Fitness trainer told me CEREAL was bad!!

245678

Replies

  • chidori_nep
    chidori_nep Posts: 32 Member
    5-6 egg whites, one whole egg and two pieces of wheat toast.

    The problem with most cereals (IMO) is that they contain a lot of sugars and are processed. If you get something like Kashi or oatmeal, it is less processed and better for you. I use cereal as a snack/treat now, never as a meal. Plus, after I got my food scale and realized how small a serving size of cereal was and that I was typically eating 3-4 servings for the morning plus milk it really made me re-evaluate what I eat in the mornings with respect to calories.

    I totally agree with you!! Would love to have what you're having for breakfast if I had the time.

    Realize exactly your point, so I bought a mini weighing scale to size my breakfast to exactly one serving, about 40 -50g (as I add seeds n bran) and exactly 125 ml of milk, which is only half a cup....=(
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    The absolute best thing for breakfast. The absolute best thing for ANY diet. Oatmeal. Hands down. A slow burning carb. Nutritionally one of the best things out there. It will fill you up. It provides the energy to keep you going. Low fat, low sugar, high energy. Not the instant. Steel cut, or quick rolled, or other more "natural". They can be microwaved in about the same time as the instant, and much better for you. I use the quick rolled oats. 1/2 cup plus some brown sugar come in under 200 calories and will fill you up for hours and burn for hours after that.

    There is a reason why oatmeal is in the diet plan of every competitive body builder and has been for generations. And it is great for your heart too. Cheerios has that right. Oats are great for you. And nothing is better than oatmeal.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Nothing wrong with cereal for breakfast unless you're eating something like Froot Loops or Count Chocula. :laugh:

    It sounds like your trainer has jumped on the anti-wheat, low carb bandwagon.
  • daj150
    daj150 Posts: 815 Member
    Had no idea cereal was bad for you since it contains wheat and carbs and sugar. What do YOU guys eat for breakfast??

    Well, it depends on your exercise and health goals. My bro-in-law is body building and therefore eats protein, mixed with some protein, with a dash of fiber such as steel cut oats...no sugars, all natural.

    Personally, I eat whatever I feel like as long as it fits into my calorie goals. Regardless if I eat a bowl of Lucky Charms, Eggs and meatless sausage (I don't really eat meat since I don't like it, no other reason), egg & cheese on a bagel, or whatever else, I just make sure what I eat will keep my appetite satisfied until my next meal.

    As a disclaimer though, I make sure I meet my macro nutrients everyday, so if I know what I am eating for lunch and dinner, I may eat something specific at breakfast to make sure I get everything I need.
  • gillandjohn4
    gillandjohn4 Posts: 3 Member
    I either have one biscuit of Weetabix or Special K. It is the milk that has the sugar, but we need the calcium. Oatmeal is good too.
  • HappyElizabeth
    HappyElizabeth Posts: 231 Member
    I don't hold a high opinion of cereal in general, but it's not bad pre se, and why take nutritional advice from a trainer?
    This!! Couldn't have said it better.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
    Had no idea cereal was bad for you since it contains wheat and carbs and sugar. What do YOU guys eat for breakfast??


    There are people who spew the "knowledge" they have gained from various sources as if it is true. Is it possible that you might find a better option for you? Yep. I used to eat cereal and did not find it satisfying unless I ate at least 3 servings. Now I eat a banana with peanut butter and 2 eggs and feel much more satisfied.

    Ask the trainer, or anyone for that matter, why they make such claims? If the trainer is educated from an article he read, or from a nutritional guru he/she listens too then he/she will be happy to share his/her sources. If he/she is picking up broscience from various sources and doesn't really know what he/she is talking about he/she will say stuff like "trust me, it just is"
  • likethe309
    likethe309 Posts: 26
    I eat plain oatmeal because I'm boring like that.

