An Argument Against Fast Food

CoachReddy

Before you flame without reading the post, please keep in mind that while I have not listed the sources, Brendan Brazier, top triathlete and nutritional specialist lists ALL his sources in his book (Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life). It would take pages to list them all here.

I'm not saying any diet is better than another, just that I found this quite interesting to read, and thought others might too.

A calorie is defined as a measure of food energy. It might seem logical, then, to assume that the more calories consumed, the more energy our body is supplied with. Of course, we know this is not the case, otherwise people with the highest energy would be those who eat at fast food restaurants. By simply consuming more calories, we are not guaranteed more energy. Many conventional nutrition books would have us believe that if we expend a certain amount of energy, it can be quantified and replaced. They suggest that by simply adhering to calorie counts, with no consideration of other factors, we can accurately gauge the amount of food we need to consume to maintain low body weight and high energy. But it doesn't work that way.

Unfortunately, most foods in the average North American's diet require almost as much energy to assimilate as they contain, because while they are high in calories, they are low in nutrients. The nutritional value of food stated on the food packaging label refers to what is in the food - not what the body actually gets from it. By consuming more easily assimilated foods, you can conserve a large amount of energy, therefore reducing stress in the body, and helping with recovery. There are two main reasons for this. First, foods in their natural, nutrient-dense state can be digested and assimilated with less energy expenditure than processed, refined foods. Second, when more nutrient-rich foods are present in the diet, the body does not have to eat as much as if it were fed less nutrient-rich foods. Today, I consume 30 percent fewer calories than I did just two years ago, yet I have more energy - by means of conservation, rather than consumption.

Essentially the point is this: because fast food is not nutritionally dense, your body has to work harder to get fewer nutrients, which is a WASTE of energy. Energy that could otherwise be used on anything from recovery - which would allow you to train harder and more often - to mental energy, to just feeling better in your day to day life. The more steam lined your system, and the less it has to work to digest the food you introduce, the better YOU will operate. The more weight you'll lose. The better you will feel.

But hey, I'm not here to say you HAVE to do it. I'm not even saying you should! If you'd rather eat fast food because you really enjoy it, then I would never advocate giving it up! But if your goals are to perform better and to feel better, not just lose weight, it may be worth considering.

Have at it. And let's try and keep it civil, K?

KitKB

Just another reason in a long list of reasons not to eat Fast Food...

Good to know!

sunsnstatheart

One word: "ELITE" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

infamousmk

But sometimes, you just need a dirty cheeseburger.

Chief_Rocka

No one has ever suggested that a significant portion of your diet should be comprised of fast food.

Strawman is made of straw.

Saaaam42

But sometimes, you just need a dirty cheeseburger.

THIS.

corn63

Reading it just really makes me want a double cheese from McDonalds. I'll blame you for this in my diary.

ironanimal

Couldn't one argue that the increased TEF from having to process nutritionally sparse foods would have a positive impact on weightloss?

CoachReddy

No one has ever suggested that a significant portion of your diet should be comprised of fast food.

Strawman is made of straw.

even if it's a small portion of your diet, the body still wastes energy trying to assimilate it. it's still a net loss in energy compared to the nutrient-dense alternative.

MiloBloom83

It's sure good though. I love a good bacon cheeseburger.

pastryari

Why does everyone keep trying to take cheeseburgers away from me? :sad: :sad: :sad:

AlongCame_Molly

awesome post!

cdwater

I understand the point, however, I happen to work at a fast food chain so at least 1 meal a day is from there. I make good choices and have lost 29 pounds and over 12 inches so far. Not all fast food is bad. Most places have good choices it just takes research.

cm196250

Awesome message!!!!!!!
I for one, never eat fast food, because most all of it is found to be processed foods!

n0ob

No one has ever suggested that a significant portion of your diet should be comprised of fast food.

Strawman is made of straw.

even if it's a small portion of your diet, the body still wastes energy trying to assimilate it. it's still a net loss in energy compared to the nutrient-dense alternative.

so by that logic, your body uses more calories to process fast food, wouldn't that be a postive for people trying to lose weight? That would be like one of those anecdotal finding like the value of nuts in the nurses health study that nut companies like to cite...

DontStopB_Leakin

l33t OP is l33t.

MoreBean13

There's a lot of people with pretty elite results that are a pretty compelling argument for eating what you want as part of a balanced diet.

penrbrown

I like french fries. McDonald's fries to be specific. I shall not stop eating them. EVER. You can't stop me coach. YOU CAN'T!

PottsvilleCurse1925

But what am I supposed to eat to feel better when I'm hung over?

quirkytizzy

I hold no illusions that my beloved Big Mac's are good for me. I might come in under my calorie goal and even feel a little victorious - but you are right - they just ain't that damn good for me.

Chief_Rocka

No one has ever suggested that a significant portion of your diet should be comprised of fast food.

Strawman is made of straw.

even if it's a small portion of your diet, the body still wastes energy trying to assimilate it. it's still a net loss in energy compared to the nutrient-dense alternative.

So less nutrient dense foods have a higher TEF?