this is very true. especially if you have been desensitized by artificial sweeteners (400x sweeter i think).
Let's start off by saying that a calorie is a unit of energy. If there is zero calories in something, it has absolutely no beneficial effects to your body. Anything that says low fat, zero calories, artificial, etc. are processed or have been refined for mass production; unnatural foods are not good for you in general and typically result in weight gain. Splenda, aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, and artifical sweeteners of any kind worsen insulin sensitivity. To that effect, studies have shown a correlation between weight gain and artifical sweeteners more-so than with regular sugar. A correlation doesn't suggest it has been proven, only what has been observed based on controls and variables. I like to believe that anything unnatural [that has been chemically modified] probably takes more effort for your body to break down. If your body has to work harder, it will digest and then excrete less. Excretion is a good thing! If it doesn't come out, it is either being absorbed and used by the body OR stored as fat for later use [if you ever use it]. Eating slower can really help with weight loss. You force yourself to chew more, and the more you break down your food before swallowing, the less work your body has to do. That's why juicing can be so effective. WOW, I just went on a million tangents, but I have so many things in my head that I like to share.... back on topic though Note: my tangents are related. It's just that everything has something to do with everything when it comes to health. Just like bad teeth can cause severe heart problems.. woah! Read on to my next post.
Sugar is unhealthy, but from what I've read and the documentaries I've seen, it seems that any nutritionist will plead with you to use real sugar over artificial sweeteners... ^^The answer above gives a technical response, and it's not necessarily something I'm familiar with. From my own experience though I used artificial sweeteners [once upon a time] during my calories diet. I monitored calories with myfitnesspal.com. I was losing weight and happy about it; what's crazy, is my body fat% went up. I can't attribute that to artificial sweeteners, but I threw it out of my diet soon after. Started focusing on what I was eating rather than how much.
^^ this is the number one reason to stop using any sweeteners. Everything will taste better over time. And coffee is good for you! Don't ruin it with creams and sugars. lol Random thought.
people on low carb diets that don't know exactly what not to eat... use eslowcarbdiet.com; it's based on a book I've read called 4 hour body. I don't agree with everything it says, but I think it's a pretty good tool anyway. And it's great for lazy people [like I was] that don't want to put forth too much effort into their diet, haha. Also, if anybody is interested, pm me your email and I can send two pdf's about "The Primal Blueprint" and recipes. It's somewhat of a supplement to those "seeking a gluten-free, low carb, low dairy, or paleo existence". Read below if you care what it's about.
Don't skip breakfast. Instead try to eat a protein-packed breakfast within 30 minutes of waking. For myself, I cook some eggs, and swallow 1 or 2 whole uncooked with a side of beans and every once in a while some bacon. I'll have a glass of almond milk as well. A good breakfast will keep you from eating a large lunch. The protein is a great way to kick-start the day. In my opinion, eggs from healthy chickens are the healthiest food on this planet. There are many conflicting reports on eggs though... womp womp
Han Solo! You bring up a great point. If you can eat the same thing every day, your body will love you. Of course you can mix up the spices and such, but eating the same 3 meals each day [meaning 3 different meals, but eating the same combination day after day], your body gets used to those foods and finds it easier to break them down after each passing day. If your body can break down the food more easily, you will absorb more of it for actual use, rather than storing it as fat. HOWEVER, it is best to only do this for no more than 2 weeks at a time. Assuming you eat the same thing for months at a time, [since it is not sustainable] you will eventually eat something other than the the food included in your 3 meals. You could get sick the next time you try to digest something else. That being said, you can switch up your meals every 2 weeks so that your body doesn't get too comfortable [also keeps your metabolism up]. Still requires a ridiculous amount of dedication IMO, and it's not something I have been able to do. I did it for a two week period once where I ate eggs in the morning and chipotle everyday, twice a day. Had chicken for lunch and barbacoa for dinner. Eventually, I hated chipotle, and I never wanted to eat the same things everyday ever again [even if it was working], haha
I know no one else will probably agree with me but i will say it anyway. I used to follow what you outlined above for 8+ years when i decided to get into shape but about 6 months back...I came across intermittent fasting. I can't imagine going back to eating breakfast again. I choose to eat only lunch/dinner (basically add the calories from breakfast to my other meals). I get to eat bigger portions and not be tied down in the morning.
