As you go along nutritional tips: Changing rooms
If you are in need of Internet or celebrity nutritional diet tips, then changing rooms are the place to be.
Face it, most people going to gym want to lose a few kg, and if you see someone who is in good shape and hands out nutritional information, why would you not go with what they say?
The thing is, they are probably in good shape because they are training very hard, perhaps very long hours, and they have found a plan that works for them. They may use butter, full fat dairy products, gluten free, vegan, coconut oil, carb free, 5:2 diet etc., but their total kcal intake in relation to their exercise is likely on the lower side.
These are all the things a qualified sports dietitian would consider in order to work out the best nutritional plan to achieve your desired goals. Handing out nutritional information without having the science to back you or having the qualification to do so, can do a lot of harm. I know that these "as you go along nutritional tips" are well meant, but these may be taken up seriously and followed stringently and passed along to another friend, teenager, child leading to disordered eating, excessive weight gain/loss.
These "pass along nutritional tips" can have serious implications, and before you stand in the changing room advising someone to increase their saturated fat intake because it works for you, or because you have read it on the internet, perhaps err a bit of caution, as your advice may lead to more weight gain for this individual, or negatively affect an underlying medical condition.
Everyone is their own nutritional expert, yet most people going to gym have not achieved their health, fitness or physical goals they want to. This is attributed to either getting poor training or nutritional advice OR not sticking to the plan!
If you feel like handing out as you go along nutritional tips, make sure it is backed by science, not feelings, and perhaps think about how your bravado sounds to a qualified expert in this field, standing right next to you. SILLY!
Next up on my blog, not sticking to the plan.