personal trainer confusion!

nicola19489

hey everyone,

ive just paid alot of money for a personal trainer at the gym. im very confused as i told him my main goal was to lose weight and yet im being advised to swap from skimmed milk and loq fat subsititues to organic everything and whole fat milk..cook with butter or goose fat....i am so confused as how i am meant to lose weight whilst eating a whole load of saturated fat.

should i try what he says or do you think its a load of..well rubbish. any thoughts would be very mich appreciated as i feel ive wasted a lot of money!

Cr01502

Fat doesn't make you fat.

An excess of calories makes you fat.

Fat also helps to improve satiety.

Also saturated fats from animals aren't necessarily bad for you.

It''s trans fat you need to look out for.

714rah714

Some personal trainers aren't worth their weight

nicola19489

ye he did explain that..i have bought whole milk but ivexdrank skimmed for years and it made me feel sick. i think im just worried im on a body builders diet. its so different from what everyone else and the media is saying about lower calorie intakes and lower fat. hes told me not to bother counting calories also.

so many different views on everything i dont know whats right and whats not.

taliar93

Seems a bit dodgy, if you're having serious doubts the gym you signed up at should have a 7 day grace period for you to cancel your membership. I'm not a nutritionist or a dietitian so I honestly can't give you a straight up answer about why he would be putting you on high fat.

taliar93

ye he did explain that..i have bought whole milk but ivexdrank skimmed for years and it made me feel sick. i think im just worried im on a body builders diet. its so different from what everyone else and the media is saying about lower calorie intakes and lower fat. hes told me not to bother counting calories also.

so many different views on everything i dont know whats right and whats not.

I would keep a diary for your calories, that seems really stupid honestly, and whilst he may be a pt they go through absolute basic training on nutrition and such (My friend just completed a course to be a pt, and it took no time at all and she still really has no idea about nutrition)

professorRAT

ye he did explain that..i have bought whole milk but ivexdrank skimmed for years and it made me feel sick. i think im just worried im on a body builders diet. its so different from what everyone else and the media is saying about lower calorie intakes and lower fat. hes told me not to bother counting calories also.

so many different views on everything i dont know whats right and whats not.

It is not a body builders diet. However, if you want to lose weight I am not sure why he would tell you not to count calories. Ask him what his reason is. Nobody here knows what he is planning or thinking. Make him explain it to you.

stefhy

Well, from what he is saying he is asking you to eat clean. Meaning, no more preservatives. No fake sweeteners or added chemicals to your food to save calories. There's a difference between low calorie food, and good calorie food sometimes.

If he's saying you're okay to eat brayers ice cream - then yeah, he's a little weird.

But, I am assuming that you did have a chat with him about your current diet and the things you eat right now. If you mentioned that you DO eat subsitute sugars, and pasturized food and what not, he's probably thinking that you need to detoxify your system. It's really really hard to eat clean these days, because such a large majority of our foods are processed ( which is good for businesses, not our bodies!) and/or they are trying to keep up with the 'low calorie, low fat' fad, by using fake ingredients and things that we just shouldnt have in our body. These ingredients cause a lot of problems, as far as digestion goes. They don't get digested properly, which leaves chemicals in our gut. So now, not only are we not getting proper nutrition but we're holding onto chemicals in our bodies and those chemicals are stopping us from ridding ourselves of the 'low calorie' food we were trying to diet with.

Further more, there's a difference between good fats and bad fats. Good fats: avocado, butter (not margarine!), coconut oils (not canola oil) -- there's a list (I recommend you do research into the paleo diet to look for more answers if you are interested, it's hard to do but SO worth it - at least paleo inspired ideas would help)..> Bad fats: everything delicious that I indulge in on my birthday. Chocolates, candy, ice cream, sugar, refined sugars, pops, juice -- yes juice! Orange juice has a lot of natural sugar, and a lot of unnatural sugar -- and by the end of it, there's not enough of anything else in thes fruit juices to make up for the amount of sugar, so they all turn to fat and add to our middle-jiggle if you will .

Good fats, like those that he's asking you to eat (unpasturized milk, organic foods, whole butter - all of those) actually help to replace all of your bad fats in the body. SO all those years as a child eating oreos at 3am, that lead us to a jiggly shaped body are showing now - it's about time to switch up the bad fats into the good fats and your body will clean itself up. Good fats (the whole omega 3,6,9 deal) are good for your body fat percentage! It will actually lower it. Not to mention, they are wonderful for your skin, your hair, your heart, your brain. All of those things. (Omega 3 is less your friend if you take too much of that -- but that's a discussion for another time.)

