Big Fat Lies
Posted on 9/26/2013 by dsjohndrow
Everyday is election day. We make votes about what we feed ourselves and the exercise we choose to do. When we are voting, we should know whether we are getting the truth, or a spun set of facts.
I did a little fact checking and here are some diet lies, along with a few truths!
- Low in calories is always healthy! Junk food is junk food, even low-calorie junk food.
- Eating before bed makes you gain weight! Not if those are calories you need! We all want an edge in this game. Fueling up for workouts is smart and replenishing electrolytes and making protein available for muscle repair is important post-workout. If you workout until 8pm and then go to bed at 9:30pm, you still need to eat. I will add that we probably need carbs earlier in the day to fuel our activities. So go for the protein before bed and then choose something from the chocolate food group.
- High in protein diets are effective for everyone. Each one of us is different. Body make-up, genes, sleep, age and stress are too complex to turn into a formula. You need to explore some options. For some it is magic, and others it's unsustainable.
- It's good if it says "low carb", "organic", "all natural," "low sugar", high in fiber" or "fat free." The truth the foods with the least amount of processing are good for you. Lean meats are better than cold cuts, whole grains are better than processed grains, and sugar is probably better than most of the substitutes.
- High in fiber makes you fart. This is true!
- Fruit juice is a good substitute for fruit. No it is not. It is better than Coke or Pepsi, but fruit has more fiber, less sugar, less sodium and is likely to make you feel "fuller."
- Sodium is bad. The truth is that we need some sodium. The bad news is that bread, cold cuts, cheese, and canned foods are pretty much filled with it. Oh and soy is a killer. One packet is as much as you would need for a day! Sodium effects blood pressure in some folks, and not in others. Some MFP-ers say that it helps you retain water weight, others disagree.
- Drinking 8 cups of water a day is essential. This is false. We need the equivalent of this. If you drink coffee, tea, or eat fruit, you are getting water. For some, drinking water right before you eat helps you eat less. If you exercise and sweat, you'll need more, and if you don't, you'll need less. The idea that is flushes the system is also suspect. I will say if you are getting muscle cramps after exercise, hydration can be a huge factor (along with potassium). Good hydration can alos ease joint pain.
- The goal is weight loss. It should be total health and fitness.
- Salad is the best option. Well, yes, if you don't use regular dressing and white flour croutons, you could be right.
- Green tea! It can help boost metabolism and get rid of "sweet cravings." It also has caffeine, so probably not a good choice for those who are sensitive to speed.
- Weight training is the same as body building. NO! Being strong does not require sculpted biceps. Keep the reps up around 12, and sets at 3, and you'll find your added muscle will burn more calories, and you can keep your husband in line with ease. ;)
- Coffee is bad. Quite a few studies have found that coffee is rich in antioxidants, can help reduce depression, help with muscle recovery, and even protect against Parkinson’s disease, gallstones, diabetes and some cancers. And for some of us, without, we're usless.
Thanks for the votes and comments, you guys are awesome!
My apologies for a bit of a repeat, but wirting a book and looking for work leaves me little time to blog.
My apologies for a bit of a repeat, but wirting a book and looking for work leaves me little time to blog.
Kristin
My favorite line!
Question - what's better...juicing or using a bullet juicer? My husband and I have been debating this for months.
Juicing, in my opinion, takes out all the natural fiber of the fruit and is thrown out with the pulp. The bullet pulverizes the entire fruit or veggie into a yummy drink.
Thanks for the feel better. It only hurts when I laugh.... Oh... Wait.... XD. Owwwwweee