Diet Cults...

J72FIT
J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just finished reading the book, Diet Cults by Matt Fitzgerald. Have to say, I think it explains a lot of the nonsense spewed on these boards...

Replies

  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    What, the Watermelon Diet doesn't have merit?
  • RedVonMunster
    RedVonMunster Posts: 18 Member
    I'm new to the boards, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? The typical "you have to go keto,paleo, Atkins, vegan, vegetarian to lose weight." "You can't eat anything that isn't clean or you'll get fat" "Sugar is one molecule away from being cocaine" kind of nonsense?
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I am reading his "Racing Weight" right now. I will have to check out "Diet Cults" next. His "80/20 Running" completely changed my running life!
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    @iporter229 I wonder how much 80/20 running matches what Phil Maffetone has been preaching for many years?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I stand by the "Chug a Dunks and then Run" cleanse.
  • btmadison
    btmadison Posts: 38 Member
    https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/diet-cults-vs-science-based-healthy-eating/ - this gives a great overview / review of the book and its contents.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited June 2015
    missiontofitness wrote: »
    I stand by the "Chug a Dunks and then Run" cleanse.

    @missiontofitness That's the diet promoted by the Hash House Harriers. :smiley:

    Very effective. I'll defend this one to my dying breath.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    edited June 2015
    RedVonMunster wrote: »
    I'm new to the boards, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? The typical "you have to go keto,paleo, Atkins, vegan, vegetarian to lose weight." "You can't eat anything that isn't clean or you'll get fat" "Sugar is one molecule away from being cocaine" kind of nonsense?
    Something like that. Apparently you can not fight faith with facts...

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Just ordered it for vacation reading next week. It should be here Friday. Looking forward to it.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Just put a hold on it at our library....looking forward to reading it. :)
  • determined_14
    determined_14 Posts: 258 Member
    I found this by accident on the monthly display section of our library awhile back. The title and cover was too good to pass up, and I loved it. He said basically everything I've ever believed about mankind and food, but he had the facts to back it up.
  • kevin_TN
    kevin_TN Posts: 3 Member
    edited June 2015
    mwyvr wrote: »
    @iporter229 I wonder how much 80/20 running matches what Phil Maffetone has been preaching for many years?

    It's more inspired by Arthur Lydiard. The working title of the book was "high mileage manifesto."

    It differs from Maffetone in that the program includes higher intensity training (the 20) year round, but it's similar to Maffetone in that the primary emphasis is on a large volume of gentle running (the 80).

    So they are more similiar than they are different. Basically on 80/20 you get to do a modest bit of speed/tempo but it's tempered on a base of lots of easy miles.

    My Aerobic HR target for the "80" in 80/20 is 157, and my MAF is 153 (I have the +5), so there is a bit more wiggle room in 80/20, but in reality I generally stay averaging in the 140s on most of my runs anyway. My lab tested lactate threshold HR is 174 and max HR is 192, RHR 50.

    It is a great book that I highly recommend (though I recommend Maffetone's work as well).

    Diet Cults is awesome too.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    Apparently you can not fight faith with facts...

    +1 Truer words have never been spoken.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    btmadison wrote: »
    https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/diet-cults-vs-science-based-healthy-eating/ - this gives a great overview / review of the book and its contents.

    I definitely want to read this. Thank you!
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,193 Member
    RedVonMunster wrote: »
    I'm new to the boards, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? The typical "you have to go keto,paleo, Atkins, vegan, vegetarian to lose weight." "You can't eat anything that isn't clean or you'll get fat" "Sugar is one molecule away from being cocaine" kind of nonsense?

    Which molecule? you know, just out of curiosity. For science, and all.... ;)

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Just ordered it for vacation reading next week. It should be here Friday. Looking forward to it.

    I really enjoyed it. I think you will like it.
  • Azexas
    Azexas Posts: 4,334 Member
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Just ordered it for vacation reading next week. It should be here Friday. Looking forward to it.

    I'm going to do the same thing. We leave next weekend for vaca. Looks like a good read for the beach
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited June 2015
    Just put a library hold on it, thanks OP! I'll read it after I get through my other library hold, Thin for Life :)
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    Sarasmaintaining wrote: »
    Just put a library hold on it, thanks OP! I'll read it after I get through my other library hold, Thin for Life :)
    My pleasure. Definitely worth the read...
  • blwasson73
    blwasson73 Posts: 92 Member
    I have it on my iPad but haven't read it yet. Glad to know its good.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    kevin_TN wrote: »
    mwyvr wrote: »
    @iporter229 I wonder how much 80/20 running matches what Phil Maffetone has been preaching for many years?

    It's more inspired by Arthur Lydiard. The working title of the book was "high mileage manifesto."

    It differs from Maffetone in that the program includes higher intensity training (the 20) year round, but it's similar to Maffetone in that the primary emphasis is on a large volume of gentle running (the 80).

    So they are more similiar than they are different. Basically on 80/20 you get to do a modest bit of speed/tempo but it's tempered on a base of lots of easy miles.

    My Aerobic HR target for the "80" in 80/20 is 157, and my MAF is 153 (I have the +5), so there is a bit more wiggle room in 80/20, but in reality I generally stay averaging in the 140s on most of my runs anyway. My lab tested lactate threshold HR is 174 and max HR is 192, RHR 50.

    It is a great book that I highly recommend (though I recommend Maffetone's work as well).

    Diet Cults is awesome too.

    @kevin_TN thanks so much for the thoughtful reply. I'll check the book out.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    I'll have to check it out! Thanks!
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    Alatariel75 wrote: »
    RedVonMunster wrote: »
    I'm new to the boards, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? The typical "you have to go keto,paleo, Atkins, vegan, vegetarian to lose weight." "You can't eat anything that isn't clean or you'll get fat" "Sugar is one molecule away from being cocaine" kind of nonsense?

    Which molecule? you know, just out of curiosity. For science, and all.... ;)

    Technically completely correct. lololol.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    btmadison wrote: »
    https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/diet-cults-vs-science-based-healthy-eating/ - this gives a great overview / review of the book and its contents.

    Thank you for the link. it looks interesting and right up my alley (a little history, a little sociology, a lot of interesting science, etc.). I remember the part about kosher food being labeled as such in order to identify safe and potentially not safe foods. One of the best books I ever read was "Salt: A World History". You would think that a book about the mundane subject of salt would be boring but it was fascinating. His explanation as to why sea salt is no better for you than mined salt was great.



  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    Just ordered it for vacation reading next week. It should be here Friday. Looking forward to it.

    I really enjoyed it. I think you will like it.

    I've done a lot of prior reading on the systems of faith (hell, I read and studied my way out of my own firmly held religious fundamentalism straight into atheism in the past!), so this definitely sounds right up my alley

  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
    Thanks for posting about the book. (Wouldn't have known about it otherwise). Just picked up the audio version and I'm beyond excited to listen to it all!!! Thanks again :)

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