Why you should cut out/lower sodium, sugar or carbs
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You should not consume excess sodium, OP. Not going to run on with the sugar or carbs but excessive sodium consumption is very problematic.
I'm not talking about extreme excess. I'm talking about a small/moderate amount over.
So what is the actual level where it goes from okay to excessive?
I've seen so many people on this forum say, "My sugar is over a little, my sodium is over by 300" etc. Everyone is turning this post into something that it's not. I'm not telling people what to do, I'm not saying that a diet of only sweets and snacks is healthy. I'm simply stating that if you are healthy, there is no reason you should keep yourself from eating pasta if you want it, enjoying an ice cream, or taking in a little too much salt for the day.
I do agree with some of your edited OP. Demonizing food for the sake of it is not helpful. But educating people of the benefits or lack of benefits is.
I think where a lot of people get upset (people who are anti cutting food) is in the terminology used by people who decide to use words like 'stop eating sugar or I am addicted to sugar and need to cut back on it,.
We're all intelligent adults and know what these people actually mean.
After a long hike I sometimes whine to my wife that my feet are killing me - I'm not actually saying that because my feet are sore I am going to die - it's just terminology.
I think people focus on sugar because it is a quick fix to reducing calories and that is what most peoples goal is - to eat in a deficit or to maintain and cutting back on sugar intake is an efficient way to do that without compromising on nutrition.
Off all the food groups it probably offers us the least amount of nutrition back for the cost in calories and it is not an essential food group.
I would agree with a lot of people that eat sugar that I certainly makes things taste good, but then again that's subjective as I personally would rather have a plate of crispy pork belly (with the fat on) than a bar of chocolate or a donut.
Also IMO it is advisable to limit the amount of processed foods, but only due to the possible amount of man made trans fats we COULD be consuming. The WHO advises a daily intake of no more than 2grams. In America food producers do not have to include the trans fats on their labels if the content is less than 0.5grams. Which means that on a 2000 calorie plus diet if we consume a fair amount of processed food, it leaves a bit of margin to be hitting the 2grams or going over it - but as I said that's my opinion.
I think the thing to respect is that if people want to reduce their calorie intake (which if they are looking to lose weight, should be applauded) let them do it in a way that best suits them.
Totally agree with salt though - unless you have a medical condition, the more salt the better (it makes food taste great).
No, no, no. The more salt the higher blood pressure. But I'll concede that you probably won't use TOO much salt anyway....My concern is stemming from the fact that I come from a culture where we use a lot of salt...a whole lot of salt...really too much salt. (Just trust me on this one.) As a result a very large percentage of our population has high blood pressure. You and your friends and family probably don't use anything close to what I would consider too much salt on a regular basis, unless you're eating fast food all the time, so we're most likely good.0 -
and that you can eat some chocolate cake if you want it.
If you have calories spare and have covered your bases on micro nutrients then sure eat cake.
But that's all cake really offers (unless it's carrot cake, which counts as one of your five a day) is a quick source of glucose, not much else. If you've got calories to blow then, cakes an enjoyable thing to blow them on.
Stop saying blow.0 -
I think it's more about calories in vs calories stored!
I shouldn't think anyone on such a high sugar diet would necessarily be using those particular units of calories as energy for that particular day.
If you are in deficit, you will.
Plain and simple.
That is the whole point of being in deficit,
To be in a spot where your body must resort to other sources of energy, to keep things running.
Again, see exhibit A "The Twinkie Diet"0 -
None of them things make you fat, excess calories do. Doesn't matter if they're in the form of chocolate or potato, eating excess calories cause weight gain not specific foods.0
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It isn't about discipline. No one eats chocolate cake because they need to fuel their body (with the possible exception of a student in need of a sugar buzz). We eat stuff like that because we want to enjoy the tastes, textures, and yes, that nice all over sensation that is a sugar buzz. So if you get your food enjoyment with a sliver and I don't get it until half the cake is gone, it has nothing to do with self control or discipline.
Edit: An example you might understand.
Take a crumb of chocolate cake and eat it. Now stop. Was it worth bothering? One crumb? Doubtful.
I could eat a crumb of cake and be fine....
