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What are your unpopular opinions about health / fitness?

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  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    CipherZero wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »

    Here's the thing, and the link will no doubt be posted soon... It's possible to fuel effective progressive overload with "junk food"... someone on MFP with an open diary did it... for 90+ days with photos and detailed logs.

    SO it's pretty well settled... FOOD is food.. calories are calories.

    Check what NFL, NBA, Olympic athletes use to fuel their training. Sure there is some junk food, but most of it is nutrient dense.


    You definitely shouldn't base what your diet and training should look like based on what genetic outliers do.

    They are the elite 1%, but genetically they are not freakish mutants by and large. Some may have genetic features that are more pronounced (naturally fast muscle twitch, abnormally high spatial actuity or extremely tall or short, for example) present through genetics.

    Competitive athletes (depending on the sport) will definitely indulge in "junk food". A friend of mine who does long-distance running loves his apres-run Quarter Pounder...sometimes two. He's skinny as a rail and actually does really need those calories. He doesn't eat that way all the time and definitely not before running (greasy food before run is a bad idea).
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    CipherZero wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    stanmann571 wrote: »

    Here's the thing, and the link will no doubt be posted soon... It's possible to fuel effective progressive overload with "junk food"... someone on MFP with an open diary did it... for 90+ days with photos and detailed logs.

    SO it's pretty well settled... FOOD is food.. calories are calories.

    Check what NFL, NBA, Olympic athletes use to fuel their training. Sure there is some junk food, but most of it is nutrient dense.


    You definitely shouldn't base what your diet and training should look like based on what genetic outliers do.
    Depends. I'm NOWHERE near the ability of the lowest Pro athlete on the bench, but can get away with eating junk food 3 times a week.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    PED's are a personal choice IMO...if you want to pump your body full of those things go ahead...but they are just as dangerous when abused used as any other drug...including alcohol...again not that unpopular just those who want to use them vs those who don't are sure they are right.

    Fixed it!
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    @WinoGelato I will admit that my first thought when i see diaries over run with packet/convenience/take away meals is they are either lazy and/or cant cook :blushing:

    Awesome. Let me tell you about my typical weekday. Wake at 5:30 am. Spend about 30 minutes with morning routine. 6-6:15 am I check emails that came in overnight from Europe and Asia for work and answer any which are critical. Work out from 6;15 -7:15 am. 7:15-7:30 get my kids (6 and 8 year old boys) up and get them ready for the day (breakfast, make sure they got dressed, brushed teeth, etc, pack lunches for them). 7:30-8am I get ready for work. 8-8:30 I gather everything up for myself (computer, breakfast, lunch) and the kids (backpacks, water bottles, lunches, and the stuff they need for evening activities as well), drive to drop them off at school and then get myself to work by 8:30 or 8:45. I heat my breakfast up (if hot breakfast like a breakfast sandwich or bowl) or eat the yogurt, granola, and fruit I brought from home while I am getting situated in the office. I am in meetings most of the day, and when I do break for lunch, I either have leftovers from a meal that I cooked myself the night before, or I have a frozen meal that I can heat up. I eat at my desk and go for a 30 minute walk at lunch. I work till 5:30 and leave to get my kids by 5:45 or 6pm, then take them to soccer or baseball practice, tutoring, scouts. Sometimes multiple activities in the same night. The whole time I am trying to walk, as well as check more emails on my phone, sometimes calls with Asia while I am at the ball field. We usually get home from the activities by 7:30, at which point I help them with homework (15-30 min) and then have to figure out dinner. Yes, I like to cook and am not bad at it - but on nights like this often hamburger helper with a salad, or a skillet meal, or grilled cheese and tomato soup wins. I get that together while the kids are in the bath, we try to eat around 8pm, and then I spend about an hour putting them to bed and reading to them. By the time I get them in bed it is after 9pm and I have to clean up the kitchen, lay out clothes for the next day, - sometimes if I do want to cook myself a nice meal I do it after they have gone to bed and I eat around 9:30 pm. I spend about an hour just vegging out, watching TV, before getting ready for bed around 10:30, reading for a half hour or so, and finally go to sleep around 11 pm so I can get up and do it all over again.

    I can see how that makes me sound lazy.

    But thank you for making the point about why my opinion that these foods are a helpful addition to my life is unpopular.

    BRA-*kitten*-VO.

    Perhaps before assuming someone is lazy, you may consider they may have less time on their hands than you perhaps do.

    I don't tend to think people lazy for choosing convenience foods except for cases where I know it's true. But I do think they are often using lack of time as an excuse to eat convenience foods instead of something that might be a little healthier. It doesn't take any longer to bake frozen fish and precut broccoli in the oven than it does a frozen pizza. It doesn't take any longer to make an omelet or stir fry using precut vegetables than it does to make Hamburger Helper.

