Exercise is one part of losing weight. Here is how a live coach helps with that part, and what to pair it with.
This page is for you if you want to lose weight and you know you'd stick with exercise better if someone were expecting you. HipTrain is live 1-on-1 personal training over video, with the same coach every time, from about $14 a session. Your first session is free, and we'll be honest with you about what a trainer can and can't do for weight loss.
Because consistency beats intensity. The CDC puts it plainly: using calories through activity, plus eating fewer calories, creates the deficit that leads to weight loss, and regular activity is the way to maintain it. Mayo Clinic says the same thing in a different way: diet affects weight loss more than activity does, but activity does more to keep the weight from coming back. Neither one works without the habit. A booked session with a coach who knows your name is hard to skip.
Because strength work protects what you want to keep. Mayo Clinic notes that losing weight with diet alone can make people weaker, and that adding strength and aerobic exercise to a weight-loss plan helps protect muscle and bone. A coach builds both into your week, at a level that fits your body today.
Because the guidelines are a starting point, not a test. The CDC suggests adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate activity plus 2 days of muscle-strengthening work. It also says some people need more than that to maintain their weight, and that the amount varies a lot from person to person. If you're starting from zero, that number can feel huge. Your coach helps you build up to it in steps you can actually keep.
Because you can be seen without being judged. Many people trying to lose weight avoid gyms. With HipTrain, it's just you and your coach on a video call from your living room. Your coach watches your form, adjusts moves that bother your knees or back, and cheers the small wins.
Here's an example of a 30-minute session for someone just starting out with a weight-loss goal. Your coach will shape yours around your body, your space and how you feel that day.
This is an example of a two-session week. Walking on your own days helps you build toward the CDC's 150 minutes.
Your coach can add a third session or switch to 60 minutes once the habit sticks.
"We're doing 3 sessions of 30 minutes per week. I'm seeing a dramatic improvement both in my strength and my body composition." (Felicia B., Google review)
"I also love just showing up and having a custom plan ready to go. No planning needed!" (Luke D., Google review)
These are individual experiences. We can't promise any amount of weight loss, and nobody honest can.
A month has a little over four weeks, so one 30-minute session a week at $59.49 works out to about $14 a session. The two and three a week plans keep about the same per-session price. Your first session is free, with no credit card needed.
HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. Under IRS rules (Publication 502), exercise usually counts as a medical expense only when it's for a specific medical condition, so many plans ask for a Letter of Medical Necessity from your doctor. If weight is part of a health plan you've made with your doctor, ask about that letter. Check your own plan before you count on it.
For comparison, Thumbtack says in-person personal trainers cost $40 to $100 an hour nationwide, with an average of $55. Two sessions a week at that average is about $440 a month. Our personal trainer cost guide has more detail.
If you want one service that handles meal plans, food tracking and exercise together, HipTrain isn't it. We don't offer nutrition or dietitian coaching. A registered dietitian, or a program your doctor recommends, is the better place for the food side. We also don't bill insurance, offer in-person sessions or have a big library of on-demand videos. You need to show up on camera at a set time, so if you'd rather work out whenever you feel like it, a self-paced app may suit you better. And we're small: our app has 29 ratings, while the big apps have thousands.
A trainer can help you exercise regularly and safely, which supports weight loss and helps you keep weight off. Most of the loss itself comes from changes in eating, according to the CDC. That's why we suggest pairing your sessions with advice from your doctor or a registered dietitian.
You want both. Cardio uses calories, and strength training helps you keep muscle and bone while you lose weight. The CDC suggests at least 2 days a week of muscle-strengthening work. A typical HipTrain session mixes the two. See our strength training page for more.
No. Your coach uses what you have, like a chair, a wall, a towel or water bottles. A space about the size of a yoga mat is enough. Our page on no-equipment home workouts shows how that works.
Many people start exactly there. Check with your doctor first, then tell your coach about your knees. Sessions can be low-impact, with no jumping and plenty of seated or supported moves. Our low-impact training page explains more.
Ready to make exercise the easy part? Try your first session free. No credit card needed.