I will have chocolate at times, but I limit it.
My big fave chocoloate??
Reeces Peanut Butter cups.
I can demolish a bag of those, in one sitting.
Do I?
Nope....
I have some in the house right now, laying out on a table.
I can easily walk over and grab 1 or 2 and then stop.....
Why??
Because I know if I sit and consume too many, it will set me back with what I am trying to achieve....
And it will bloat me.
My other big fave food
Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuits from Hardee's....
I would eat like two or 3 of those daily....have not had one in a while.
I could go and order one now, and eat it....and be fine at 1.
Again,
Choice, self control, discipline, keeping my eye on the goals I have....0 -
This is why I like using MFP in conjunction with my Withings Pulse. The medical literature year over year for as long as I know has always consistently shown that reducing calories is the single biggest driver in reducing weight, even if those calories eaten are empty, energy in means energy needs to go out. Keeping a watch on things like sugar [which yogurt has tons of
if you buy major brands] will kill you in calories, many people who loose a good amount of initial weight do so buy cutting surgar, soda is a huge offender in that category.
The rule of thumb is still what goes in must come out, and watching things like sodium (chain restaraunts love to give you 2 days worth in one meal) and sugar along with calories will in the end help drop weight and hopefully help change habits and perceptions.0 -
and that you can eat some chocolate cake if you want it.
If you have calories spare and have covered your bases on micro nutrients then sure eat cake.
But that's all cake really offers (unless it's carrot cake, which counts as one of your five a day) is a quick source of glucose, not much else. If you've got calories to blow then, cakes an enjoyable thing to blow them on.
Stop saying blow.
Lol - just sticking with the drug theme!
Or are you thinking of something else?0 -
You should not consume excess sodium, OP. Not going to run on with the sugar or carbs but excessive sodium consumption is very problematic.
I'm not talking about extreme excess. I'm talking about a small/moderate amount over.
So what is the actual level where it goes from okay to excessive?
I've seen so many people on this forum say, "My sugar is over a little, my sodium is over by 300" etc. Everyone is turning this post into something that it's not. I'm not telling people what to do, I'm not saying that a diet of only sweets and snacks is healthy. I'm simply stating that if you are healthy, there is no reason you should keep yourself from eating pasta if you want it, enjoying an ice cream, or taking in a little too much salt for the day.
I do agree with some of your edited OP. Demonizing food for the sake of it is not helpful. But educating people of the benefits or lack of benefits is.
I think where a lot of people get upset (people who are anti cutting food) is in the terminology used by people who decide to use words like 'stop eating sugar or I am addicted to sugar and need to cut back on it,.
We're all intelligent adults and know what these people actually mean.
After a long hike I sometimes whine to my wife that my feet are killing me - I'm not actually saying that because my feet are sore I am going to die - it's just terminology.
I think people focus on sugar because it is a quick fix to reducing calories and that is what most peoples goal is - to eat in a deficit or to maintain and cutting back on sugar intake is an efficient way to do that without compromising on nutrition.
Off all the food groups it probably offers us the least amount of nutrition back for the cost in calories and it is not an essential food group.
I would agree with a lot of people that eat sugar that I certainly makes things taste good, but then again that's subjective as I personally would rather have a plate of crispy pork belly (with the fat on) than a bar of chocolate or a donut.
Also IMO it is advisable to limit the amount of processed foods, but only due to the possible amount of man made trans fats we COULD be consuming. The WHO advises a daily intake of no more than 2grams. In America food producers do not have to include the trans fats on their labels if the content is less than 0.5grams. Which means that on a 2000 calorie plus diet if we consume a fair amount of processed food, it leaves a bit of margin to be hitting the 2grams or going over it - but as I said that's my opinion.
I think the thing to respect is that if people want to reduce their calorie intake (which if they are looking to lose weight, should be applauded) let them do it in a way that best suits them.
Totally agree with salt though - unless you have a medical condition, the more salt the better (it makes food taste great).
