Trainer is PISSED.

[SheThrowsDown]

No idea if this is going to be just a vent or if I'm going to actually ask a question so bear with me heh.

I spoke to my trainer on the phone last night and he was pretty brutal about me and my 30 day raw food "fiasco" (his word, not mine). He basically said that all the hard work I've been putting in to my exercise and eating regimen is about to go South. He was giving me some tough love and explaining that this could completely sour my goals especially considering one of them has to do with female MMA...which is the kind of sport that is harder to get into the older that you get. He was pretty open to the idea of raw foods and suggested having at least one raw meal per day (such as a large salad for lunch or a fruit salad with some raw nuts for breakfast) but was pretty angry about me planning to go "100%" for the next 30 days with this.

I'm upset and don't know what to do. I ended up having some cooked foods with my breakfast this morning because I was emotional eating...which I basically NEVER do. I've worked REALLY hard to get where I am today and I still have a ways to go before accomplishing my goals, I would hate to backtrack. I know there are a few raw athletes out there, but it seems that cooked vegans tend to do better athletically compared to raw foodists (or at least it seems that way from the stuff I've been looking up).

Argh, I'm just upset. upset upset upset.

Maybe I'll find a way to add a question in here somewhere...
WWYD? What would you do if you had been training really hard for something and then something you did has the potential to completely backtrack everything you've worked hard at?

Ai-yi-yi.:help:

[LetoTheTyrant]

You should ask him what exactly it is about going raw for thirty days he thinks will cause the problem. Personally I don't think it would be detrimental at all, yet i'm no trainer, nor a physician.

Watching your diet, you should be able to get all of your requirements, regardless of if its meat, vegetarian, vegan, raw, macro-biotic, etc. You should definitely go through with it, and IF, you or your trainer start to see you tracking away from your goals, go back to eating how you are now.

Do you think if you were an omni and decided to go vegan or vegetarian that he would be for it? or say the same thing?

[SheThrowsDown]

You should ask him what exactly it is about going raw for thirty days he thinks will cause the problem. Personally I don't think it would be detrimental at all, yet i'm no trainer, nor a physician.

Watching your diet, you should be able to get all of your requirements, regardless of if its meat, vegetarian, vegan, raw, macro-biotic, etc. You should definitely go through with it, and IF, you or your trainer start to see you tracking away from your goals, go back to eating how you are now.

Do you think if you were an omni and decided to go vegan or vegetarian that he would be for it? or say the same thing?
I think he'd be fine if that had been the change because he's all for my vegan diet and thinks it's great. It's only when I mentioned the whole raw thing that he seemed not so into it and saying it could hurt things. I'm seeing him on Monday so maybe I can go over my meal plan with him and we can try to make it work :)

[Nessus]

I guess I'm with Leto on this. I don't really see what the big deal is. I don't really see why it would cause a problem -- and if it did it seems like you would be able to switch back before it became a major issue. Did he give you any specific reasons why he thought a raw diet wouldn't work or did it seem more like a knee-jerk reaction?

I'm also curious about why you want to go raw for the next 30 days. Not that I have anything against it -- I just never saw the appeal myself. Plus, I would've thought that would make it more difficult for you to save money by sticking with just the stuff that's already in your pantry (like you were talking about on another thread).

[AussieShane]

I just skimmed through the OPs post. Did the trainer give a reason to why he was angry about this diet?

[Pixelle]

What would you do if you had been training really hard for something and then something you did has the potential to completely backtrack everything you've worked hard at?


I'd probably stop the something that I was doing.

[Irizary]

I spoke to my trainer on the phone last night and he was pretty brutal about me and my 30 day raw food "fiasco" (his word, not mine). He basically said that all the hard work I've been putting in to my exercise and eating regimen is about to go South. He was giving me some tough love and explaining that this could completely sour my goals especially considering one of them has to do with female MMA... but was pretty angry about me planning to go "100%" for the next 30 days with this...

Argh, I'm just upset. upset upset upset.

Maybe I'll find a way to add a question in here somewhere...
WWYD? What would you do if you had been training really hard for something and then something you did has the potential to completely backtrack everything you've worked hard at?

