Snickers diet?

crazylikefox

I really don't get the difference on MFP between eating healthy, and just eating Fiber One bars (for regularity!), a multivitamin (so we don't get scurvy), and Snickers (for deliciousness) all day every day. Doesn't fat, carbs, and protein ultimately all get turned into the same thing - glucose?

The way I understand it, the body uses glucose for energy, and stores excess as fat. If the body needs energy, it can take fat or muscle (protein) and turn it into glucose? We need fiber to poop, and we need vitamins for healthy skin and coat.

Basically I eat a lot of junk food (diary is open to friends, this much I know). I know I need to stop existing purely on diet soda, pizza, and Chinese food but right now it seems to be working for me. MFP works whether I eat a salad or a burger as long as I get my deficit. I know people who have existed for years without vegetables, yet I know they are critical, but I don't understand exactly where my motivation is to change my tasty tasty lifestyle?

jarrettd

Lou Schuler, author of New Rules of Lifting for Women, says it best: "Everything works. Nothing works forever."

SHBoss1673

well, it's as much about how LONG the body takes to digest food as it is about what kind of food it is. By that I mean, things that are highly processed are easy to break down in the body, which means all the nutrients are transfered to the body in a very rapid progression, besides it being turned into fat it spikes the blood sugar which, if done regularly can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Foods with complex carbohydrates need their bonds broken before the polysaccharides can be turned into glucose.

So that's the first problem you have to understand.

second, vitamin pills aren't broken down in the body the same way food is, so receiving your micro-nutrients all via vitamins might keep you alive, but it's not how the body was designed to work, it's far less efficient, and will eventually cause long term deficiencies, it may take years for these problems to manifest, but it will happen.

the third part is about fat itself.

even though fat is a fuel source, it's not the one the body likes to use, the body likes glucose, and will always try to use that first for most things, eating a lot of highly processed food increases fat stores, which causes the body chemistry to change and ultimately leads to health problems (such as the above mentioned diabetes for example, among others).

these are some top of my head answers to your questions.

hope they help clear it up for you.

Dom_m

I don't understand exactly where my motivation is to change my tasty tasty lifestyle?

You're cutting maybe 10-15 years off your life. If you want to see your grandkids you need to get real. That's it. You can be thin even if you eat nothing but the Snickers. But you'll have high medical bills and die young.

suziecue66

You may do fine eating just crap. Some people have really strong constitutions. You see even so called healthy people get cancers, die young of some disease. But why would you miss out on the foods you could eat - fruit, veggies, meats, etc. It just sounds so boring.

tashaa1992

Hm I believe in everything in moderation. If knowing eating your fresh fruit and vegetables will help your body, cholesterol, etc, won't change your outlook on it, maybe considering it could give you really bad skin might? It may work for you but balance is the key.
xxx

LuckyLeprechaun

Please google: Twinkie diet.

You don't have to give up your tasty food. But if you want to be slim and trim, you're going to have to bust your butt to earn all those calories.

You are about to hear a LOT of responses about how clean eating will lengthen your life, and "junk" food will harm you, but if you're active enough to be using up the calories you consume, you are going to be very very healthy.Reagrdless of how often you eat tasty stuff.

My friends list is filled with gorgeous, rock hard bodies, and they belong to people who eat pasta, and chocolate, and fast food and oreos. ALL. THE. TIME.

funkycamper

Most of the advice I read from people here on MFP or other fitness gurus that I trust because they do their research and it's not all hype indicate that if you eat healthy 80-90% of the time (the percentage varies), that you can enjoy some junk the other 10-20% of the time. I don't know if I meet those percentages but I do try to eat healthy most meals but I don't turn away junk food, candy, or baked goodies if it fits into my calorie target for the week and I want it. But I don't think all junk food is doing your body any favors or giving you proper fuel. I think it's all about finding a good balance.

seekingstrengthX2

I don't understand exactly where my motivation is to change my tasty tasty lifestyle?

You're cutting maybe 10-15 years off your life. If you want to see your grandkids you need to get real. That's it. You can be thin even if you eat nothing but the Snickers. But you'll have high medical bills and die young.

Yes, this. Are you serious? Geez.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Most people here actually want to be healthy.
That is apparently not the case with you.
That's cool for you, I suppose.

You can weigh the perfect weight and still not be healthy.

I beg to differ............most people on this site don't care about health concerns and such, I debate with many of them almost every day............. They just worry about the calories losing weight.

