AI is everywhere. From writing emails to planning workouts, tools like ChatGPT make life easier. It’s tempting to ask them for health advice too. But when the goal is a longer, healthier life, the kind of AI you choose makes all the difference.

Let’s look at why a popular generalist like ChatGPT can be helpful—but falls short for true personalised care—and how CLIA, working inside the Shae precision-health platform, sets a completely different standard.

ChatGPT: Brilliant Wordsmith, Limited Health Guide

ChatGPT is a language expert. It has learned patterns from billions of pages of text—articles, books, medical papers and everyday conversations. That training lets it explain complex ideas clearly and even follow multi-step reasoning.

It can:

• Translate research into everyday language
• Summarise long guidelines
• Draft patient emails or clinic handouts

Where it stops short is knowing you.
Unless a custom patient model is built on top, ChatGPT does not keep a living, causal map of your unique biology. Two people can type in the same blood results and get almost identical advice—even if their underlying risks, genetics and daily rhythms are worlds apart.

It’s not that ChatGPT is careless. It does have safety policies. But those rules are broad and not medically specific. They help avoid obvious harm; they don’t provide the deep, personalised guardrails that clinical care demands.

CLIA/Shae: Designed to Know the Person, Not Just the Problem

CLIA (Clinical Lab Interpretation AI) was created with one goal: precision medicine.
It isn’t a general chatbot that happens to talk about health. It’s a precision-health engine built from the ground up to understand each individual and predict how their body will respond over time.

CLIA works by:

• Integrating phenotype, genotype, bloods, imaging, microbiome data, lifestyle habits, and wearable inputs

• Modelling cross-system interactions like gut–immune–neuroendocrine loops and cardio–renal links

• Forecasting what will change over the next 6–12 months and adjusting recommendations as new information flows in

Every output is clinically supervised. A specialist panel and evidence-based guidelines define what CLIA can and cannot recommend. If a plan could put health at risk, the system won’t bend to pressure—it simply won’t suggest it.

Real-Life Scenarios Show the Difference

Gene confusion, like MTHFR variants
In online forums, people often wonder whether to take methylfolate based on a single gene result. ChatGPT can explain the pathway and urge caution, but it cannot weigh that gene against full blood panels, medications, diet, stress and lifestyle. CLIA brings all of those pieces together before giving an answer.

Rare but serious conditions
Consider gadolinium deposition disease, a rare complication of MRI contrast. CLIA can link MRI history with neurological symptoms, lab trends and phenotype, raising GDD as a possible issue and suggesting the right next tests. ChatGPT could describe the condition but would not rank it for that particular person.

Two patients, same labs
Imagine two people with the same BMI and similar cholesterol numbers. ChatGPT might provide the same diet advice to both. CLIA will not. It can spot differences in circadian rhythm, food timing tolerance and stress load, then create unique plans with different forecasts for each.

Critical red flags
A cholesterol reading around 500 mg/dL is a genuine emergency. ChatGPT will recommend immediate medical care—good. CLIA goes further: preparing a concise referral summary, flagging phenotypic risk modifiers and suggesting safe interim steps while urgent care is arranged.

Built on Big, Meaningful Data

Precision medicine only works with deep and trustworthy data. CLIA’s engine is fed by:

• Volume – decades of carefully collected, clinically supervised person-level data representing an incredible amount of human follow up data
• Variety – contributions from 140 countries for broad, bias-resistant insights

• Veracity – every data stream reviewed and quality-checked by medical experts

These foundations let CLIA create precision reference ranges for each person—something generic AI simply cannot do.

Proven Impact

Technology is only as good as the outcomes it delivers. Independent audits and internal studies show that people using the Shae app powered by CLIA experience:

• Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes through targeted lifestyle changes

• Reduced risk of mental health issues in workplace populations thanks to precision coaching

This is real-world evidence that personal data, when analysed correctly, can lead to measurable improvements in health and well-being.

Privacy and Professionalism at the Core

Health data deserves the highest level of care. CLIA stores all identifiable information, including genomic and wearable inputs, in secure, closed systems that meet or exceed Australian and international privacy standards. Users know how their data is used and can opt out at any time.

Equally important, CLIA is not a diagnostic tool. It supports doctors, allied health providers and health coaches by providing a comprehensive review of each person’s data, leaving the clinician firmly in charge of decisions.

Where Each AI Fits

The takeaway isn’t to avoid ChatGPT entirely. It shines in areas like:

• Education and translation of medical language
• Summarising new research for busy practitioners
• Brainstorming discussion questions for clinic visits

Use it for knowledge and communication.
Use CLIA/Shae for individualised health planning and precision decision support.

The Future of Health Is Personal

We all want convenient tools. It’s natural to ask a free online AI about diet or symptoms. But health is not one-size-fits-all. Your genes, microbiome, daily rhythms and environment create a unique blueprint. Acting on generalised answers can delay the care you truly need.

Choosing CLIA inside the Shae platform means choosing AI that knows the person, not just the problem. It translates complex science into practical, personalised guidance with proven outcomes.

Bottom Line

ChatGPT is a powerful companion for learning. CLIA/Shae is a trusted partner for living well.
When it comes to your health, choose the AI designed for precision medicine—and step into the future of care that understands you.

Life is busy. 

You get one hour a couple times a week or a month with your client. You want to educate them, inspire them, facilitate behavior change, and most of all, keep them coming back because you get them results!

No wonder that single hour (and the weeks and months and years) pass in a blur.

Now more than ever, it pays to be precise. 

Luckily, the information age has us covered.

