One thing I will always be, is completely upfront and honest when it comes to providing our clients with feedback. I have never believed that it’s a good idea to bullshit people about the reality of their goals, or what they are currently doing in the gym and with their diet. In my opinion, by being completely honest with a client, we can ensure everything is in place to progress at an optimal level, within the realms of their genetic potential.
The Consultation:
Recently, I was doing a consultation with a new client. One thing I always ask for when working with someone new, is a very specific breakdown of their existing diet (as well as previous diets) for a number of reasons:
1 ) I learn how their body has responded to various nutrition plans. Finding these clues can be very helpful when designing a Customized Nutritional Plan for each individual person that I work with.
2 ) I can see areas where I feel they need to improve for quicker progress. As an example, some people don’t ever adjust their diet on a day to day basis, whether it is training day, rest day etc. They also have very little variation. This is actually more common than not with people who are already quite fit and active, yet have stopped seeing results with their physiques.
3 ) I can see how the person interacts with their dieting on a psychological level. For instance, some people are very afraid of carbs (Thanks to the Keto Diet!!!) If this is the case, then I have to come up with a solution to help them realize that carbs really are not the enemy when it comes to weight loss.
There are many other reasons as to why I ask for a copy of a new client’s current nutritional plan, however I think you get the idea.
In this case, this particular client, (who shall remain nameless for privacy reasons) told me what he was currently eating.
Essentially it looked something like this…
Meal 1: 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal
Meal 2: 8oz chicken breast, 1 cup of white rice
Meal 3: 8oz chicken breast, 1 cup of white rice
Meal 4: 8 egg whites, 1 cup of oatmeal
Meal 5: 6oz Ground Turkey, 2 cups of broccoli
For the most part, he was eating this exact same meal plan every day, while having a protein shake after the gym on training days in which consisted of just some basic whey protein powder and water.
Why I Didn’t Like His Diet
There were actually quite a few reasons as to why I told my new client that his diet (which looked good on paper) was actually quite shitty in real life.
The first thing I noticed about this particular diet was that the amount of variation from the protein sources was extremely limited which makes it highly likely that over time, sensitivities and probably allergies will start to develop, leading to suppressed nutrient assimilation which then impacts overall results. Gut health issues are quite common amongst many iron junkies because they tend to eat the same foods over and over, which is something I am very against when designing a Nutritional Plan for a new client.
What About The Micronutrients?
To the untrained eye, this diet plan that my new client had been following actually doesn’t look to bad on a macronutrient based scale. HOWEVER, when it comes to micronutrients, there was FAR too little micronutrient content in this diet such as not enough green vegetables, not enough healthy fats, and not even a little bit of fruit! As a result, from following a diet plan like this for a prolonged period of time, the body is going to almost certainly be deficient in key vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Due to the massive lack in vegetables and fruit, there is also going to be a big fibre deficit which again impacts nutrient absorption, gut health, immune function as well as energy levels. Health markers like cholesterol could also become an issue when following a diet that doesn’t contain enough fibre in it. In my opinion, 2 cups of oatmeal is nowhere near enough fibre for a 250lbs man to be consuming within a 24 hour period. In this particular case, more is DEFINITELY needed.
Where Is The Adjustment Period?
Another thing I noticed when reviewing my new client’s current Diet Plan, was that there was no adjustment in calorie intake from one day to the next. In my experience, I find that most people need to make adjustments for specific days in order to recover faster, as well as manipulate the metabolism & ensure muscles don’t become overly depleted.
What We Can All Learn From This Diet (Including Me New Client)
I could honestly talk a lot more about this diet and what is wrong with it, but I want to finish this week’s blog with why I don’t recommend you follow diet plans like the one listed above.
If you’re designing your own diet plan than I strongly recommend utilizing more variation in your diet and avoid doing the same shit that I see SO MANY people doing these days with their own nutrition and meal preps online.
Ask any of my clients and they themselves will tell you that they have so much variation in their Nutritional Plans that I design for them, which makes their diet far more healthier and progressive. And not to mention that mentally, it is also makes the entire “dieting process” so much more enjoyable.Train Hard, Supplement Smart and Don’t Be a Dumb Dieter!