All in all, I don't know your whole story or what you used to eat - nor what kind of physical activity you do. But if what he's telling you sounds anything like that ^^ and anything like Paleo (please look it up, you won't regret it) then he's not crazy, it's not rubbish. You hired a keeper.

bpotts44

hey everyone,

ive just paid alot of money for a personal trainer at the gym. im very confused as i told him my main goal was to lose weight and yet im being advised to swap from skimmed milk and loq fat subsititues to organic everything and whole fat milk..cook with butter or goose fat....i am so confused as how i am meant to lose weight whilst eating a whole load of saturated fat.

should i try what he says or do you think its a load of..well rubbish. any thoughts would be very mich appreciated as i feel ive wasted a lot of money!

Is he a nutritionist or just a trainer. My trainer friend gives absolutely no advice because she is certified for exercise not nutrition. Just log your food accurately and try to hit your calorie and macro targets and you will lose weight.

MyChocolateDiet

I think you should call him. Remind him about your weight LOSS goals and ask specifically why he recommends those particular things for you?

Plus the guy above seems to have a good point. You go to you trainer for his physical expertise no? At least I only give my PT credit for knowing the body's mechanic's unless he tells me and proves to me otherwise.

lagreen57

Go with your gut! Stick with the lowfat foods and you will be better off. Yes, you do need to pay attention to the fat content and it sounds like you are packing alot of extra calories that you don't need. I have been drinking skim milk all of my life. If you want to lose weight, you do need to count calories. Just doesn't make sense. Tell him your concerns and possibly get a different trainer.

taliar93

cook with butter or goose fat.

That's freaking disturbing, you're right that does sound like a bodybuilder diet, because from everything I've heard/read and been told by an actual chef that was teaching at Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food, you should use Pure Olive Oil to cook with...

IronPlayground

Keep tracking your calories. What really matters is at the end of the day your are at a deficit and your macronutrients are being met. If that is through whole milk, 2% or almond, it really doesn't matter that much. Eat foods you enjoy. You won't gain muscle eating at a deficit.

taliar93

I think you should call him. Remind him about your weight LOSS goals and ask specifically why he recommends those particular things for you?

^^ Di is totally right, ring him and call him out on it, ask him why specifically he recommends all this stuff, why it's healthier than other alternatives etc. Chances are he has no idea what he's talking about and will get flustered.

Alisha_countrymama

Oh my goodness... your trainer is amazing. Saturated fat is GOOD for you!!! Fat doesn't make you fat honey!

professorRAT

Keep tracking your calories. What really matters is at the end of the day your are at a deficit and your macronutrients are being met. If that is through whole milk, 2% or almond, it really doesn't matter that much. Eat foods you enjoy. You won't gain muscle eating at a deficit.

^and this.

christy_frank

Fat doesn't make you fat.

An excess of calories makes you fat.

Fat also helps to improve satiety.

Also saturated fats from animals aren't necessarily bad for you.

It''s trans fat you need to look out for.

THIS. Also, the increase in fat intake and a reduction in carbs will train your body to start burning fat for fuel which is more efficient & will start using the fat in your body as fuel as well.

wareagle8706

Fat doesn't make you fat.

An excess of calories makes you fat.

Fat also helps to improve satiety.

Also saturated fats from animals aren't necessarily bad for you.

It''s trans fat you need to look out for.

^Exactly^

Fat doesn't make you fat.

Sounds like they're trying to get you to stop eating so much processed stuff and eat real food products. (Skim milk is more processed and loses a lot of vitamins and minerals as well as protein along the way)

christy_frank

I think you should call him. Remind him about your weight LOSS goals and ask specifically why he recommends those particular things for you?

^^ Di is totally right, ring him and call him out on it, ask him why specifically he recommends all this stuff, why it's healthier than other alternatives etc. Chances are he has no idea what he's talking about and will get flustered.

He DOES know what he is talking about. STAY THE F AWAY FROM LOW FAT FOODS!!!!!

stefhy

Many personal trainers who ask you not to count calories, are actually asking you for quite a specific diet. If it's not animal and it's not plant - don't eat it... That particular diet (eating super duper clean) you really don't have to count calories. I know it sounds crazy, but everything you eat on that diet will either make you really full all by itself, or there's not enough calories in it to worry. (lettuce for example. Eat that all day, without breathing in between - you'll be fine.)

