How to find the right "expert"

 

Getting and giving advice over the internet is risky. It's also incredibly easy. 

The problem with receiving advice from a stranger is that this person is not responsible for what happens next. For example, what if the nutrition advice you receive negatively affects your health? What if the training advice you receive causes an injury? 

There are a lot of self-proclaimed, unqualified "experts" out there. And even if a person sounds reputable, advice targeted to the masses doesn't mean that advice is right for you. 

You can't receive safe, realistic, practical advice from an expert without giving that expert a detailed assessment of your health, fitness and your past history. More so, just because one expert experienced success in weight loss, diet, health, athletics or career, this doesn't mean that what worked for him/her will work for you. Also, tips dished out by "experts" can be heavily skewed to fit an agenda, such as selling a service or product or boosting popularity (or followers on social media). I assure you that there will always be a research study and success story to support any kind of agenda. You don't have to believe everything you hear. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

With so many experts out there, here are some ways to help you select the right expert for your needs:

• Your expert has formal education, credentials, competence, experience and a good reputation. An easy-to-obtain certification doesn't qualify someone as an expert. 
• You believe in his/her philosophy. When you have insight on how an expert approaches situations and how he/she helps others, you will gain trust in this individual because you have similar views. It's important to understand his/her methodologies. If you don't have a similar belief system as your expert, it's not the right expert for you. 
• You feel you are listened to, respected and not judged by your expert. You feel like you are treated like an individual.
• Your expert has a specialty area and is a qualified expert in a specific field (based on formal education and years of experience).
• Your expert is actively involved in learning with continuing education. She/he admits to not knowing everything and has references for other "experts" that may be more qualified for a specific diagnosis/problem.
• Your expert has patience for you and does not rush your journey. She/he doesn't have a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all method. Despite having knowledge, education and being extremely popular, experts are not magicians. Most issues or problems require ongoing support, accountability and assistance.
• Your expert gives you his/her full attention, provides a supportive, caring and positive environment and does not ignore or dismiss your questions or concerns. Your expert values a team approach when working together.
• Your expert challenges you and provides a safe approach to help you to step outside your comfort zone. She/he doesn't tell you exactly what you want to hear or give you false promises. She/he also welcomes feedback, questions and concerns.
• Your expert maintains your confidentiality.
• Your expert doesn't change his/her approach based on what is "in" or trendy. While it's important for your expert to keep an open-mind to new research, trends and strategies, an expert should not change his/her beliefs every time a new fad becomes heavily popular.

As you search for the best expert(s) to help you with your personal needs, keep in mind that the same expert that works for your friend, training partner or family member may not be the right expert for you. By using the above criteria, you can figure out exactly what you need and are looking for in an expert - keeping in mind that not every problem has a clear, simple, straight-forward or easy solution.

Building your team of experts

When browsing a popular forum page not too long ago, I came across a thread of an athlete looking for nutrition assistance. One of the comments had me thinking about the overwhelming number of experts that an athlete can choose from when it comes to assistance with health, body composition, mental skills, fitness and performance. This certainly extends to doctors, physical therapists, massage therapists, strength coaches, etc.

I believe that there's someone out there for everyone BUT you do have to do your due diligence. What is it that you need from your professional and does she/he have a similar belief structure as your own? 

Today, it's easy to turn to the internet and social media for health advice but the WWW isn't the best place to get information as it relates to your personal situation.

As it relates to finding the best "expert" to assist in your health, performance and/or body composition goals, here are a few of my tips:

1. Credentials - Today, anyone can claim to be an expert. Use your basic knowledge to determine if your expert has credibility to call him/herself an expert. Does this person have the appropriate education/schooling to diagnose and treat you? You can also look for advanced credentialing such as CSSD (Board Certified Specialist in Sport Dietetics) to demonstrate specialized experience, knowledge, skill and expertise in a certain area.
   
2. Experience - It goes without saying that you should be searching for an expert who has expert experience in the area that you need help with. In some fields, lots of experience may be more beneficial than having lots of credentials. If you are an athlete, your expert should be experienced in your sport. Just because someone has formal education to call him/herself an expert, this doesn't mean that he/she should professionally counsel you. While she/he may have textbook, laboratory or internet knowledge, it's also good to have real life experience.
   
   
3. Avoid black or white thinking - When you reach out to an expert, you should be able to ask questions without judgement or fear.  An expert should have time for you - treating you like an individual, listening to your background and always considering options and different problem-solving strategies. Rigid thinking and not listening means an inability to change the mind. But with humans, we are all different. Flexible thinking and personalized advice is important in the counseling process as it relates to long-term success.
   
4. Philosophy - I feel a business or personal philosophy is extremely beneficial when it comes to finding our expert. Instead of reaching out to someone who is popular, you should understand and align with his/her methods and philosophy. Ask around for recommendations and referrals from athletes who have worked with your potential expert to ensure that you find the right person for your needs. Pay attention to contradictions in advice, extreme methods or affiliations to "sell" you a product. Take some time to understand the set of beliefs and principles from your future expert to ensure that he/she practices what he/she preaches. Above all, a philosophy outlines the values that are important to that person/business. If you don't connect with his/her philosophy, there's a good chance that your expert is not the right fit for you (even if he/she worked fabulously well for your friend/teammate and has a large social media following).
   
