Is PT right?

Rae9911 · April 2012

I had my first training session Saturday morning with my trainer and exercise wise I thought she was great but advice on weight loss was a bit odd putting it politely. She asked what was I doing for weight loss and said I was using this amazing app and website. She then said that she did not agree with fad diets or calorie counting as it does not work. She said that I should just eat normally and stop counting the calories as when I reach target and stop I will just put all the weight back on and make sure that I have a couple of "cheat days" and work out more. She said I should stop eating bananas as a snack on a morning as they contain too much fat and sugar and that I should just snack on almonds, give up tea and just drink green tea (sorry but as a Brit I love my cups of tea lol).

Having lost 32lbs I felt it was like a bit of a smack in the face for all of my hard work and effort. I decided that when I started this journey it was a lifestyle change and not just a diet. I currently go to the gym three times a week for an hour but due to a ongoing foot injury been advised by the doctor and physio therapist not to do more than what I am doing until I see the foot specialist.

I just wondered what other MFP'ers thoughts were on this PT's ideas as I was going to ignore her weightloss advice and carry on as I am.

schlange11b · April 2012

Ignore her and carry on.
While I could go in to what she told you and nit pick at small fallacies, I don't play that way. I say, if what you are doing is working, keep on keeping on. If you have truly made this a lifestyle change, then you will not just "stop" and put them back on. The results show that it's working, continue doing the exercises with her, just avoid the topic of weight loss and nutrition.

That's what I would do, at least.

Aperture_Science · April 2012

Calorie counting does work and importantly, many people who do so learn portion control, which then allows them to regulate their portions without logging.

Eat normally? Well for me that meant weight gain, even when I was exercising 7 days a week.

Bananas contain negligible fat: effectively zero fat. Almonds do contain fat. I'm not saying fat is bad but the information you have been given is incorrect.

Green tea <rolls eyes>.

My advice, dump her and find another PT whilst carrying on as you did for the first 32lbs of your weigth loss (well done on that BTW).

KNarrainen · April 2012

That is confusing.

Well for starters, as you say it's not a fad diet. In fact it's not a diet at all, so it won't be something you come off, so the lbs won't come back on.

But for her to say calorie counting doesn't work, is just weird.

Ask her why she thinks it doesn't work?

Of course it works, how can you argue with calories in vs calories expended, it's simple maths.

I would question her properly about it, and if she doesn't give a satisfactory answer I would think about informing the gym management, I know that sounds harsh, but if she is giving out bad advice, then that is not a good thing for a PT.

Ballybabe1 · April 2012

Ignore her weight loss advice, you can see from this site how well everyone is doing and she is wrong about the site. She shouldnt give advice on it when she doesnt know what it is, its not a fad diet, its simply a tool to help us log what we eat to make us more aware of what we are putting in to our bodies. By becoming more aware of what is good for us and bad for us then we can make the lifestyle changes that we need to make in order to make it a lifelong change. Stick with MFP, its the only thing that makes sense and as an Irish gal I love my tea too so dont mind that one either.

Take her fitness advice (if its any good and I would have my doubts when her weight loss advice is so off the radar !) and continue to be one of the MFP gang, its a fantastic weight loss aid without having to take shakes, pills etc. Its helping us to have a normal healthy diet.

Rae9911 · April 2012

Thanks everyone for your advice, I will definately ignore the weight loss advice. I will stick to what I am doing, I lost the first 32lb on my own and I can loose the rest on my own too.

Hope everyone has a great day.

XXXMinnieXXX · April 2012

I'd get a new PT! Why pay someone who's giving you that kind of advice? X

AbsoluteNG · April 2012

She is right and she is wrong. First thing you must understand is that there are a lot of diets out there. It goes form PSMF, South Beach Diet, Akins Diet, ketogenics, Weight Watchers, and so on but which one works? They all work because each and every single diet on the market has their own success story. If you are on a diet that's working for you then stick with it. When it stops getting the results that you want, ask advice for a new diet.

Di3012 · April 2012

I had my first training session Saturday morning with my trainer and exercise wise I thought she was great but advice on weight loss was a bit odd putting it politely. She asked what was I doing for weight loss and said I was using this amazing app and website. She then said that she did not agree with fad diets or calorie counting as it does not work. She said that I should just eat normally and stop counting the calories as when I reach target and stop I will just put all the weight back on and make sure that I have a couple of "cheat days" and work out more. She said I should stop eating bananas as a snack on a morning as they contain too much fat and sugar and that I should just snack on almonds, give up tea and just drink green tea (sorry but as a Brit I love my cups of tea lol).

Having lost 32lbs I felt it was like a bit of a smack in the face for all of my hard work and effort. I decided that when I started this journey it was a lifestyle change and not just a diet. I currently go to the gym three times a week for an hour but due to a ongoing foot injury been advised by the doctor and physio therapist not to do more than what I am doing until I see the foot specialist.

I just wondered what other MFP'ers thoughts were on this PT's ideas as I was going to ignore her weightloss advice and carry on as I am.

So you are to continue eating as you have been, how will that make you lose weight though, if it did make you lose weight you wouldn't be here! As somebody else said, do exactly what works for you and if that means counting calories, then so be it.

For what it's worth, I love my tea too and would hate to have to give that up (especially that first one in the morning LOL) and take green tea instead. Not much good moving onto foods or drinks I dislike, I would not stay with those for long, that's for sure.

Hope your foot heals asap, all the best xxx

Amber86queenbee · April 2012

I don't use mfp to diet, I use it to work out where I can improve and make healthier choices next time.

My new trainer thought it was a good thing that I was using this and had looked through my diary especially the exercise of course. And I plan to take it to a nutritionist soon. If it is working for you why would you stop? There is a big difference between all the weight loss fads and having a tool to help you make healthier choices and be encouraged by others.

bradphil87 · April 2012

Mine didn't seem to care about it eather way. I do pretty much the same thing as MFP for him, I send him a message at the end of each day with my daily cals and workout for the day. He said that 1 day a week (whichever day I chose) I do not have to send him the message (my "cheat day") I can honestly tell you that I have never once lied to him. I asked him about the banana thing (I eat them alot too!) he said that while it's high I'm sugar, it's "good sugar" and that I should eat fruits to get my sugar for the day rather than eating "refined" sugars and artificial sweeteners and assured me that fruit is one of the most important things in your diet, because it is packed with vitamins.

Rae9911 · April 2012

Thanks bradphil87 I will have my 1 banana day as I always count it in my food diary.

Is PT right?

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