First Meeting With a Trainer....

Actually, I agree with myastyme completely. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with this guy and his making you feel poorly about yourself is more than ample reason to never work with him. However, what he says isn't completely nuts. I think he would have been better to include explanations and caveats for what he said because there are those, but, on the whole, he's not completely irrational in his approach.

So I'll go through what he said step by step and explain at least one rationale behind what he said. I'd hate for any good information he provided to get completely dismissed because of the way he provided it or simply because it seems radical.

A. I definitely think he over-stated that one bad meal ruins an entire week's worth of exercise. However, if a person is looking at fitness for its health benefits more than just for its weight loss benefits, then it kind of makes sense. Why would a person spend hours taking care of their body and then poor pure crap into it? I look at it this way. Would I wash the car for five hours so that I could intentionally drive through mud for ten seconds? No. So why would I work on my health through exercise for five hours a week and then, in 5 minutes, fill my body with horrible stuff?

B & F. This whole carbs thing really irritates me, I'll be honest. And, again, I think this guy has seriously over-stated the situation. However, there actually is a reason why carbs shouldn't be eaten late in the day, and that is because it prohibits the release of human growth hormone during sleep which, among other things, is very important for losing weight. While I think he puts the cut-off for eating carbs WAY too early, there is a valid reason for his recommendation regarding carbs.

C. Cardio vs strength....which comes first has LONG been a debate in the fitness world. And people certainly take corners when it comes down to it. It all boils down to the different energy sources the body uses for the varying exercises. Suffice it to say that if you are looking at strength training as a way of increasing muscle, the guy's got it right. In fact, many would argue that you should never do cardio and strength training on the same day if you are trying to actually build muscle. He should have broken that down because it isn't a hard-and-fast rule since people have a variety of reasons for doing strength training, but if you are trying to get actual strength benefits by building muscle out of strength training, then everything I've read says he's right. And, yes, I've been putting cardio before strength for years and will still depending on what I'm trying to do.

D. I'm actually really surprised about what he said about exercise machines. But I can see where he may be coming from because things like step aerobics and kickboxing work the entire body AND involve more variety. I don't think they are necessarily better if a person is using a variety of machines or varying their routine on the machines. But many people don't do that (and that's what he should have said). So if a person is going to walk at 2.5 miles an hour for 45 minutes every.single.day on the treadmill, then, yes, exercise classes are going to be a WHOLE lot better. But, again, he should have specified that instead of making a blanket statement.

E. Controversial subject on this site, but the guy is right about exercise calories. I hate to say it and people here are going to argue against it, but in my ten years on fitness sites and reading as much as I can on diet and nutrition, I can honestly say that MFP is the ONLY place that I've seen that has ever recommended the specific consumption of exercise calories. Now, I don't think that's a bad thing and it obviously works for some people. Why I don't think it is bad is because it provides a very tangible (being able to eat) reward (for lack of a better word) for exercise, giving exercise a very positive image in the minds of those doing it. So I think it positively reinforces exercise, which is good, because exercise is very important for not only losing weight but for being able to keep weight off after the weight is lost. And, the great thing about that, is if a sufficient enough calorie deficit can be created while people are eating exercise calories, it is a win-win situation because people are losing weight. However, everything I've read on the subject indicates that starvation mode isn't nearly as easy to fall into as many believe, and that, except for those who are 20 or so pounds or less overweight, people can safely create more significant calorie deficits, including through the use of exercise. Some (many) may not WANT to because of how they feel (and I think that's one of the reasons so many doctors recommend 1-2 pound weight loss per week....because it is reasonable), but that doesn't mean that is the ONLY way.

G. There is a science to fitness (believe it or not). Again, if a person is looking at fitness as a way of losing weight only, maybe that is irrelevant. But there really is a science behind maximizing fitness benefits (especially when it comes to strength training), so I can't fault the guy--if this is how he is looking at it--for saying that working with a trainer is beneficial.

H. He's right about the healthy eating part. You can workout forever and be 100 pounds, but if you eat crap, you aren't getting the full benefits of either the workout or the health benefits of being at a lower weight. Health isn't just about the cosmetics of weight. It is about what is going on inside the body as well. And while somebody who is obese is more prone to things like heart disease than somebody who is thin, somebody who is thin isn't immune to it by a long shot. What people put into their bodies really does matter, no matter how they look on the outside.

I. I'm in the process of changing my lifestyle, and I estimate it will take me somewhere over a year to get everything into place so I can't argue with what this guy said. This is something, in my opinion, that SHOULD be worked on slowly. I have made a promise to myself that every change I make will be a permanent change. And so I'm taking it slowly and making sure I can live--for the rest of my life--with the changes I've made. That takes time. For those only interested in losing the pounds they have in excess and then going back to a similar lifestyle they enjoyed before, that probably doesn't make sense. But to actually change habits, it takes awhile to find new habits that a person can live with comfortably for a long time. It goes beyond thinking 'Okay, while I lose weight, when we go out to eat I'll order a salad' and goes into 'I'm no longer eating out at all because I can't control what is going into my food or how it is prepared, and that is more important to me than a night out with the family'. And, for some, that takes more time to adjust to.

J. I totally agree with him about tracking healthy eating. If I had a dollar for everytime I've read 'I ate some ice cream last night because it fit into my calorie allowance', I would be wealthier than I was before I joined MFP. It cannot be emphasized enough the importance of healthy eating, and if a person is looking for overall health, then just looking at the bottom line (how many calories I consumed and whether that brownie fits in or not) just isn't the best way of tracking health.