Ai-yi-yi.:help:

I don't understand why it's supposed to destroy everything. Have you gone to the vegan bodybuilding forum for advice from other vegan bodybuilders who might have more experience with this? And in the end it's all just advice and you should trust your own body and how you feel.

And why is he so angry? Aren't you paying him? It's your choice what to do with your body. I probably wouldn't be o.k. with someone like a trainer being that angry at me. He can give advice, but ultimately it's up to you what you want to do.

[VeggieFrank]

I just wanted to throw out a resource. I've been following a couple that went raw several months ago. They are personal trainers to boot. Have a look, and maybe contact them?

http://www.youtube.com/user/VibrantVegan

[SheThrowsDown]

I guess I'm with Leto on this. I don't really see what the big deal is. I don't really see why it would cause a problem -- and if it did it seems like you would be able to switch back before it became a major issue. Did he give you any specific reasons why he thought a raw diet wouldn't work or did it seem more like a knee-jerk reaction?

I'm also curious about why you want to go raw for the next 30 days. Not that I have anything against it -- I just never saw the appeal myself. Plus, I would've thought that would make it more difficult for you to save money by sticking with just the stuff that's already in your pantry (like you were talking about on another thread).
Well at first I just mentioned eating more raw foods (mentioning what I had eaten that day) and he was pretty accepting saying that raw foods definitely have their health benefits, then went on that cooked foods also have benefits such as the increased lycopene when tomatoes are heated. I kind of nudged my way into mentioning that I planned to do it for thirty days and that's when things went bad. He said that he said he's worried about the initial weightloss many seem to have on a raw foods diet and how I need to cut, but not as much weight as I have the potential to lose. He also mentioned that right around the end of the thirty days is when I'm actually supposed to be hitting a bulk session and how he doesn't see me being able to do that while eating raw foods unless I'm eating around the clock (obviously a little exaggerating on his part).

As for the reason for doing it, I definitely thought about the whole saving money thing. But then I started researching raw foods again (I went raw for about a month in the past, but quit during detox) and decided I would rather do that for this month's goal. Mostly because recently I've been losing a little bit of my drive and the thought of having the discipline to achieve this goal is a lot more [discipline on my part] than the trying to save money and eat out of my cabinets. However, if I talk things over with him and some others and decide to not go completely raw (maybe one to two raw meals each day) then I'll still be eating out of my cabinets as much as I can. I also am very curious about the supposed health benefits of raw eating, which intrigue me. To me this way of eating makes sense when taking into consideration that no other animals cook their food, but on the other hand it's really hard...I can admit that much!


I just skimmed through the OPs post. Did the trainer give a reason to why he was angry about this diet?
^See first paragraph of response above that I wrote to Nessus.


I'd probably stop the something that I was doing.
That's where I hit the crossroads. I want to be able to accomplish this goal I set for myself, but at the same time I really REALLY don't want to even risk undoing all the work I've done...it's a lot of work!


I don't understand why it's supposed to destroy everything. Have you gone to the vegan bodybuilding forum for advice from other vegan bodybuilders who might have more experience with this? And in the end it's all just advice and you should trust your own body and how you feel.

And why is he so angry? Aren't you paying him? It's your choice what to do with your body. I probably wouldn't be o.k. with someone like a trainer being that angry at me. He can give advice, but ultimately it's up to you what you want to do.
Well the thing about the angry-ness of it all is that part of that is why I hired him. I need someone who is forceful and blunt when it comes to training. I'm a super submissive person and someone basically saying, "Do this, now." is just the style of training I tend to work best with. However, I'm not happy that he's pissed about this thing because this is something I wanted to accomplish for myself (and possibly my health...we'll see). I've definitely been considering posting this over at VBB I just haven't yet, I should do that later...maybe after church :)


I just wanted to throw out a resource. I've been following a couple that went raw several months ago. They are personal trainers to boot. Have a look, and maybe contact them?

http://www.youtube.com/user/VibrantVegan
Thanks! I'll check that out and see what they have to say :)

[havocjohn]

I am curious why you want to pay someone to train you to meet this goal if you're not going to listen to them?

