personal trainer screw up!?!?

Amanda82691
Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I met with the personal trainer at my gym and did an evaluation on my current health and fitness status. After discussing my goals he tells me for the next two weeks he wants me to eat 1100 calories over three meals and then we will work our way up by uping the cals and adding snacks/meals. Now I'm weary of this but the other part says trust him cause he is a personal trainer. Even though I know there are tons of different ways you can be certified to work in a gym.basically what are ya'lls opinions of this advice he gave!?
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Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    My first reaction?

    tumblr_mb4p56YgHZ1rfja63o1_500.gif

    But, I don't know anything about you - your current stats, how much you want to lose, what sort of workouts you're are or will be doing, etc. So my first reaction is no way, 1100 isn't enough for the average gal, or almost any gal, except in certain circumstances and maybe under a doctor's supervision....and the "industry standard" for women is a minimum of 1200 per day.

    I bet your BMR is higher than 1100, and if you burn that many calories while you're comatose, then my feeling is you need a few more while you're awake, upright, moving through your day. But like I said, I don't know all your info.
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    I'm 4'10 and 150 pounds I want to loose roughly 20 pounds and tone and lose inches. I have done my bmr and it is def more then 1100.
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
    1100 is fine if you dont eat nutritionally-void foods. You're basically a small child!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    With only needing to lose 20lbs, even with your height, 1100 sounds pretty drastic to me. I know you said he's planning to add more calories after two weeks, but what's the point of starting with such restrictions? Especially when 1100 is below your BMR....
    .
  • busywaterbending
    busywaterbending Posts: 844 Member
    your net after exercise AND food for your day should be 1100 - 1200. You currently need 1500 x 10 + exercise calories for a base calorie intake to maintain. If you ate 1400 calories a day and exercised that would be safer, but netting 1100 is doable with will power.

    With specific macronutrient ratios and micronutrient supplements this is doable. I doubt your trainer knows what he's doing. YOur trainer sucks. Hire me instead.
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    With only needing to lose 20lbs, even with your height, 1100 sounds pretty drastic to me. I know you said he's planning to add more calories after two weeks, but what's the point of starting with such restrictions? Especially when 1100 is below your BMR....
    .

    Well that was my thought especially if I'm looking to reach a point where its a healthy balanced lifestyle not a diet why the drastic cut!? I was expecting him to say like 1500 but he said even after two weeks its gonna be 1300 I'm just really uneasy about such a drastic cut.
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    I just wanted to say BEST GIF EVER
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
    I work with a personal trainer to lift ... he doesn't give me diet advice because he's not a registered dietician. He'll get upset if he sees me pork out but that has yet to happen :bigsmile:

    Maybe, just follow his exercise advice, proper form, etc. That is why I use my trainer for. Plus I was always nervous to go in the weight room at a large gym. Now I have an entire studio to myself for an hour twice a week.
  • beautifulcat
    beautifulcat Posts: 7 Member
    don't do it~!! 1100 calories would most likely put you in starvation mode. you could lay in bed all day and burn that. I don't know this trainer but seems to me he might be screwing with your calories so you have to keep going to him because when you add back in it could stall you and then you will be thinking your not working hard enough and you need him to help you. I am only 5ft and my nutrionist has me at 1800 calories but I have alot of muscle and workout twice a day.
  • awesomek001
    awesomek001 Posts: 167 Member
    I have a personal trainer, but he never started by giving me nutritional information until he and I worked together for a while. This trainer is doing you a disservice by giving you such a restrictive start. IMO he's unintentionally setting you up to fail - long term.
  • greginnd
    greginnd Posts: 26 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.
  • disdatdude
    disdatdude Posts: 118
    It's only a few hundred calories less than many other people are eating. Just ditch all of the sodas and juice. Water only. Get rid of sugar while you're at it. Eat large Salads or Veggies (sides).