K. I do think there are plateaus, but I don't think they are as common as many believe. I think those most prone to plateaus are those with fewer pounds to lose who may not be exercising the right way or eating the right way to lose the last pounds. The body wants those pounds, and it is difficult to convince the body to get rid of them. I also think there are plateaus caused by hormone issues (like thyroid), and I don't dismiss those at all. But I would argue that good portion of plateaus are actually as he has described. I listen to Jillian Michael's radio show every now and again, and this is one of those issues that comes up alot. And she is good about going through everything that people who are experiencing plateaus are doing--work outs, nutrition, etc. And 9 times out of 10, when it gets to nutrition, she gets the 'Well, I'm good most of the time...' answer, which, when she digs deeper, ends up being that people aren't really being militant about their diet anymore. It could boil down to WHAT they are eating instead of how much they are eating (more crap, less nutritious stuff), but it usually boils down to something with exercise or nutrition.

I know this is an incredibly long response, and, again, I think this guy should have provided more information than what he did and at least his rationale for what he said. But he isn't that far off the mark.

Being thin in our society is difficult. But being HEALTHY in our society is even more difficult. And it sounds to me like this guy is really in to being healthy more than into being thin. I can't fault him for that. It may not be the best approach for everybody (and if it isn't, they need to find another trainer), but that doesn't make it a ridiculous approach.

Again, I'm sorry you had a bad experience with him. I definitely hope he learns to better express himself with people because, no doubt, he over-stated things and only illustrated one side of his argument. But that doesn't mean his one side is totally without merit.

I will state my point another way. Let's say there is a man who works out hard, has a body fat % of 9 and eats a small bowl of ice cream every night. Let's also say that, unknown to him, he has an issue with his pancreas making him particularly sensitive to sugar. When he turns 45, still in great shape, he is diagnosed as being insulin resistant, which is a precursor for Type II Diabetes. Does that negate all of the hard work he did in the gym to maintain his weight/body fat %? Only he could determine that, but I would think it would give the average person a moment's pause about what they thought was a relatively harmless ice cream habit that seemed on the surface to have no ill effects. Again, I will state that health is measured in many ways, and this is one way health may be measured. And I'm not stating that everybody who eats ice cream every day is going to get diabetes. I'm just saying that this trainer is advocating healthy eating habits, and there are a variety of reasons--some external and some internal--for advocating that type of lifestyle.

Stiring wendel, you're making me think you's a nut, the only thing you have right, is that you don't know me. Do not bring me into your justifications, plase and thank you. My body fat percentage has nothing to do with anything, other than to tell people, that even at a low percentage, the occasional junk food treat I enjoy doesn't make all my hard work useless. THAT'S it, nothing less nothing more, don't put words in my mouth, I can get myself into plenty of trouble on my own, trust me. I never once advocated that eating junk and having fun go hand in hand, not once, I eat "junk" cause I WANT TO, not for fun, or because i'm out with friends, but because, I'm thinking, wow I feel like eating an Oreo right now, so I do, not for fun, not to please anyone or anything other than my tummy, there....i just get so grrrrr-ed up when people use me as an example...I'm not, i'm just trecking along like everyone else, trying to be the best I can be.Wether that means sweating my a** off in the gym, or lying in a hospital bed not eating pudding, or out with my kids enjoying a slice of pizza. So that's it, it's funny how people can take a few words and totally manipulate them to suit their own needs....HOLY FREAKIN WOW.

I hope my response is a little more respectful in tone than yours.

First, I'm sorry about using you as an example. I shouldn't have done that so, again, I apologize.

I will state my point another way. Let's say there is a man who works out hard, has a body fat % of 9 and eats a small bowl of ice cream every night. Let's also say that, unknown to him, he has an issue with his pancreas making him particularly sensitive to sugar. When he turns 45, still in great shape, he is diagnosed as being insulin resistant, which is a precursor for Type II Diabetes. Does that negate all of the hard work he did in the gym to maintain his weight/body fat %? Only he could determine that, but I would think it would give the average person a moment's pause about what they thought was a relatively harmless ice cream habit that seemed on the surface to have no ill effects. Again, I will state that health is measured in many ways, and this is one way health may be measured. And I'm not stating that everybody who eats ice cream every day is going to get diabetes. I'm just saying that this trainer is advocating healthy eating habits, and there are a variety of reasons--some external and some internal--for advocating that type of lifestyle.

Second, I didn't say that you were the one who said enjoying life and eating go hand-in-hand. But it is a common theme in our society. And it has been stated in this thread.

I'm just going to state my opinion again that I don't think this trainer was giving information only on how to lose weight. There are many weight loss plans that work that don't involve anything this man was saying. I do think he was giving his opinion on how to create the most optimum healthy lifestyle. Weight loss and a healthy lifestyle are not the same things. Successful weight loss does not necessarily imply healthy living, and I would illustrate myself as an example of that. People can lose weight as they see fit using what works best for them (that's what I did). As I stated earlier, this trainer should have provided the rationale behind what he was saying because his opinions do illustrate only one side of an argument. But that doesn't mean he is full of BS, mean or doesn't know what he is talking about.

Someone who is 9% body fat is not going to develop diabetes from having a small dish of ice cream every night.