Many personal trainers give diet advice, some with additional
nutritional training, others just based on what is required to get a PTr
certification. I personally do not feel that was enough to qualify me
to give such advice and, personally, I actually do not agree with the
evidence presented that what I was trained to offer is actually
particularly healthy; on the whole I also feel that diet is a
complicated thing and that we all need different ratios of
macro-nutrients. Obviously, fake food is not healthy, but I think you
know that and do not actually need me to tell you. I also think you are
capable of choosing whether or not to indulge in them without my telling
you.
The ONE thing I do require diet wise from my clients is that you do
eat. Drastically cutting calories, whether try to lose weight or
just because you have a habit of forgetting to eat meals,
leaves you depleted and deprived. Yes, I also think you’re smart
enough to know this, the point is that it does affect your training and
your training would be what concerns me. I ask in the very least that
any client not come to workout with me or use exercise that I train you
to do while in a state of hunger. Even if you are not prone to
feeling faint from low blood sugar, exercising in a state of hunger is
detrimental to building strength, stamina and health. There is no
evidence that it will help in any long term weight loss.
Would I prefer that you ate healthy food over junk food, sure. As a
fledgling foodie, I’d also suggest that real food tastes better and is
more satisfying. I believe that food should be savored and enjoyed,
about nourishment and family/community. it should not be a reward or
punishment system, but rather a pleasurable part of life.
If you are looking for nutrition advice, especially if you feel a lot of guilt around eating, I recommend The Fat Nutritionist – Nutrition at Every Size. She offers online small group consultation, as well as a wealth of information on her site.
