[BirthaBlue4]

Well, my aunt and her fiance recently became trainers and they've started their own business. And TRUST, the certification is NOT easy. There are extensive tests on physiology, first aid, CPR, etc. So you do have to have knowledge. Now, whether or not you use it is a totally different question. There are lots of trainers that suck royally, and don't use the information they have to completely "train" their clients.

The role of the trainer, as Hootie said, is to train you on the equipment, etc. They should also tell you what types of exercise is best for your health and weight loss goals. What types of weight training and how much. They should take into account your diet, what you need to add and take away. They'll recommend supplements based upon your diet. If you eat a calcium and protein rich diet, you don't need those two as much as say Vitamin D or something. Most packages won't last the entire length of your "Road to Health/Weight Loss", but they will get you started and on an even road so that you will know exactly what to do for yourself. Now if you have the money, you can get one everyday, or beyond the package you bought.

Trainer are very good if you've never been in a gym before, at least for a few weeks. But you do have to find out what their personal philosophy is. Some are all about pills (supplements), some may be all about extreme diets, some may be anal and all around assholes (you'll find quite a few of those, especially those bodybuilder, I have myself together already and your a fat slob that needs ME ones). You have to make sure, just ask around to the CLIENTS at the gym, the other trianers will either lie so you'll come to them, or just sabotage the other trainers, because gyms have a very competitive commission program, and they can get very cutthroat.

One thing, see how they treat older people and really overweight people. I learned from my aunt that good trainers will train ANYONE, and that not so good trainers, at least as far as their personality and mentality, shun these two groups.

That's about all I know.