Personal trainers can have pretty strict diets, including lists of foods that never get eaten. While each personal trainer has their own diet plan, many personal trainers would agree to never eat these 30 foods. Of course, all food is okay in moderation, and all these listed items are eaten from time to time.
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Boxed cereal
While there are a few boxed cereal options that are exceptions to the rule, most dry cereals are filled with sugar and lack fibre. Breakfast cereals are typically targeted to children, with an emphasis on sweetness. Many boxed cereals are high in carbohydrates with very little protein or healthy fats in the mix. Personal trainers would never eat a boxed cereal that is loaded with sugar!
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Pre-packaged snack cakes
Pre-packaged snack cakes are easy to eat on the go and temporarily fill you up. However, personal trainers would never eat these cakes due to the high sugar content and the artificial colours and flavours. In some cases, there are even trans fats (although this is on the decline). These packaged cakes are marketed as a snack, but they should be treated as a dessert.
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Canned fruit in syrup
Canned fruit can be a great way to get in one of your daily doses of fruit, but not all canned fruits are created equal. Packages are filled with water, fruit juice, or syrup. The ideal choice is to opt for canned fruit that is packed in water or its own fruit juice. Canned fruit packaged in syrup contains too much added sugar. Fruit already contains a large amount of sugar, so there is no need to add more. If you have the choice, opt for the ones that are packaged in water.
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Rice cakes
Rice cakes are often treated as a diet snack food because of their low number of calories compared to other snack options. However, rice cakes are made with carbohydrates that have a fast impact on your blood sugar. On top of that, flavoured rice cakes also add extra salt and sugar, making these a snack that personal trainers would never eat.
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Fat-free packaged foods
As a marketing tactic, many companies have created products that are fat-free or reduced-fat, but these products can be deceiving. By removing the fat from the product, the companies have to find a way to modify the taste. Often this is done by adding salt and sugar. This means, instead of eating a food that naturally contains fat, you’re eating a food that’s higher in sugar and salt. The overall caloric content of the food might even be the same (or higher) in the reduced-fat or fat-free versions.
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Doughnuts
Deep-fried white flour does sound pretty delicious, but it’s actually something a personal trainer would never eat—especially not for breakfast! Doughnuts are made of refined white flour that is deep-fried and then covered in sugar, often filled with artificial flavours and colours. Doughnuts do not provide the nutrients you need to start your morning right.
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Blended fruit yogurts
Yogurt sends a ton of mixed messages! Some people swear by it as a healthy high-protein snack, while others say to avoid it completely. Both are true! Plain yogurt, with no added flavours, can be a nutritious snack. Yogurt with blended fruit is not the same. Instead, these types of yogurts are packed with sugar, making them a high-calorie snack. Some yogurts are comparable to a dessert. If you want a fruit yogurt, purchase plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit.
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Instant ramen noodles
Instant ramen noodles might seem like a budget-friendly meal, but you’re better off splurging a bit more—your body will thank you. These instant noodle packages are filled with sodium and contain little nutritional value. Instant ramen noodles might be delicious and easy, but they’re actually pretty bad for your health.
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Frozen meals
It’s important to read the nutritional labels on frozen meals. Many pre-packaged frozen meals are loaded with salt, sugar, and preservatives. They’re not all made equally, so make sure you know how to pick the nutritious ones. Even some frozen meals that claim to be low calorie and “healthy” are filled with ingredients to avoid (at least in excess). As well, the quantity of vegetables included in frozen meals is often less than the recommended amount.
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Low-fat peanut butter
The fat that’s naturally found in peanut butter is healthy to consume, so it’s better if you stick to regular peanut butter rather than a low-fat version. To make up for the taste of reduced fat, companies often add more sugar or starchy fillers (things personal trainers try to avoid).
While on the topic of peanut butter, not all regular peanut butters are made with your health in mind. Many brands contain added sugars and oils, so it’s better to stick to more natural ones.
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Microwavable popcorn
Microwavable popcorn is chock full of salt, preservatives, and fat. The same goes for movie theatre popcorn, which personal trainers never eat. The healthiest way to enjoy popcorn, which is naturally high in fibre, is to air pop your own kernels. Even popping them over a stove with minimal oil and salt is a better option than a packaged microwavable bag.
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Juice
Fruit contains natural sugar, vitamins, and fibre. By extracting the juice, you lose all the fibre, meaning all that’s left are the sugar and vitamins. While the vitamins are good for you, drinking pure sugar is not the best idea—even if that sugar is from a natural source. Juice is a high-calorie drink that does not provide the same benefit as eating a whole fruit, especially as juice is often consumed much faster. Definitely never drink juice that has added sugar.
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Pretzels
Made mostly with white flour and salt, pretzels are not considered a healthy snack. The white flour is digested quickly, which means it’ll raise your blood sugar quickly and you won’t stay full for long. Pair that with the easy ability to overeat pretzels and it’s a snack that’s best avoided.
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Blended coffee drinks
You might be surprised to learn how much sugar (and subsequent calories) are found in popular blended coffee drinks. Some of them even contain enough calories to be considered an entire meal, but these drinks are often consumed as a snack or a beverage on the side of a full meal. Most personal trainers will never drink a sugar-filled blended coffee drink. Opt for an unblended, unsweetened iced coffee if you’re craving a cold caffeine hit.