No, no, no. The more salt the higher blood pressure. But I'll concede that you probably won't use TOO much salt anyway....My concern is stemming from the fact that I come from a culture where we use a lot of salt...a whole lot of salt...really too much salt. (Just trust me on this one.) As a result a very large percentage of our population has high blood pressure. You and your friends and family probably don't use anything close to what I would consider too much salt on a regular basis, unless you're eating fast food all the time, so we're most likely good.
You saltist!!!
Agreed there such a thing as too much salt - I once ruined an omelette going down that particular road.
But in regards to too much in an actual diet - not sure that conventional wisdom still stacks up!0 -
You know I should have mentioned it earlier, but I do have one medical condition that might account for at least part of my half-the-cake-scarfing ways.
I'm ADD, and when I'm on my medication, I can eat one serving of cake and be done. I still ate too much sugar, though. In fact, I pretty much ran on sugar all through college. It was my brain fuel. But I never remember sitting down to a ridiculous serving size of anything, even when I was really hungry. I just snacked on regular size portions of junk all day.0 -
It isn't about discipline. No one eats chocolate cake because they need to fuel their body (with the possible exception of a student in need of a sugar buzz). We eat stuff like that because we want to enjoy the tastes, textures, and yes, that nice all over sensation that is a sugar buzz. So if you get your food enjoyment with a sliver and I don't get it until half the cake is gone, it has nothing to do with self control or discipline.
Edit: An example you might understand.
Take a crumb of chocolate cake and eat it. Now stop. Was it worth bothering? One crumb? Doubtful.
I could eat a crumb of cake and be fine....
I will have chocolate at times, but I limit it.
My big fave chocoloate??
Reeces Peanut Butter cups.
I can demolish a bag of those, in one sitting.
Do I?
Nope....
I have some in the house right now, laying out on a table.
I can easily walk over and grab 1 or 2 and then stop.....
Why??
Because I know if I sit and consume too many, it will set me back with what I am trying to achieve....
And it will bloat me.
My other big fave food
Bacon, Egg and Cheese biscuits from Hardee's....
I would eat like two or 3 of those daily....have not had one in a while.
I could go and order one now, and eat it....and be fine at 1.
Again,
Choice, self control, discipline, keeping my eye on the goals I have....
You left out the part where you have a tiny portion, and then part of your brain pesters you all day for more, and how annoying that is and how it cuts into your concentration and saps your extra energy. Does that not happen to you? Because it does to me. Which is why I only keep in the house what I'm going to eat that day.0 -
You left out the part where you have a tiny portion, and then part of your brain pesters you all day for more, and how annoying that is and how it cuts into your concentration and saps your extra energy. Does that not happen to you? Because it does to me. Which is why I only keep in the house what I'm going to eat that day.
Nope...doesn't happen to me.
Case in point, I buy Almond butter w/ coconut in it....
LOVE IT!!!
I could sit and eat the whole jar.....
But I eat the serving that allows me to meet my macro goals for the day and then stop.
Again because I have my goals in mind all the time and what I want......
achieving anything begins in the mind.
And also cause that crap costs me $9 for a small jar of it. :mad: :mad: :grumble: :grumble:0 -
I think it's more about calories in vs calories stored!
I shouldn't think anyone on such a high sugar diet would necessarily be using those particular units of calories as energy for that particular day.
If you are in deficit, you will.
Plain and simple.
That is the whole point of being in deficit,
To be in a spot where your body must resort to other sources of energy, to keep things running.
Again, see exhibit A "The Twinkie Diet"
A very simplistic view. The likelihood is that the actual calories you consume (which are excessively high in sugar - as in the twinkie diet) will probably stay in the body for days, weeks or months after they have been eaten.
What will be used is body fat which has previously been stored from a day, week or month ago.
I was just pointing out that just because you consume calories today, the energy you burn will not necessarily be from the calories you consume that day - its not as simple as calories in vs calories out.
Not all of the calories you consume on any given day will necessarily be used as energy to fuel the body, either that day - or ever.
The concept of eating in a calorie deficit to lose weight is sound, but a bit more complicated than people make out.0 -
You know I should have mentioned it earlier, but I do have one medical condition that might account for at least part of my half-the-cake-scarfing ways.
