As a fitness professional, I get bombarded with questions daily regarding diets and training.
"How many sets should I squat on leg days?"
"Should I take BCAA before or after my workout?"
"I need to lose weight, what's a good fat burning pill to take?"
"What do you think about juice fasts?"
My answer is always, "it depends". Seriously, it always does and yes, it can be annoying to get this kind of answer but...
Telling a 200lb sedentary overweight men to go Atkins is not going to work the same for a competitive bodybuilder at 10% bodyfat .
Telling a 12 year old tennis player to train towards squating 2x her body weight is not the optimal advice compare to a 25 year old hardgainer trying to pack on muscle.
When I get a question, Sometimes I can easily spend a hour online trying to reference someone resources I felt were helpful and directly answers their questions.
As I become more successful at what I do and busier over time, I simply don't have time to keep up with everyone's emails with super detail, textbook explanations. While I still want to keep the integrity of my practice without becoming mainstream-like (dispensing one-size-fix-all approaches and sell e-books and 6min abs programs), I found writing articles and blog posts to reference to people a good way to save time without offering dumbed-down, superficial instructions when time is limited.
So, instead of repeating concepts to the same question over and over again, I just ask for their email and send them a more clarified and instructional version of what I think works best for them and hope they take my approach seriously. If they are committed (or desperate) enough, I can count on them reading everything I forward them.
There are days I'd correspond with clients via email entirely by linking them articles and get the job done under 5 minute. Articles i poured my heart into writing and a library of organized links from other great writers in the industry. This way, I have a more contextual way of offering solutions that applies to individuals' situation without sacrificing too much of my leisure time.
This is especially useful for those seeking free advice and willing to set up their own programs without a trainer by their side. Those without the means will have access to information without having to pay a monthly fee or weekly training sessions.
What frustrate me is when ppl don't appreciate my time by reading the things I provided them, then come back weeks later and complain about the same issue. Come to find out, they did nothing different, just spinning your wheels as always and never bother to click on the links I gave them.
Yes, i still see they posting stupid shit on facebook about how many calories they burn on the treadmill, how awesome their vegan/advocare shakes are, or how hardcore their body pump class was, which is the opposite of the things I told them NOT to do for fat loss or "toning".
I write to help people solve their problems so they stop doing what don't work. So they don't spend hours online shopping for stupid commercial workouts and fad diets. To save people money from hiring uneducated trainers and nutritionists that dish out unsound and sometimes dangerous advice that works against their goal.
I can accomplish all that by writing so I can reach those I can't in person. I'm allowing them to do the grunt work of setting up their diet after they understand how body metabolism and hunger works so they don't do stupid stuff like weight watchers or waste money on medifast. Take the time to set up their own training program after they understand basic training principles so they don't get injure or burned out doing crossfit or barre.
If they don't have the means to have it done for them by a professional, they can do it themselves.
Just because it's free doesn't mean it's not valuable.
Anyways, this rant is long enough so let's explore a few qualities of what makes a pesron an "askhole", for serious.
You are an askhole because you are...
1. An annoying individual who asks random questions with no substance or asks stupid questions without thinking.
"Can I have pizza everyday and still lose weight?"
The answer is actually, yes but it doesn't make it a good idea or something you'd want to ask anyone, anywhere, anyways.
If I've referenced you my article "How Much Dough Does it Cost to Lose Weight" and you still come back and ask me questions like "can I have Cheetos on my diet?", I'm just gonna ignore you.
2. A person who constantly ask for your advice, yet always does the opposite of what you told them!
1. An annoying individual who asks random questions with no substance or asks stupid questions without thinking.
"Can I have pizza everyday and still lose weight?"
The answer is actually, yes but it doesn't make it a good idea or something you'd want to ask anyone, anywhere, anyways.
If I've referenced you my article "How Much Dough Does it Cost to Lose Weight" and you still come back and ask me questions like "can I have Cheetos on my diet?", I'm just gonna ignore you.
2. A person who constantly ask for your advice, yet always does the opposite of what you told them!
or
"I thought I give Crossfit a try, what do you think?"
If you already made up your mind about eating your stupid tilapia/oatmeal diet or have already purchased P90X off of amazon, please don't ask me how I feel about it. I already reference you my opinions on all things garbage so you should know better.
If you want me to repeat myself of what I already wrote online and having referenced you in many occasions through email and facebook and you still want me to take my sweet ass time to repeat it the same ideas again in person, please, write me a check first.
