Rose Tavares-Finson, Contributor

Max works out with personal trainer Rose Tavares Finson.- Contributed

As a personal trainer, there are many satisfying elements to your everyday interaction with clients.

Let's start with a fine example ...

One of the rewards is meeting and being a part of ongoing success stories, such as client (and now friend), Bruce 'Max' English. October 2007 brought Max to me, already 12 pounds lighter from his morning workout regime; he went from 310 to 298lb, in two months.

Mr English, however, is on a mission ... doubling his workout regimen and increasing to seven days a week with me at Shakti Mind Body Fitness ... here is Jamaica's first biggest loser for 2008!

An email came to me one month into our workouts thanking me for the "hell fire rides" which he said "are working since he has lost 18 pounds" (that was 30 pounds ago!).

As shown in this picture, Max shows dedication with a smile.

Between last October to last month, Max is now down to 250 pounds still a work in progress, 68 pounds in about five months is something to celebrate!

His wife, Jody, is, of course, the woman behind this man, but truth be told, Max has a wonderful support system - his workout queens.

A bevy of friends surround him and work out with him religiously. Tuesday nights might bring the beautiful Michelle Vibes Cuisine Jones to a colourised spin, while Sunday morning will bring Nora May Desnoes, who is at her smallest, fittest and thinnest since her first childbirth. More on this next time.

Wednesday afternoons, Karen Zacca joins him for a private class of 60 minutes on a bike focusing on fat burn. Saturday mornings is the icing on the cake (flourless and sugarless, of course) get in line because all his ladies are there to cheer him on and encourage Max to do the best he can; all the while they, too, are getting fitter and fitter.

Beneficial experience

According to Max, the experience of a personal trainer is most beneficial. Either one-on-one or with a small group of two to three, these sessions allow you to focus on that personal goal and reach the end result much quicker.

How, do you ask? Well, it is simple: we target Max's fat-burn heart-rate zone and stay in the range in order to maximise in his workout time. Max also mentioned a minus in these sessions and that is that I do not give him a chance to wander off and slack off; he gives me his 100 per cent at all times.

Max did say, however, that having a personal trainer "gives me a reason to commit to showing up at the gym each day, because I know there is someone there waiting to support me and encourage me to reach my goals. I am more likely to achieve long-term success when working out with a partner than if I try to do it on my own".

What are your goals this year?

Are you sticking to your resolutions entering February?

Why don't you join us and let me tell your story.

Rose Tavares Finson is a certified spin instructor and personal trainer.