I'm a trainer, and I'm flattered you think I know it all, bu

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c2sky
c2sky Posts: 487 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I continue to see people post on here that they ask their trainers for nutrition counseling. But I ask you "would you go to a registered dietician for your exercise program?" Then why, oh why do you continue to say, "My trainer told me..." when it comes to your food planning????????????????????

I know, unnamed trainers and fitness instructors, who have become celebrities (I'm thinking of at least 3) all have their own books, videos, diet plans, supplements etc. So you think that we should also be able to give you just the perfect food plan, as your trainer. In some cases, books put out by trainers might have a food plan section under the direction of a dietician. But people still see the so called "trainer" as the expert. It really irks me because I know that many famous "trainers" don't have any real credentials other than they look good, lost weight themselves, or were fortunate enough to train a big name celebrity. Then they can sell anything from books to grocery items.

But any nationally accredited certification (of which I have held 3 personal trainer certs and beyond, including ACSM American College of Sports Medicine...the gold standard for the industry) all require trainers to sign a code of ethics forbidding promoting supplements or specific nutrition counseling. We can offer general guidelines, and make a few suggestions within certain guidelines, but it is very general stuff.

But folks, if your trainer does not refer you to a registered dietician, they are doing you a disservice, unless they are one themself. You would spend maybe just a little more per hour talking to a dietician. They really do know the answers to the questions I see on here all the time. Education does matter. Is education everything? Of course not, but it's vital.

The other type of questions people ask trainers are stuff that should be asked of a physical therapist.

Look, we want to help you, we really do, but we love you enough to refer you to the experts. And if your trainer gets bent out of shape because you want to see a dietician, ask them, "Well, how would you feel if I went to see the dietician for my workout program?"
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Replies

  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    Love the post! Thanks.
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
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    Love the post! Thanks.

    You're welcome!
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.
  • gettinerdone_
    gettinerdone_ Posts: 47 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.

    Will you really enjoy life more when you have a few beers, or when you've reached you're goal weight and are living a healthy lifestyle?
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    Well said, and thanks.
  • scs143
    scs143 Posts: 2,190 Member
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    Great post!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.

    Will you really enjoy life more when you have a few beers, or when you've reached you're goal weight and are living a healthy lifestyle?

    nothing tastes as good as lean feels
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.

    I'm glad your trainer know where his limits are. Hopefully you know where your alcohol limits are. lol But seriously, a trainer should not even give you a calorie limit. They are not qualified to do that. It's different for every person. If you have a calorie limit, then your trainer might be able to give you ideas how to stay within that limit, but your trainer should not be saying, "this much protien, that much fats, this much sugars, etc. Your trainer can tell you what the national guidelines are for servings of fruits and vegetables etc. and your trainer can tell you what unhealthy foods to cut back on, or "drinks" ;) But that's it. That's the limit.
  • BondBomb
    BondBomb Posts: 1,781 Member
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    If my trainer told me to cut out the beer I would cut his throat!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Great post

    I love this, and I plan to use this line here in the future!
    And if your trainer gets bent out of shape because you want to see a dietician, ask them, "Well, how would you feel if I went to see the dietician for my workout program?"
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.

    I'm glad your trainer know where his limits are. Hopefully you know where your alcohol limits are. lol But seriously, a trainer should not even give you a calorie limit. They are not qualified to do that. It's different for every person. If you have a calorie limit, then your trainer might be able to give you ideas how to stay within that limit, but your trainer should not be saying, "this much protien, that much fats, this much sugars, etc. Your trainer can tell you what the national guidelines are for servings of fruits and vegetables etc. and your trainer can tell you what unhealthy foods to cut back on, or "drinks" ;) But that's it. That's the limit.

    I totally agree with your position but dont see that as the real world. I have seen trainers who have no business showing a dadlift and have seen some who do know whats what. But I do agree, they should not advise or at least give a disclaimer.
  • velofille
    velofille Posts: 14 Member
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    As a trained PT i can also agree with the above post! On one of my courses we got warned that there was potential to loose your qualification or be sued if you gave out the advice of a dietition.
    A dietitian does years more work than a PT to know *everything* there is to know about food, a PT is usually only limited to generic advice :)

    A PT however will be able to help you set up a work out plan that suits you best, and incorporates your life style and mobility . They will also take into account any previous failures and be able to work around triggers or things that may stop you from wanting to exercise (ie shorter workouts more often, or at specific times), they can check up on you to make sure you are doing it right and at the right time, and harass you when you forget to do it (if you want them too of course!).
  • jasonr1442
    jasonr1442 Posts: 67 Member
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    My trainer told me to drink no more than 12 beers a night.
  • erikblock
    erikblock Posts: 230 Member
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    Good stuff. Thank you for sharing. (Honestly, I also find it kind of weird when people tout the nutrition advice of their family doctor as law. The average MD has little or no nutrition training, and, while he or she can probably give better nutritional advice than your average joe schmoe, you're still much better off talking to a nutritionist.)
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
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    My trainer doesn't advocate anything other than keeping to a calorie limit. Although today he did tell me to cut out the beer, lol, since my weight loss is slow. I won't do that though because I want to enjoy my life, and if that includes beer, then I will keep drinking it :) The weight loss may be slow, but it's still happening ;-)

    Edit to say very good post, thank you for sharing.

    Will you really enjoy life more when you have a few beers, or when you've reached you're goal weight and are living a healthy lifestyle?

    I'd rather not choose between the two. Thankfully, we don't have to.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    Seeing the advice that many around here are getting, I'd be careful going to a trainer for a training program.
  • h0t_m0m
    h0t_m0m Posts: 79 Member
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    My trainer told me outright that he could not give me a diet plan or discuss a diet since he is not a state registered dietician. But, I do ask questions about what he eats and he will ask me what I ate before coming in. I am glad that we can carry on conversation like that without stepping over boundaries. I don't want to get him fired.
  • c2sky
    c2sky Posts: 487 Member
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    Seeing the advice that many around here are getting, I'd be careful going to a trainer for a training program.


    True that. There are trainers that are training people that they have no business training. There are nutritionists that have no business doing food plans for athletes, when they have only done diets for cardiac or diabetic patients.

    There are some "certifications for trainers" that are just a quick weekend test with a few weeks of reading. I do not hire those kind of trainers in my gym. And even credible certifications don't guarantee a good trainer. But it's a good start, and a degree and testing that goes with being a registered dietician is nothing to sneeze at. They understand biology in ways most of us will hope we never have to try to figure out. But first test of whether a trainer is a good trainer? Ask them for a recommendation to a good registered dietician with experience in sports nutrition. If they don't know one, they have not done their homework, and they think they know more than they do.
  • lipglossjunky73
    lipglossjunky73 Posts: 497 Member
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    Where is the like button????
  • johnwhitent
    johnwhitent Posts: 648 Member
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    Great post and comments.

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