LOL!
Well this stuff isn't rocket science. But what Jess sasy is true. You often see what you want. For those of us who have gained weight over the years, how long do we squeeze out far asses into clothes that vaguely fit, suck in our guts, and proclaim, "no no, I'm not gaining weight." ?
Having said that, again, this isn't rocket science. If you're just starting out you'll waste your money on a coach. Any number of people here could help you out for free. Myself and heythorpe will both tell you that if you're a beginner you need 2 things: lots of rides and lots of TIS. Beyond that there are people here that would probably be happy to help you out of you asked. Maybe drop a line to RyderX, Maurice, JimG, or ChrisG. Or throw out some questions to the board at large. You'd be surprised what people are willing to share.
At a certain point you may need a coach to get over a certain hump. But you can really do yourself a favor if you follow these primitive guidelines:
1. Ride 5 times a week
2. Ride 7-12 hours a week depending on season
3. Don't take the winter off
After that it's a matter of how to structure your training. That's where the books come in. Pick up a few of the common ones (Friel, Carmichael, Burke, Morris, Coggan/Hunter, Ross, Ryan) and you'll get more information than you'll know what to do with.