    I'm not suggesting anyone shouldn't eat whatever they want, just saying I rarely buy the "I don't have time" excuse.

    How about those of us with chronic illnesses that physically or cognitively impair ones ability to cook. Even sometimes things you can throw in the oven. I forget and burn things. Not yet burned my flat down but that's because I know when not to cook.

    I don't use frozen meals but here in the UK we have massive choice of fresh meals from the fridge. My nutrition and macros are fine.

    Here's the ingredients of a few of those awful convenience foods.

    This is chilli and rice:

    Cooked Rice (Water, Long Grain Rice), Red Pepper (18%), British Beef (17%), Onion, Red Kidney Beans (11%), Tomato (6%), Beef Stock (Beef Juices, Tomato Paste, Onion, Carrot), Tomato Purée, Cornflour, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Coriander Leaf, Cumin, Salt, Smoked Paprika, Molasses, Chilli Powder, Oregano, Coriander, Black Pepper.

    Tomato and basil chicken:

    Baby Potato (42%), Tomato (25%), British Chicken (20%), Onion, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Sundried Tomato, Garlic Purée, Tomato Purée, Sugar, Cornflour, Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rosemary, Basil, Salt, Potato Starch, White Wine Vinegar, Oregano, Black Pepper, Lemon Juice from Concentrate, Garlic Extract, Basil Extract.

    But yeah, totally nutritionally deficient and full of preservatives. Carry on judging me.
    Over here in the U.S., I'm pretty sure those same foods would be laced with preservatives, particularly when it comes to cheaper brands.

  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    ForecasterJason wrote: »
    VintageFeline wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    @WinoGelato I will admit that my first thought when i see diaries over run with packet/convenience/take away meals is they are either lazy and/or cant cook :blushing:

    Awesome. Let me tell you about my typical weekday. Wake at 5:30 am. Spend about 30 minutes with morning routine. 6-6:15 am I check emails that came in overnight from Europe and Asia for work and answer any which are critical. Work out from 6;15 -7:15 am. 7:15-7:30 get my kids (6 and 8 year old boys) up and get them ready for the day (breakfast, make sure they got dressed, brushed teeth, etc, pack lunches for them). 7:30-8am I get ready for work. 8-8:30 I gather everything up for myself (computer, breakfast, lunch) and the kids (backpacks, water bottles, lunches, and the stuff they need for evening activities as well), drive to drop them off at school and then get myself to work by 8:30 or 8:45. I heat my breakfast up (if hot breakfast like a breakfast sandwich or bowl) or eat the yogurt, granola, and fruit I brought from home while I am getting situated in the office. I am in meetings most of the day, and when I do break for lunch, I either have leftovers from a meal that I cooked myself the night before, or I have a frozen meal that I can heat up. I eat at my desk and go for a 30 minute walk at lunch. I work till 5:30 and leave to get my kids by 5:45 or 6pm, then take them to soccer or baseball practice, tutoring, scouts. Sometimes multiple activities in the same night. The whole time I am trying to walk, as well as check more emails on my phone, sometimes calls with Asia while I am at the ball field. We usually get home from the activities by 7:30, at which point I help them with homework (15-30 min) and then have to figure out dinner. Yes, I like to cook and am not bad at it - but on nights like this often hamburger helper with a salad, or a skillet meal, or grilled cheese and tomato soup wins. I get that together while the kids are in the bath, we try to eat around 8pm, and then I spend about an hour putting them to bed and reading to them. By the time I get them in bed it is after 9pm and I have to clean up the kitchen, lay out clothes for the next day, - sometimes if I do want to cook myself a nice meal I do it after they have gone to bed and I eat around 9:30 pm. I spend about an hour just vegging out, watching TV, before getting ready for bed around 10:30, reading for a half hour or so, and finally go to sleep around 11 pm so I can get up and do it all over again.

    I can see how that makes me sound lazy.

    But thank you for making the point about why my opinion that these foods are a helpful addition to my life is unpopular.

    BRA-*kitten*-VO.

    Perhaps before assuming someone is lazy, you may consider they may have less time on their hands than you perhaps do.

    I don't tend to think people lazy for choosing convenience foods except for cases where I know it's true. But I do think they are often using lack of time as an excuse to eat convenience foods instead of something that might be a little healthier. It doesn't take any longer to bake frozen fish and precut broccoli in the oven than it does a frozen pizza. It doesn't take any longer to make an omelet or stir fry using precut vegetables than it does to make Hamburger Helper.

    I'm not suggesting anyone shouldn't eat whatever they want, just saying I rarely buy the "I don't have time" excuse.