I'm ADD, and when I'm on my medication, I can eat one serving of cake and be done. I still ate too much sugar, though. In fact, I pretty much ran on sugar all through college. It was my brain fuel. But I never remember sitting down to a ridiculous serving size of anything, even when I was really hungry. I just snacked on regular size portions of junk all day.
So then it does sound like it is a matter of discipline and self control....
Isn't that was ADD meds do?
help you exert control over what you would prefer to do naturally?0 -
You left out the part where you have a tiny portion, and then part of your brain pesters you all day for more, and how annoying that is and how it cuts into your concentration and saps your extra energy. Does that not happen to you? Because it does to me. Which is why I only keep in the house what I'm going to eat that day.
Nope...doesn't happen to me.
Case in point, I buy Almond butter w/ coconut in it....
LOVE IT!!!
I could sit and eat the whole jar.....
But I eat the serving that allows me to meet my macro goals for the day and then stop.
Again because I have my goals in mind all the time and what I want......
achieving anything begins in the mind.
And also cause that crap costs me $9 for a small jar of it. :mad: :mad: :grumble: :grumble:
See? Brains might be wired different. So what works for you won't work for me.
And yet, I intermittent fast. Sometimes I go two days with little to no food, something the guy who came up with 5:2 thought would be too difficult for people to comply with, and that is the only reason he said don't do consecutive days. It's a breeze for me. My brain will nag at me once in awhile, but I tell it to shut up and it does. Yet I have chocolate for breakfast and it's like a toddler screaming MORE! in my ear all day.
Makes no sense, I admit, but there it is.0 -
You know I should have mentioned it earlier, but I do have one medical condition that might account for at least part of my half-the-cake-scarfing ways.
I'm ADD, and when I'm on my medication, I can eat one serving of cake and be done. I still ate too much sugar, though. In fact, I pretty much ran on sugar all through college. It was my brain fuel. But I never remember sitting down to a ridiculous serving size of anything, even when I was really hungry. I just snacked on regular size portions of junk all day.
So then it does sound like it is a matter of discipline and self control....
Isn't that was ADD meds do?
help you exert control over what you would prefer to do naturally?
Actually, last I heard, they don't know why ADD meds work. It does have to do with impulse control, but I suspect you see self control as a moral thing, and a lack as a moral failing, rather than a complex chemical process in the brain reinforced or not by environment but also independent of environment.0 -
A very simplistic view. The likelihood is that the actual calories you consume (which are excessively high in sugar - as in the twinkie diet) will probably stay in the body for days, weeks or months after they have been eaten.
What will be used is body fat which has previously been stored from a day, week or month ago.
I was just pointing out that just because you consume calories today, the energy you burn will not necessarily be from the calories you consume that day - its not as simple as calories in vs calories out.
Not all of the calories you consume on any given day will necessarily be used as energy to fuel the body, either that day - or ever.
The concept of eating in a calorie deficit to lose weight is sound, but a bit more complicated than people make out.
:noway: :noway: :noway: :noway: :huh: :huh: :huh: :huh:
Care to produce any studies on that??
Again, if you are in Deficit....consuming less than what you need......
Your body still keeps going, and will resort to other energy sources to make sure that happens....
You will burn energy from somewhere...whether it is muscle, fat or glucose
If you are in deficit.....
Your body has a natural desire to oxidize what it consumes.....
When we over consume, that is when our body stores it, and says "I will come back to you later, once I finish with this other stuff".....0 -
You know I should have mentioned it earlier, but I do have one medical condition that might account for at least part of my half-the-cake-scarfing ways.
I'm ADD, and when I'm on my medication, I can eat one serving of cake and be done. I still ate too much sugar, though. In fact, I pretty much ran on sugar all through college. It was my brain fuel. But I never remember sitting down to a ridiculous serving size of anything, even when I was really hungry. I just snacked on regular size portions of junk all day.
So then it does sound like it is a matter of discipline and self control....
Isn't that was ADD meds do?
help you exert control over what you would prefer to do naturally?
Actually, last I heard, they don't know why ADD meds work. It does have to do with impulse control, but I suspect you see self control as a moral thing, and a lack as a moral failing, rather than a complex chemical process in the brain reinforced or not by environment but also independent of environment.