    It's only a week. Other than some stomach rumbling I don't see the real harm. If you actually have 20lbs to get rid of, I would think that your body will burn that before you go into starvation mode :-)
  • disdatdude
    disdatdude Posts: 118
    Oh, make sure you eat slow and pay attention to the salad dressing you use. You're 4-10 so you don't have a huge frame to power :-)
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.

    No I see ur point and I agree I don't think doing it for a small period of time will do significant harm but I don't think it will do any good either.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.
    Maybe not harmful over the short term, but it still sucks! :tongue: Why eat so little and probably end up hungry when you can eat more and still have good results? That's my take on it.
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.
    Maybe not harmful over the short term, but it still sucks! :tongue: Why eat so little and probably end up hungry when you can eat more and still have good results? That's my take on it.

    Also agree!!! :)
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.

    No I see ur point and I agree I don't think doing it for a small period of time will do significant harm but I don't think it will do any good either.

    There is research showing that diets that start out with a large deficit to "jump start" the overall plan have lower rates of "recidivism" than if you start out without that little boost.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    I wouldn't take nutrition advice from a personal trainer unless they had some other certification. That is not their area.
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    I may get criticized for this but I don't think going to a low calorie diet, even 1100 calories for 2 or 3 weeks is harmful. I wouldn't go longer than that. Starvation mode is not as simple as people think. In just a couple of weeks you will not starve.

    No I see ur point and I agree I don't think doing it for a small period of time will do significant harm but I don't think it will do any good either.

    There is research showing that diets that start out with a large deficit to "jump start" the overall plan have lower rates of "recidivism" than if you start out without that little boost.


    Is this sarcasim lol
  • amandacowan1978
    amandacowan1978 Posts: 50 Member
    I like the advice that A) he's a personal trainer not a registered dietician (or is he?) and B) try to shoot for something closer to 1400 and make sure you get a little cardio most days. In my opinion, your net should not be less than 1200. Having said that, I'm quite a bit taller than you are and I know there is no way I could do it on 1200 or less.

    If you are not comfortable going super against his advice, at least shoot for 1200 and keep a journal of your eating AND your hunger and if you have periods of being hungry you should A) eat and B) journal that so you can show him that you need to be eating more than this.
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
    There is research showing that diets that start out with a large deficit to "jump start" the overall plan have lower rates of "recidivism" than if you start out without that little boost.
    Is this sarcasim lol

    Not at all, there's a link to the research on Lyle's forum somewhere but I can't recall the link.

    Think about it, losing 10lbs the first week and a half is going to give you a lot of motivation to continue, at which point you can transition to a more moderate diet.


    But I really wouldn't say 1100 is extreme for you anyway. Just because it's below 1200 doesn't mean it's automatically terrible. I find it silly that people on here will say oh 1200 or less is so bad without taking into consideration anything about the individual, we are all different.
  • Amanda82691
    Amanda82691 Posts: 298 Member
    There is research showing that diets that start out with a large deficit to "jump start" the overall plan have lower rates of "recidivism" than if you start out without that little boost.
    Is this sarcasim lol

    Not at all, there's a link to the research on Lyle's forum somewhere but I can't recall the link.

    Think about it, losing 10lbs the first week and a half is going to give you a lot of motivation to continue, at which point you can transition to a more moderate diet.


    But I really wouldn't say 1100 is extreme for you anyway. Just because it's below 1200 doesn't mean it's automatically terrible. I find it silly that people on here will say oh 1200 or less is so bad without taking into consideration anything about the individual, we are all different.

