Client consultation & goals

What you need to know

The plain-English guidance that comes with this document.

• The consultation is where you win or lose the client. People stick with training that fits their life and moves toward a goal they actually care about. Ten minutes understanding their "why", their schedule and their starting point does more for retention than any programme template.
• Goals in their words, not yours. "Lose weight" is a starting point, not a goal. Dig for what's underneath — keeping up with the kids, a wedding, coming back from injury, feeling strong. That's what keeps them turning up in week seven.
• Lifestyle beats the programme. Sleep, stress, daily activity and nutrition drive results more than the exact set-and-rep scheme. Ask about them, and set expectations honestly — you're coaching a person, not just prescribing exercises.
• Measurements: only what they're comfortable with. For some clients, tape measures and scales help; for others they're demoralising or triggering. Ask, offer alternatives (photos, how clothes fit, performance), and never make someone feel judged. Be especially careful around disordered eating — refer if you're out of your depth.
• Keep it with the screening and consent. The consultation, the health screen and the informed-consent form are your onboarding set — together they show you assessed the client properly before training them.
• It's personal data — store it securely. Goals, lifestyle and any health notes are personal (and some special-category) data. Keep it safe and share it with no one.
• Applies UK-wide. Good consultation is universal. Know the limits of your qualification — for medical, nutrition-therapy or clinical needs, refer to the right professional.