As health professionals, we have access to more information, a broader range of research, and more technology than ever before. 

But we seem to have less and less of the biggest factor: Time.

How do we sift and sort through thousands of articles, research papers and reviews of technology to find the precise plan for the person in front of us? Especially when that person will change in an hour?

Luckily, you are well-versed in your industry juggling act and have perfected your technique.

Wouldn’t it be great to step-up your game while freeing up your time?

That’s where precision health comes into play.

Think of the next client on your schedule.

Now imagine that client was your best friend. (Maybe they are! Lucky you!) Chances are you would know whether to hit the floor immediately or grab a cup of coffee and settle in for a chat first. You would automatically alter the pitch, cadence and flow of your voice to match the way they hear you best. You would know which way to adjust the thermostat for their comfort. You might pull up that article you read or share a motivational post to set the tone for your session.

Basically? You would be miles ahead of the game, working to accommodate exactly what they need from you to optimize your time together. 

Welcome to precision health!

Precision health lets you know your client on a deeper level even when it is their first time in your consultation room.  

What does that mean?

Let’s take a look at  movement. From heavy weight lifting and marathons to a simple walk in the park, we know moving the human body is essential to good health.

The question is, how do we get people to move?

That involves a few steps.

You want to educate your clients to get them to take action, right?

Some clients need facts, figures, statistics and details dumped on them text-book style, while if you did that to another client, they would suffocate under the weight. Some won’t hear you unless you get them started on the treadmill first. Others won’t hear you if you don’t close the door and put on ambient noise. Some want rapid-fire, others want to hear about your family first. 

Once you get your clients moving, now you want them to keep going.

Some clients want to send you selfies twenty times a day just for your thumbs up reply, others adopt the don’t-call-me-I’ll-call-you method. Some need to see the big picture, know precisely where your work together fits, and track their progress every step. Some need a friend, or a bevy of them just to walk in the door. Some need three-weeks notice if you’re going to change their plan, while others expect something new each time. You know that exact line between too much challenge and not enough. 

Once you have them moving and have that momentum, you need the results to follow. 

This is where all your experience and skills coalesce. This is where you’ve pinpointed the goal, charted your course and made those crucial adjustments to ensure success. By far, this is where the majority of your time is eaten up. This is where knowing your client on a biological, psychological and physiological level saves you time and effort. 

Gone is the guesswork. 

You know when your client works out in the morning, whether they will have all-day energy or be more insulin resistant. 

You know if your client is more likely to put on muscle or lose precious muscle during endurance training. You know whether lifting heavy weights overhead is essential or possibly detrimental to their physical body. 

You know precisely how to use exercise to recover sleep cycles. 

This is all knowledge that you gather over time, assuming your clients stick with you long enough. 

How efficient could you be if you had it instantly?

How much time would it save you?

Precision fitness is fitness for the future. The melding together of time-tested science, practical application and cutting-edge technology culminates in efficiency and effectiveness for both you and your clients. It’s an easy way to expand your client base, maximize your results and have more time on your hands.

And who doesn’t need more time?

Learn more today.

References:

https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/104/11/5217/5519298

Saeed Reza Toghi-Eshghi, Jane E Yardley, Morning (Fasting) vs Afternoon Resistance Exercise in Individuals With Type 1 Diabetes: A Randomized Crossover Study, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 104, Issue 11, November 2019, Pages 5217–5224, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-02384

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230749137_The_effect_of_load_on_biomechanics_during_an_overhead_lift_in_the_WorkHab_Functional_Capacity_Evaluation

Allen, Jaclyn & James, Carole & Snodgrass, Suzanne. (2012). The effect of load on biomechanics during an overhead lift in the WorkHab Functional Capacity Evaluation. Work (Reading, Mass.). 43. 10.3233/WOR-2012-1386. 

https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00355.2002

Exercise elicits phase shifts and acute alterations of melatonin that vary with circadian phase

Orfeu M. Buxton, Calvin W. Lee, Mireille L’Hermite-Balériaux, Fred W. Turek, and Eve Van Cauter

American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology 2003 284:3, R714-R724   

We laugh at the vision of a fish being tested to climb a tree, but do we really know what this translates to in our interactions with our clients?

As health professionals, we want our clients to keep coming back until they get results, but we need them to become self-reliant along the way. This means we must teach them in a way that the information will be absorbed and retained. Unlike the fish and tree scenario, when we speak to and train with a person’s individual biology, we feed the mind and body in the perfect way at the perfect time to ignite the spark of motivation and spread the glue of adherence. 

Nature vs Nurture

There is a popular idea that anyone can learn anything if we nurture this understanding to life using the correct format. Whether there are four, five, seven or more different learning styles, we tend to toss a bunch of them at a client to see what sticks. However, when we turn our focus from ourselves and zero in solely on the client and how they were created biologically, success increases exponentially. The question transforms from: “How do I teach this person?” to “Who is this person and what are they hungering to learn?”. 

For example, we may have the perfect dietary protocol for a client that all of the science proves would bring lasting positive results. We pull out our best visual aids, share our latest podcast, send them to a cooking class and buy them the hard copy as well as the audible version of the most engaging book on the market. Two months later their eating habits are identical to the day they walked into our office, therefore their original issue is two months worse. 

So, we put down our bevy of teaching aids and ask the question, “Who is this person sitting across from me and what does their biology hunger for?”.

This is where the HealthTypes come in handy. Say you have an Activator client, so you know that their biology hungers for action. They need to put tiny bits of information into immediate use. On their way out the door, you hand them a copy of a recipe, tell them you’re challenging a few clients to try it and whoever shoots you a selfie of them cooking first, gets a prize. The drive to win and the thrill of immediate positive feedback will spur them into the action they crave and get them one step closer to the results you both desire.

It’s simple, easy and effective. All you do to get them through the next two months and toward a better life overall is engage variations on a theme, because you also know that Activators love variety.

Is it Relevant?

The fish will never climb the tree, no matter how much you yell, cajole, assist or instruct. Tree climbing is simply not relevant to the fish. Likewise with your clients, offering the irrelevant information in precisely the correct fashion will still miss the mark. 

You love what you do or you wouldn’t devote your life to it. Chances are that the clients who walk through your door don’t care even a tiny fraction as much as you about your chosen profession. So that’s what you give them. Precisely and only the bit of your profession that will engage them. The question becomes, “What aspect of my expertise is relevant to this person?”

In this scenario, we are still looking at ‘who’ is in front of us.

Say it’s a fish and you are a personal trainer. You would take a look at the tree, then to the fish and then lead your fish to the pond. The goal is physical fitness of some sort and you are not going to accomplish that with the fish in the tree. Even if you are a monkey and tree climbing is what first sparked your desire to be a personal trainer. Tree climbing is not pertinent to the fish.

Because it’s not so easy to sort the fish from the monkeys in the gym setting, that’s where the HealthTypes come in handy. Say your fish is a Guardian. You are not going to lead them to the newest, shiniest piece of equipment and tell them to have a play with it while you share the scientific studies that lead to its invention. (You will save that for your Crusader client.) You will toss some weight on the sled, ask about their family and walk beside them while they go for their first 20 yards. 

Whether it’s nature vs nurture or pure relevance, the essence is the same. 

Adherence leads to success. The biggest aspect of adherence is delivering the perfect amount of info in the perfect way at the perfect time. The only way to do this is to pull back from our desire to ‘teach to them’ and to instead engage their biology. Information that is naturally learned is joyful, bolsters self-worth and sparks self-determination. All of these lead to the lasting results we crave.

To learn more about the HealthTypes and how to apply precision methods and technology solutions to your service offering, join us for our Level 1 Course. 

As health professionals, we have one job. 

Results. 

We’re not there to make them laugh, lend an ear, or help them pick out what to wear to that important interview.  

Yes, we may do all of that and more during our time with them, but our only objective is to get them from point A (where they are) to point B (where they want to be) in the most effective way.

The big problem we face is how to get them to walk through our door all those days in between.

The answer is simple: Make them fall in love.

Love feels great, right?

Who doesn’t want to be ten feet tall and bulletproof?

Feeling good in our bodies is a large component of love. Specifically, self-love. And  self-love plays a special role in behavior change. This is a cycle we want to feed.

 Our challenge is to help our clients feel great in their bodies so they fall in love with themselves a little more every time they walk into our workspace.

Here’s the exciting bit: it’s easy.

Most every practitioner in the health industry will address the subject of exercise with each client.

However, when we wave it away with a ‘get in some movement’ suggestion or tap them into the latest fitness craze, we’re missing a massive opportunity.

The more precisely we instruct our clients to get moving, the better they will feel in their bodies and the deeper they will fall in love with the unique human that they are. Then, they will attribute these great sensations to our protocols which will keep them coming back for more. 

Here’s the question:

What is the optimal movement practice for each person to feel great in their body? The answer is in precision. The more we know about the biology and psychology of our clients, the more precise our interventions become. Even if fitness isn’t the main focus of your practice, a simple look behind the words our clients speak reveals a world of information.

Listen up.

“I don’t lift weights because I don’t want to get big, ugly muscles.”

We’ve all heard it, but do we know why? Actually, some bodies do not like to feel heavy. They engage with exercise and movement techniques that make them feel lighter and stronger, providing mental and physical stability. Because these people spend so much time in their head, they crave the interoception of movement to actually feel themselves. For them, activities like yoga, martial arts and aerial fitness are going to help them fall in love with being in their bodies.

“I don’t have time to exercise.”

For those to whom the broad spectrum of exercise choices appears cluttered and unproductive, order and balance are love. The goal here is to craft a structure around movement. A set plan with clear steps and a challenging goal stimulates the perfect hormones in all the right ways. The more specific, the better. One exercise, one muscle group, one side, one goal at a time allows them to pour all their neural energy into the act, nail it and move on. Routine is key. Once it’s in the schedule, it’s a done deal.

“Exercise is boring.”

Unlike the more neurally-centered clients, these prefer to ‘be in’ their bodies and are always on the go. Variety is the spice of life and an abundance of spice is love. Speed triggers interest; challenge sparks buy-in, unpredictability keeps them coming back for more. Handball, parkour, or any activity that hones survival skills will make them feel alive and at home in their skin.

“None of my friends are into fitness.”

If it’s not fun and full of potential friends, it’s drudgery. Think Spin or Pump classes. They’re loud, crowded, and high energy. This is the perfect setting to ignite self-love. Those feel-good vibes ripple through this client, releasing all the perfect chemicals in unison. They feel great, which makes others feel great, which makes them feel even better! It is wins all around when this client finds love!

“My family needs me.”

We all know the one who has a house full of their kids, other people’s kids and their family is always calling or texting them even during our sessions. They are the rock in everyone’s world, so they never have time to take care of themselves. That’s why the key to helping them feel great in their bodies is involvement. When we can get the troops on board with the goal, everything works. “C’mon Mom, it’s time for our walk.” That’s all they need to feel great in their skin and begin to fall in love with themselves. Invite the family, friends, kids along for the journey. Make it a family affair and they will love themselves and YOU!

