Why is everyone an expert?

David Stegman · 02-08-2007, 02:53 PM

Excuse the rant but.....How many of you experience this on a day to day basis.

Friend, co-worker, training partner, or even a friend of a friend has heard about your "diet" and how much you have changed etc. So, they want to ask you a ton of questions only to basically state "Oh yeah I already do that or this" etc. Keep in mind they are not looking too "fit".

Truth be told I love helping people out and giving diet tips based upon the many many hours of reading I've done over the past year and half. I want people to succeed but I just can't stand it when they ask and they act like they know it all. Does this happen to anyone else?

Example:
Joe Schmoe: Hey I heard about your diet and how much success you've had on it. Can you help me out?

Me: Sure! What are your eating habits like right now? Give me an example of your daily food intake.

Joe: Well, I eat pretty good I think and I avoid all the bad stuff.....what kind of foods do you eat?

Me: Basically I recommend you keep it simple. Lean meats (fish, poultry, lean beef, etc) Lots of veggies especially green ones, some fruit, nuts and seeds and a lot of water.

Joe: Oh yeah...That's pretty much how I eat everyday. I never eat candy, sweets, etc.

Keep in mind Joe is about 20-30lbs overweight and looks like he couldn't pull is own bodyweight up one time...but yet he has his diet all dialed in....so why did he ask me for help I wonder?

Ok...rant over..Thanks!

Elliot Royce · 02-08-2007, 03:07 PM

Related to something like this:

20 year old goalie asks me: "How did you get so buff? What do you do?"

Me: "well, I lift weights about 5x per week and eat really clean. I can give you some tips if you want."

20 year old: "uh no, that's alright...."

Everyone wants the magic solution.

David Stegman · 02-08-2007, 03:10 PM

Magic...that's right.

When I lay out my daily eating routine I can tell by the look on their face that they realized they shouldn't have asked. LOL

Or I'll hear...."Yeah Dave, I ate a good breakfast this morning..eggs, veggies, water etc."

Then I ask "Cool, what did you eat the rest of the day?"

Silence...followed by..."Well, I can't just jump into this like you did I've gotta ease into thing"

Meanwhile...they have been "easing into things" forever and wonder why they aren't seeing results.

Mitchell Brown · 02-08-2007, 03:39 PM

Here are my personal favourites, not limited to nutrition:

"Oh that's cool but I don't work out legs"

"You aren't doing any cardio" - Exercise science student

"They didn't teach us L sits when I did my course" - said by a personal trainer

Me: "Hey you have some new C2's, are they the type D's?"
Personal trainer: "Umm, what's type D?"

Me: "Yeah I try to stay away from breads, pasta and potato"
Response: "Oh you're on the Atkins diet, I've heard that's really bad, you aren't getting any carbs"

David Stegman · 02-08-2007, 03:49 PM

One of my favs it this:

"Well you know I was doing ok up until the holidays....and you know how that goes right?"

Me: "No I don't, I continue to eat right even through the holidays"

Them: "Well, that is impossible for me..my wife makes a lot of cookies, breads, and other stuff that I end up eating"

Me: "Yeah, well it's really not that difficult if you try it out and IMO the holidays are the best time to start..because there are a lot of things you need to watch out for"

Them: "So what do you eat at Thanksgiving?"

Me: "I get a decent portion of white meat turkey, baked sweet potato with nothing on it, and spinach salad with some avacado....that's not too hard is it?"

Them: "Ohhhh, that's now fun..you should live a little man! You should enjoy life once in a while"

Me: "ha ha...yeah maybe so"
Thinking to myself...guess what pal..I AM ENJOYING MY LIFE EATING LIKE THIS! I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING AS A RESULT OF MY DIET AND EXERCISE ROUTINES.

Oh well....preaching to the choir here. All part of that "eating matrix" that most are plugged into.

Andrew Cattermole · 02-08-2007, 04:00 PM

LOL:haha:
I have had the exact same comment about L Sits from a PT that I work with.:biglaugh:

My personal Favorite is another PT commenting as I did "Murph" one time
"You’re not going to get Big doing that!"

Same PT
"How did you make that (C2) Rower count down the meters?"

Mike ODonnell · 02-08-2007, 05:54 PM

I refuse to give any nutritional advice to a client who says "Why am I not losing weight" unless they provide me with a written down daily journal....I don't take "I eat good"..."I eat enough"....blah...blah...blah......write it down then show me if you want my input....cause you and I both know you are not doing something right....

Ron Haskins · 02-08-2007, 08:13 PM

Just have to chime in here, not nutrition related but...

"You just don't understand, my knees won't let me squat"

Paul Symes · 02-09-2007, 02:18 AM

I can understand why they think they know what's healthy. There are so many programmes on the TV here (and probably everywhere) that would define a healthy diet as one that's low fat with plenty of whole grains. There are people who think slim fast makes you slim because it's healthy. If someone was genuinely interested in knowing more and watched these programmes, they would think they at least know a little because they heard an expert say it on the TV. There's a diet 'guru' on the TV here - Gillian McKeith - who's bought her Phd online and calls herself a doctor.

Many of the people who work in gyms are no better, they go on a course that tells them about toning and again, the whole grain/low fat thing and they pass it on as experts. I've never been in a gym in the town I live and seen a gym instructor teaching anyone how to lift anything. Maybe things are better eleswhere.

Larry Lindenman · 02-09-2007, 06:07 AM

"All that protein is going to damage your kidneys" "increased muscle mass will raise your blood pressure." Briliiant!

