How to respond to an anti-vegan trainer?

jamesf123

New member
Hey all! I had an encounter with my personal trainer today that really rubbed me the wrong way. I’m a pretty shy person so I didn’t know how to respond right away, but I knew y’all would be able to help me form an educated and respectful response :)

So I’ve been working with my personal weight trainer for around a year now. I have made immense progress. Although I weigh the same, I am very obviously thinner and have more lean muscle. I am not a naturally skinny person, so the progress I have made is great! Not to be annoying about this, but I am EXTREMELY proud of myself; and I achieved all of this with a healthy vegan diet.

As we were training this morning (other ladies were around as well and we were all talking to each other) she interrupted to say that she had a “breakfast challenge” for us. It involved eating a certain amount of eggs in the morning with vegetables instead of what we normally eat. When she asked if I would take part, I respectfully told her, “no sorry. I don’t eat animal products.”

She immediately rolled her eyes and said “Give me a f*cking break!!” She went on this whole rant about how diet trends never work, saying that all I’m doing is replacing animal protein with carbs. She told me that people who don’t eat meat only gain fat and never gain the muscle they want. She EVEN went as far as to take me aside and tell me a story about how insecurity shouldn’t stop my goal of a “sustainable” diet.

I found it all, frankly, a bit disrespectful! This is coming from the same woman who told me that I was looking amazing, who complimented my leg muscles and ab definition that I worked my ass off for. I find it all very annoying, but I really don’t know how to respond in a respectful and factual manner. Sure, I have done my research, but it’s more ethical than health related. I know you guys are very informed on veganism. What should I respond?
 
@hillsofzion A good trainer would. I told mine I’m vegan and he helped me devise vegan meal plans that also avoided foods I’m allergic to. With the research he was doing to help me as a client, he made the switch to be vegan himself.
 
@hillsofzion I totally agree with that. Furthermore, she seems to lack professionalism if she talked to you this way. You should not accept anyone to talk to you this way, about veganism or anything else. Especially if you are shy, this kind of attitude may end up to close you more to people because you will start to fear this kind of reaction.
 
@jamesf123 Here’s what I would do in that situation:
1. Clear up the fact that veganism is not only a diet, but rather a very important ethical stance. This might convince her that you’re more likely to stick to it, and that it’s not a fad. If she doesn’t understand why this could be so important to someone, recommend she watch Earthlings and send her the link.
2. Inform her that the world’s largest group of credentialed nutritionists/dietitians (over 100,000 credentialed practitioners) have published their position that a well-planned vegan diet is healthful and nutritionally adequate, and is appropriate for athletes. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27886704/
3. If she continues to be disrespectful and/or closed-minded, find a new trainer.
 
@keepingthehope77 I think most people would be shocked that you can just say anything and almost no one will ever fact check you, this goes especially so for people jn positions of authority (such as a personal trainer).

How many people are going to hear their PT say "vegan is unsustainable and bad for your health" and assume it's true, because presumably this person would know what they're talking about. Then they never do any more research because, again, you would presume that someone in that position would be a reliable source.

To the point: this should be a huge red flag. If they're this uninforned about what you can eat in order to be healthy, how the fuck can you trust them to be I formed on literally anything else?

Do you even need a qualification to be a PT? (genuine question).
 
@cuinthecreek This is why it took me so long to go vegan. I heard from people who I thought were authorities on nutrition that veganism is unhealthy.

They even told me that vegans agree that veganism is unhealthy, but do it anyway on principle.
 
@cuinthecreek Some kids I went to high school with got personal trainer certificates online via a 3 day class. They themselves had been working out < 1 year and hadn’t even graduated high school. I won’t even talk to a “personal trainer” unless they’ve got a bachelors in something fitness related because I know many people who have gone the cheap, short online class route and insist they know it all. I’ve been training 5+ years, I trust myself more than the gym noob with a piece of paper on his bedroom wall. Of course, not all PTs are this unprofessional, but if someone tells you’re they’re a PT, I would request to see their qualifications early in the conversation.
 
@jamesf123 Should have rolled your eyes back at her when she’s was making those comments to you! Honestly she probably just got her nutrition information from the internet as what people call bro-science 😂 I doubt she went to school for 4 years to study food nutrition like certified dieticians do. People are so quick to comment about your way of eating as soon as you tell them you vegan, just keep your thoughts to yourself, I’m healthy!

Just kindly say I don’t comment or judge on your way of eating so please respect my choices.

More carbs are a good thing during work outs, keeps your energy up and you can go longer, at least that’s what I find.
 
@jamesf123 Well the first mistake she made was assuming that veganism is a diet. I think that would be worth clearing up. Otherwise she pretty much disproved herself because clearly you have made progress and built muscle while vegan. Maybe recommend watching Game Changers, it seems like she's not very informed on the topic.
 
@anthonymdavis What if you abstain from eating any meat, milk, or eggs solely for health benefits?

But don’t have any problems with wearing leather or killing/exploiting animals if it’s convenient?
 
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