    How about those of us with chronic illnesses that physically or cognitively impair ones ability to cook. Even sometimes things you can throw in the oven. I forget and burn things. Not yet burned my flat down but that's because I know when not to cook.

    I don't use frozen meals but here in the UK we have massive choice of fresh meals from the fridge. My nutrition and macros are fine.

    Here's the ingredients of a few of those awful convenience foods.

    This is chilli and rice:

    Cooked Rice (Water, Long Grain Rice), Red Pepper (18%), British Beef (17%), Onion, Red Kidney Beans (11%), Tomato (6%), Beef Stock (Beef Juices, Tomato Paste, Onion, Carrot), Tomato Purée, Cornflour, Garlic Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Coriander Leaf, Cumin, Salt, Smoked Paprika, Molasses, Chilli Powder, Oregano, Coriander, Black Pepper.

    Tomato and basil chicken:

    Baby Potato (42%), Tomato (25%), British Chicken (20%), Onion, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Sundried Tomato, Garlic Purée, Tomato Purée, Sugar, Cornflour, Olive Oil, Sunflower Oil, Rosemary, Basil, Salt, Potato Starch, White Wine Vinegar, Oregano, Black Pepper, Lemon Juice from Concentrate, Garlic Extract, Basil Extract.

    But yeah, totally nutritionally deficient and full of preservatives. Carry on judging me.
    Over here in the U.S., I'm pretty sure those same foods would be laced with preservatives, particularly when it comes to cheaper brands.

    Just for fairness, I have looked up some basic frozen meals too. A lot of them do have additives, the questionability of them I don't know because a lot of them are just convoluted names for things like salt or perfectly normal thickeners etc. So I have purposely looked for those with recognisable to the layman ingredients, budget ranges. Easy to take a quick look at the back to filter should you so wish when shopping.

    Chicken Tikka Masala & rice (£1.50):

    INGREDIENTS: Pilau Rice (45%) (Water, Basmati Rice, Sunflower Oil, Cumin Seed, Turmeric, Cardamom Pod, Clove), Tikka Marinated Chicken Breast (15%) (Chicken Breast, Marinade (Water, Tomato Paste, Ginger Purée, Yogurt Powder (Cows' Milk ), Garlic Purée, Palm Oil, Cornflour, Salt, Green Chilli, Chilli Powder, Colour: Paprika Extract; Garam Masala (Coriander, Cumin, Ginger, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Mace, Chilli Powder, Star Anise, Turmeric, Basil))), Onion, Water, Single Cream (Cows' Milk), Low Fat Yogurt (Cows' Milk), Tomato Purée, Rapeseed Oil, Minced Chicken, Sugar, Garlic Purée, Ginger Purée, Cornflour, Molasses, Coriander Leaf, Salt, Whey Powder (Cows' Milk), Red Chilli, Palm Oil, Skimmed Cows' Milk Powder, Tandoori Masala (Paprika, Salt, Coriander, Turmeric, Chilli Powder, Cumin, Cinnamon, Clove, Citric Acid, Lemon Oil, Black Pepper, Bay Leaf, Colour: Paprika Extract), Cumin Seed, Garam Masala (Coriander, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Ginger, Fennel, Chilli Powder, Paprika, Cardamom, Clove, Cumin, Bay Leaf, Spices, Turmeric), Whey Protein Concentrate (Cows' Milk), Turmeric, Fenugreek Leaf.

    Lasagne from the absolute cheapest "Basics" range (£1.00):

    INGREDIENTS:Water, Beef (15%), Lasagne Sheet (Durum Wheat Semolina, Water), Tomato (8%), Onion, Cows' Milk, Tomato Purée (3%), Cornflour, Cheddar Cheese (from Cows' Milk) (2.5%), Carrot, Whey Powder (Cows' Milk), Cream (Cows' Milk), Palm Oil, Sugar, Skimmed Cows' Milk Powder, Fortified Wheat Flour ( Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Salt, Whey Protein Concentrate (Cows' Milk), Garlic Purée, Yeast Extract, Basil, Maltodextrin, Onion Powder, Oregano, Black Pepper, Mushroom Extract, White Pepper, Nutmeg, Turmeric.

    I did have a look at some frozen meals in the US and the ingredients lists are longer, whether any of those things are terrible I don't know enough to say.

    But MFP is a worldwide site, I often qualify things with my location and try to determine where people are when making suggestions. I sadly don't see this very often from others.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    AlabasterVerve wrote: »

    This, this and this too for me. Also, what you eat matters - there's good foods and bad foods.

    When people label foods as "good" or "bad." They're inanimate objects, they have no behaviors to cause them to be "good" or "bad." Nutritional content varies greatly from food to food, but this why a varied diet is generally recommended.

    A varied diet made up of good foods, of course. No one recommends a varied diet of bad food.

