I'll start first with the IT, as I will call it, and how it works. Basically in 1 of 3 ways they get a blood sample from you to map out where you're nutrient deficiencies are. You then fill out a profile about yourself, your exercise routine and what you are looking to accomplish. After that you can log in to their website and get recommendations on meals and they will even cater their recommendations if you are PALEO, Gluten Free and so on. The prices to start this program range from 50 bucks to over 300 so depends on how committed and how much help you think you need.
The idea of this product for some of my clients is great, because they want to help themselves as much as they can, and can afford to (seeing as they see me 2-3 times a week). This product will be great for some clients and not so much for others. The majority of those being people that are already heeding the advice I give them for their workouts (outside of our sessions) and they can handle doing the nutrition on their own. The ones that aren't so good about staying in the gym outside of our sessions (that need it) and eating right, odd on this will just be money down the drain for them. I can not follow my clients around and pay attention to their every day life. I've got too much to deal with on my own and it's just not plausible. That said it is up to my clients to follow through outside of our hour or 2, if that, spent in training sessions.
To the next part of the presentation, the sports nutritionist, it was a noticeable difference with what she was saying as opposed to what the IT website recommends. The IT information seemed to be based on what a large general population believes, with a little "science" to back it up, that grains and cereals are the direction to lose weight and stay in shape. The sports nutritionist seemed to be in the mind set many of us in the strength and conditioning/fitness world are, protein and fat baby! Getting away from the carb-bomb wraps that everyone is in love with (including fast food chain restaurants). In a matter of 20 minutes we were told one thing then another, no wonder people are confused about nutrition.
My final point today will be about a big hot issue with trainers and coaches, scope of practice. Some people are really batty when it comes to trainers and coaches taking an educated guess on certain subjects. Usually I cover my ass by saying in MY opinion you may have a sprained ankle, but you might want a doctor to look at that. Same can be said about when people ask me about nutrition. When they ask what they should have for breakfast I simply tell them what I have every morning, eggs and some sort of protein (generally either bacon or beef). I can not give them meal plans as it were, but I can point them in the direction of things like IT, The Foodery, a registered dietitian and so on. That's a whole different ball of wax when it comes to some of the recommendations they make (replace sugar with Sweet and Low...yeah that'll be the difference right there).
Moral of this story is that even the best products and advice are as useful (or useless) to certain clients and the results they get will only be driven by themselves. You can lead a horse to water but that doesn't mean they will actually drink it, even if it's for it's own benefit. Oh my god Jarrod just called all his clients horses, well I'd rather be a stallion than a sheep. Have a good one all, go out and get after it!