I could actually care less about the weight, I just want to be healthy.

suziecue66

Most people here actually want to be healthy.
That is apparently not the case with you.
That's cool for you, I suppose.

You can weigh the perfect weight and still not be healthy.

I beg to differ............most people on this site don't care about health concerns and such, I debate with many of them almost every day............. They just worry about the calories losing weight.

I could actually care less about the weight, I just want to be healthy.

I care about healthy eating and losing the weight. You can be healthy carrying excess weight but without the excess weight you may be even healthier.

AntWrig

I don't understand exactly where my motivation is to change my tasty tasty lifestyle?

You're cutting maybe 10-15 years off your life. If you want to see your grandkids you need to get real. That's it. You can be thin even if you eat nothing but the Snickers. But you'll have high medical bills and die young.

Please explain.

As long as I take a multivitamin I am good.

AntWrig

Most people here actually want to be healthy.
That is apparently not the case with you.
That's cool for you, I suppose.

You can weigh the perfect weight and still not be healthy.

Most people want to look good naked. Period.
Health is secondary benefit.

JaySpice

I really don't get the difference on MFP between eating healthy, and just eating Fiber One bars (for regularity!), a multivitamin (so we don't get scurvy), and Snickers (for deliciousness) all day every day. Doesn't fat, carbs, and protein ultimately all get turned into the same thing - glucose?

The way I understand it, the body uses glucose for energy, and stores excess as fat. If the body needs energy, it can take fat or muscle (protein) and turn it into glucose? We need fiber to poop, and we need vitamins for healthy skin and coat.

Basically I eat a lot of junk food (diary is open to friends, this much I know). I know I need to stop existing purely on diet soda, pizza, and Chinese food but right now it seems to be working for me. MFP works whether I eat a salad or a burger as long as I get my deficit. I know people who have existed for years without vegetables, yet I know they are critical, but I don't understand exactly where my motivation is to change my tasty tasty lifestyle?

Yo. Motivation has to come within. If you want to eat snickers everyday for the rest of you life. Do it.

crazylikefox

well, it's as much about how LONG the body takes to digest food as it is about what kind of food it is. By that I mean, things that are highly processed are easy to break down in the body, which means all the nutrients are transfered to the body in a very rapid progression, besides it being turned into fat it spikes the blood sugar which, if done regularly can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Foods with complex carbohydrates need their bonds broken before the polysaccharides can be turned into glucose.

So that's the first problem you have to understand.

second, vitamin pills aren't broken down in the body the same way food is, so receiving your micro-nutrients all via vitamins might keep you alive, but it's not how the body was designed to work, it's far less efficient, and will eventually cause long term deficiencies, it may take years for these problems to manifest, but it will happen.

the third part is about fat itself.

even though fat is a fuel source, it's not the one the body likes to use, the body likes glucose, and will always try to use that first for most things, eating a lot of highly processed food increases fat stores, which causes the body chemistry to change and ultimately leads to health problems (such as the above mentioned diabetes for example, among others).

these are some top of my head answers to your questions.

hope they help clear it up for you.

Thank you so much for this reply! This is what I love, the science behind the scenes. This makes much more sense to me now than calories in, calories out. I would love to hear more about how the body processes different kinds of foods. It is really hard to research this without getting pointed to various fad diets. Knowledge is power and understanding how the body works really is vital to health.

It makes sense that the body doesn't want to use fat first the same way it makes sense that fat tastes good. The body wants us to eat it and to keep it. I'm just begining to understand blood sugar, and why it is so hard for diabetics to lose weight. Insulin lets the cells use glucose for fuel. So if the cells can't use the glucose because they don't respond well to the insulin, then the glucose gets stored as fat. Meanwhile your cells are starving for energy, right? And is this why diet soda is bad, because the sweet taste makes your brain think "Sugar!" so it releases insulin to utilize the glucose, but there is no sugar there. This maybe causes a craving for sugar, the unused insulin? I drink at least three cans of the diet every day and I would love to break myself of this habit.

Also, I would like to state outright that I am not seriously advocating eating junk all day every day. I know that it is not healthy, I am trying to understand the science behind why. I was trying to use humor while at the same time gain knowledge. If I could market a Snickers Diet and make myself ridiculously rich I wouldn't do it. I know what its like to struggle with my body (the same way some people struggle with satire) and the only magic solution is to eat right and exercise.

jimmie25

well, who needs a healthy heart anyway. once yours gives up, they'll just put you on the transplant list, so you get a new one from a person that had to die in an accident or something. i mean **** happens, right? .... :huh:

cheyniemama

[/quote]

Thank you so much for this reply! This is what I love, the science behind the scenes.

