Beginner rant/question about PT

I am 21 years old, 5'11 and 155 pounds. I have struggled my whole life with getting my body where I want it to be. I am a fairly active person and eat pretty healthy, but could always improve. I tend to lose motivation when working out because I don't get the quick results I want, even though I know this isn't sustainable or realistic. I struggle with easily gaining fat mostly in my stomach area and face, while my neck, arms, and chest remain scrawny and thin. I have done ab workouts in the past that have provided slight results to slim down my lower abdomen, but this quickly fades once the month long workout program is complete. I think I struggle with keeping motivation partly due to the fact that I don't know the proper technique and exercises to achieve the goals I am looking for. Does it seem it would be beneficial to seek help from a personal trainer, or is this something I can accomplish on my own? Also, if anyone could provide tips on the type of exercise I seem I would most benefit from, as I am not sure what would be helpful and what wouldn't. I have attached reference photos to display the areas I have mentioned that I am seeking to improve.

Lots of people on here including me are entirely self taught.

The best knowledge is condensed into the sticky threads at the top of each forum. Start with Workout Programs, Exercises and Nutrition.

It always gets a better response if you ask a targetted question rather than something a little too general.

Regarding your apparent fat gain - remember that fat doesn't come or go easily, it's probably just a little water weight gain in response to a change in diet. You don't have to pile on weight to gain muscle but you have to accept that some bloating will happen. When you have not yet built decent sized muscles then it's very easy to lose definition because of minor changes in water weight. Don't let this hold you back - if you keep stopping eating enough to grow muscle then it will never happen. We see this scenario play out too often on this forum

A trainer will have you do exercises that work, but many will do so many variations that you don't learn any well or know what they are for.

They will hold you to a schedule, which will help with your motivation issue.

YouTube teaches stuff, but having someone watch if you are actually doing it right helps. Otherwise you can put your phone camera in a shoe.

Ab exercises do nothing to slim down your abdomen, you cannot spot reduce fat. You also can't slim down anymore because you don't have anything to slim down to, and you'll just look like a skeleton.

You lack overall muscle mass and you need to follow a good novice lifting program like Fierce 5, Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, or something similar with focus on the big compound movements (push, pull, press, squat, hinge, rotation).

Start here: [url]https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=159678631[/url]

You need to also prioritize protein in your diet, and try to focus on eating a nutritious, well balanced diet comprised of at least 80% whole foods. Check out the stickies in the nutrition forum for more info.

Trainers can be a detriment and are not needed for the most part. Get on one of the beginner programs listed on the forum and get your diet in line and that will be better than 99% of what a trainer can do for you. Stay with the forum with questions during your journey and you'll be a total stud.