[color=blue:0116215813][/color:0116215813] I have a personal trainer and of course does not like the Zone diet. He had me do a food profile and suggested 15% protein, 65% carbs, and 20% fats. And of course, he says pancakes and other grains are okay? He also said I need at least 1600 calories a day. I am older, ha ha, like almost 49, work out 5 times a week, 3 cardio and 4 weight training. So far I am not taking his advice, any comments for me? Theresa :?

"personal trainers" are one of my pet peeves. In addition to being a doc I also hold a masters degree in exercise physiology. I can tell you that most personal trainers couldn't tell you the difference between a bicep and an earlobe. in fact most are just "expensive repetition" counters. I also used to own a gym/fitness center. Ok, so I will not make any friends; but here goes; My advice is to fire your trainers ASAP. I have been a Zone follower for the past 4 years. I am 47 years old. I have placed many of my patients on the diet plan, all with excellent results. I also work out and can be considered an exercise fanatic. I think what you are doing, 5 days a week, might be overkill. I would drop back to 3-4 days a week and combine your cardio with your weight workouts. 20-25 minutes of cardio, followed by another 25-30 minutes of strength work. that would free you up another 1-2 days to enjoy life, as opposed to spending all your time in the gym. pick one exercise per bodypart, do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps and end it at that. I see way to many trainers having their clients perform endless reps of repetitiive exercise, resulting in the law of diminishing returns. BTW: since incorporating the long chain omega 3's in my diet I have seen many of my joint aches stop or lessen to a great degree, and so has my wife who used to be a competitive bicycle racer. Stick with the Zone plan, reduce your gym time and you can't go wrong.

:D Thanks so much for your advice. I didn't add more calories or go by his advice. He is just a young kid that hasn't read many books, I suppose. I go to gym 4 days a week and love that part of my life. After my sessions are done, I will not get anymore. I just needed a head start but I see how they work. I've been zoning for just a little over a month. Thanks again Theresa

What I like is when I see these personal "trainers" at Bally's having people that haven't worked out in years, if ever, doing reps to failure. They usually don't come back. A friend of my nephews got a job as a personal trainer because he worked out with a bodybuider when he was in high school. Scary stuff.