Q and A: Second Opinion of Trainer Advice
October 6, 2008 by Kelly Turner
Filed under Fitness
I have question for you. I made an appointment with a personal trainer and we were doing my health evaluation before getting started. I told him I occasionally have a protein shake (chocolate protein powder mixed with 3 oz of water) for a mid-morning snack. He said that I need to combine that with some carbs or else I would be starving. He also recommended that I stop eating carbs after 2 PM (besides fruit or veggies) I basically want to get a second opinion so I thought I would ask you! Thanks in advance. Brittany Mullins
First off, I have never met this trainer. He could be the greatest trainer in the world, I don’t know. Secondly, I have never met Miss Brittany so I am in no position to make any recommendations whatsoever. So, let’s look at this from a common sense standpoint: something I think is seriously lacking in most of the fitness advice I hear.
Let’s start with the shake: as you stated, its a snack. A snack after breakfast and before lunch. The trainer stated you need to eat carbs with it in order for it to hold you over until lunch, but obviously you have been eating this way for a while. Are you hungry before its lunch time after having this snack? If yes, perhaps you need some carbs. If no, then you’re fine. You are going to know your body better than anyone else. If its working for you, obviously, you don’t have to mess with it.
As for the no eating carbs past 2:00pm: oh, please. I’ll state this again: let’s use some common sense. Your body has absolutely no idea what time of day it is. Man made time. It’s made up. Your body doesn’t know if its 2:00 in the afternoon or 5:00 in the evening. A carb is a carb is a carb. And a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, no matter what time of day it is. Where did 2:00pm come from? What a random time. Carbs are your body’s number 1 source of energy. They are neccessary to burn fat properly. They are essential for weightloss. If you stop eating carbs at 2:00pm and don’t have any again until the morning, your energy levels are going to be very low, probably leaving you feeling tired and lethargic, and impeding any workouts you may do in the evening, as you have no energy stores to power you through them. You need to feed your body a steady stream of fuel for it work properly.
Is any of this advice the trainer gave dangerous? No. Is it unneccessary? In my opinion, yes. Is it confusing? Obviously, or you wouldn’t have asked me. Its advice like this that frustrates me, and I think is a huge reason why people are so hesistant to start living a healthy lifestyle, and why a lot of people don’t stick with it: because it sounds hard. Living a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t be hard. You shouldn’t have to carry around a kitchen scale, and perfectly calibrated clock and list of do’s and don’t’s everywhere you go. Move more. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. That’s it.
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It drives me nuts that people have these arbitrary “rules” that they try to inflict on other people. Especially when they are as stupid as those 2. All these “rules” are what make people give up on trying to eat a healthy diet – there is to much conflicting information flying around.
end rant. sorry. :-)
You are awesome- such practical, sensible advice! Especially about the timing of the day. And I so share in the carb love with you.
PS Sassy that’s a good point about how people give up- with all of these orders of “DO THIS” and “NEVER DO THAT”, it freaks people out. And for good reason!
I totally agree! It is a seriously arbitrary rule, and even if it works for the PT, then that doesn’t mean it’s going to work for everyone! I have a mid-afternoon snack of peanut butter on toast around 4pm, and that gets me through my workout until dinner around 7 (or 8 or 9, depending on the day). I think the more important advice would be to make sure that the carbs you do end up eating are whole grain rather than refined (because those will crash blood sugar).
Great advice! I think the best advice is to be aware of your own body.
It’s kinda funny though that this trainer was concerned she would be too hungry without some carbs in her a.m. snack but didn’t worry that her stomach would begin growling like crazy in the p.m. after an afternoon and evening without carbs and lead her to consume massive bowls of cereal or toast, which is where I would end up!
Your advice is RIGHT ON THE MONEY. Thank you for your common sense. I’m with you – carbs are good! We need more people extolling the joy and importance of carbs. Thanks for sharing this!
I love you Kelly! Seriously, where have you been all my life? I am one of those people that if a trainer says to do something like taht (even if I think it sounds dumb) will totally do it. Because I figure they know more than I do. So thanks for just telling it like it is!
yes, great post. common sense is good :)
Thank you! I hate those time-related rules. So dumb.
Thanks for the common sense, Kelly! I wonder what that other trainer would say about traveling? If I travel to a different time zone should I stop eating carbs at 2 pm in the time zone I’m in or in my “home” time zone? Or maybe he just uses Greenwich Mean Time no matter where he is…cuz that would make about as much sense as the 2pm rule :)
Thanks for answering my questions!! In the back of my head I kept thinking that he wasn’t giving great advice.. and btw I haven’t been following it, but I thought I would ask another PT to see their thoughts. Too bad I have another appointment with him on Thursday. I will let you know if he trys to give any other lame advice.
sassy- thats my exact same rant. rules and tricks and dont make it all sound so hard, which scares people off.
sagan- exactly. and i would be a raging bitch without carbs. i need them.
L.G.- i always look at quality versus quantity
tfh- haha i didnt even think of tt, kind of conflicts, no?
monica- thanks!
charlotte- im the opposite. if someone tells me something i dont know for a fact to be true, i assume they are wrong. im not very assertive though and would probably agree to their face.
bridget- haha thats funny. id be curious as well
brittany- no problem. give him a chance- he may great trainer, but if something sounds funny or wrong, just go with your gut. or ask someone else :)
I loooove your answer to this, especially the thing about time being man-made… and every other word you said, all great. I heart you Kelly… :)
Amen, Kelly. Your last three sentences are exactly right. No silly rules are needed to be healthy and fit — just be smart.