I’d like to start by apologizing……
Looking back, I’ve realised that for the first 7 years of my time as a PT, I had no idea what I was doing nutritionally. I assumed that if it worked for me, it worked for everyone. I’d read popular books by popular authors based on opinion over research. Thinking back to the old days, I think I may have even dished out advice I read in muscle building and fitness mags. I’m embarrassed to think of it!
If you consulted with me, or I gave you nutritional advice over this time, I apologise.
Don’t get me wrong. I still helped people lose weight, get fit and achieve their goals. The info I would dish out wasn’t all wrong, I was just missing the ‘forest for the tress’. My approach would generally involve some kind of ‘exclusion’ approach like cutting out carbohydrates, or minimizing foods after a certain time of day. We’d get results short-term, but long term the adherence was shocking! I’d also focus on the wrong things like ensuring my beginner clients slam down a protein shake post workout in an effort not to negate the results from the session.
All of these things aside, the biggest mistake I made was using a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
Now days, the way we approach nutrition at PPT is HIGHLY individual. This is not to say that the nuts and bolts (e.g. calorie control, nutrient dense foods, etc.) aren’t present in each and every system. Where it gets individual is within the delivery and the approach. Right now, I don’t think I have a single client on the exact same system for nutrition! The way I coach a client looking to get into shape for a photo-shoot or physique competition is INCREDIBLY different to the way I’ll coach someone looking at long term weight loss. You may be sitting there thinking, ‘No Shit Sean!’, but unfortunately expectations that a client should and can adhere to nutrition systems like this happens everyday!
After near 15 years as a personal trainer, I think we’ve finally come up with an approach that works! I’ve now realized that people don’t have issues with weight loss! You can ask near ANY overweight person if they’ve lost weight and they’ll tell you at one point or another they’ve lost weight. The issue is KEEPING IT OFF after you’ve lost it!
Through making mistakes, learning from them, and staying up to date with RESEARCH over OPINION we’ve come up with our own sustainable nutrition system, which we’ve brought to the 12 Week Shift. Through individualizing our approach to each client, we’ve seen some serious results not only within the 12 Weeks, but beyond!
If you’d like to know more about the 12 Week Shift click THIS LINK, or any of our other services get in touch HERE! We love chatting about what we do, and how it might be able to help you!