A question I am often asked:
“So Andrew, what is your nutrition approach? Are you paleo, low carb, vegetarian etc?
Where in the past this used to be an easy question for me to answer, I now find it slightly more difficult to give a direct answer. The more and more people I work with over the past 15 years the more tools I need as blanket approaches delivered such varying results. Secondly certain approaches that have become more mainstream and people have tried and failed at (e.g. paleo) means that they are going to need a varying and ultimately more effective approach for them.
Currently where I stand is that my approach for the individual that is sitting in front of me must fit into the following 4 criteria’s.
- Does this style psychologically excite them? Is it something that they are excited to get behind start? E.g. I am not going to suggest the carnivorous diet to a vegan.
- Will it produce results?
- Can they stick with it long-term?
- Will it make them healthier?
As you can see this leaves a lot of room for me to design the most effective nutrition plan for each individual. I know that the person is going to be healthier, see results, become healthier and hold onto changes for the long-term. Not just another ‘diet’!!! I actually never like to use that term ‘diet’ as it implies that one day you will have to stop that way of eating and revert back to what you used to do. We want to put a nutrition plan together and have that be simply the way they eat and can eat that way for the rest of their lives.
It is to the last point that whenever a person comes in and says I am doing X diet, e.g. keto (most commonly) I ask, “What are you going to do when you stop keto?” If they reply, I don’t plan on stopping or something to that effect, I am happy with them to continue, but if the answer is I don’t know, most will get where I am going with that leading question……
To sum up. I can’t classify myself under any nutrition umbrella but try my very best to put a plan together that will suit the individual I’m talking with. This could be one of many different approaches as most have merit and as long as they fit my 4 questions, we are good to go!!!!!!
For coaches it is easy to become narrow minded when you have success with one specific approach, but those same results will not carry over for everyone.