It is no secret that I am not a fan of diet talk.
This non-interest even extends to my work with clients, who are all well aware that I won’t be offering them any assistance on the diet front whatsoever, beyond reminding them to eat sensible amounts of what they already know they should eat, and less of what they already know they shouldn’t.
Yes, this even extends to people who are with me, at least in part, for assistance with losing weight (which is most of them, because the majority of the population are overweight if not obese now).
Why?
Aside from the general lack of interest I’ve already mentioned, I’m not actually qualified to offer things like meal plans, macro breakdowns, or similar. No personal trainer is, unless they are also a dietitian who is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
That it seems most believe themselves so qualified is, to my mind, neither here nor there. Even though I know it costs me a lot of business because potential clients have told me that they decided against working with me upon realising that, when it comes to diet, they’re going to have to figure it out for themselves.
Believe it or not, I’m not telling you this just to brag about how much of a wonderfully ethical person I am.
There is a point.
And that point is this:
What I have found is that forcing clients to sort their own “food problems” out is a very empowering experience for them. It reminds them they are not overweight because they are stupid and that getting their weight down requires no soul-sucking “special method” that’s ultimately unsustainable.
They just have to think a little. Whether that’s about how much they are eating or how to organise their day to facilitate better choices on the food front or whatever.
More:
What I have also found is that making training a fixed, firm part of your routine will inevitably result in you eating better, if only so that all your efforts in the gym don’t go to waste.
The catch?
Same as it always is with my approach to just about anything (fitness or otherwise).
It’s a damn slow process that’s prone to slip ups, backsliding, and catnip for that little gremlin who gets off on whispering “you’re not working hard enough” into your ear.
So not a very attractive proposition, which is probably why most won’t ever go for it, even though they know it’s a superior approach to weighing, measuring, and logging every morsel that passes their lips while engaging in a bone-splintering training plan.
Sucks to be “most”, I suppose.
No matter.
On a related note, my book “ButterBrain” talks about how to overcome many of the cognitive biases and logical fallacies that so often result in poor decisions when it comes to training and diet.
This book is just one of the five inside “Phil Tyreman’s Big Book of Fitness”, which is available directly from me for the sum of £5.
For all the info, go here:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/big/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman