Did your group also argue about dog-earing pages, because ours nearly split over that too?

Getting banned for asking about proof is backwards. If her cert checked out and the pics had dates, then you did the work and still got the boot. Most of these groups don't want questions, they want people buying. But a 900 calorie plan is still a red flag no matter how good the credentials look. Plenty of certified trainers push stuff that isn't safe. Being legit and being right aren't the same thing.

Did you know the grade numbers actually mean yield strength in thousands of psi, so grade 40 is 40,000 psi and grade 60 is 60,000 psi? That gap you noticed gets even bigger when you look at the actual break point, because the higher grades take way more pull before they snap. The catch with grade 60 is that it often has more carbon in it, which can make it harder to bend and weld without cracking. So your gate probably is not secretly tank rated, but it also is not as weak as you might fear. If you are forging hinges and brackets, the grade 40 stuff is honestly fine for most home projects, and it bends easier too. Just keep an eye on any scrap you pull from a job site, because some of it could be rebar that was already stressed or bent and you never know what it has been through.