This is inspired by a recent conversation with my brother. Sadly, he is probably the smart one in the family. Well… at some things at least.
I obviously work as a personal trainer (when the gyms are open) actually helping people and being in the “front line” when it comes to helping people achieve their goals.
My brother on the other hand went the Uni route. He did a degree in Health, Sport and Fitness and recently finished a Masters degree in Nutrition. Credit were it’s due, fair play to him.
Although this sounds great, even people with this level of education can still make very amateur mistakes. And it is on a friend of my brothers that this blog/rant is based on.
My brothers friend did the same Bachelors and Masters degree as him. So they are both a hell of a lot more qualified than me in that department.
But as I said, this doesn’t mean that you know everything and don’t make obvious mistakes.
What made me want to do this is that they are both now in the health and fitness world now. And they will be putting information out there for people in see.
Which is great. But that information needs to be good. Or at least correct.
No disrespect to anyone reading this if this applies to you, but people search the internet and social media looking for tips, information and guidance on health and fitness. Typically when it comes to weight loss.
So when someone that has the level of qualifications that they do, people take what they say as gospel. And in a way they should because these are people who have spent years studying health and fitness.
But this means that anything they put out has to be correct.
Bear with me while I fill you in on the back story.
So my brother was arguing with his mate and asked me for my opinion.
My brothers friend is doing a bit of personal training and is trying to do social media posts to attract clients and show off his knowledge.
Nothing wrong with that. I do the same.
But it was a post his friend wanted to make that got them arguing.
His friend wanted to do a post about how avocado, eggs and toast has more calories than an egg McMuffin. And how everyone thinks that the first option is better because it sounds healthy but it has more calories which isn’t what you want if you are losing weight.
My brother said that he was being a complete idiot and for once I agree with my brother.
His friend is being a complete idiot!
In fairness he is correct in regards to the calories. But is way off with what actually matters.
And it is putting information like this out there, is what concerns me and made me write this.
The approach my brothers mate is having is a very “if it fits you Macros” approach. Which is a bit correct. His thinking is, that if you’re in a calorie deficit to lose weight, then eating an egg McMuffin will be less calories than avocado, egg and toast therefore that will help with you deficit.
But that is such a small minded approach.
Yes there may be less calories, but then again you could just adjust the avocado, egg and toast to bring the calories in that meal down.
But the big point that he is missing is what is Master degree is in and that nutrition!
There’s practically no nutrition value in an egg McMuffin. Whereas avocado, egg and toast is packed with lots of different nutritional sources.
Yes the avocado and eggs have more fat. But they’re good fats. They are the exact fats that we need in our diet.
And the toast (especially if it’s brown bread) is a much better source of carbs than the muffin.
And if you’re making the avocado, eggs and toast at home, like I said earlier, you can cut the portion size to reduce the calories to suit you. Or you can poach the egg instead of frying it.
Plus the McMuffin is going to be loaded with salt and have more saturated fats.
So yes when it comes to calories, on paper the McMuffin might be the better option (but really not by much).
But the avocado, egg and toast has way more nutrition and is so much better for than the McMuffin ever will be.
Plus it’ll be more filling so much less chance of feeling hungry and snacking later.
If you know anything about nutrition, even the tiniest amount, then you will know that the avocado, egg and toast wins hands down.
So yes my brothers friend was being an idiot. But what concerned me was a nutritional professional is putting out misleading information.
I also want to clarify that he didn't post about it in the end. After my brother argued with him for days about it.
I don’t know if you know this, but did you know what only a fully qualified nutritionist, which means a Masters degree in nutrition are the only people who can legally tell you what to eat.
As a personal trainer I can advise people on their diet but I can’t say specifically to eat this and eat this and you’ll lose weight. Not even a GP can tell you what exactly to eat unless they have a Masters in nutrition.
So that shows how few people who are out there that can give top level nutrition advice and guidance.
And when one of those very few people is putting out rubbish out there, it is actually worrying.
Because someone overweight who desperately needs to lose weight and get themselves fit and healthy, could see that and instead of making a healthy meal packed with nutrition, goes to McDonalds instead because someone who is a qualified nutritionist said it’s better for them losing weight.
So the moral of this is always do plenty of research. Something might be low in calories, but it could have very little nutritional value.
When you’re eating, you need to be consuming protein, carbs, good fats, vitamins and minerals.
That’s what really matters. Then reduce calories and exercise to get into a calorie deficit.
So please don’t ever look at the labels and go “that’s actually higher in calories than I though. I’ll have something else.” When it’s filled with nutrition your body needs and instead you go eat something that has nowhere near the same amount of nutritional value just cause it has less calories.