YOU ARE NOT COOKIE CUTTER Trainer Tip #32 10/17/2017

It is important for me to be crystal clear that I am a qualified FITNESS professional. My expertise is in exercise, fitness programming, anatomy, body mechanics, and kinesiology. I have stated many times before I am NOT a nutrition expert, I am not a licensed nutritionist nor am i a registered dietician. Those are the qualifications of people that you should seek meal plans from. Not all nutritionists can give fitness information and not all trainers should give nutrition information. There are a lot of “fitness people” out there now, especially with social media, that market, give away and even sell meal plans. I strongly warn you to steer away from these cookie cutter plans. If they are cheap or free, they are absolutely NOT customized, even if they are advertised that way. Just as actual “customized fitness plans” will not be inexpensive as they take a lot of getting to know the client and a lot of hard work and time on the part of the practitioner. Again, use your best judgement before purchasing a plan. There are so many factors that go into what each unique individual person needs for optimal nutrition that purchasing a general plan doesn’t and can’t guarantee success for everyone! Each person has a unique BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate) which is, in lay terms, the minimum number of calories (amount of energy) one needs to function at rest for 24 hours…breathing, basic brain function, keeping your heart beating, etc. Along with your unique BMR, everyone has a TDEE(Total Daily Energy Expenditure), which is how many calories you burn ALL DAY actively and passively, and this also depends on your body composition. In order for a specific meal plan or diet plan to be successful for you, it needs to fit into your specific numbers, including the proper amount of micro and macro nutrients. It’s a lot more complicated than “eat A, B and C for breakfast lunch and dinner”…what works for the lady next door is likely not going to work for you. It is very important to note that as your body composition changes, as you lose fat and gain muscle, your BMR AND TDEE WILL CHANGE! This is why continuing to lose weight is such a challenge. Yes you should eat at a caloric deficit, but you should not consume below your BMR, you will slowly confuse or even damage your metabolism, causing you to hold onto fat rather than lose it. END OF MY NUTRITION SCHPEEL…since that is about the depth of my knowledge…and I have been a trainer for over 15 years, I do not sell meal plans nor will I. As a responsible and ethical trainer I will not try to sell you snake oil. I can offer general guidance and even calculate your macros, but I will not sacrifice my integrity by trying to pretend I’m an expert. I’ve been told I know enough and I could “make a killing” if I added that. My custom fitness programs take a lot of time and energy to create for each individual. Adding nutrition to that (if I could) would take so much more than I have to give. A word to the wise, if something looks too good to be true, it likely is. Most trainers, are not qualified to prescribe meal plans (and I hate to tell you but neither are MDs)…unless they have specific education and licensing. My best advice to you is find what works for you and if you need help or advice, seek out a qualified professional in THAT specific field of practice. Question your trainer about their nutritional education because often it’s one chapter in the self-study guide for the certification exam...or they refer to Dr. Google. Do your due diligence...it’s your body and your health you need to be sure you are spending your money and time on programs that are created to work. You are not cookie cutter, so why have a meal plan or fitness plan that is?