“I’ve tried everything, I don’t like any of it.”

It’s all hard for this client. And hard is their enemy. Comfort and pleasure are the key to love. They have super strong bodies, like to feel grounded by lifting heavy weights, but any soreness they feel will register as a fail and they will quit. Workout regimes that allow adequate time for flushing out the metabolic waste, coupled with lengthy warmup and cooldown routines will ensure these people love moving in their bodies. 

In short: The human body is built to move. 

What type of movement each body craves is specific. When synergy between body, mind and movement is achieved, we love it! Love is a gateway to successful results. 

Results are our mission.

Give it a try.

To learn how to apply precision methods and technology solutions to your service offering check out our Level 1 Course for Health Professionals: 

It’s a pretty basic statement, yet it’s something that can be so overlooked. Getting to know your client matters. No matter what field you’re working in, you need to know them.

You might think that’s easier said than done. You have time limitations. You have scores of clients to work with. And really, you’re not making friends, you’re helping people get results. Long heart to hearts aren’t exactly relevant. What is relevant though, is knowing what actually makes your client tick – why are they there? What turns on their motivation and what disengages their commitment?

Fortunately, there’s a precision health system that can tell you exactly that. And more.

The Natural Zone v Comfort Zone

It is essential to know where someone’s “natural zone” really is – mentally and physically. I’m not talking about a “comfort zone” here. It’s true that we can, and should, push beyond our comfort zones, when we are properly ready for it. This is how we grow, mentally and physically. But we have to get the conditions right – the place, the type, timing, and experience of the “push.” 

The tricky thing for anyone in a training, coaching or behaviour change role is being able to answer the question – what is just “comfort” that really can be overcome here, and what is really this person’s natural zone where they actually belong?

It could be a struggle over morning workouts. You could be hammering the pros of it, the person could be really wanting to try because they really do want the weight loss, fitness etc – but it’s just killing them. Eventually they just can’t show up anymore. Is this just them staying in a comfort and not changing, or is it something about their natural zone?

For some people, intense morning exercise spikes their cortisol, thereby increasing their stress, and perpetuating retaining weight and continuing to turn to coping behaviours that may be less-than-ideal. 

It could be  a struggle over committing to a set routine or program. You get it all planned out for them, and just a couple of weeks in they’re flaking, they’re bored or irritable, and they’re just not seeing it through. Is this them resisting commitment, a sign they just need to be “whipped into shape” and made to stick to something? 

For some people, their physiology is such that long term is just a no. It’s too much, too overwhelming, too boring. These are people who thrive on spontaneity, variety and the freedom to always be able to change things up. This is their natural zone. 

It could be someone who resists group experiences. You could have an awesome group offering, people have a blast and get great results, but for some reason you just can’t sell it to this person. Is it that they just need to shake it off already and get out of their comfort zone and mix with some high vibe people already?

For some people, social interaction can be a distraction and even a detraction. Their goals are not to mix and mingle and shake about. Their goals are for independent, focused execution of tasks. And they may be quite direct with you about the group offering you’re trying to push on them. AS grating as this may be if this isn’t your zone, and may feel like a personal stab at the awesome experiences you have to offer – it’s just that this really is this person’s natural zone.

How can you know though?

Knowing your client doesn’t have to mean lots of time and conversation. You can find essential, in depth data about everything from their natural brain function, to the kind of environment they need, to their social needs and preferences, as well as their physical needs including timing, type of exercise, foods and sleep. Al of this is in the Shae™ app profile. Couple this industry leading AI technology, the only app of its kind, with our precision training in our PHA course, and you can become the best precision health provider in your field. Sign up for the next course here. 

If you’re a PT fitness provider, it’s likely that you train and exercise because you enjoy it. You have an intrinsic motivation towards it. It’s also likely that you get measurable results from it. 

It can be easy to assume that everyone has this experience and mindset when it comes to exercise. Of course you know that some people are just at the start of their health & fitness journey, but you probably still have that thought in your head saying, “Sure, it’s hard for them now, but with some effort they’ll get to that point where they just feel good exercising. They’ll start to love it.”

In part this is true. Exercise does release endorphins, and the stronger and healthier we are the more vibrant we feel. But, if there’s a mismatch in the type & timing of the exercise for the person, they won’t receive their maximum potential in terms of experience and results. You can find out all about the specifics of training times and styles for every body type in our PHA course. 

HOW the person exercises is crucial for their best results. But even more important than that, is being really clear on WHY the person is exercising. While every person and situation is unique, we can see very clear biological patterns in what motivates people. We can break this down into 3 broad categories:

• Doing it for Me

• Doing it for Them

• Doing it for a Mission

A person will have a combination of these motivators, of course, but they will have one which is dominant. They may not be clear on that at first. This is why precision training is so powerful. When you know the biology of your client, you can tap into their biological motivator – even if they aren’t in touch with it themselves yet.

A “Do it for Me” person generally wants to exercise because it’s fun. But if they’re not in a good place, they may have been conditioned to over-filter or downplay themselves, being overly concerned about what others think of them. When actually, a really strong and confident self expression is healthy for them to thrive. Building this attitude through punchy hard hitting exercise, risk, challenge and variety will help shift them back into the mindset that really is healthy for their biology. Keeping it fun, being free to change it up whenever they want, is critical to keep this kind of person on board. 

