a trainer. Maybe he has a perfect body, and you don't see yourself being able to achieve what he has. Or maybe you worry that he will judge you because your schedule, diet, and form aren't perfect. So about Alex... First of all, he is probably the nicest person I have ever met. Like really nice. My mom is a really nice person, and I think Alex is even nicer than her. Working with Alex was the FIRST TIME I felt like I was actually getting a crap ton of value from sessions with a personal trainer. So he is super nice, but also he wants me to see progress in working with him. He provides that tough love I am paying him for. From our initial meeting to our last session, I never once felt judged. I always felt like Alex had a genuine passion to help me transform. When I told him I followed a strict paleo diet, he kindly suggested I try eating a plant-based diet, but he didn't judge me. And ya know what? I now eat a crap ton of plants, and I have never felt better. When I told him that sometimes I binged on the weekends, and I thought that might be ruining my progress, he kindly suggested I stop and stay focused on my goal. Sometimes we think we need someone to coddle us, but sometimes we just need someone to be matter of fact and help us put the kabash on the drama we add to our life. In case this isn't clear in my review, I am a female, and yes, I responded well when he told me to stop with the binge eating on weekends. I don't binge on junk food anymore. I wanted to achieve the goal I was working on with Alex! And I realized that I could keep paying him and sabotaging myself, or I could keep paying him and listen and DO the things he was telling me. When I told him that another trainer told me my legs were the size they were and would never change, Alex and I talked about different body types but also that through hard work, we actually can change our bodies. My stubborn legs stayed the same size for a long time, but I am down from a size 12 pants into my dream size 6 pants. Alex is extremely knowledgeable about exercise, form, and doing good for us things for our bodies. He is organized and takes time creating his programs. I've worked out with trainers before who just make things up on the fly! Not Alex. Everything is planned out and follows a systematic approach, but he also adjusts based on what I am capable of doing. He modifies things so that I can do the move and then continue to progress to better form and harder moves. He takes the time to follow-up with clients. He made me feel strong and empowered. I've never felt that way from a trainer before. I've always just gone to a trainer just to lose weight, but I actually felt empowered to change my life from my sessions with Alex. When I was first working out with Alex, I was leaving my teaching job and basically unemployed. I didn't have a ton of extra money to spend, but I still feel like the money I have spent to work out with Alex was the best money I ever spent to change my life. I am in the best shape I have ever been. I have a system of eating that makes me FEEL amazing and doesn't feel like a diet. I seriously love plants so much, and he helped me stop being afraid of carbs! Like what? I can eat carbs and not be a bad person? Sign me up. I am in the smallest pant size I have ever been which feels flipping phenomenal. And I feel strong and empowered. And he helped me do all this with kind but tough love. read more