[SheThrowsDown]

I am curious why you want to pay someone to train you to meet this goal if you're not going to listen to them?
Not once in this post have I mentioned that I wasn't going to listen to them. I only asked others opinions on this. Other than a fruit salad for breakfast this morning I haven't eaten raw since speaking to my trainer because I figure that I'd rather eat cooked vegan (and not risk potential progress loss) until I can talk to him further, in person. Then him and I can discuss things and hopefully come to a happy medium. Though if he can explain to me his exact issues with the raw for 30 days challenge I've given myself and it makes sense, I will continue eating cooked vegan. I didn't work this hard to lose what I've acquired.

But remember, just because someone hires a trainer that doesn't mean they have no right to question that trainer or their process. My last trainer tried to tell me that my ideal weight is 102 pounds (said trainer also tried to talk me out of fitness competitions). At 102 pounds and my height my body mass index would be considered underweight. I questioned the numbers he gave me, asked questions, and now I have a different trainer who better suits my needs.

[KellyBon]

I think you know your own body. If your going into this 30 day raw challenge with a lot of knowledge on how to get all your nutritional needs met for your training goals then I don't see a problem. You need to ask yourself if maybe you have taken on too much. Do you feel that going RAW for 30 days can benefit your fitness goals? If you continue on I would suggest a food journal. This could turn out to be a learning experience for your trainer.

[froggythefrog]

Do we really know for sure that going to a raw diet has the potential to undo all your training or are we operating on biases? I am glad to see you're researching the raw diet and athletic training.

[rosiem]

One question. What really are the benefits to going raw? I don't quite get the 'raw food movement'.

[SheThrowsDown]

When foods are heated past a certain temperature (you'll hear different numbers but the one I've heard most is 118 degrees Fahrenheit) it begins to destroy some of the beneficial enzymes. There are people who have gotten past their Diabetes and things like Candida using raw foods.

I've been reading some new interesting things about it today especially when it comes to Ayurveda. Accord to Ayurveda the heat that is made during the cooking process will partially digest the food *for you* and liberates nutrients so that they are more available to be absorbed by the body. Raw food however requires more "agni" (digestive fire) to process than cooked food. That means that for some people (namely those with weak metabolism) eating some raw foods like sprouts can cause things like gas and constipation. And it can also throw your whole being off balance if you're stressed out.

It's interesting stuff and I'm still kind of deciding where I stand with it. Which is part of the reason for trying it :)



Do we really know for sure that going to a raw diet has the potential to undo all your training or are we operating on biases? I am glad to see you're researching the raw diet and athletic training.
Very true. That's why I'm trying to really research it in depth and not completely rely on the testimony of those who are raw foodists. Problem is it seems that raw foodism has had very few studies done about it...

[rosiem]

Yeah, there seems like a lot of conflicting information about the movement.

Like how studies have shown lightly cooking vegetables makes the fiber, anti-oxidants, and nutrients in them more digestible...

Meh.

[Poppy]

What goals are you not going to acheive? Weight loss, fat %, distance increases? I'm kind of confused as to what you are trying to do in the next 30 days that would preclude a raw experiment. :confused: Are you a professional athlete?

[Nessus]

... He said that he said he's worried about the initial weightloss many seem to have on a raw foods diet and how I need to cut, but not as much weight as I have the potential to lose. He also mentioned that right around the end of the thirty days is when I'm actually supposed to be hitting a bulk session and how he doesn't see me being able to do that while eating raw foods unless I'm eating around the clock (obviously a little exaggerating on his part).

It sounds like you just need to sit down with him and go over your diet plan. If you are going to have trouble on a raw diet, you definitely want to find out as soon as possible. But if your proposed plan is workable, that should be obvious when you sit down and show him exactly what you're eating. If he's a reasonable guy, he should be willing to look at your plan. If it's legit, he should be willing to accept it even if it conflicts with his preconceptions. And if he's not a reasonable guy... you should find a different trainer.


...Well the thing about the angry-ness of it all is that part of that is why I hired him. I need someone who is forceful and blunt when it comes to training. I'm a super submissive person and someone basically saying, "Do this, now." is just the style of training I tend to work best with...
Huh, I never would have guessed that. :) But I do understand what you mean about having someone who's forceful and blunt. I tend to feel uneasy with instructors who aren't clear on what they expect. With people like that, you never know whether you're meeting the appropriate standard or if you're getting set up for a rude awakening.