3. Someone who consistently abuses internet forums and discussion boards to post stupid questions a quick google search could have easily answered.
Askhole: "What is a carb?"
Me: "what is a internetz?
4. Wastes time asking for answers to questions that only he/she doesn't understand; thus annoying the crap out of his/her classmates and coworkers.
If you feel like it's a really, really stupid question, it probably is. Ask after class, after meeting, or at a more appropriate time. Or look it up yourself later so you're not wasting other people's time.
5. Asking for advice but doesn't do anything about it.
Askhole: "I need help with my diet!"
Me: "Did you get the program I sent you?"
Askhole: "yes but i only glance at it"
Me: "why are you here? fuck off please"
Or when I lend someone a book or an exercise equipment and ask them to make good use of it, then to find out it's still in their car 5 weeks later. that makes me real angry.
6. A person that always ask questions and never shuts their mouth. Usually starts every sentence with "Ummm" and most people cant talk to to them for more then one minute.
If we are consulting and you know we only have 2hours, the first half of the session should be me, asking you questions to help me understand what approach works best for you. Then, the rest should be me explaining how things work and what approach works best to better your situation.
If you hire me to help you set up your diet and training program and you spent the majority of our time slot asking me how to deal with ex-boyfriend's dramas, you're an idiot and please stop wasting my time.
Please be a better listener so I don't have to repeat the same idea over and over again later when I'm trying to watch a movie later that night with my gf.
7. Someone who ignore scientific evidence that goes against their beliefs when their trainer suggest it may help them reach their goal. When they don't, they blame their trainer's method instead of their narrow-mindedness and half-ass efforts.
If a controversial topic comes up during my consultation with you and you disagree with my methods, I'm more than welcome to sent you articles to clarify my point and back it up with scientific evidence to support why things work differently than you think. I expect you to take it seriously.
If you feel like it's a really, really stupid question, it probably is. Ask after class, after meeting, or at a more appropriate time. Or look it up yourself later so you're not wasting other people's time.
5. Asking for advice but doesn't do anything about it.
Askhole: "I need help with my diet!"
Me: "Did you get the program I sent you?"
Askhole: "yes but i only glance at it"
Me: "why are you here? fuck off please"
Or when I lend someone a book or an exercise equipment and ask them to make good use of it, then to find out it's still in their car 5 weeks later. that makes me real angry.
6. A person that always ask questions and never shuts their mouth. Usually starts every sentence with "Ummm" and most people cant talk to to them for more then one minute.
If we are consulting and you know we only have 2hours, the first half of the session should be me, asking you questions to help me understand what approach works best for you. Then, the rest should be me explaining how things work and what approach works best to better your situation.
If you hire me to help you set up your diet and training program and you spent the majority of our time slot asking me how to deal with ex-boyfriend's dramas, you're an idiot and please stop wasting my time.
Please be a better listener so I don't have to repeat the same idea over and over again later when I'm trying to watch a movie later that night with my gf.
7. Someone who ignore scientific evidence that goes against their beliefs when their trainer suggest it may help them reach their goal. When they don't, they blame their trainer's method instead of their narrow-mindedness and half-ass efforts.
If a controversial topic comes up during my consultation with you and you disagree with my methods, I'm more than welcome to sent you articles to clarify my point and back it up with scientific evidence to support why things work differently than you think. I expect you to take it seriously.
Let go your ego and give reading a try.
instead of listening to what your lean friends or your doctors tell you, keep your eyes on the results they've actually produced in their patients and clients. Not some fancy titles after their names or how big their biceps are.
Invest wisely on real world results and from professionals that are passionate about helping people.
Not salesmen trying to get you to sign up for longer membership contracts or health/training sites with ads all over their webpage.
8, Someone who's got the free information they needed then completely fall off the face of the earth.
If you've ever approached me about a fitness issue you're struggle with and I've helped you in some way. When i asked you to update regularly so I can continue to help you along the way, for free, please do just that. If I don't hear from you for 3 month and you come back to me with the same issue, I really don't want to speak to you again because I don't think you appreciate what I do nor care enough to help yourself anyways.
Be grateful to people who take the extra effort to look things up for you, for free, to make your life better.
Be grateful to fitness professionals who goes the extra mile to show you the right way of doing things outside of the gym, even though it's not part of their paying job.
Be grateful to people who helps you without asking any favors in return other than the respect of their time.
Thank you, askhole
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