Can anyone recommend some good resources for getting smarter about nutrition? I'm looking for science-based, research-proven information not a bunch of anecdotal, "this is believed to", kind of stuff.

Either books or organizations that are respected but don't require you to delve into a PhD-type program?

Thanks.

Depending how far you want to dig, you could always check out one of the Personal Training programs. For example International Sports Sciences Association (www.issaonline.com/) has a stand alone nutritional program. Their programs are home study and I've been happy with them so far. It'll run you about $600.

Precision Nutrition recently launched a Nutrition Cert program. I have two friends in the program now. It's John Berardi's PN Team, and very science based.

Like any cert, you learn from it, then develop your own methods based on experience and the Cert. PN has been a solid system, so you have that base to start from.

Howie,

I HIGHLY recommend that you check out Paleo or Paleolithic eating. It's the only diet that has good science behind it and isn't really commercially influenced - either by the medical establishment or the supplement companies.

And, it just plain MAKES SENSE.

Let me know if you want some resources and I'll help you out.

Adam

HowieBrewer wrote:
Can anyone recommend some good resources for getting smarter about nutrition? I'm looking for science-based, research-proven information not a bunch of anecdotal, "this is believed to", kind of stuff.

Either books or organizations that are respected but don't require you to delve into a PhD-type program?

Thanks.

Are you looking for something to put down on your resume (like a Cert) to make your clients feel comfortable that you know your stuff or is the knowledge enough?

Certs aren't necessarily good, like a degree, they can let others know that you've put in the work, studied, etc. What you do with the knowledge from from Cert and learned before and after is key.

AdamFarrah wrote:
Howie,

I HIGHLY recommend that you check out Paleo or Paleolithic eating. It's the only diet that has good science behind it and isn't really commercially influenced - either by the medical establishment or the supplement companies.

And, it just plain MAKES SENSE.

Let me know if you want some resources and I'll help you out.

Adam

I'll start by saying that I eat mostly paleo-style, but to make statements like this does that movement a disservice. The "everything in moderation" people, vegetarians, and vegans call a lot of paleo-types "paleo tards" because of the almost religious fervor about how right paleo is.

There are honest and genuine people in all of these dietary camps, and many of them use good science to prove their own points. There is cherry picking and wishful thinking going on on all sides, including our paleo-side.

Roland,

I've been immersed in diet and diet theory for over 6 years. I've done vegan, raw vegan, WAP, ketogenic, etc, etc. I've also been coached by top people in some of those fields.

Paleo - as a general theory - is very certainly the right direction. Looking at hunter-gatherer and evolutionary diets and drawing scientific conclusions is a good direction to go. I incorporate a few "non-Paleo" ideas into my diet, but my guiding principle is Paleo.

I have never gotten good, scientific answers from any raw vegan or WAP theorist on a number of issues which is why I moved away from those communities.

As far as me "doing the movement a disservice with my statements," those are really strong words. Maybe I was over zealous in my description.

FINE: Paleo is an excellent diet and there are a lot of good reasons to check it out.

Howie, let me know if you'd like some resources.

Adam

AdamFarrah wrote:
Roland,

I've been immersed in diet and diet theory for over 6 years. I've done vegan, raw vegan, WAP, ketogenic, etc, etc. I've also been coached by top people in some of those fields.

Paleo - as a general theory - is very certainly the right direction. Looking at hunter-gatherer and evolutionary diets and drawing scientific conclusions is a good direction to go. I incorporate a few "non-Paleo" ideas into my diet, but my guiding principle is Paleo.

I have never gotten good, scientific answers from any raw vegan or WAP theorist on a number of issues which is why I moved away from those communities.

As far as me "doing the movement a disservice with my statements," those are really strong words. Maybe I was over zealous in my description.

FINE: Paleo is an excellent diet and there are a lot of good reasons to check it out.

Howie, let me know if you'd like some resources.

Adam

I shouldn't have said it so strong. Sorry.

I think we are on the same page. I think it IS the right direction. My issue is that in some ways, we are "marketing" it, and I think that when we say things like that, it makes people on the verge (a bit interested in paleo) tune out. As an example, the other day a vegetarian told me that "It's been proven that humans are not meant to eat meat." There's really nothing more he can say after that. There are things that I can respect in vegetarianism, but that's extreme.

Likewise, a lot of paleo people go pretty extreme on the insulin management keeping us lean, say things like calorie counting doesn't work for fat loss, and grass fed beef has a lot of omega-3s, all of which can pretty easily shown to be false.

Insulin management is important, paleo sure makes fat loss easier if you like paleo eating, and grass fed beef is healthier than corn fed beef, but the mistaken statements make the paleo story too easy to pick apart.