Sajan, Completely agree. You have to find a diet that works for you (6 meals vs 3, high carb vs low carb, etc...) when it comes to nutrition there isn't a one size fits all approach.
^^I've heard of intermittent fasting. Not really my style. I'm more of the belief that you should be able to eat until you're full, as long as you're eating the right stuff. So you only eat bigger portions every other day though right? And you are also right about most people not agreeing with you. Breakfast [eaten soon after waking] is a good habit. Not eating breakfast is not going to hurt you, but eating breakfast will help you. At least 30g of protein in the morning [within 30 minutes of waking] can go a long way. http://www.livestrong.com/article/510332-what-is-the-benefit-of-eating-30-grams-of-protein-first-thing-in-the-morning/ Also, to add to what you said about only eating lunch and dinner... Many people believe that multiple smaller meals makes a big difference; however all that does it affect mentality, not actual health. For instance, if you take 2 large meals and split it up in 6 smaller meals throughout the day, it will have absolutely no benefit [if you remove all other variables such as eating right after you wake up]. The only reason eating smaller portions helps is because it keeps people from over-eating. It's a mental thing.
Lots of great info PK! I do intermittent Fasting and low carbs but not to the point of ketosis. It Works for me but may not work for everyone else. I think we are all constantly looking ways to improve or tweak our diets to achieve greater results. There's never too much info or ideas. With IF, I'm able to still live a lifestyle that allows me to eat out on some evenings, have a couple of drinks and still lose/maintain my weight.
Agreed, but high carb diets are typically unhealthy. Depends on the type of carbs and your activity level I guess, but even so.... http://authoritynutrition.com/randomized-controlled-trials-in-nutrition/ I love how this site uploaded multiple case studies. Of course a case study can only demonstrate a correlation, not causation. Too many variables within the human genome.
^^Exactly! Sustainability is key. That's why I eat everything on Saturdays. It's what I look forward to and what keeps me going. Sometimes I consume over 6000 calories on Saturdays .
Attention all Low-Carbers!!! Fat is good for you. Eat fat! Only fat that you should avoid is trans-fat. Saturated fats play an important role in staying healthy as well so don't avoid them in favor of solely poly/mono unsaturated fats. Don't neccesarily avoid all carbs, mostly Simple/Refined/Processed Carbs. Legumes are my main source of carbs and protein. I eat more beans than anything else in my diet... and before you say anything, there are ways to reduce the amount of gas beans give you, haha. Soup is an amazing meal choice. Soups are great because they retain all the nutrients from the vegetables. That way you can cook your veggies and STILL get all their nutrients [since whatever nutrients are cooked out are retained in the water].
That is what I plan to do after this paleo challenge (been on it for 7 weeks. its going to be over next week). The paleo diet sure helped me to lean out! Gonna drink whey after this challenge, though. Can't even have whey on paleo.
My diet includes carb cycling + cycling. There's no one idea that fits everyone because none of us expend energy the same way! how can someone who has a sedentary lifestyle..justify the need for ton of carbs? he can't. But I squat/deadlift/bench at least once a week. I love my carbs on those days. lol. Workout days (3x week): high carb (from non processed natural sources like sweet potatoes), high protein, low fat. Rest days: low carb (only veggies), high protein, higher fat (more fatty meats/fish/nuts) As for the calorie cycling part: +20% on workout days, -20% or so on my rest days. My two meals are at lunch/dinner.
Nice, thank you for sharing!! I want to do the high carbs on the days of Crossfit (squats, deadlifts and etc).
i gotta have my sugar fix so i chomp on peanut butter, sugar free jello, and sugar free pudding to take care of that
