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TikTok can offer a wealth of opportunities to improve your knowledge on a variety of different topics, with skills to be learned in everything from cooking to fitness.
As with everything on the internet though, most of us will be aware that not all information is accurate or can be applied to our own lives. (Take everything with a pinch of salt!)
We sat down with Mike Russel, coach at Echo Athletics Cork and on-hand Gym+Coffee Sherpa + fitness expert, to chat about one trend that consistently pops up on our For You pages: What I Eat in a Day.
*Warning: This piece mentions calorie counting and food diaries.
What is the ‘What I Eat in a Day trend?
The trend involves a video diary of everything consumed by a person in a day. It can often feature a ‘results’ image or video at the beginning, followed by the number of calories they’ve eaten to ‘achieve’ these results.
Can these videos give an accurate insight into meal planning?
Mike recommends “These videos can be great to get ideas for healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. However, I wouldn't recommend using them as a calorie guide for anyone as everyone's calorie requirement is different and lots of factors come into play for this.”
He says “As a PT I often see people try to adhere to strict calorie goals, which are far below maintenance for the majority of these people, especially when you add some training into play. If these are the targets people are trying to hit then it won’t take long before your energy runs low.”
Mike Russ discusses the 'What I Eat in a Day' trend.
Approach with Professional Guidance
The beginning of a fitness journey can be a really exciting, inspiring time. For most of us though, some support can help push us even further.
If you need some guidance on fitness as a whole, Mike advises speaking to a doctor, a fitness professional and a nutritionist, rather than using the likes of TikTok as a source of information.
Mike says “Everyone’s physiology is different. Instead of getting nutrition advice from a TikTok influencer, seek the help and advice of a professional. When we are at different levels in our fitness journey or doing different styles of training, we may require different portions of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbs).”
If it’s nutrition specifically that you’re seeking help with, Mike advises visiting a nutritionist for the healthiest guidance.
Follow more from Mike here and make sure to check out his take on the 12-3-30 trend!
