"Fitness professional" bad advice.

jefamer2017
jefamer2017 Posts: 416 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just had a conversation with the owner and trainer of a gym. I told him I had 2 pieces of toast a piece of ham and a tangerine for breakfast. He said that eventually that will be too much food for me. It was 312 calories(used a food scale). Then he tells me that I should fast for a couple of days at a time, he didn't say how often. He said when you fast you become smarter. I think he's starving so he delusional and just thinks he's smarter when he's not eating. I told him I physically cannot fast because after my gallbladder was removed if I don't eat I am in pain. It's not hunger pain it's debilitating pain. Which is part of the reason I got fat because any time I would feel pain I'd eat whatever was there and not make smart choices. He told me to push through the pain and fast anyway. Then he tells me that cucumbers are good for pH balance in your body. You cannot change your pH with food and if your pH changes you are probably dying or very sick. I just listened to him ramble then I said well got to go home now see you next week. At least he's not my trainer. My trainer is smart he wants me to eat balanced and gave me about the same calories to eat as myfitnesspal he says for me to eat 1400 myfitnesspal says 1430.

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    The manager at the Anytime Fitness gym I use is total gym-bro like that, too. I wear headphones and don't engage as much as possible.
  • ISweat4This
    ISweat4This Posts: 653 Member
    Glad you know it was all nonsense
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Just nod along until he stops talking... that's all you can really do, hah. Some people have some wacky ideas about weight loss and nutrition and there's no convincing them otherwise. It's unfortunate that he's in a position of guidance, because gullible people will believe everything he says... but as they say it's not your circus and not your monkeys.
  • iWishMyNameWasRebel
    iWishMyNameWasRebel Posts: 174 Member
    jefamer2017 wrote: »
    Then he tells me that I should fast for a couple of days at a time, he didn't say how often. He said when you fast you become smarter.

    Ida been all "hey man, are you trying to tell me I'm dumb??" LOL!

    Good on you for recognizing the woo.
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    i had one fitness trainer tell me i should be eating 1000 calories a day and my ex gyno told me the same thing! Totally wrong and unhealthy advice.
  • LadyElectron
    LadyElectron Posts: 43 Member
    Was told by a trainer that spending 20-40 min in a sauna 3-4 days a week was the key to burning fat. Yea no. I mean, I’m sure I’d lose a ton of water weight, and mayyyyyybe burn slightly more calories than I would in the same amount of time spent sitting in a regular room bc my body is probably working hard to keep me from dying, but it’s not the magic bullet he thinks it is.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited April 2018
    My old trainer was into that ph thing too, but he didn't push things too hard, because he saw I was getting results, so he figured I knew what I was doing. I lost a lot of weight while I was his client.

    Good on you for knowing bad advice when you hear it. I use to just sort of smile and nod and then say... "So, 8 reps?" and change the subject. That's what I do whenever someone brings up weird dieting advice. Just smile, nod, and change the subject.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    LadyElectron wrote: »
    Was told by a trainer that spending 20-40 min in a sauna 3-4 days a week was the key to burning fat. Yea no. I mean, I’m sure I’d lose a ton of water weight, and mayyyyyybe burn slightly more calories than I would in the same amount of time spent sitting in a regular room bc my body is probably working hard to keep me from dying, but it’s not the magic bullet he thinks it is.

    This made me think of the time I walked into the gym and the bro-manager had someone standing in a side room, playing a VR video game. Because it would "get their heart rate into fat-burning mode."
  • jefamer2017
    jefamer2017 Posts: 416 Member
    cheryldumais wrote: »
    You're right he's wrong but one thing you said concerns me. Your comment about being in pain since your gall bladder was removed if you don't eat makes me wonder. I would check with your doc just to be sure nothing else is going on. I had my gall bladder out and can fast with no pain (I fast for spiritual reasons). If you are still suffering there could be something else going on. As for the rest of it, you are totally right to ignore him.

    It's fine it only happens when I don't eat. The doctor said what it was, can't remember what it was called at the moment but it's basically just spasms and there isn't much that can be done about it. It doesn't happen often but when it does it hurts.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    I had a personal trainer tell me that for some people, weight loss is not about calories. He said that for some, it is necessary to cut carbs to lose weight. I'm not sure that I believe that.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I would not call any of these people “professionals”. Just having a certification and working in a gym does not make you a “professional”. Getting paid to train doesn’t necessarily make you a “professional”.

    A professional has a combination of both academic education and experience. A professional is a lifelong learner who remains current with fitness/health research and has a broad view of the industry. A professional has the ability to independently evaluate new exercises, equipment, diet plans, research studies, etc as to their veracity and relevance. A professional adheres to standards of ethical conduct as laid out by nationally recognized organizations.

    When you get a group of actual fitness professionals together, there is a consistency of thought and general approach.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,233 Member
    I have an elderly relative who has no problem looking someone straight in their eyes and spouting gems such as: "you're a stupid idiot". In the case of your gym manager she would even be right!!!

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