    No I agree the mental aspect of it would really work but to me I tried the 1200 cals a day before and it was hard. I think I'm over thinking this too much. I just need to use my knowledge of healthy and just listen to my body and really listen to it and not my cravings lol all while logging.
  • jgear13
    jgear13 Posts: 22 Member
    I also just started with a trainer and was put on a strict diet of 1000-1200 calories a day. I am 5'6" 170 and 37% BF. She says my BMR is about 939. I am supposed to start my day with a 350 calorie breakfast and make my meals 100cals smaller as the day goes on. Also eat 3 snacks. She gave me other restrictions as well such as no processed food, no carbs or fruit after lunch, and to watch my sodium, carbs, and keep my sugar under 29g a day. I fill up a lot on veggies. I feel like 1200 calories is very doable for me, I more so struggle with keeping the carbs and sugar down. I also think of it as this diet is short term to reach a specific goal (for me 30lbs in 3mos). Once I reach my goal, I plan to ease up a little on the strictness of my diet plan.
  • jgrode1984
    jgrode1984 Posts: 112
    I would ask your trainer, WHY? Why such a restrictive diet? What calculations did you use? Can you show me in scientific form how this is safe, helpful, logical.... Post him up a little bit and challenge him on it, especially if you're paying money for his services. If his answers don't seem reasonable based on what you've learned from mfp, may be a good idea to interview a new trainer. :)
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member

    Think about it, losing 10lbs the first week and a half is going to give you a lot of motivation to continue, at which point you can transition to a more moderate diet.

    10 lbs in a week? What is this, I don't even...
  • jgrode1984
    jgrode1984 Posts: 112
    I also just started with a trainer and was put on a strict diet of 1000-1200 calories a day. I am 5'6" 170 and 37% BF. She says my BMR is about 939. I am supposed to start my day with a 350 calorie breakfast and make my meals 100cals smaller as the day goes on. Also eat 3 snacks. She gave me other restrictions as well such as no processed food, no carbs or fruit after lunch, and to watch my sodium, carbs, and keep my sugar under 29g a day. I fill up a lot on veggies. I feel like 1200 calories is very doable for me, I more so struggle with keeping the carbs and sugar down. I also think of it as this diet is short term to reach a specific goal (for me 30lbs in 3mos). Once I reach my goal, I plan to ease up a little on the strictness of my diet plan.

    I highly doubt with your height and weight that your bmr is less than 1000. I would also recommend, for your own sake, to reevaluate what this trainer is telling you. At such a deficit, your likely to gain back any weight you loose, plus some, once you ease off this "diet" the trainer has put you on.
  • jgrode1984
    jgrode1984 Posts: 112
    It really seems like these trainers are trying to "wow" you with amazing, immediate results to get you to return for more sessions. Which to them is $$$$$. I'd think about that for a moment.....
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member

    Think about it, losing 10lbs the first week and a half is going to give you a lot of motivation to continue, at which point you can transition to a more moderate diet.

    10 lbs in a week? What is this, I don't even...

    Glycogen depletion will drop a pound a day off of a female. I've done it twice. I usually lose 2lbs/day though since I'm a decent sized male.
  • envy09
    envy09 Posts: 353 Member
    I also just started with a trainer and was put on a strict diet of 1000-1200 calories a day. I am 5'6" 170 and 37% BF. She says my BMR is about 939. I am supposed to start my day with a 350 calorie breakfast and make my meals 100cals smaller as the day goes on. Also eat 3 snacks. She gave me other restrictions as well such as no processed food, no carbs or fruit after lunch, and to watch my sodium, carbs, and keep my sugar under 29g a day. I fill up a lot on veggies. I feel like 1200 calories is very doable for me, I more so struggle with keeping the carbs and sugar down. I also think of it as this diet is short term to reach a specific goal (for me 30lbs in 3mos). Once I reach my goal, I plan to ease up a little on the strictness of my diet plan.

    I highly doubt with your height and weight that your bmr is less than 1000. I would also recommend, for your own sake, to reevaluate what this trainer is telling you. At such a deficit, your likely to gain back any weight you loose, plus some, once you ease off this "diet" the trainer has put you on.

    Agreed. At 5'6" and 170 lbs your BMR should be around 1500 or more. I'm 5'6 and 120lbs and my BMR is more than that!

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
  • jgear13
    jgear13 Posts: 22 Member
    At this point on the trainer's diet plan I have only lost 2 lbs in 1 week which I believe is a safe amount. I certainly don't plan to drop my calories lower than 1200 though even if the trainer says to.

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