  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    stevencloser wrote: »
    veronikamellon wrote: »
    Ya'll will slaughter me here but I believe there is more to CICO than meets the eye. Human body is not a car engine, it is much more complex. There are multiple variables that can throw the math off. Heck even the calorie intake and burn measurements are often extremely imprecise. Until they invent some sort of an implant that measures exactly how much is consumed and burned, I will remain skeptical. That being said, I still log calories, since it is a working method, albeit imperfect.

    How often do you get stuck with your car because you didn't know exactly to the millilitre how much gas you needed?

    Did you know that it's also impossible to accurately calculate gas mileage, because there is much more to it than meets the eye? There are multiple variables that can throw the math off (acceleration, road surface, air temperature/density, altitude, speed, grades, wind drag factor, etc.). The burn measurements are often extremely imprecise, yet the vast majority of people are perfectly capable of filling their cars up with fuel before they run out of gas.

    Perfect analogy
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    Heres one: If you don't break a sweat during your workout you aren't working out.

    I find it amazing that so many out-of-shape people in my gym never seem to experience any discomfort and can walk out as clean and as dry as they walked in.

    ... or maybe it's just me. I end up looking like a miserable wet dog even on days where it's all weights and no cardio. lol

    ... or maybe they are in shape and I'm out of shape. hmmmmm

    I row regularly in a double (2-person rowing shell), with two different people. Me, I sweat like a lawn sprinkler. I'm that wet dog. M, my most frequent double partner, also sweats copiously. J, the other partner, might sweat a little if it's 90+ degrees F, otherwise, not much. Boat speed similar. Fitness pretty similar. I think all of us are getting a similarly good workout. I worry that J could have health issues if it's really hot outside, though. So far, hasn't happened.

    I've read about it - many causes. Some genetic and some health related. A lot of people are just not hydrated enough which will cause less sweating. I'm mostly talking about the people I see reading books on the treadmill walking 1mph or people doing 1 set per machine at 30% 1RM thinking they are workin' it. ;)

    I don't know, on recovery days I walk leisurely listening to audiobooks (I do sweat because I'm prone to sweating in the summer during even the lightest activities). 2 hours of that a day gives me 500 extra calories, is very beneficial for my health without stressing joints, and keeps my walking endurance up for hikes. To me, any sort of activity for any length of time is good, as long as you're not delusional about what it is you are doing and how much you are burning doing it (you are NOT burning 1000 calories doing 30 minutes of bootcamp no matter how hellish it feels).

    I always find it so interesting how some people sweat a lot and others just don't. At the gym most people I see doing cardio don't sweat at all but I am DRIPPING. SO much that I have to change my clothes halfway through they are so wet. I am so self conscious of it and its the reason I hate going to the gym with anyone lol.
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    jseams1234 wrote: »
    Heres one: If you don't break a sweat during your workout you aren't working out.

    I find it amazing that so many out-of-shape people in my gym never seem to experience any discomfort and can walk out as clean and as dry as they walked in.

    ... or maybe it's just me. I end up looking like a miserable wet dog even on days where it's all weights and no cardio. lol

    ... or maybe they are in shape and I'm out of shape. hmmmmm

    I row regularly in a double (2-person rowing shell), with two different people. Me, I sweat like a lawn sprinkler. I'm that wet dog. M, my most frequent double partner, also sweats copiously. J, the other partner, might sweat a little if it's 90+ degrees F, otherwise, not much. Boat speed similar. Fitness pretty similar. I think all of us are getting a similarly good workout. I worry that J could have health issues if it's really hot outside, though. So far, hasn't happened.

    I've read about it - many causes. Some genetic and some health related. A lot of people are just not hydrated enough which will cause less sweating. I'm mostly talking about the people I see reading books on the treadmill walking 1mph or people doing 1 set per machine at 30% 1RM thinking they are workin' it. ;)

    I don't know, on recovery days I walk leisurely listening to audiobooks (I do sweat because I'm prone to sweating in the summer during even the lightest activities). 2 hours of that a day gives me 500 extra calories, is very beneficial for my health without stressing joints, and keeps my walking endurance up for hikes. To me, any sort of activity for any length of time is good, as long as you're not delusional about what it is you are doing and how much you are burning doing it (you are NOT burning 1000 calories doing 30 minutes of bootcamp no matter how hellish it feels).

    I always find it so interesting how some people sweat a lot and others just don't. At the gym most people I see doing cardio don't sweat at all but I am DRIPPING. SO much that I have to change my clothes halfway through they are so wet. I am so self conscious of it and its the reason I hate going to the gym with anyone lol.

    Yup. I sweat though not really overly much, where as my sister sweats a ton. She has always sweat about 2-3x as much as me. I also cool down really quickly. *shrug*
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