Nutritionist or Trainer?

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TheJHopkinsProject
TheJHopkinsProject Posts: 28 Member
in Motivation and Support
If you were able to hire someone to help you through your process, would it be more important to you to have a nutritionist or a personal trainer for the gym?
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  • kmessinger14
    kmessinger14 Posts: 57 Member
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    Tough decision. I think I would go with the personal trainer. I can find creative ways to make some good tasting healthy food, but sometimes I feel like I don't know how to take my workout goals to the next level, and that's where a personal trainer would come in.
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
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    I would not feel comfortable with either, honestly. I hate the one-on-one of a personal trainer and I can't justify a paying a nutritionist just to have someone try to sell me some meal plan or gimmick.
  • irejuvenateme
    irejuvenateme Posts: 96 Member
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    Both are valuable depending on your needs.
    If you have to choose what is your more serious prority?

    I tell you I did both at one point and it was pretty amazing - but I had very specific needs on both sides:
    1) Nutritionist - I was a pre-diabetic, sugar junkie and suffer from bad acid reflux - they really helped me and did not sell me on a meal plan just made me aware of options that would work for me.
    2) Trainer - I wanted a trainer to show me a workout I could do on my own

    The time spent with both was amazing - I wish I was still in that place, but I am starting over now and not looking back.

    Good luck.
  • ChampCrucial
    ChampCrucial Posts: 120 Member
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    Mos def a nutritionist. I keep finding little tips and tricks as I read my personal training book but I know that a nutritionist has the wealth of knowledge needed to piece together the best plan for you and the way you like to train
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
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    For me I would do the personal trainer, which I did do for the past two months twice a week. If I could afford it, I would keep doing it. I really need someone to push me and cheer me on when I'm at the gym. For some reason I work harder and push myself. When I go to the gym by myself or even with my daughter I just go through the motions.

    The nutritionist would be nice. I basically know what I should and shouldn't eat, especially as a diabetic. I can Google most of that information if I'm curious about something.
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
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    I had that choice, and I chose a good nutritionist. There are all kinds of videos and books on proper technique when working out, and they all seem to have the same message. But nutrition is an area that much more complicated and clouded by fads and quick fixes. I needed someone to help guide me through all the nonsense.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I think that really depends. I currently am working with a PT...and it's the first time in my life. The only reason I am doing so is because I want to become proficient at Oly-lifting and maybe even enter some old timers meets. I was doing a decent job on my own, but having issues progressing...in just a couple of sessions he has really tweaked the timing on my hip explosion for my snatch and my clean and my bar path is almost perfect...all while adding about 20 Lbs to my working weight with the clean and 25 Lbs up on my snatch...in two weeks.

    I have a reasonably good grasp of nutrition and fitness so outside of this one very specific goal I haven't found either to be necessary.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
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    What do you struggle with? Do you flounder in the kitchen or in the gym? I spent my money on krav maga (martial arts) classes because I know how to cook/eat in a healthy way that I enjoy, I have figured out my form for lifting, but I would have a very hard time motivating myself for a high intensity workout. The self defense and comradery is the cherry on top.
  • longtimeterp
    longtimeterp Posts: 623 Member
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    charri25 wrote: »
    Mos def a nutritionist. I keep finding little tips and tricks as I read my personal training book but I know that a nutritionist has the wealth of knowledge needed to piece together the best plan for you and the way you like to train

    Mos Def is a nutritionist now???

    mosdef.jpg

    who knew???
  • adjadj83
    adjadj83 Posts: 41 Member
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    I am a trainer and I do better when I have a personal trainer. A good trainer will design an exercise program for you and push you to a new fitness level. If you have specific dietary needs such as diabetes, an eating disorder or have a BMI over 30 then having a nutritionist evaluate your diet and create a meal plan will help you reach your goal in a healthy way.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
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    If you don't have an eating disorder and aren't an elite level athlete, I'm not sure what value a nutritionist has.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    I love my trainer. He comes once a week to my place for 45 mins.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,540 Member
    edited November 2014
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    Trainer. One can learn nutrition for free. While one can learn exercises for free too, CORRECT EXECUTION is another matter. There's watching a video or reading about a squat, then there's doing it with a pro watching you do it and making corrections to form or execution.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I do have a personal trainer, and have used one for years now (in between pregnancies lol). I don't find eating healthily a problem, and I don't have a medical condition, so not sure what use a nutritionist would be for me. I don't have a problem exercising either, but I like to have someone to push me. If I were on my own I may not lift quite so heavy, or go quite so fast.
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
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    Trainer
  • blobby10
    blobby10 Posts: 357 Member
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    I would have a nutritionist as I know that my eating habits are sabotaging my training success. Once I have them sussed, I would then move to a PT if I still had some cash left over! For me, I know what I SHOULD be eating but I need some guidance on when, where, what and how much.
  • TheJHopkinsProject
    TheJHopkinsProject Posts: 28 Member
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    lilawolf wrote: »
    What do you struggle with? Do you flounder in the kitchen or in the gym? I spent my money on krav maga (martial arts) classes because I know how to cook/eat in a healthy way that I enjoy, I have figured out my form for lifting, but I would have a very hard time motivating myself for a high intensity workout. The self defense and comradery is the cherry on top.

    Id say both probably. I grew up in the south and learned to cook southern style using lots of butter and sugar, etc. I know what things I SHOULD be eating, but I was never introduced to them and would say I'm pretty picky and don't really like them. I have no idea how to cook healthy and make it taste good...and lets face it, if it doesn't taste good I wont eat it. I dont even know if that's something a nutritionist can help with.

    In the gym, I'm very intimidated. I don't know what to do, I'm embarrassed to walk in front of everyone to get to the weights which is what I really want to do. Most people there are in incredible shape and I feel judged there. In the classes that the gym offers, I feel completely behind because I'm starting in the middle of what looks like everyones 10 thousandth time being there. I end up hiding in the raquetball court and doing that for a little bit and then leaving.

    AHH!
  • khoddy
    khoddy Posts: 11 Member
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    Why settle with just one? Many RD's are certified personal trainers. go to the official Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website (AND) at www.eatright.org to find one in your area. DO NOT GO TO A TRAINER CLAIMING THEY KNOW NUTRITION- this practice is actually illegal in some states.

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