A “Do it for Them” person may be lacking the energy to really get stuck into their health & fitness, they may be flaky or lethargic. They may be feeling that they’re already drained from giving to others in their life – or, they may not actually have enough people around them to connect with and care for. If this kind of person is not being energised by meaningful care and connection with others, they may want to recluse and over indulge, so it is all about them. Just exercising or training will not break this. What they need is a genuine, personally meaningful link to be made between their health & fitness and the people they are, and want to be, caring for. These people will need a steady approach, and that deeper anchor of their why to help them endure their road to wellness.

A “Do it for a Mission” person is usually pretty self motivated, so they turn up for training with clear goals and they commit to them. But if they’re not in a good place, they may be in an aimless state, believing the mantras of “just going with the flow,” floating around with too many things going but not enough focus. This is a person who will only thrive when they take full control and do everything for a very specific purpose. They need to zero in on their targets, and training styles that really emphasise precision, progress and purpose are gold for these people. Minimise distractions, interruptions or surprises for these people – set it all up, and stick to it.

What motivates one person can be actively demotivating for the other types. This is why it’s essential to have the right fit for your client. And it’s essential you aren’t just guessing, or making assumptions purely based on their behaviour or what they say. People can behave outside what is ideal for their biology, out of habits etc. You need to know exactly what will achieve measurable and sustainable results. 

This is what the precision technology of Shae™ provides, alongside the in depth mastery training of the PHA courses. Sign up now to take your services to the next level of precision. 

You’re a coach, a trainer, an influencer. So let’s be honest, you’ve probably got major attitude. Don’t get me wrong – people need that. They need to be inspired by someone with an attitude that says they can succeed, they can win. 

Having a “winning attitude” is not an issue. It’s which one you have. You’ve probably noticed that some people absolutely love your attitude – they really perform under it, they put in the work, and they get real results. This success isn’t simply because you had a “winning attitude.” It’s because you had the attitude that wins for them – the one that allowed them to win. 

This is where precision and personalisation are essential. Everything in your client relationship must be personalised to their biology – not just for their body, but for their mind also. People are literally wired to view and pursue success and achievement in totally different ways.

This isn’t a vague “mindset” thing that can be “trained” or “copied.” It’s neurochemistry. Different brains create differing levels of hormones that feed different reward pathways. These rewards are triggered in very different conditions. What triggers reward in one brain can literally trigger alarm in another. A condition that motivates continued behaviour in one brain will signal another to stop. We know this from the sciences of personalisation.

No amount of firing someone up with a “winning attitude” will change their natural brain function. In fact, it will cause more harm because it will reinforce their experiences of “failure.” There are 3 major attitudes that are commonly thought of as winning – but which actively set some people up to lose.

Major Tip: Most of the people who are struggling with weight loss, fitness, or general motivation are precisely the kinds of bodies and brains that these “winning attitudes” fail for.

The 3 Major “Winning Attitudes” That Literally Make Some People Lose:

1. “No Pain, No Gain”

I know you’ve seen this one. Push through, feel the burn, it’s worth it, just smash it out, you’ll win so hard at the end of this. No, they won’t. They might complete the session or task. But do they actually feel like they’ve “won?” Is their brain releasing reward hormones that settle and affirm them for what they just experienced? For some people, no, not really. Their brain is in stress mode, but it’s not just from the intensity or difficulty the task. It may well have been within their capacity to achieve that session / set / activity. But their mind is stressed from the emphasis on the experience of pain and pressure to perform. 

For brains that are wired to be naturally averse to risk, or highly sensitive to threat, this turns the whole experience into actual perceived pain and actual perceived stress. It’s not “a good burn” for them at all. And as long as the “no pain no gain” attitude is used, it will never be good for them.

2. “Do It For You”

This one is popular, because it feels like a softer approach. In a way it is, especially compared to the first one. But still, for some people, it’s too hard. Rather than relieving pressure, which is the intention of this attitude, it actually adds pressure. It adds a pressure of needing to act in a way that their brain and body perceives as selfish. And so, their brain and body does not reward them for it. They don’t lose the weight, they don’t feel sustained. These brains are more sensitive to the reward of hormones that come from caring for and connecting with others, hormones like prolactin and oxytocin.

Doing something that not only puts physical pressure on the body, like exercising, but also burdens them with a psychological pressure that seems like selfishness – this is not a recipe for sticking at it. And the more they are pressured that they should be doing it for them, the less they can push through, because it’s just not an attitude that is wired into them at the level that they can really draw upon to keep at it.

3. “Just Do It”

Thanks Nike, we all definitely know this one. For some people, just jumping in, giving it a go, not thinking about it = failure. Failure, because they probably just won’t start. They will find every reason under the sun to not start. They might do the “soft start” where they dabble just a little, but back off and disappear when they need to really do it. These are people who are wired to not do something unless they feel ready and comfortable, doing it in their time and space.

This can seem utterly counterintuitive when we’re trying to get people to actively get uncomfortable and create change. But actually, some people have a biological imperative that they feel comfortable. Even when they’re doing something challenging. The “just do it” attitude does not make them comfortable – at all. And it never will. So it will never make them change.

So what attitude DOES win for your client?

It’s personal. You need to know how their brain and body is wired to win. What is their natural brain function and how do you leverage that to help bring them to success?

How do you know how someone is wired?

The Shae™   suite of apps gives you all the data. You are trained in the interpretation and application of this data in the only industry leading courses in precision health application. Sign up now for the next PHA course to know what attitude will win for your client. 

Some people may be surprised, even shocked, to see that ph360/Shae may occasionally recommend animal protein to people despite their personal preference for plant-based proteins. I’m certain there are many vegans and vegetarians out there thinking “How could an advanced science-based program like this promote meat?!”