[/quote]

I am interested in both losing weight AND improving health, but I did wonder some of the same questions you were asking. I am taking a nutrition class right now and it is facinating, learning the ins and outs of WHY eating healthy is good, and exactly what your body needs, etc.

That said, I am no expert, but it sure seems like the "snickers" diet is out

(at least in the long term, lol)

JaySpice

Most people here actually want to be healthy.
That is apparently not the case with you.
That's cool for you, I suppose.

You can weigh the perfect weight and still not be healthy.

This. Basically.

3laine75

why dont you try having a 'treat' or 'spike' day where you eat all the crap you love - i do too btw. if you save a few calories from other days it shouldn't harm your weight loss. and sorry to sound boring but if you eat healthier the rest of the week you will feel so much better.

i'm no expert but i'm pretty sure your body can't carry on indeffinately on carbs and sugar - sure your body may burn up some muscle but you need to put protein in in the first place to make new cells. you can do without either enough fat or enough carbs (its not good for you either) but you CAN'T do without protein.

once you get out of the habit of eating this stuff you will want it less and less. YES, i still eat snickers, pizza, chinese and pasta but its the exception now and not the rule.

try it for a week and see how you feel

crazylikefox

Please google: Twinkie diet.

You don't have to give up your tasty food. But if you want to be slim and trim, you're going to have to bust your butt to earn all those calories.

You are about to hear a LOT of responses about how clean eating will lengthen your life, and "junk" food will harm you, but if you're active enough to be using up the calories you consume, you are going to be very very healthy.Reagrdless of how often you eat tasty stuff.

My friends list is filled with gorgeous, rock hard bodies, and they belong to people who eat pasta, and chocolate, and fast food and oreos. ALL. THE. TIME.

Thank you for this post! I did google the Twinkie Diet and it made me sit back a little and marvel at how really adaptive and amazing our bodies can be! From what I've seen on MFP so far, the people who eat the least amount of relatively healthy foods are the ones who struggle the most. The ones who eat a higher calorie intake and then workout consistently have the best success. We need to get some pleasure and satiety from eating. Right now I do martial arts two days a week, and on those days my food intake doubles but I still lose weight. I feel more contented (and sore) on those days. It's like the reward for working out is sexy muscles and a cheeseburger if I want it.

TurnLeftNow

You just have to try and find the right motivation for you.

Personally, I eat A LOT of chocolate... or I did eat a lot of chocolate. My motivation to cut it down, is that chocolate and candy is destroying my teeth. I have tons of cavities and having bad teeth can lead to many more serious problems, like infections in the gums and even death. My motivation is protecting my teeth. I also noticed that my skin was just AWFUL when I was eating poorly. Now that I have added nutritious foods into my diet, my skin has cleared up a lot. I don't look as old and aged as I did before.

Those are my biggest motivators for staying healthier. You just have to find something that matters to you and use that as your motivation.

3laine75

fat is not the prefered fuel of the body if you have buggered up your metabolism through dieting, especially if you are near to your goal weight. your body adapts to survive and would rather burn muscle - than fat stores that are hard to access - when there is a big calorie deficit. you have to put fat into your body to encourage it to use your fat stores.

if stored fat was the preferred fuel the weight would be dropping off us all and we wouldn't need advice

3laine75

Are you nuts? You are selfish. You obviously don't care about your health but for the people who love you who'll have to see you die young, get cancer and other diseases, that sucks.
You need a reality check ASAP.

probably not helpful

ishallnotwant

This thread is making me seriously crave a Snickers. :drinker:

3laine75

[/quote]

Fat is the preferred energy source, that's what you're burning mostly through your daily activities. As you probably know increasing the intensity, the body will turn over to a more glycogen based
[/quote]


this is not true - wish it was, i'd be skinny

MizSaz

There is no way to eat nothing but garbage and have it be ok because you take a vitamin. The vitamin might give you nutrients, but it's not going to undo the damage that eating metric tons of processed foods will eventually do to you. You can be skinny or fat, and still suffer from severe malnutrition.

timaeus_drache

Are you nuts? You are selfish. You obviously don't care about your health but for the people who love you who'll have to see you die young, get cancer and other diseases, that sucks.
You need a reality check ASAP.

