Thoughts from a Trainer

Theoldguy1

A local personal trainer posted this on his blog. Seems very reasonable/actionable. Thought I'd share.


"This new year, you've got to find what works for you. We are all different. Here are 5 habits I try to live by that help me stay in descent shape.
1. I break a sweat nearly every day. No, eating salsa doesn't count. This is an easy one since I like to move.
2. I don't have any small snacks in my house that I can eat mindlessly - no nuts, chips, crackers, candy, popcorn, etc. I will eat that stuff nonstop if it's in front of me. Relatives are appalled when I'm at parties and have access.
3. I try to be done eating by 7:00 PM during the week.
4. I rarely eat dessert. Everything tastes sweet to me now that my taste buds have changed. I still probably exceed the recommended sugar allowance without eating dessert since sugar is in everything.
5. I rarely drink during the week. I look forward to the weekend drink and by Sunday I'm over it.

This might sound like a lot of sacrifice, but I don't view it that way because of the value I gain in health, body confidence, functionality, and hopefully longevity. Now that I'm used to the habits, it's not a big deal. You've got to trust that "new normals" aren't miserable once adopted."

sunfastrose

Well, I agree with the first line. Those are his rules and they work for him. We all need to find our own set of rules to get to healthy and stay that way.

callsitlikeiseeit

well, if it works for him. sure.

i will say i dont keep many snack foods in the house, and what i do keep are for the husband and the boy, and are things i can leave alone.

other than that, i eat (and drink) what fits and as long as i am under maintenance, even if over on my goal deficit, i consider it a win.

100 pounds gone says i am doing something right.

MalkinMagic71

2,3,4 are all things that I don't do. Great it works for him though. I eat after 7, I snack sensibly, and I love desert.

TavistockToad

I don't agree with most of them, but whatever works.

RoxieDawn

Breaking a sweat I am hoping just means he exercises 'nearly everyday'. Sweating doesn't do anything useful for me for weight loss/maintaining, but the exercise itself does.

The rest are personal choices adopted, reasonable for him but 2-5 not so much for me. Daily dessert, popcorn, nuts, eating right up to 10 pm some nights puts me at a polar opposite of these.

kgeyser

These are obviously very individualized, as most habits are, but there is some wisdom to be had in each point:

1. I break a sweat nearly every day. No, eating salsa doesn't count. This is an easy one since I like to move.

While breaking a sweat isn't necessary, making moving a habit is a good suggestion, because it increases your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking a little further away from the entrance, getting up from your desk every so often just to move around the office- all good habits. If you can find a way to squeeze in some kind of intentional exercise each day, all the better for your health.

2. I don't have any small snacks in my house that I can eat mindlessly - no nuts, chips, crackers, candy, popcorn, etc. I will eat that stuff nonstop if it's in front of me. Relatives are appalled when I'm at parties and have access.

This is an excellent suggestion for people who have difficulty moderating certain foods - don't keep it in the house, and/or reserve it for special occasions. There is no sense in burning up your willpower by having it around, the idea should be developing habits that make weight management easy for you.

3. I try to be done eating by 7:00 PM during the week.

A designated "stop eating" time can be a wonderful tool for people who find themselves mindless eating while watching TV or reaching for food out of evening boredom.

4. I rarely eat dessert. Everything tastes sweet to me now that my taste buds have changed. I still probably exceed the recommended sugar allowance without eating dessert since sugar is in everything.

Not getting into the sugar allowance thing, since this topic is about habits, but this is a good suggestion as something an individual can reflect on personally. Are you eating dessert because you really want a dessert each night, or are you eating dessert out of habit? If it's not something that's important to you and that you really want in your diet, that could be an easy place to cut or redistribute calories. Some people don't eat dessert unless it is a special occasion or something that is really worth it, and that works for them.

5. I rarely drink during the week. I look forward to the weekend drink and by Sunday I'm over it.

This is another suggestion that is good for personal reflection. Do you drink because you genuinely want and enjoy that drink, or are you drinking out of habit or social expectation? Alcohol is an easy place to cut calories without potentially impacting your nutritional goals, but it can also be worked into your calorie goals if it is something you like.

I think the strongest statements are in the last paragraph: Now that I'm used to the habits, it's not a big deal. You've got to trust that "new normals" aren't miserable once adopted.

Once you find the habits that really work for you, it's like everything clicks. Your habits may not be for everyone, and what works for you may not work for someone else. But this is about you and your success, not making things harder on yourself so someone else can feel validated that their way is the "correct" one. If it doesn't work for you, or you find it very difficult, don't do it just because it works for someone else or is easy for them.

GottaBurnEmAll

I think the overall idea of creating personal habits that work for you is a good one.

The problem is that the specifics of those habits are going to vary from person to person. They key point and bottom line here is that this whole thing is really about forming habits that help you with adherence/compliance and make success easier than failure.

So yeah, I'm glad he found what works for him. I'm not going to knock any of it because those are his habits. I have mine. They work for me. What we have in common is that we both know it's about habit. The specifics of those habits don't matter.

ETA: Back when I had a trainer, he had recommendations for me with nutrition, and I just flat out told him they wouldn't work for me because they didn't suit my preferences. I lost a lot of weight during the time I worked with him, something around 60 pounds. When I left the gym he worked at to join another gym, he told me that he was glad I stuck with knowing what worked for me instead of trying to struggle with something different. So, yeah. Trainers.

MelanieCN77

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I think the overall idea of creating personal habits that work for you is a good one.

The problem is that the specifics of those habits are going to vary from person to person.

[...]

So, yeah. Trainers.

This, basically. It might be nice to share the habits we've found that keep us feeling personally successful, if only for the fact it will show that you can't come here and ask and be told how to do the things and stuff because it will vary wildly you really do have to settle into what you will stick to. I think we'll find the only really common one will be either logging or the wisdom that has come with doing so for extended periods.

And yes on trainers being nutritional coaches also, approach with caution.