Well, ph360 uses that science and evidence-based research to personalize a diet specifically to you and your body’s needs. Instead of saying “You are right for this type of diet”, ph360 calculates the pros and cons of all foods to find the diet that is right for you, and that includes all kinds of animal proteins.

To address some of those common misconceptions about plant versus animal proteins, let’s clear the air with some myth-busting facts for everyone.

Myth #1: Animal protein is unhealthy

You may have heard claims that meat consumption isn’t healthy because of its effects on cholesterol (an issue that has now been debunked), and yet others talking about it being bad for triglycerides, obesity, cardiovascular disease and the list goes on. But it’s important to separate the studies that focus on processed foods, (1) deep fried foods, (2) or other unhealthy preparation methods and sources, from those that look at quality organic fish or lean meat. Studies on the occasional poultry, lean meat or fish consumption have found benefits for conditions like dementia (3), cancer (4), cardiovascular disease (5), and many other conditions (6).

Myth #2: As mammals, our diet should be based on our physical form

Meat-eaters will say humans don’t have the large fermentation vats (like cows and rhinoceroses) to process all that fiber. Vegetarians speak of our lack of canine teeth and jaw strength (like dogs and cats) to rip through raw flesh.

Unlike other animals, humans can cook and process the food we consume – even organic whole foods. Whether we’re processing flour, making a smoothie, or even cooking foods like taro and kidney beans to make them palatable and safe to eat, we have developed many ways to integrate a wide variety of foods into our diet. With this fact in mind, comparing ourselves to other animal species simply doesn’t make sense. We are omnivores who process our foods for improved digestion, flavor, texture, variety and even medicinal purposes. Let’s not think about our nutrition like animals but like humans.

Myth #3: We should only eat what our ancient ancestors ate

Let’s not go into a lengthy discussion about the evolutionary perspective of meat-eating to evaluate approaches like the paleo diet or caveman diet because, let’s face it, it’s a somewhat silly argument too. Lives were much shorter in paleolithic times, to the point that we can’t be certain they wouldn’t have been affected by chronic diseases that are also correlated with age. Whether we look at historical trends of physical activity, differing living conditions, or a life span of 20-50 years compared to our 80, there simply are too many assumptions that must be made to establish any argument about longevity and chronic disease when trying to compare us to our ancestors.

Humanity has evolved and adapted to many different and varying situations. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at the traditional diet of the Okinawa, Andes, Lakota, Hopi, Inuit or other cultures, past meat-eating doesn’t justify a meat-filled diet today and neither does a historically vegetarian population justify a solely plant-based diet.

In fact, our diet should be based on who we are today and what we need for our current lifestyle and metabolic status. ph360 does, in fact, often encourage a reduction of animal proteins, even vegetarianism or veganism for some people…just not everyone.

There could be various reasons why ph360 may encourage some high quality sources of animal protein in the diet. In the next myth-bust we’ll reveal some of these reasons. Keep in mind that not all of these examples will apply to everyone. That’s the whole point with the shift toward personalized health – it’s unique to you. SOME issues will affect SOME people more than others. To be healthy, we just need to do what is right for OUR body. While tailoring a unique food, exercise and lifestyle program to an individual has been time consuming and costly in the past, ph360 can now accomplish this feat in mere seconds.

Myth #4: Everyone can get all the optimal nutrition they need from a vegan diet alone

Studies (7), (8), (9) have shown that although people who avoid meat tend to be more health conscious, vegan and vegetarian diets need to be well planned to obtain nutritional adequacy because it can be easy for nutritional deficiencies to occur when eliminating large food groups. This is especially true for very restrictive diets.

Vitamin B12: Unfortunately, B12 is one of those special vitamins primarily found in animal sources. Though it’s possible to get enough B12 from fortified foods (not always great because it’s not natural and can be highly processed), and there are a few vegetable sources of B12 10, most vegans and vegetarians need B12 supplements in their diet (11), (12). Though it may be ok to have a vegan or vegetarian diet for a while or even cleanse without meeting your need for vitamin B12, this lack shouldn’t be prolonged because it’s a very important vitamin for many parts of our health, including mental (13) and cardiovascular (14).

Iron: Although vegetables do contain iron, and both vitamins C and B12 can be used to improve iron absorption, plants contain non-heme iron which is less easily absorbed by the body than heme iron that comes from animal sources (15). Cobalt, zinc, copper, molybdenum, gallic acid, phytates and phenols all interfere with iron absorption so the program is often calculating which are the best sources of bioavailable iron that your body needs (16), (17).

Zinc: Because of their amino acid content (like histidine and methionine), the most bioavailable form of zinc comes from animal sources, while non-heme iron, fiber, tannin and phytic acid (all common in plant sources) impede zinc absorption (16), (17).

Manganese: Tannins, oxalates, phytates, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, cobalt and insoluble fiber all hinder manganese absorption (18) so once again, calculations are being made for the best bioavailable sources based on your food preferences, food allergies, etc.

Phosphorous: Though you can find phosphorus in great amounts in many plant sources, the most bioavailable source is from animal protein. Phytic acid reduces bioavailability, while vitamin D (like in fish) promotes its absorption (19). So once again, depending on what your body needs and what the rest of your diet looks like, the calculations are being made for the best sources for you.

Vitamin A: Plant products can contain carotenoids which the body can convert into retinol, though not very efficiently (20). For some people, this conversion is sufficient to meet their needs, while other people need a little more ready-made retinol which comes from animal products.