ITT people respond after reading the first post and nothing else.

islandjumper

fat is not the prefered fuel of the body if you have buggered up your metabolism through dieting, especially if you are near to your goal weight. your body adapts to survive and would rather burn muscle - than fat stores that are hard to access - when there is a big calorie deficit. you have to put fat into your body to encourage it to use your fat stores.

if stored fat was the preferred fuel the weight would be dropping off us all and we wouldn't need advice

Every time you BREATHE you're using fat as energy. What runs all the processes in the body, breaking bonds, transporting vitamins and minerals... etc... most energy in the body comes from fat. There are a few organs that run on glucose, the brain being one of them.

The issue with using protein as energy, is due to intensity, or "lack of protein" your body will use amino acids when supplies are short. If you're not consuming enough protein amino acids from the muscle will be used to repair vital organs, and yes converted to glucose( IN HIGH INTENSITY SITUATIONS), such as weight lifting.

Sorry, but no...fat is not the body's preferred source of energy. It's actually the food type the body least prefers...carbs and proteins are much more efficient for the body to break down to a usable form (glycogen) and use for energy.
Stored fat is there as a means of storage so if you're ever in a starvation type situation you don't drop dead. The body doesn't like using these stores if it doesn't have to.
It's favorite energy source are carbohydrates. They're simple enough to break down ( a whole process involving ATP to ADP).

suziecue66

The body will burn what you give it. If you eat a breakfast with all macros the body will use the carbs first. It does this because too much sugar in the blood is toxic so needs to deal with it asap and return levels to normal. The fat eaten will be stored for future use. If you don't eat anything between breakfast and lunch the body will need to pull some fat from the body fat stores to use for energy. If you constantly over-eat the body never has the need to pull much from the body fat stores. We don't know for sure that over-eating carbohydrates is the cause of insulin resistance. It could just be obesity itself. But we also have skinny people that are insulin resistant. Also excess fatty acids in your body may interfere with the receptors on cells and this can cause insulin resistance. Bottom line is that for some macro percentages may make the diet easier to comply with, may suit them better but in the end it comes down to calories in and out which determines if you gain or lose.

foremant86

Most people here actually want to be healthy.
That is apparently not the case with you.
That's cool for you, I suppose.

You can weigh the perfect weight and still not be healthy.

This ^

Being skinny doesn't mean you're healthy, sure you may lose all the weight you want with your horrible diet but you won't be healthy in the end.

AntWrig

fat is not the prefered fuel of the body if you have buggered up your metabolism through dieting, especially if you are near to your goal weight. your body adapts to survive and would rather burn muscle - than fat stores that are hard to access - when there is a big calorie deficit. you have to put fat into your body to encourage it to use your fat stores.

if stored fat was the preferred fuel the weight would be dropping off us all and we wouldn't need advice

Every time you BREATHE you're using fat as energy. What runs all the processes in the body, breaking bonds, transporting vitamins and minerals... etc... most energy in the body comes from fat. There are a few organs that run on glucose, the brain being one of them.

The issue with using protein as energy, is due to intensity, or "lack of protein" your body will use amino acids when supplies are short. If you're not consuming enough protein amino acids from the muscle will be used to repair vital organs, and yes converted to glucose( IN HIGH INTENSITY SITUATIONS), such as weight lifting.

Sorry, but no...fat is not the body's preferred source of energy. It's actually the food type the body least prefers...carbs and proteins are much more efficient for the body to break down to a usable form (glycogen) and use for energy.
Stored fat is there as a means of storage so if you're ever in a starvation type situation you don't drop dead. The body doesn't like using these stores if it doesn't have to.
It's favorite energy source are carbohydrates. They're simple enough to break down ( a whole process involving ATP to ADP).

What don't you guys understand??? FAT produces the most ATP per molecule... Anyone who is semi educated in metabolic pathways would tell you this. A good example is low intensity exercise and high intensity exercise. At low intensity, what is the energy source mostly used? What is the "Fat burning zone?" low intensity.... As intensity increases, the metabolic pathway changes, to a glucose based system. What does "Aerobic even mean?" with oxygen, you burn most fat in your aerobic zone.
Aerobic is based on oxygen and the kreb cycle. Uses Fatty acids, and O2(oxygen) to make pyruvic acid, which is then converted to CO2 and H2O...

Glucose is used in the anaerobic system.... If you're sitting at your desk, or just watching tv laying in bed, are you in a anaerobic state? NO... you're aerobic, burning fat through the kreb cycle.

This..