Dump Your Trainer is written by two personal trainers, Marriott and Paulsen. The premise of the book is that, unless you're a celebrity or a professional athlete who can afford to spend $2,000-$4,000 per week, you're just wasting your money on a personal trainer if your goal is to lose weight.

The main reasons according to the authors are:
• They are a waste of your money and time.
• Their programs won't help you lose weight.
• Time spent in their programs is time taken away from you doing something that will really work.
• Their programs will not improve your cardiovascular health.

The mysteries of credentialing for personal trainers is delineated in this book. Apparently, there is little oversight regarding what education you need in order to call yourself a personal trainer, fitness consultant, fitness professional, or fitness expert. Some titles require no more than completing an online course.

In addition, personal trainers usually spend their hour with you watching you lift weights. According to the authors, what you need to be doing is more aerobic exercising. Marriott and Paulsen subscribe to the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your workout program should focus on cardiovascular activities and only 20 percent on toning if your goal is to lose weight.

Since a personal trainer will not want to watch you aerobicize for 40 minutes, they will focus on toning. If you can only spend an hour a day on working out, the authors recommend you spend that time on cardio. Unless, they point out, you'd like someone cute to count to twelve for you.

This book encourages the reader to become his or her own personal trainer.

Dump Your Trainer's simple steps are: Find the best diet for yourself, create an exercise plan based on their recommendations, commit yourself and just do it.

Marriott and Paulsen give you plenty of activities to do at home without needing a gym membership. They provide tests to assess your current fitness level: step test, push up test, squat test, sit-ups, and body fat measurement. They provide a 21-day meal and exercise regimen. After 21 days, there is a reassessment evaluation and plenty of advice regarding making healthier choices in your life.