TORN! My trainer says one thing here I learned otherwise!!!

[sweet.sarah]

Ok, so I think my trainer's wrong but he does have experience, he trained many people and he competed himself. I see him as very old school and us (by us I mean you, as in BB.com) as the real deal. Anyway, I still have my doubts because he did train people he's talking out of experience I guess and I have nothing to beat that.

Well he says it's ok for me to keep eating 1200kcal a day and I should do 30min cardio every day I go to the gym (Mon-Wed-Fri) and weigh myself every week to see if I lost weight. If I didn't I'd have to adjust things until I know what works for me. He says I should be losing 1kg per week.
I told him he was wrong because I don't give a royal rat's patootie about my weight, I don't care about the number I want to lose fat and gain muscle!!! And he says, "ok, but do you know what it takes to gain lean body mass? It's not gonna happen in one week." It does sound logical. I still do not agree with the weighing thing. I discussed it with him for like half an hour! I said that the scale is NOT ACCURATE, that I better measure myself. Well, I guess you got the picture...

Anyway, many people already suggested that I should increase my caloric intake to 1700-1800kcal. to see improvement. I just, I guess I need to be reassured... it's really hard for me to go against a person that supposedly knows the deal out of experience and is actually able to see my body.

P.S: it's the trainer at the gym, not my personal trainer.

Thanks one more time!

One more thing... I know like 2 days ago I posted about my caloric intake but then comes this guy to tell me these things sounding like he knows what he's taking about that I end up not knowing if I should listen to what he says or stick to what I learned here.

[_Bethany_]

From the very little I know, you will loose fat with 1200, but will probably loose some of the muscle you already have in the process. I think to maintain your current muscle or build a bit of new muscle (depending on how new to it you are) you will need to eat more than the 1200.

[nicoledominique]

Okay well first question - Are you wanting to compete? Is he trying to get you into competition shape? If so, the calorie deficit would make sense.

However, if your main goal is to build up muscle BEFORE competing, then you're right about the calories being way too low.

If you don't want to give up on him I would sit him down and have a discussion. Explain your short-term and long term goals. Ie: Short Term: gain as much muscle as possible over the next 6-12 months & Long Term: Getting on stage and competing.

He may have put you on a competition diet, and if that is your immediate goal, then I would listen to him. Otherwise, you need to explain what you're looking for.

**Edit: I see that you said he's just a trainer at the gym and not YOUR trainer. Well, until you're paying him the big bucks - don't take his advice. I would never take advice from a random trainer at the gym - a lot of them are full of crap and know absolutely nothing about my personal goals.

[sweet.sarah]

Okay well first question - Are you wanting to compete? Is he trying to get you into competition shape? If so, the calorie deficit would make sense.

However, if your main goal is to build up muscle BEFORE competing, then you're right about the calories being way too low.

If you don't want to give up on him I would sit him down and have a discussion. Explain your short-term and long term goals. Ie: Short Term: gain as much muscle as possible over the next 6-12 months & Long Term: Getting on stage and competing.

He may have put you on a competition diet, and if that is your immediate goal, then I would listen to him. Otherwise, you need to explain what you're looking for.

**Edit: I see that you said he's just a trainer at the gym and not YOUR trainer. Well, until you're paying him the big bucks - don't take his advice.

He can't give me a diet because he doesn't belive vegetarians can get big. He thinks you need to eat meat to gain "meat". He wouldn't even know how to start anyway.
I don't wish to compete I just want to lose the 30lbs worth of fat I have hanging around my body.

[freebirdmac]

If someone wants to lose the last 5 pounds of stubborn body fat, then a super low diet will work. However, that's assuming that the person's metabolism is functioning normally and that the low cal diet won't last but a few weeks. Where I think you're trainer is missing the ball is in assuming your metabolism is fired up. He may little experience in dealing with people with mucked up metabolisms. That wouldn't be unusual. He may not even recognize it.

[Be-Be]

Talk to some other trainers at the gym. Go with the advice from the one that seems to understand your goals and makes the most sense to you.

[sueljo]

He can't give me a diet because he doesn't belive vegetarians can get big. He thinks you need to eat meat to gain "meat". He wouldn't even know how to start anyway.
I don't wish to compete I just want to lose the 30lbs worth of fat I have hanging around my body.

I was a strict vegetarian for about 10 or so years and I gained muscle. Unless you are looking to gain a ton on muscle mass, which it sounds like you are not, your vegetarian diet is fine. I think 1200 calories are too low unless you are getting ready to step on stage. Try getting advise from other trainers in your area.

[sweet.sarah]

I was a strict vegetarian for about 10 or so years and I gained muscle. Unless you are looking to gain a ton on muscle mass, which it sounds like you are not, your vegetarian diet is fine. I think 1200 calories are too low unless you are getting ready to step on stage. Try getting advise from other trainers in your area.

I know my vegetarian diet is fine, but he'd neve in a thousand years be able to come up with it.
And you can get big on a vegetarian diet.

I will try the other guy at the gym I don't know why I think I trust him a bit more. It's just a hunch I've never talked enough to be sure... he, as every soul in my country, thinks that aeriobic work out.

[pecan]

I don't wish to compete I just want to lose the 30lbs worth of fat I have hanging around my body.

that is probably the exact reason he suggests 1200cals. that WILL get you this goal..but there are better ways of doing it over a longer term.

try 1400-1500 cals at first, see how that agrees with you. 1700-1800 is more reasonable for slow weight loss with muscle retention, but it will probably take a long time to lose 30 lbs at that caloric intake.

[kimm4]

You need to be a solid 1700 calories for losing body fat and retaining/adding lean muscle based on your stats. The idea is to diet slow so you lose body fat only.

I'm not one to step a trainers toes...but he's totally off.

You won't see any progress with 1200 calories.

The thing about vegetarians is most of them eat more carbs then protein...so you need to make sure you get the protein up...it's key for lean muscle mass!

[ToraAdams]

1200 cals would drive me nuts.
Don't you feel hungry all the time?