The fitness industry sucks!
No I'm not talking about instahoes posting endless pictures of their photoshoped asses for likes and I'm not even talking about supplement companies selling you the latest must have bullshit concoction of pixie dust and disappointment (that's a rant for another day)
Today we're talking online coaching and more specifically diet and training plans. The last few years has seen an absolute explosion of online coaching services and seemingly anyone in half decent shape selling diet and training plans to the masses. Usually with little no zero experience of training someone in person let alone online.
I've recently had someone contact me wanting to take me on as their coach, awesome! They've worked with other coaches before always in an online capacity and haven't been happy with the service they've received.
During my initial discussion I asked who they were previously being coached by and if they could send me over their previous diet and training plans from their last coach.
And much like I had expected I was sent a **cookie cutter** diet and training plan.
**cookie cutter** is a term we use when a coach uses a "one size fits all" approach to diet and training plans. Basically everyone they work with gets sent the same plan. It's a very quick and easy way of getting plans out to people while having to put in very little work.
Now this is where my issue is. Apart from hopefully working out some macros (protein, carbs, fats) these plans were not tailored to this client in the slightest. In fact they were down right horrendous. The diet plan hadn't taken any of the clients dietary needs into account, was waaaaay to high in calories and contained a shit load of protein powder, in fact protein powder was added to every meal! Not to mention the plan was really lacking in micronutrients and zero attention had been given gut health.
The training plan was much the same, way too much volume, way to complicated and totally over the top for the level of this particular client.
The guys selling these plans are usually amazing bodybuilders, huge guys with huge (bought) Instagram followings. But, and this is a big but, that doesn't automatically actually qualify them to be great coaches or be offering dietary advice to anyone.
This is why the fitness industry sucks right now.
You have a shit ton of people selling a shit ton of bollocks diets and training plans to totally misinformed people. Using their image to sell products and making a lot of money while not really giving a fuck about their customers.
If you're paying someone a couple of hundred pounds for a diet and training plan it should be tailored to YOU. It shouldn't be printed off a spreadsheet you use for everyone and exactly the same as every other diet plan you've given to every other customer.
If you're looking for a coach do your research. Ask questions. Be informed and most of all don't get pulled into the traps that everyone in amazing shape is an amazing coach. These guys all have coaches themselves, are often the elite of the elite generically as well as using a shit load of enhancements. What they are prescribed by their coaches will be of little use to you and generally this is the information that is being passed down the line.
Find someone who's wiling to look at things like gut health, micronutrients in your diet as well as macro, finding foods that you can digest effectively and prioritise health and wellbeing.