5. Don't look for a quick fix - As with any professional, it's important to find someone who is properly trained and offers sensible, realistic, sound advice. Don't choose your  expert from his/her social media following/presence or a promise that he/she can quickly cure/fix your issues. Ask questions before you commit. With so many self-made experts, it's difficult to recognize who is trustworthy or not. Be mindful that a change in behavior/health is never a quick fix. Don't expect immediate, rapid or dramatic changes when starting on a new journey. If your expert promises that you will be an overnight success or there's a quick fix for your problem, be warned that something is too good to be true.
   
6. Take your time - Just like with any field, finding the right professional for your needs may take time. Instead of googling for free advice, start the process of finding the expert who can help you answer your questions and give you appropriate advice that will help you reach your goals/needs. And it's ok to have multiple experts in the same field! 

A big thank you to the experts that are part of my team!

• Erin Carson - Strength Coach
• Gloria Petruzelli - Sport Psychology
• Chris Johnson - PT
• Scott Kaylor - PT
• Dr. Casses - Doctor
• Kelly Vanleeuwen - Massage Therapist 
• Kristen Johnston - My swimming partner 
• Campy Sumbal - Recovery coach ;) 
• Karel Sumbal - Life-long teammate 
• Our new coaches!! (More on this soon)

How to find the right "expert"

Getting and giving advice over the internet is so incredibly easy. Some people think they have an answer to everything. The problem with giving advice is that you aren't responsible for what happens next. For example, what if your nutrition advice negatively affects the health of someone? What if your training advice gets someone injured or sick? There are a lot of self-proclaimed experts who give bad advice because they don't take into consideration you as a whole person. You can't expect quality advice from someone without giving an expert all the current facts and your past history.  More so, just because one expert experienced success in weight loss, diet, health, athletics or career, this doesn't mean that what worked for him/her will work for you. Also, information can be heavily skewed to fit an agenda, such as selling a service or product or boosting popularity. There will always be a research study and success story to support any kind of agenda. With so many experts out there, here are some ways to help you select the right expert for your needs. Remember - don't believe everything you hear. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

1. You believe in his/her philosophy. When you have insight on how an expert approaches situations and how he/she helps others, you will gain trust in this individual as you have similar views and understand his/her methodologies. 

2. Your expert has credentials, competence, experience and a good reputation. 

3. You feel safe and not judged by your expert and you feel like you are treated like an individual. 

4. Your expert has a specialty area or is an expert in a specific field, based on experience and formal education.

5. Your expert is actively involved in learning with continuing education.

6. Your expert has patience for you and does not rush your journey. She/he doesn't have a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all method. Despite having knowledge, education and being extremely popular, experts are not magicians. Most issues or problems require ongoing support, accountability and assistance.

7. Your expert gives you his/her full attention, provides a supportive and positive environment and does not ignore or dismiss your questions or concerns. Your expert values a team approach when working together.

8. Your expert challenges you and wants you to step outside your comfort zone. She/he doesn't tell you exactly what you want to hear or give you false promises.

9. Your expert maintains your confidentiality.

10. Your expert doesn't change his/her approach based on what is "in" or trendy. While it's important for your expert to keep an open-mind to new research, trends and strategies, it's not necessary for your expert to change his/her beliefs every time a new fad becomes heavily popular. 

As you search for the best expert(s) to help you with your personal needs, keep in mind that the same expert may not work for everyone. Figure out exactly what you need and are looking for in an expert - keeping in mind that not every problem has a clear, simple or easy answer. 

Why you need a squad of professionals

Many professional athletes are supported by a "team" of professionals to help with athletic performance. Some are seen regularly and others are available as needed.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could expect a massage every time you finished a race or have a doctor or physical therapist on speed dial to squeeze you in anytime you experience a niggle?

While it may sound too good to be true, I do believe that every individual who is training for an athletic event, whether it be a long or short, should have a team of professionals to assist in the training journey. Although you may question the money that you would need to spend on these professionals and then claim that your sport is only your hobby, consider it an investment to your overall enjoyment in your sport as you also take care of your health. It's far too common that athletes will experience an issue, whether it's gear, health or training related and then frantically search for an expert to be of help or struggle to know who to reach out to for guidance. Without a trusted go-to professional, you may find yourself asking around and looking for a quick or cheap fix (which may cause more harm than good). Additionally, you may need to try out different professionals, like the right bike mechanic or massage therapist, to find someone who meets your expectations and needs. While it isn't necessary that you see your squad members every day, it is important to have trusted, qualified and experienced resources to assist in your athletic journey.

A professional is there to help you solve a problem or to prevent a problem from occurring. Instead of hoping that you can figure out what's going on or searching on the internet or online forums for answers, there's someone out there who has knowledge and experience in a specialty area and wants to help you solve or prevent your issue.

In your athletic journey, there will be problems, obstacles and setbacks - some preventable and some unavoidable. It's ok that you don't have all the answers as to why, what and how something happened so it's recommended to know someone who can help you with your questions.

For athletes, here are my top picks for your squad of professionals:

• Coach
• Mentor
• Sport dietitian
• Sport doctor
• Physical therapist
• Massage therapist
• Sport psychologist

And a few go-to resources (depending on your sport):

• Swim/bike/run skills expert
• Bike fitter
• Bike mechanic
• Gait analysis expert
• Tri/bike/run store
• Cookbook
• Trusted website/blog
• Personal trainer/sport and conditioning coach
• Travel agent