Creatine: Though creatine isn’t an essential nutrient because the body can produce it from glycine and arginine, this nitrogen-containing compound improves the way protein is synthesized in the body, providing energy and muscle growth. Athletes and bodybuilders are often seeking or needing more than what the body can produce on its own. Dietary creatine, however, is only found in animal products and though our liver and kidneys can produce some creatine, it may not be enough for some people (especially those who exercise intensively and may have depleted levels of phosphocreatine) (21).

Carbohydrate restriction: Some people (for example, those with metabolic syndrome) may need to reduce their daily intake of starch or short-chain carbohydrates, but some vegan and vegetarian diets can be carb-rich (especially ones that aren’t well planned). Though there are ways to maintain a balanced vegan or vegetarian diet, sometimes people struggle to get enough protein (or iron, zinc, B12, etc) without increasing other dietary components as well.

Amino acids: Yes, you can get all the amino acids you need from a diet free of animal protein and this is why many vegans and vegetarians are perfectly healthy with their diet. However, others may find themselves with imbalanced amino acid amounts (22) (ie: too much of one and not enough of another).

This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list because other factors like exercise goals and health conditions can also play a role in the types of protein a person may need. Though vegan and vegetarian diets can be well thought out to prevent potential deficiencies, several arguments can now be used to explain why eliminating all sources of animal products may NOT be ideal for everyone. Vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters can ALL be healthy with the proper lifestyle and diet choices (23).

Regardless of the dietary recommendations ph360 makes, any animal protein being consumed should always be organically farmed without antibiotics, hormones or other intrusive chemicals. Livestock should be free range, fed with a proper diet, and maintained with ethical standards. Humane approaches to animal husbandry should always be in place, while also utilizing every part of the animal wherever possible. Not only does this increase the quality of the animal protein (and even its fat content), it also enhances the integrity of our farming practices and our relationship with nature.

So whether animal protein, vegetarianism or veganism is the way to go, the key thing here is that health-conscious eating should always consider nutrients, and, more specifically, the right nutrients for you. The nutrients in your foods and how they react and interact with your unique body is paramount to maintaining nutritional balance, and getting a wide variety of whole foods that provides your body the well-balanced nutrition you need, without harmful additives, will see you on the path to true longevity and enhanced quality of life.

REFERENCES

1. Schulze, M. B., et al. “Processed meat intake and incidence of type 2 diabetes in younger and middle-aged women.” Diabetologia 46.11 (2003): 1465-1473.

2. Balbi, J. C., et al. “Foods and risk of bladder cancer: a case–control study in Uruguay.” European journal of cancer prevention 10.5 (2001): 453-458.

3. Barberger-Gateau, Pascale, et al. “Fish, meat, and risk of dementia: cohort study.” Bmj 325.7370 (2002): 932-933.

4. Vatten, Lars J., Kari Solvoll, and Elin B. Løken. “Frequency of meat and fish intake and risk of breast cancer in a prospective study of 14,500 Norwegian women.” International journal of cancer 46.1 (1990): 12-15.

5. Vincent, S., et al. “Micronutrients, Mediterranean-diet and cardiovascular risk: the RIVAGE study.” Kmetijstvo (Agronomija) (2001).

6. Sofi, Francesco, et al. “Accruing evidence on benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on health: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 92.5 (2010): 1189-1196.

7. Farmer, Bonnie. “Nutritional adequacy of plant-based diets for weight management: observations from the NHANES.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 100.Supplement 1 (2014): 365S-368S.

8. Leblanc, J. Ch, et al. “Nutritional intakes of vegetarian populations in France.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 54.5 (2000): 443.

9. Craig, Winston J. “Health effects of vegan diets.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 89.5 (2009): 1627S-1633S.

10. Watanabe, Fumio, et al. “Vitamin B12-containing plant food sources for vegetarians.” Nutrients 6.5 (2014): 1861-1873.

11. Herrmann, Wolfgang, et al. “Vitamin B-12 status, particularly holotranscobalamin II and methylmalonic acid concentrations, and hyperhomocysteinemia in vegetarians.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 78.1 (2003): 131-136.

12. Pawlak, Roman, S. E. Lester, and T. Babatunde. “The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of literature.” European journal of clinical nutrition 68.5 (2014): 541.

13. Lachner, Christian, Nanette I. Steinle, and William T. Regenold. “The neuropsychiatry of vitamin B12 deficiency in elderly patients.” The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences 24.1 (2012): 5-15.

14. Mahalle, Namita, et al. “Vitamin B12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia as correlates of cardiovascular risk factors in Indian subjects with coronary artery disease.” Journal of cardiology 61.4 (2013): 289-294.

15. Hurrell, Richard, and Ines Egli. “Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 91.5 (2010): 1461S-1467S.

16. Hunt, Janet R. “Bioavailability of iron, zinc, and other trace minerals from vegetarian diets.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 78.3 (2003): 633S-639S.

17. Welch, R. M., and W. A. House. “Meat factors in animal products that enhance iron and zinc bioavailability: Implications for improving the nutritional quality of seeds and grains.” 1995 Cornell nutrition conference for feed manufacturers. 1995.

18. Kies, Constance. “Manganese bioavailability overview.” 1987. 1-8.

19. Fukagawa, Masafumi, Hirotaka Komaba, and Ken-ichi Miyamoto. “Source matters: from phosphorus load to bioavailability.” Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology 6.2 (2011): 239-240.

20. Solomons, Noel W., and Jesus Bulux. “Plant sources of provitamin A and human nutriture.” Nutrition Reviews 51.7 (1993): 199-204.

21. Venderley, Angela M., and Wayne W. Campbell. “Vegetarian diets: nutritional considerations for athletes” Sports Medicine 36.4 (2006): 293-305.