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Extravagant smoothies
There are healthy smoothies, and then there are the extravagant smoothies that pack way too much into one drink. If you’re not paying attention to the portion, or the type of ingredients that get added to your smoothie, it’s time to start noticing! Smoothies that include nut butters, ice cream, protein supplements, high-fat yogurts, or other high-calorie ingredients can result in a smoothie that’s more of a meal or dessert than a drink.
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Supplement powders
This one is tricky because there are lots of personal trainers who use protein and supplement powders. However, these types of products make this list of what personal trainers would never eat because they would never eat them without knowing exactly what they are made of and exactly what they are meant to do.
Typically, a person who gets a regular amount of exercise does not need any type of additional protein supplementation. If your training goes beyond that, make sure to do your research about what type of product you’re putting in your body, and make sure you actually need it, rather than just hopping on a trend.
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Granola bars (or high-fibre bars)
Not all granola bars are created equal, and many of them have similar characteristics to chocolate bars. There are tons of granola bars that are filled with sugar and not much else, making them more of a treat than a healthy snack. They might be advertised as a good grab-and-go snack, but personal trainers would never eat granola bars without checking to see what ingredients they contain.
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Fried foods
Fried foods might taste delicious, but they’re not doing your body any favours, especially on the inside. Fried foods are often made with less healthy fats, which can do lasting damage to your body when consumed in large quantities. Always opt for grilled or baked foods rather than fried ones.
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Delivery pizza
There’s a big difference between homemade and delivery pizza. Homemade pizza can be made with a whole-wheat crust, fresh vegetables, low-sodium sauce, and a moderate amount of cheese. Delivery pizza is filled with sodium and fat. Avoid ordering fast-food pizza and try to make your own, less-processed version at home.
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Cold cuts
Processed deli meats can contain a variety of fillers and preservatives that personal trainers would never eat. Not all deli meats contain these culprits, but it’s important to know which cold cuts need to be avoided. Choose organic, nitrate- and antibiotic-free meats from reputable companies.
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Pre-made salads
Salads can be a great option for lunch or dinner, but it all depends on what ingredients they include. Often, pre-made salads bulk up on high-calorie ingredients like cheese and nuts and high-carb ingredients like pita crisps and croutons—not to mention a large amount of oil-based salad dressing or fried chicken. The best option is to make your own salad where you can control the ingredients.
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Dried fruit
One item that personal trainers tend to never eat is dried fruit. While fresh fruit is a great snack option, dried or dehydrated fruit is a different story. The removal of water means that a whole fruit becomes a bite-sized piece, often leading to overeating. If you do eat dried fruit, be sure to avoid the brands that add extra sugar or salt to the mix.
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White bread
There are three parts to a grain, and to make white bread, two of the three parts are removed. When you remove the bran and the germ, you remove the dietary fibre, iron, and B vitamins. Some of these are artificially placed back into white-bread loafs, but there’s still quite a difference between white bread and whole-grain bread, especially in terms of the high glycemic index of white bread which negatively impacts blood glucose levels.
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Brown bread
Surprisingly, many brown-bread loafs are not much better than white ones because of the way they are manufactured. Many companies take a white loaf (which has had most of the parts of the grain removed) and just add a caramel colour. Instead of looking at the colour of the bread, look for the words “whole grain” and check the ingredient list to see which ones are at the top. There are many differences between different types of breads, and personal trainers usually eat the ones with naturally higher fibre.
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Soda
Everyone should stop drinking soft drinks—not just personal trainers! Soda has consistently been linked to several health issues through many scientific studies. These health issues include dental decay, bone loss, and diabetes. Large intakes of soft drinks should definitely be avoided!
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Diet soda
It’s not just regular soda that should be avoided—diet soda has its own list of negative health effects. Studies have linked diet soda to weight gain, which increases the risk of related chronic diseases. Even without the calories, diet soda can still do harm, which is why many personal trainers never drink it.
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Potato chips
Potato chips are the quintessential party food, yet their place on the table might be better off replaced with a different snack. While they are crunchy and delicious, potato chips are high in carbs, fat, and salt. Even baked chips, which contain less fat, have a higher amount of sodium than regular fried chips.
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Alcohol
There are plenty of reasons to avoid alcohol, including the fact that it’s high in calories while providing no other nutrients for your body. Alcohol has also been shown to impact athletic performance, which is why some personal trainers never drink it, or at least drink it only on occasion. Always make sure to drink alcohol in moderation.
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Trail mix
Trail mix can be a healthy snack, if you’re choosing a small portion of unsalted nuts and a small portion of unsweetened dried fruit. It becomes unhealthy when you start adding pretzels, chocolate chips, and other sugary sweets to the mix. Large portions should be avoided, as all the items in trail mix are high in calories. The best idea is to make the mix yourself so you can be certain of what ingredients are in the snack.
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Over-restricting calories
With all this talk about avoiding high-calorie foods, it’s important to note that over-restricting calories is not good either. Being hungry all the time is not sustainable, and being undernourished is not going to allow you to perform well—whether at work or at the gym. As much as personal trainers never eat certain foods, they definitely make sure to eat enough calories and nutrients to give their bodies the fuel they need.
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