The problem is the world want to be able to eat whatever they want, and "in moderation" is already a tough pill to swallow, so all it takes is one cynic to pick apart a study and a statement based on that study, and the whole conversation ends with high fives from the doubters, and jabs about the paleo-tard using a rat study to say carbs is worse for your heart than saturated fat.

Sorry for the rant...

I see what you're saying. I've been in Paleo for so long - and it's done so much for me - that I forget about all the arguments you're talking about. I take the Paleo movement in a very broad way.

Cordain said in a presentation not too long ago that there were HUGE variations in meat intake in hunter-gatherer cultures. I think the numbers were 100% all the way to 20% or so. He did say there is absolutely ZERO evidence of any PURE vegetarian culture ever existing. There is pretty good science behind what he's saying. Certainly better than what's coming out of the labs run by General Mills or the Dairy Council.

My feeling is that looking at what foods we most likely ate during our evolution and making dietary recommendations based on that makes the most sense. I think we can be reasonably sure we have good data about what we were eating in general during our evolution.

You and I are on the same page. My thinking is simply that Paleo is the most elegant and useful dietary theory we have and there are a wide range of interpretations of it. I did raw vegan for a while (felt horrible on it) and was basically made to feel like a "bad person" because I failed the diet...

What I think is funny is that my diet now is actually raw vegan PLUS meat - PALEO - and working quite well.

"Diet people" mostly have more in common than not but everyone gets so attached to their position they can't see the forest for the trees. I know a girl who does raw vegan and occasionally eats meat because she feels so bad without the protein and some of her vegan friends stopped talking to her over it....

Adam

AdamFarrah wrote:
You and I are on the same page. My thinking is simply that Paleo is the most elegant and useful dietary theory we have and there are a wide range of interpretations of it. I did raw vegan for a while (felt horrible on it) and was basically made to feel like a "bad person" because I failed the diet...

What I think is funny is that my diet now is actually raw vegan PLUS meat - PALEO - and working quite well.


I still eat cooked vegetables, but 90% is raw. I recently made a trip to Bulgaria, where the salads were big piles of raw cucumber, tomato, and peppers, plus misc items to change it up. I simply never thought of eating a salad like that, but now I'm addicted. I like to mix it up with mexican and asian influenced veggies for variety. Good stuff.


"Diet people" mostly have more in common than not but everyone gets so attached to their position they can't see the forest for the trees. I know a girl who does raw vegan and occasionally eats meat because she feels so bad without the protein and some of her vegan friends stopped talking to her over it....

That's a shame, but I'm not sure as many vegans are concerned about health as much as about the animals. If your friend eats meat again, you have to face the idea that he/she is doing something "immoral." With paleo, there's no moral issues, just health.

Never did salad like that. I'll give it a shot...

Here is a really good lecture from Cordain. I think it takes a really good look at the science of Paleo...

http://www.paleobrands.com/2010/08/cf-football-loren-cordain/

Thanks. I had to wait until I had enough time to listen through them all in one sitting.

It was good except for the very end, where he throws the word fructose around all loosy-goosy. I know what he means is not really what he says, but that's how we get all those quotes that people use to "prove" the low carb and paleo types are wrong. That's too bad. Not good for the marketing.

Unfortunately, he's talking to a group that already buys into most of the paleo lifestyle, and when you talk to a friendly crowd that already "gets your message," you talk a little looser.

Hi Guys, thanks for all the information! I was away with family on vacation the last week and am only now catching up on things. I'm going to look into what you've suggested. My ultimate goal is to eventually open up my own gym(s) and I think it would help if I can some sort of certification in nutrition under my belt. But that doesn't mean until that time that I won't be learning as much as possible. Let me start delving into the Paleo world a bit and when questions come up, I'll hit you both up for help. Thanks again!

Howie, I hope we haven't derailed your post on a nutrition education questions. Despite my paleo leanings, I think that the most important thing that we can do is get clients healthier than they are NOW. After they see success in performance, health or fat loss, they can always fine tune things.

I don't shove paleo down anyone's throat because most people won't find it palatable. I happen to like it, but it's been a long journey for me. I'm not 100% paleo, myself. I eat cheese, yogurt, and half and half, and have some small amounts of corn here and there, mostly off the cob, but also 2-3 tortillas a week in the form of carne asada soft tacos. What can I say?

Here is another route to an education and certification. My friend Alan Aragon tells me it's the only decent one out there that he knows of. He's not a paleo guy, btw. I still like him though...

www.sportsnutritionsociety.org/certificates.aspx