22. Krajcovicova-Kudlackova, M., K. Babinska, and M. Valachovicova. “Health benefits and risks of plant proteins.” Bratislavske lekarske listy 106.6/7 (2005): 231.

23. Key, Timothy J., Paul N. Appleby, and Magdalena S. Rosell. “Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets.” Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 65.1 (2006): 35-41

Check out some of the conversation below:

Q: WHY IS PERSONALISATION SO IMPORTANT WITHIN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY?

A: We’ve all had that client that no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to help them get a result. You feel like you have tried everything and nothing seems to work.

For most of our time in the last 50 years, we have been trying to discover the ‘best diet for health’, or the ‘best training protocol for weight loss’. We have been focusing on trying to find the magic ‘one thing’ and neglecting the person doing the ‘thing’ and consequently, we now find ourselves in a position where there is more confusion and conflicting information on health and fitness than ever before.

For example, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is touted as the ‘go to’ protocol to achieve all manner of results. Yet, in a recent review it was found that around 33% of people will have a great response to this style of training, with the remainder having an uncertain response right through to no response or an adverse response. A recent study looking at morning HIIT performed by people with diabetes indicated that it can lead to a worsening of their blood sugar levels, while there were benefits if they performed it in the afternoon….so is HIIT really ‘the best’ training protocol?

The Answer: It depends on the person!

Everyone is unique and everyone has different requirements to achieve results and live in best health. Personalisation shifts the focus away from trying to find the ‘best thing’, away from arguing whether ‘Paleo is better than Keto’, to understanding more about the individual to whom it is being implemented, clearing the confusion and providing consistency in results.

Q: I ALREADY PERSONALISE MY PROGRAMS BASED ON MY CLIENTS GOALS, WHAT AM I MISSING?

A: Whilst the fitness industry has done a fantastic job over the years of personalising programs based on goals, age, gender, exercise history, injuries and even postural analysis, there is more to the story when it comes to what is now possible in the personalised health space.

Personalisation must take into consideration the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to an individual’s unique picture in order to provide the most effective protocol and results.

For example, one study found that you could improve the response rate and results an individual would achieve from an exercise program by matching the training protocol (reps, sets, & 1RM) to their genetic makeup (whether they had a power-based or endurance-based physiology).

Personalisation however, is not just a matter of understanding a person’s genetics. You also need to understand their genetic expression, which will depend on their age, their activity levels, their stress levels, environmental conditions (pollution, climate, seasons). Every part of the environment influences the person, and so the recommendations for health need to account for this in order to be truly personalised and have a better chance of being effective every time!

Q: THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE COMPLEX, HOW COULD I POSSIBLY DO THAT AS A FITNESS PROFESSIONAL?

A: Yes, this is far too much information for any one brain to handle, let alone trying to achieve this with 30 unique clients per week and deliver it in a practical and easy to understand way!

Interestingly, whether you realise it or not you are already attempting this through a trial and error approach. Each time you try something new with those clients who do not seem to be getting as good a result as other clients is an attempt at personalisation, and whilst it might not be the most effective way, at least it is a start.

The good news is, health and fitness technology is now making it possible to provide personalised health assessments, simply and quickly, to help understand a person’s individual needs. From here you can provide specific information on what to eat, how to train, best ways to reduce stress, optimal sleep times and more to achieve optimal results. All based on genetic and environmental information gathered from the client, without the need for invasive testing.

In the future, the utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) and Machine learning, combined with wearable technology will allow such technology to change the program in real time to meet the current needs of the person, based on biometrics, such as HRV, blood glucose scores and more, allowing trainers to make a more informed decision with their non- responding clients, or even prevent it from occurring in the first place.

If you are enjoying this conversation and would like to hear Kyle’s thoughts on the following questions: 

• If technology is that advanced, does that mean I am out of a job?
• What should I focus on to future-proof my fitness business?

PLUS 

His ‘Number 1 Tip’ for Fitness Professionals. 

Head on over the Expro’s ‘Industry Insider’ for full access here.

‘Health and fitness wearables and technology have developed with such speed that personal trainers can feel threatened by the new kid on the block. By being smart in your approach to this tech, you can not only retain your role as an enabler of better health and wellbeing, but also dramatically enhance it’, writes fitness educator Kyle Riley.

The ability to capture bio-data through wearable technology and other non-invasive means, coupled with the ability of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to synthesise huge volumes of data, predict and learn at incredible speeds, has resulted in advanced fitness technology being available to us all, 24/7, on our smartphones.

These app-based technologies boast the functionality to create expertly-designed personal training programs with easy-to-follow instructions and demonstrations. Some also provide nutritional protocols that factor in genetics and a host of other biological data points to provide highly customised meal plans that go far beyond a person’s macros and calories.

Developments like this are changing the fitness industry landscape, with this level of personalisation becoming a standard expectation as clients get more familiar with the data insights made possible by fitness technology. The technological immersion enforced by the global pandemic in 2020 only exacerbated these expectations.

As exciting as these advancements are, there is a voice of concern in the back of every PT’s mind asking ‘Where does that leave us?’

Will the evolution of fitness technology make 1-on-1 personal trainers redundant? Not if we are smart. The fact is, you can’t deny its existence, and refusal to get on board the tech train risks leaving you stranded. Personal trainers have a great opportunity to capitalise on this technology to enhance the client experience.

If you would like to hear more about Kyle’s ‘5-tips to future-proof your PT business with technology’

Head on over and read the full article in the ‘fitness zone’ by our official partner, the Australian Institute of Fitness here.