    I also workout first thing in the morning so I have my post-workout shake with breakfast. Its just a banana, spinach, and some vanilla protein powder
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    Stealing cereal from a kid is bad. Eating cereal isn't.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    I eat a bran cereal almost every day. I don't usually go over on my sugars... unless I add in a brownie or ice cream or Snickers or something... :wink:
  • djkronyx
    djkronyx Posts: 77 Member
    Special K Protein Cereal is amazing. 10 g protein per serving!
  • juliegrey1
    juliegrey1 Posts: 202 Member
    I would say yes and no alot of cereals are full of sugar and basically the box they come in has more of a nutritional value,go for porridge you cook yourself!!! sayung its bad well thats not totally right to say food value isint great would be more accurate,they tend to be very high in salt! still what is a bad food?
  • Liz_Mfp
    Liz_Mfp Posts: 172 Member
    Is wheat and sugar bad for breakfast?
    How much of eat?
    Or is it if you only eat wheat and sugar?
    And what is the definition of bad?

    Simple statements can be complicated :laugh:

    What did he suggest instead when he told you wheat and sugar were bad?
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
    Coffee, heavy whipping cream and Stevia.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    cereal is a great gimmick really. You look at the package and realise it's 30-40% refined sugars and white flour plus artificial colours and sweeteners.

    There is not anything 'healthy' about cereal when you have an abundance of fresh foods to choose from. I personally have 2 eggs with a dash of milk and chia seeds cooked into an omelette, and I have that with a salad and some lean ham (maybe). Then snack on greek yoghurt with fresh fruit, protein shake with water, chicken with vegetables etc etc.

    Less refined foods ==> more energy and better sleep, from experience.
  • musicmint
    musicmint Posts: 469
    Nothing wrong with cereal for breakfast unless you're eating something like Froot Loops or Count Chocula. :laugh:

    It sounds like your trainer has jumped on the anti-wheat, low carb bandwagon.


    She was just talking about how they make your blood sugar levels go really high then suddenly go down which gives us the craving for more food. Then she went on to say since it contains wheat that it really wasn't needed because of the carbs and that the reason why so many woman in particular gain weight is because of the unstable blood sugar levels these type of foods cause and it messes with our hormones and how women are at a higher risk for diabetes as they get older...something like that she said a lot of things LOL
  • sabified
    sabified Posts: 1,035 Member
    Maybe your trainer was over generalizing- many cereals are bad because of the sugar content and fact that they're usually made with white flour.

    Your trainer probably wouldn't like my breakfasts. Usually just tea- sometimes also a nature valley bar. If they don't like cereal, they WON'T like that! lol
  • 19Lindsay76
    19Lindsay76 Posts: 135
    I don't eat breakfast most days, but i do eat cereal. Kashi Go Lean or any of their shredded wheats YUMMY!
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    Pork sausage and more pork sausage, sometimes I have pork sausage and turkey sausage. Lately I've been having a pure beef patty (no other ingredients) topped with pork. It's pretty good.

    Cereal gives me high bad cholesterol, the beetus, water retention, lethargy and fatigue, fart attacks... I ain't got time for none of that.
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    When personal trainers give nutrition advice ... :indifferent:

    If it were up to them there would be nothing but protein in your diet. I'm not big on cereal for breakfast, not becuase its BAD per se, but because it doesn't keep me full - if I have cereal for breakfast I'm ravenous in a couple hours. A serving of Cherrios and a 1/2 cup of milk is only about 150 calories though, so maybe that's why. I rarely drink milk straight-up, it goes hand in hand with cereal and shakes to me so I see cereal as a method to help me get my calcium in :bigsmile:
  • Cinflo58
    Cinflo58 Posts: 326 Member
    Oatmeal with strawberries from my garden and 1 tbsp chia seeds. Chia seeds really fill you up!
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member
    The absolute best thing for breakfast. The absolute best thing for ANY diet. Oatmeal. Hands down.

    I used to think that... until the bloating got to me and I was hungry within about an hour of eating a large serving (no sugar, honey in my case). After going off it for a few months and trying it again, I got excruciating stomach cramps, was so thirsty I had about 2L of water and almost passed out from being dizzy.