I would stick to counting calories, especially because I know it's easy to fall off the squeaky clean eating band wagon. And it's good to know exactly what you're putting in your body. (I never stopped counting, at least a little bit in the back of my mind, because I have a tendency to eat past the point of my being full... It's a terrible habit, I've never gained control of it unless I was really looking at the foods I was putting in my body.)

I don't think he means any harm in telling you not to count calories - however, he should probably go over with you,exactly how particular this diet is. He owes you further explanation.

nicola19489

oh my gosh u have just made me sigh with relief! ye u have said exactly whats hes getting at and like u say its everyone else following the low fat fad which is confusing me. im gna stick with the green milk as blue really is too creamy for me but thankyou so much i will look into that diet! i can sleep peacefully now!

also i mentioned mfp and he said not to bother dont log calories just track wot im eating so he can see.

thanks for all your input everyone!

Alisha_countrymama

I think you should call him. Remind him about your weight LOSS goals and ask specifically why he recommends those particular things for you?

^^ Di is totally right, ring him and call him out on it, ask him why specifically he recommends all this stuff, why it's healthier than other alternatives etc. Chances are he has no idea what he's talking about and will get flustered.

He DOES know what he is talking about. STAY THE F AWAY FROM LOW FAT FOODS!!!!!

YES!!!! THIS ^

BigDnSW

"Is he a nutritionist or just a trainer. My trainer friend gives absolutely no advice because she is certified for exercise not nutrition. Just log your food accurately and try to hit your calorie and macro targets and you will lose weight."

Bingo...this. Many trainers no nothing of nutrition and nutrition will vary from person to person. I'd definitely call him on it. See a professional if you can about nutrition and leave the training to a good trainer.

Best of luck!

wareagle8706

THIS. Also, the increase in fat intake and a reduction in carbs will train your body to start burning fat for fuel which is more efficient & will start using the fat in your body as fuel as well.

ok the part about "burng fat for fuel being more efficient" is wrong. Your body is most efficient at burning carbs. PERIOD. Don't put it out there if you aren't certain of it's truth. Carbs, fat, then protein - in that order, is what your body is most efficient as using for fuel.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

cook with butter or goose fat.

That's freaking disturbing, you're right that does sound like a bodybuilder diet, because from everything I've heard/read and been told by an actual chef that was teaching at Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food, you should use Pure Olive Oil to cook with...

So you've never heard of Paula Deen? Olive oil is a great cooking oil, but butter has it's place too (like on turkeys). There is nothing wrong with the suggestions he's giving you, except I would wonder to what end he doesn't want you counting calories. I'd have another discussion with him on that point. Besides, a lot of low fat foods have added sugar. pretty much 2 things make flavor: fat and sugar. Fat is more satisfying.

HardRockCamaro

Now I'm showing my lack of knowledge:

"Orange juice has a lot of natural sugar, and a lot of unnatural sugar"

I know fruit juice has a lot of natural sugar so the sugar content is surprisingly high, and calories to match.

But unnatural sugar?

Do you mean orange juice that has added sweetener? Surely pure orange juice doesn't have unnatural anything or am I being naive?


I'm not picking holes, I'm genuinely asking.

IronPlayground

Well, from what he is saying he is asking you to eat clean. Meaning, no more preservatives. No fake sweeteners or added chemicals to your food to save calories. There's a difference between low calorie food, and good calorie food sometimes.

If he's saying you're okay to eat brayers ice cream - then yeah, he's a little weird.

But, I am assuming that you did have a chat with him about your current diet and the things you eat right now. If you mentioned that you DO eat subsitute sugars, and pasturized food and what not, he's probably thinking that you need to detoxify your system. It's really really hard to eat clean these days, because such a large majority of our foods are processed ( which is good for businesses, not our bodies!) and/or they are trying to keep up with the 'low calorie, low fat' fad, by using fake ingredients and things that we just shouldnt have in our body. These ingredients cause a lot of problems, as far as digestion goes. They don't get digested properly, which leaves chemicals in our gut. So now, not only are we not getting proper nutrition but we're holding onto chemicals in our bodies and those chemicals are stopping us from ridding ourselves of the 'low calorie' food we were trying to diet with.