02-08-2007, 02:53 PM	#1
David Stegman Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lubbock TX Posts: 262	Excuse the rant but.....How many of you experience this on a day to day basis. Friend, co-worker, training partner, or even a friend of a friend has heard about your "diet" and how much you have changed etc. So, they want to ask you a ton of questions only to basically state "Oh yeah I already do that or this" etc. Keep in mind they are not looking too "fit". Truth be told I love helping people out and giving diet tips based upon the many many hours of reading I've done over the past year and half. I want people to succeed but I just can't stand it when they ask and they act like they know it all. Does this happen to anyone else? Example: Joe Schmoe: Hey I heard about your diet and how much success you've had on it. Can you help me out? Me: Sure! What are your eating habits like right now? Give me an example of your daily food intake. Joe: Well, I eat pretty good I think and I avoid all the bad stuff.....what kind of foods do you eat? Me: Basically I recommend you keep it simple. Lean meats (fish, poultry, lean beef, etc) Lots of veggies especially green ones, some fruit, nuts and seeds and a lot of water. Joe: Oh yeah...That's pretty much how I eat everyday. I never eat candy, sweets, etc. Keep in mind Joe is about 20-30lbs overweight and looks like he couldn't pull is own bodyweight up one time...but yet he has his diet all dialed in....so why did he ask me for help I wonder? Ok...rant over..Thanks!

02-08-2007, 03:07 PM	#2
Elliot Royce Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Inowa KS Posts: 922	Related to something like this: 20 year old goalie asks me: "How did you get so buff? What do you do?" Me: "well, I lift weights about 5x per week and eat really clean. I can give you some tips if you want." 20 year old: "uh no, that's alright...." Everyone wants the magic solution.

02-08-2007, 03:10 PM	#3
David Stegman Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lubbock TX Posts: 262	Magic...that's right. When I lay out my daily eating routine I can tell by the look on their face that they realized they shouldn't have asked. LOL Or I'll hear...."Yeah Dave, I ate a good breakfast this morning..eggs, veggies, water etc." Then I ask "Cool, what did you eat the rest of the day?" Silence...followed by..."Well, I can't just jump into this like you did I've gotta ease into thing" Meanwhile...they have been "easing into things" forever and wonder why they aren't seeing results.

02-08-2007, 03:39 PM	#4
Mitchell Brown Member Profile: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sydney New South Wales Posts: 794	Here are my personal favourites, not limited to nutrition: "Oh that's cool but I don't work out legs" "You aren't doing any cardio" - Exercise science student "They didn't teach us L sits when I did my course" - said by a personal trainer Me: "Hey you have some new C2's, are they the type D's?" Personal trainer: "Umm, what's type D?" Me: "Yeah I try to stay away from breads, pasta and potato" Response: "Oh you're on the Atkins diet, I've heard that's really bad, you aren't getting any carbs"

02-08-2007, 03:49 PM	#5
David Stegman Member Profile: Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Lubbock TX Posts: 262	One of my favs it this: "Well you know I was doing ok up until the holidays....and you know how that goes right?" Me: "No I don't, I continue to eat right even through the holidays" Them: "Well, that is impossible for me..my wife makes a lot of cookies, breads, and other stuff that I end up eating" Me: "Yeah, well it's really not that difficult if you try it out and IMO the holidays are the best time to start..because there are a lot of things you need to watch out for" Them: "So what do you eat at Thanksgiving?" Me: "I get a decent portion of white meat turkey, baked sweet potato with nothing on it, and spinach salad with some avacado....that's not too hard is it?" Them: "Ohhhh, that's now fun..you should live a little man! You should enjoy life once in a while" Me: "ha ha...yeah maybe so" Thinking to myself...guess what pal..I AM ENJOYING MY LIFE EATING LIKE THIS! I FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING AS A RESULT OF MY DIET AND EXERCISE ROUTINES. Oh well....preaching to the choir here. All part of that "eating matrix" that most are plugged into.

02-08-2007, 04:00 PM	#6
Andrew Cattermole Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sydney NSW Posts: 418	LOL:haha: I have had the exact same comment about L Sits from a PT that I work with.:biglaugh: My personal Favorite is another PT commenting as I did "Murph" one time "You’re not going to get Big doing that!" Same PT "How did you make that (C2) Rower count down the meters?"

02-08-2007, 05:54 PM	#7
Mike ODonnell Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,566	I refuse to give any nutritional advice to a client who says "Why am I not losing weight" unless they provide me with a written down daily journal....I don't take "I eat good"..."I eat enough"....blah...blah...blah......write it down then show me if you want my input....cause you and I both know you are not doing something right....

02-08-2007, 08:13 PM	#8
Ron Haskins Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Gardnerville Nevada Posts: 113	Just have to chime in here, not nutrition related but... "You just don't understand, my knees won't let me squat"

02-09-2007, 02:18 AM	#9
Paul Symes Member Profile: Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: London Croydon Posts: 299	I can understand why they think they know what's healthy. There are so many programmes on the TV here (and probably everywhere) that would define a healthy diet as one that's low fat with plenty of whole grains. There are people who think slim fast makes you slim because it's healthy. If someone was genuinely interested in knowing more and watched these programmes, they would think they at least know a little because they heard an expert say it on the TV. There's a diet 'guru' on the TV here - Gillian McKeith - who's bought her Phd online and calls herself a doctor. Many of the people who work in gyms are no better, they go on a course that tells them about toning and again, the whole grain/low fat thing and they pass it on as experts. I've never been in a gym in the town I live and seen a gym instructor teaching anyone how to lift anything. Maybe things are better eleswhere.

02-09-2007, 06:07 AM	#10
Larry Lindenman Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago Illinois Posts: 2,769	"All that protein is going to damage your kidneys" "increased muscle mass will raise your blood pressure." Briliiant!