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Lesson 3.12
Dietary edge cases
Loom walkthrough coming for this lesson. The written version below is complete.
Most dietary requirements don't change the plan's structure. They change the food list. The five-carriage train (3.3) still works. You just swap the carriages. Ask the client exactly what they follow rather than assuming.
| Situation | What changes |
|---|---|
| Vegan | Protein is the challenge. Build around tofu, tempeh, seitan, lentils, beans, edamame, and usually at least one vegan protein shake a day. Expect slightly higher carbs and fats. For long-term vegans, suggest the GP checks B12, iron, vitamin D and omega-3 rather than guessing. |
| Vegetarian (including Hindu vegetarian) | It varies: some eat eggs, some dairy, some neither. Ask which. |
| Halal | Halal-certified meat, no pork, no alcohol in cooking. Same structure. |
| Kosher | No pork or shellfish, kosher products, and meat and dairy kept apart in the same meal |
| Buddhist vegetarian | Some also avoid onion, garlic, leek, spring onion and chives. Ask. |
| Ramadan | The biggest change. Move the day's food into two main windows: a pre-dawn meal (slow carbs, protein, fats, plenty of water) and the evening meals after sunset. Train in the evening, after eating. Ease cardio and expectations for the month. If the deficit is too hard, hold at maintenance. The month often works like a diet break. |
| Gut issues (bloating, reflux, irregular bowels) | Simplify the food list, move big meals earlier for reflux, and swap one suspected trigger food at a time for about 2 weeks. Don't run multi-food elimination diets yourself; that's a dietitian's job. If symptoms persist beyond 2–3 weeks, refer to the GP (Module 7). |
| Allergies | Strictly exclude the allergen. No "trace amounts are fine." |
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