You search for a personal trainer studio in Kansas City and hire a personal trainer for many reasons. Someone to show you how to build muscle, how to lose weight, what workouts to do and how often, how to perform each exercise correctly, someone to roll your eyes at while they yell at you to push harder…you know the drill. Very quickly that trainer becomes your confidant for all things related to why you hired them in the first place (look good, feel good, whatever your personal journey may be). All of this is exactly what you should be getting for your money, but what about nutrition, an almost equally as important part of the equation?
A lot of people join local gyms to lose weight. But, the amount of exercise you actually need to do to undo a bad diet is probably more than you realize. So, if you want to lose weight, you need to look at your nutrition habits too. Healthy eating habits help more than just to lose weight. They help in increasing energy levels, chronic health conditions like heart disease or high cholesterol, increasing metabolism, enhancing strength, muscle recovery, and even mental health and boosting confidence. Nutrition is important when exercising because it is how your body gets what it needs in order to thrive and be sustained.
You may already know that you can’t out-train a bad diet, that abs are made in the kitchen, and how profound of an impact nutrition can make on your body, your mind, and your appearance as a whole. So, you might start expecting food advice from your personal trainer as well – whether it’s asking what they had for lunch if you should be cutting out carbs, or what their opinion is on the latest and greatest diet you read about in a magazine that morning.
Be Open with Your Trainer about Your Eating Habits
Your personal trainers should absolutely be aware of your eating habits, so don’t be afraid to be open about this part of your life with them. It gives them a complete view of your lifestyle and where you may need to focus your workouts based on what and how you’re eating. However, it is important to make sure your personal trainer has the proper training and certification for advice and meal recommendations.
The Client as a Whole Person
The fitness industry is moving more and more in a holistic direction, and treating clients as “whole people,” and focusing on mind, body, and nutrition instead of just exercise routines. This allows personal trainers to provide a more rounded approach to programs. Fitness routines will be far less effective if your trainer isn’t aware of other situations, such as your stress levels, any sleep problems you’re having, potential ways your diet is working against you, and so on. Also, what’s right for you may not work for your workout partner or family member. This is another reason you may look to your personal trainer to offer insight on an individual level.
Nutrition Advice from Your Personal Trainer
Your personal trainer should be able to accurately address your common diet questions like…
- How much protein do I need?
- Should I eat 3 meals a day or 5 meals per day?
- Is it best to weigh myself once a week or every day?
- Is it best to eat before exercise or after exercise?
Your trainer should also help with the following nutritional guidelines:
- Education on the benefits of protein, healthy fats, other macronutrients
- Recipe recommendations
- Food preparation advice
- Replacing refined sugars and processed fats with good fats
- Evidence-based nutritional supplement suggestions
- General nutrition guidance and strategies to improve overall eating habits
- Benefits of water and hydration
- Food options for before and after workouts
- Resources from industry nutritional organizations
- Grocery store hacks
- Fast food or junk food alternatives
More importantly, your trainer should suggest ways to incorporate nutrition with other lifestyle changes and examples of tools and resources to best manage your complete fitness and nutrition goals.
Choosing the right fitness center in Kansas City is just as important as the right personal trainer. This way you know you have access to the right equipment and tools necessary for success. Find the right trainers and tools for overall health success at Maximize Life Fitness And Nutrition, your premier personal training studio in Parkville, MO.