I see it as a choice, in which I am in control of my body.
Do I succeed all the time??
No....
But I do try.
Like when I argue with my wife....
I could hurl down insults, cuss at her and all sorts of other things.
But I choose not too, because I don't want to hurt her.
When my kids screw up....
Again I can yell and scream at them....
But I choose not too, because I feel I might be able to accomplish more if I choose some other way to get their attention.0 -
This thread is rather exhausting....
For what it's worth, I used to be a binger. That turned into bulimia, which eventually turned into anorexia and bulimia. When I was getting healthy, I thought I was "in control" because I was eating. But, I was eliminating certain things that I knew I couldn't handle. It took me years to let peanut butter back in my life. Now, I eat it all the time and, yes, I can just have one portion.
Everyone needs to do what works for them. I will say though that life is much better and brighter now that I'm not scared of food. It takes a lot of discipline to learn how to walk away after one serving, but it is doable.
Jestinia, you are welcome to do whatever you like. I have zero interest in arguing with you.
If there are other readers who are struggling with this problem and DON'T want to live this way, rest assured that you don't have to. You can change your relationship with food.0 -
You know I should have mentioned it earlier, but I do have one medical condition that might account for at least part of my half-the-cake-scarfing ways.
I'm ADD, and when I'm on my medication, I can eat one serving of cake and be done. I still ate too much sugar, though. In fact, I pretty much ran on sugar all through college. It was my brain fuel. But I never remember sitting down to a ridiculous serving size of anything, even when I was really hungry. I just snacked on regular size portions of junk all day.
So then it does sound like it is a matter of discipline and self control....
Isn't that was ADD meds do?
help you exert control over what you would prefer to do naturally?
Actually, last I heard, they don't know why ADD meds work. It does have to do with impulse control, but I suspect you see self control as a moral thing, and a lack as a moral failing, rather than a complex chemical process in the brain reinforced or not by environment but also independent of environment.
I see it as a choice, in which I am in control of my body.
Do I succeed all the time??
No....
But I do try.
Like when I argue with my wife....
I could hurl down insults, cuss at her and all sorts of other things.
But I choose not too, because I don't want to hurt her.
When my kids screw up....
Again I can yell and scream at them....
But I choose not too, because I feel I might be able to accomplish more if I choose some other way to get their attention.
Yes, but why would I choose to have chocolate for breakfast, then deal with part of my brain annoying me all day for more, when I can choose to not have it very often? And why is it easier for me to choose to eat nothing on a given day than to eat say, 1200 calories of high carb, high sugar food? I argue it's because something is up with the brain wiring that makes an easy choice for one person difficult for another and vice versa.0 -
You left out the part where you have a tiny portion, and then part of your brain pesters you all day for more, and how annoying that is and how it cuts into your concentration and saps your extra energy. Does that not happen to you? Because it does to me. Which is why I only keep in the house what I'm going to eat that day.
Nope...doesn't happen to me.
Case in point, I buy Almond butter w/ coconut in it....
LOVE IT!!!
I could sit and eat the whole jar.....
But I eat the serving that allows me to meet my macro goals for the day and then stop.
Again because I have my goals in mind all the time and what I want......
achieving anything begins in the mind.
And also cause that crap costs me $9 for a small jar of it. :mad: :mad: :grumble: :grumble:
See? Brains might be wired different. So what works for you won't work for me.
And yet, I intermittent fast. Sometimes I go two days with little to no food, something the guy who came up with 5:2 thought would be too difficult for people to comply with, and that is the only reason he said don't do consecutive days. It's a breeze for me. My brain will nag at me once in awhile, but I tell it to shut up and it does. Yet I have chocolate for breakfast and it's like a toddler screaming MORE! in my ear all day.
Makes no sense, I admit, but there it is.
are there underlying emotional conditions associated with chocolate cake for you??
just wondering....
If you are able to exert control over your appetite to do that form of fasting.....
then perhaps there is something else going on....
Not so much that we are wired differently.
I know for some people, food is a comfort when they are stressed or upset.....
I am kinda the opposite...when I am stressed or upset, I could care less about food......
I have no desire to eat at all.0
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