Further more, there's a difference between good fats and bad fats. Good fats: avocado, butter (not margarine!), coconut oils (not canola oil) -- there's a list (I recommend you do research into the paleo diet to look for more answers if you are interested, it's hard to do but SO worth it - at least paleo inspired ideas would help)..> Bad fats: everything delicious that I indulge in on my birthday. Chocolates, candy, ice cream, sugar, refined sugars, pops, juice -- yes juice! Orange juice has a lot of natural sugar, and a lot of unnatural sugar -- and by the end of it, there's not enough of anything else in thes fruit juices to make up for the amount of sugar, so they all turn to fat and add to our middle-jiggle if you will .

Good fats, like those that he's asking you to eat (unpasturized milk, organic foods, whole butter - all of those) actually help to replace all of your bad fats in the body. SO all those years as a child eating oreos at 3am, that lead us to a jiggly shaped body are showing now - it's about time to switch up the bad fats into the good fats and your body will clean itself up. Good fats (the whole omega 3,6,9 deal) are good for your body fat percentage! It will actually lower it. Not to mention, they are wonderful for your skin, your hair, your heart, your brain. All of those things. (Omega 3 is less your friend if you take too much of that -- but that's a discussion for another time.)

All in all, I don't know your whole story or what you used to eat - nor what kind of physical activity you do. But if what he's telling you sounds anything like that ^^ and anything like Paleo (please look it up, you won't regret it) then he's not crazy, it's not rubbish. You hired a keeper.

If anyone is suggesting Breyer's ice cream and still remaining at a deficit while meeting macros then they are being realistic.

Also, don't blame Oreos for someone's weight problem. The problem comes from over consumption of calories from all foods not just one.

missprincessgina

Unless the personal trainer has a BS or MA or PhD in dietetics or nutrition, then he shouldn't be giving diet advice. A clinical dietitian or professional nutritionist can do that for you. Make sure the are a registered dietitian (RD) or have a degree as mentioned above.

Having said that, I see a personal trainer 2 - 4 times a week. 2 times for strength training because I do not know proper form and technique and was intimidated to lift weights in a weight room with lots of guys at a gym. I see him alone, one on one, in his studio. We lift, use kettlebells, TRX, resistance training, boot camp type stuff, etc. My body has def changed for the better.

Good luck and please see a RD or professional if you're interested in a diet overhaul.

haroon_awan

Fat doesn't make you fat.

An excess of calories makes you fat.

Fat also helps to improve satiety.

Also saturated fats from animals aren't necessarily bad for you.

It''s trans fat you need to look out for.

Agreed.

OP: a "BODYBUILDER'S DIET" is generally eating above your maintenance of calories (called TDEE). Did your PT tell you to eat above your TDEE? If he did not then it's not a bodybuilder's diet.

Fat loss is MORE about eating under your TDEE, and LESS about eating certain foods, although this does play a part.

MellyGibson

I'm a certified personal trainer - and here are my thoughts:

I DO cook with real butter - but only about 1 TBS a day. Maybe two if I did a leg workout (I'm also a weight-lifter). I would NEVER advise anyone to use margarine - it's one molecule away from plastic!
Furthermore we were also instructed about the benefits of using reduced fat dairy products as opposed to full-fat dairy products.
Your body DOES need a certain amount of fat in order to survive.

Personal trainers are taught about nutrition - but are NOT nutritionists!

Telling you to NOT count calories?!?! RUBBISH! How in the heck are you supposed to use the "eat less/move more" principle if you don't know what you're eating?!

That's just from my learning and experience. If I were in your shoes (and I have been) I'd drop him like you wish to drop your weight!! Or, if you're locked into a contract, present him with your own information and explain to him that you've hired him to be a personal TRAINER, not a personal NUTRITIONIST as he is not QUALIFIED to give you that advice.

Best of luck to you!

BigDnSW

Unless the personal trainer has a BS or MA or PhD in dietetics or nutrition, then he shouldn't be giving diet advice. A clinical dietitian or professional nutritionist can do that for you. Make sure the are a registered dietitian (RD) or have a degree as mentioned above.

Having said that, I see a personal trainer 2 - 4 times a week. 2 times for strength training because I do not know proper form and technique and was intimidated to lift weights in a weight room with lots of guys at a gym. I see him alone, one on one, in his studio. We lift, use kettlebells, TRX, resistance training, boot camp type stuff, etc. My body has def changed for the better.

Good luck and please see a RD or professional if you're interested in a diet overhaul.

Again..ditto..