Can't out-train a bad diet? Why not?

Longbowgilly

Hi,

Just wondering why it is the accepted norm that you can't out train a bad diet.
I am just curious.
Has anyone managed to do it?

melaniecheeks

Well, strictly speaking you CAN. But it's very difficult to burn 600 calories, whilst you could eat that in less than 2 minutes. Plus your body will respond and perform better when you put good stuff into it.

fatfudgery

Double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries and large coke: 1500 Cal.

Amount of time a 200lbs person would need to jog to burn off 1500 Cal: 2 hours.

That's just one meal, one day. Multiply it by three meals a day, seven days a week and it should become clear why it's extremely hard to outrun a crappy diet.

Longbowgilly

Thanks for the replies!

I figured it was mainly due to quantity in V quantity out.
So what about someone who keeps to calorie targets but eats poorer quality food rather than whole foods (unprocessed)?

I must say alk_509 your back looks great, good definition, bet you could draw a hefty bow with rhomboids like that!!:bigsmile:

fredgiblet

It can be done, many pro athletes have notoriously bad diets (a major contributor to them getting really fat later), but it's literally their jobs to be highly active. I also saw a show once that was stating that an average American diet in the frontier would have around 4000 calories per day, but they were working the land so they needed it all. An average person who using part of their free time to work out isn't going to be able to keep up.

melaniecheeks

Quality is important as well as quantity. I feel really sluggish if I dont drink enough water, my stomach complains if I have too many carbs and sugars, my hair and nails are better when I get some good fats, and I feel fuller and find it easier to preserve muscle when I get enough protein. Too much sodium (in processed foods, a Chinese meal etc) will make me retain water.

Finding the right balance for each individual takes time and a bit of trial and error.

MeanderingMammal

Just wondering why it is the accepted norm that you can't out train a bad diet.

Two aspects, calorie intake has already been covered, but the other one is nutrient balance. If one isn't eating enough carbs to fuel the exercise then performance suffers, and if not enough proteins and fats to recover then gains from training aren't consolidated.

The correct balance depends on training objectives.

Processed vs unprocessed isn't significant except where it makes nutrient balance difficult to achieve, with excess sodium being the obvious example.