[SheThrowsDown]

Yeah, there seems like a lot of conflicting information about the movement.
I think things would be much more "concrete" if there had been more studies done I think, but for whatever reason that hasn't happened.


What goals are you not going to acheive? Weight loss, fat %, distance increases? I'm kind of confused as to what you are trying to do in the next 30 days that would preclude a raw experiment. Are you a professional athlete?
I train in female MMA and also just love bodybuilding/fitness in general. The problem he's seeing in the next 30 days is that I'm trying to cut weight to a pretty specific weight and then bulk up near the end. The bulking is what I think he's thinking I won't be able to do and he's also probably worried about loss of muscle though he didn't specifically say that.


Huh, I never would have guessed that. But I do understand what you mean about having someone who's forceful and blunt. I tend to feel uneasy with instructors who aren't clear on what they expect. With people like that, you never know whether you're meeting the appropriate standard or if you're getting set up for a rude awakening.
I don't think most people I even know IRL would know that I'm very submissive :D. Especially with the sports I enjoy and my blunt-ness, but overall I'm actually an extremely shy submissive (somewhat introverted posing as extroverted) kind of person lol




Okay I'm supposed to meet up with him around 1 or 2 o'clock (he's having to move his schedule around a little so not sure which of those times yet) so we'll see then!

[Licence]

Your trainer sounds like a nutritionist know-it-all but I bet he's done zero research into raw food diets.

I was listening to a trainer giving advice to a newbie in my gym, his total nutritional advice was "Eat meat!" What a moron.

[KellyBon]

Your trainer sounds like a nutritionist know-it-all but I bet he's done zero research into raw food diets.

I was listening to a trainer giving advice to a newbie in my gym, his total nutritional advice was "Eat meat!" What a moron.

I work at a health club. I've heard some lame advice. I heard a trainer telling someone that chocolate milk is the best post workout recovery drink. I suppose chocolate milk would be ok if you had just ran a half marathon or went on a century bike ride, but why would you want to put all those calories back into yourself that you just burnt off. Chocolate soy milk might be a bit better;).

[zoebird]

well. hmm.

first, i don't follow 'outside' authorities, so a trainer would have no power. he may be right, but he wouldn't have any power. i would do what i felt was right for me.

with this, i would weigh my desire/interest to go raw against my desire/interest to get a certain goal. for example, i wouldn't be not-veg just to meet a trainer's idea of what is necessary to meet my goal. and a lot of trainers fee that way. veg is more important than the goal, and particularly the trainer's advice.

but, if it is something that i could do later, or try after i've reached a certain level toward or of my goal, then i might put it off until then. or give it a certain amount of time.

personally, i cannot say what the answer is, but 1. i don't take kindly to people whom i PAY yelling at me about their sh*t, and 2. i would tell anyone whom i PAY to be respectful towards me at all times or they'll find themselves without a PAYCHECK from me, and 3. i would do what i want, because i'm PAYING them to be an advisor, not a boss or jackas*.

[rosiem]

I work at a health club. I've heard some lame advice. I heard a trainer telling someone that chocolate milk is the best post workout recovery drink.

It's actually true, especially skim milk chocolate milk. It even works better than other drinks with similiar carb-to-protein ratios.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/24/health/webmd/main1342839.shtml
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/

See?

And the calories difference between lowfat chocolate milk and chocolate soy milk isn't really all that big.

[KellyBon]

It's actually true, especially skim milk chocolate milk. It even works better than other drinks with similiar carb-to-protein ratios.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/24/health/webmd/main1342839.shtml
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/

See?

And the calories difference between lowfat chocolate milk and chocolate soy milk isn't really all that big.
Sorry but I don't believe at all that putting processed sugar into your body after 45 min of cardio is gonna do you any good. The soy milk comment was me just being sarcastic because I'm vegan.

Also the article you posted is no good in my opinion. It is comparing chocolate milk to Gatorade. When you are doing moderate cardio at the gym you don't need Gatorade either!!! It also says the study was funded by the milk industry, hmm imagine that! It was talking about people training for the Olympics. I wasn't talking about people training at that level, not even close to that level.

[PyramidHead]

SheThrowsDown, I really just think you need to calm down.