When I work 1:1 with my clients, we talk about A LOT. I have unspoken rules, though, and there are certain things I’ve vowed to not tell my clients, or anyone that I’m in a conversation with about their nutrition needs
1. I will never tell you what your weight should be.
Weight is very variable and not at all variable at the same time. As humans, it’s been decided that there is a certain bodyweight for each of us that’s built into our DNA. It’s about as hard to change your set point weight as it is to change your shoe size. Theres is a caveat to this, however. Set point weight only occurs as a stable weight when you are appropriately fed (so not over-consuming or under-consuming), engaging in a sustainable exercise routine (so not over-exercising unsustainably or not exercising enough), and stress is well-managed. So as you can see, a lot has to fall into place to get to this set point! It’s also hard to determine if you have a history of weight and diet cycling
2. I will never tell you what diet you should follow.
There are different reasons to follow different prescriptive diets. When we think of ‘diet’ we think of something restrictive or an elimination diet prescribed for weight loss. If that is your goal, know that no single diet has proven superior for weight loss over another. The diet advice I give is inclusive and non-restrictive. I counsel on a balanced diet, high in nourishing foods, fiber, protein and all the foods you love to keep you satisfied. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s what works!
3. I will never tell you what calorie limit to stick to.
It’s true that there’s a range of calories our bodies like to consume, generally. It’s also true that the amount of calories your body expends and absorbs from food day to day varies slightly. Our bodies are very adaptable and capable of maintaining homeostasis and it will regulate energy absorption and expenditure accordingly. Our physical activity also varies day to day, and though that’s not a huge part of our expenditure it accounts for something. That all being said, if I told you to stick to 1800 calories (a random number), it wouldn’t be too helpful. There are more productive ways to consider eating habits.
4. I will never tell you what times you should be eating during the day.
Simply because this is entirely based on personal preference and your schedule! If you want to eat 5-6 times a day, you will need the flexibility in your schedule to be able to do so. If you want to eat twice a day, you need to make sure that you have time to put into those meals because you’ll be considering quality over quantity. Just like picking a diet, there is no magic formula.
5. I will never tell you what workout you should be doing to burn fat.
Simply put – the type of workout you do has nothing to do with fat loss. It’s not running, HIIT, strength training, or any popular workout. The type of workout that will burn fat is one that supports your movement goals but the real important thing is that how many calories you’re expending during the day is less than what you are taking in to create a calorie deficit. That will adjust your body composition, along with some other factors over time.
6. I will never tell you what foods to avoid.
Unless you have an allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity to a certain food there is no reason to avoid foods. It’s eye-catching and trendy nowadays to list out foods that are causing harm to our gut microbiomes, or our skin, or our immunity. But the truth is that we tolerate food well. Even food “substances” as many people want to call them that are found in our packaged and processed foods. It’s all good. Telling you to avoid foods will not create a healthy outlook on nutrition.
I hope that is helpful! Not only does the explanation stand for each of those items alone, it’s important for me to say that those six things can be very triggering. Anytime you feel like there is something you “should” be doing that you’re not, or some way you “should” look that you don’t, it can cause us severe anxiety and lead to disordered eating behaviors. I refuse to contribute to that!