    Oats are great for some people and were for me when I was a child, but these days my body can't handle them AT ALL! Worse than the gluten intolerance I developed (yes you can develop them).
  • VanessaGS
    VanessaGS Posts: 514 Member
    It's not bad for you if you watch your portion sizes. It's not the healthiest thing, but definitely not bad for you. I kinda switched over to more organic cereals. You always have to find what works for your because different meal plans work differently with different people. LOL!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Had no idea cereal was bad for you since it contains wheat and carbs and sugar. What do YOU guys eat for breakfast??
    Lol, most trainers are just following information passed on by other trainers like sheep. Just a question: is your routine based around "core" training?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Aparz1
    Aparz1 Posts: 949
    1/3 cup Oatmeal(no sugar) and Isopure protein shake (no sugar, no carbs) .... the combo works for me.... the oatmeal gives me just enough carbs for energy and as long as it is in the am when your body processes them better, no biggie.
  • susanr613
    susanr613 Posts: 22
    I have a 100% whole wheat english muffin with an egg and a wedge of laughing cow cheese, a half cup of fruit, milk/soy milk, and coffee. For me, it provides just enough of everything that I need: protein, carbs, sugar, caffeine, taste, and texture.

    Calling a food/food group "bad" without any other explanation is irresponsible.
  • mary29033
    mary29033 Posts: 11
    All things in moderation...

    But, yeah, the majority of the pre-packaged cereals out there are close to 50% sugar.

    Why not try a natural cereal - a bowl of hot oatmeal with some fresh fruit? A handful of blueberries, a finely chopped apple with some cinnamon? There are also a lot of other grains you can try. I love a 1/2 c. of cooked quinoa sprinkled with cinnamon and a little raw sugar, and then pour a little cream over the top. Your body needs carbs, fat, and protein - but give it the "good stuff" - don't waste your calories on the processed stuff that is in most premade cereal. Go for the quality - you will soon not notice that you are no longer eating a bowl of food coloring and sugar with a few "whole grains" thrown in so it appeals to the general public as "healthy" when it really isn't.

    I've dropped over 30 pounds in 4 months by doing nothing other than counting my calories on MyFitnessPal, balancing my fat, carbs, protein and sugar every day, and getting in an hour or so of walking or other exercise.

    I gave up processed foods, fast food, and anything in a box in the freezer section - I'd been living on Lean Cuisines and they obviously weren't working since I had gained 10 pounds since Christmas - but if I'm out with friends and want a slice of pizza, I do that. Once you get the excess sugar, the artificial sweeteners, the chemicals out of your body you will start to crave the good stuff. I find peppers and a couple of tablespoons of hummus are so more appealing to me now than a bag of chips.

    Use your brain - read your labels, find the healthy choices you like, and don't be afraid to try something outside the box - the Trix box, the Fruit Loops box, etc. Grab a can of McCann's Irish Oatmeal and give it a shot, and be creative with your natural additions to it.
  • musicmint
    musicmint Posts: 469
    I recently just started weight lifting because they told me that it increases metabolism. I have been doing 30 min of elliptical and 10 minutes of vigorous swimming and maybe running half a mile sometimes...for 5 days a week. So basically too cardio focused
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
    Love cereal but to make other delicious foods fit my macros, I usually opt out. I love bacon or sausage with whole eggs. Yesterday, I made an awesome quesadilla with corn tortillas. I also eat a lot of burgers. If I want cereal that bad I'll make it fit, but I don't feel the small serving portions are usually worth the trade off. Most cereals are sugar bombs and I don't really have a sweet tooth to waste my carbs on that. I keep my carbs between 100-200 for my goals.

    ETA: I'm good with a serving of Quaker quick oats with a cup of frozen blueberries stirred in and occasionally, I add milk, whey, syrup. Great FIBER.
  • 4_Lisa
    4_Lisa Posts: 362 Member
    It's all about how you want to fuel your body and what your end goal is. If you are losing weight, once in a while isn't bad. If you are on a lifting plan, then yeah it's crap cause it isn't really giving you anything worth using in your body. Just the way I look at it anyway.

Categories