WHY I HATE GIVING OUT MEAL PLANS
I get a lot of inquiries about meal plans and if I can create a strict meal plan for a client.
Quite often, they are surprised when I say “no, I can’t.” But it’s for some very important reasons in which I have listed below.
1) MEAL PLANS DO NOT TEACH THE CLIENT ANYTHING ABOUT NUTRITION
Can meal plans get you results?
Of course, I’m not debating that.
But what happens when you are done with the meal plan or you are traveling and cannot stick exactly to it?
The client is lost because they do not understand why they achieved the results that they did or how to make other foods fit their diet when they are unprepared.
They were not made aware or taught what determines a change in body weight and composition: calories and macronutrients.
2) THERE IS NOTHING MAGICAL ABOUT CERTAIN FOOD SOURCES
I know you might think that there’s something magical about chicken, rice, broccoli, and almonds but I’ll let you know that there isn’t.
You lost weight or you built muscle due to your overall calorie intake and macronutrient ratio NOT because you ate “clean foods.”
One of my favorite comments that I hear frequently is “I don’t believe in macros.”
I find that rather amusing because EVERY food that we eat contains macronutrients so regardless if you believe in them or not, macros exist in every plan.
You lose weight by being in a caloric deficit and it doesn’t matter if your calories come from chicken and rice or from beef jerky and ice cream.
3) GIVING OUT MEAL PLANS IS ILLEGAL IN MOST STATES WITHOUT HAVING THE PROPER LICENSE
And probably the most important reason why I do not send out strict meal plans to clients is that it is illegal in my state to do so without the proper license.
Yes, you heard that right.. you know that personal trainer or online coach in your area who is giving out prescribed meal plans? It’s illegal and out of their scope of practice.
What happens if you have an allergic reaction to a certain food in your diet plan?
I don’t want to be in that situation and I don’t want any of my clients to be either.
In closing, I know that counting calories and macros can be time-consuming in the beginning but by investing time in doing so you are going to learn A LOT more about how food works and how it changes your body instead of just blindly following a strict meal plan.
SIDE NOTE:
I am not saying that meal plans do not have their place in someone’s diet. Meal plans can provide a lot of structure especially for a beginner who is just getting into macro/calorie counter. In fact, I advocate that new clients set up a simple daily meal plan for them based on their macros that I assign. From there, I recommend that as they become more familiar with macros to incorporate new meals and new foods that still allow them to reach their numbers. Meal plans without guidance and education are what I am against. It’s our job as trainers and coaches to give the client the tools that they need to be successful long after they are finished working with us.