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Past Member
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Posted: 29 Mar 2011 09:38 pm |
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This is something that I hold true and dear to my heart. I've been to GNC, tried all that junk, sure some might work but the results are short lived. Also not to mention that what you are putting into your body IS NOT NATURAL!!!
I came across this website (LINK REMOVED) a while ago and it really opened my eyes - You don't need supplements, you don't need pills, all you need to do is eat natural healthy foods. Check out the 'Flat Stomach Foods' tab for sample meals that are perfect for getting the right results you need!
Don't look so close at calories but rather the INGREDIENTS. If there are more the 4-5 ingredients in something chances are its not natural and in my opinion is pure garbage. Sucrose, Dextrose, Corn Syrup, other nasty preservatives! DON'T EAT IT!!
I shop at places like Trader Joe's. I eat things with simple ingredients, and I casually workout, and I have a flat stomach! I'm no fitness buff but I haven't gotten a cold in a long time and I have a low body fat percentage (8%). I feel great and full of energy all the time.
When I buy bread, the only ingredient is "WHEAT" -- THAT'S IT!! Not sugar, sucrose, blah blah. If you don't recognize what an ingredient is chances are it isn't good for you!
You just have to be dedicated to your health and body. Life is about balance and that balance also is needed in the foods you eat. The combinations of foods you eat at every meal is also VERY CRITICAL to seeing results! You can't only eat veggies or only eat proteins and expect results! That is not how our body works!
Anyway I've babbled on enough. I hope everyone who has read this will stop falling for the scam of pills and supplements. Waste of time, money, and health! Eat right, live right, and results will come!!Last edited on 30 Mar 2011 12:26 pm by
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Past Member
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Posted: 12 Jun 2011 04:49 pm |
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thank you 
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kelly0403
New Member
| Joined: | 13 Jun 2011 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: 13 Jun 2011 06:46 am |
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thanks a ton :)
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confoosed desi
New Member
| Joined: | 24 Jul 2011 |
| Location: | New York |
| Posts: | 1 |
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Posted: 24 Jul 2011 08:05 am |
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Ok, I took ONE (college) introductory nutrition class, so I am no expert on the matter. However, my professor was a PhD and registered dietitian, so I'm pretty sure she knows her stuff. This is what I learned from that class:
I agree that most diet pills/ supplements are junk that either don't work or are harmful to your body. I also agree that looking at the ingredients is most important--the food companies can't lie as easily on those lists as they can in commercials or on the label of the package. (Having 5 grams of whole grain in a serving does not make it healthy!) However, I don't think it's as simple as "good food" vs. "bad food." Even pizza is okay in moderation (well, rarely, anyway). Most things in small quantities are ok for your body or don't even affect it much. That doesn't mean that all foods are nutritionally equal; 100 cals of veggies provides many more nutrients than 100 cals of white bread. That being said, I don't think it's harmful to have some "bad" foods here and there as long as you (a) meet your nutritional requirements for whole foods, such as whole, unprocessed grains, veggies & fruits, and lean dairy and protein (if you eat animal-derived foods), and (b) you don't go over your calorie limit. I believe the widely accepted theory about weight loss in the scientific community is that an energy deficit (calories in < calories out) is what leads to fat loss. You could eat hummus and whole grain bread and tons of fruits every day, but if you consume more energy than your body needs, you will gain fat (albeit, it'll be more healthy than consuming bacon and cheese.)
As to "flat stomach foods," I think that is simply a myth. You can't "spot remove" fat from your body. This is a completely un-scientific theory. There are foods which have more energy than others and/ or nutrients, but whatever the nutritional profile, excess calories leads to excess fat. The way fat is distributed around your body is PURELY a matter of genetics. There is no way to eat certain foods to lose more fat from your abs vs. your arms vs. your butt. Your body decides where to put the excess fat gained from excess calories. The only way to spot remove fat (at this time) is liposuction or other surgical procedures. That's why crunches and other ab moves are ineffective in removing belly fat (they do however tone the muscle underneath, so if you have little fat there you'll get a toned-looking abdomen. Otherwise, you'll end up with a super toned abdomen, unnoticeable because it's covered in fat.) In addition, I applaud you for having a flat abdomen, for most women that is not an easy task. From what you say, it seems you work hard for it. HOWEVER, as my professor said, there are some women (and men) who will NEVER be skinny. Last I read, genetics determined about 60% of your body type. So, the right foods and physical activity have a big part in body weight/fat, but much less than does genetics. At my skinniest I carried most of my weight in my abdomen, with skinny arms and legs. I'm sure I could have done more to lose weight, but instead of having a flatter stomach (in proportion to the rest of my body), I'd have really skinny arms and legs and a somewhat reduced belly.
Don't get me wrong, I think it is important to eat healthy and be physically fit. Studies have shown that even a 10% body fat loss in obese women is beneficial to health. There are people who COULD lose weight if they tried harder. However, there are also people who eat #%@&! and are super skinny (I'm not saying you). So diet & exercise are only minor factors in weight loss/ gain. Also, in some very rare cases, people can't lose fat no matter how hard they diet; so if they must lose weight for health reasons, it may outweigh the risks to do an invasive procedure to help reduce the patient's weight.
Also, eating right definitely could make your immune system more resistant to colds, but so could genetics. I used to eat #%@&! and would never get sick. Now I eat right and get sick more often. Obviously it probably has to do with other factors in my life such as stress and inadequate sleep.
Also, I agree that you can't just eat veggies and high-protein items. In the short term, this will make you lose weight, but your a large portion of your brain runs only on CARBS, which are completely depleted (in the form of glycogen) from your body in a couple days time (and have finite stores, unlike fat).
One more thing--I assume you are a woman; I apologize if you are male. If you are male and have 8% body fat, you are in athlete territory. You said you're no fitness buff. Maybe you're really lucky and have good genes, and then I envy you :-) However, if you're a woman, you're dangerously low in body fat; in fact, you would be easily anorexic. (Essential body fat in woman is 10-13%, give or take, and you're supposed to have more than that. Even female body builders rarely have body fat percentages of less than 15%.)
So there's my long schpeel (sp?). I hope I didn't offend you; I agree with your main points about eating right, being physically fit, and ignoring the false claims of supplements. I just think your description of how to lose and maintain proper body fat is a little off. I applaud you for staying away from eating healthy and being physically fit; I know from personal experience it is NOT easy for most people (me included).
Oh, and seeing "wheat" on an ingredient label is no indication of whether it's refined or not. After all, ALL bread is made from wheat, even nutritionally devoid white bread. That's how companies can claim "Wheat bread" in big letters and have absolutely no (or a low percentage) of whole wheat in their product--they simply include one part of the wheat, the starchy white part. Even if the package says "whole grain" on it, they can add a teaspoon of whole grain to a 99% refined wheat dough, and claim that it's whole wheat. Then they use brown food coloring to make it look healthy. 100% whole wheat is what you're looking for if you want a true whole grain product. The difference between whole wheat and refined wheat is that whole wheat includes the healthy, fiber- and nutritionally- rich bran and germ, as well as the starch-rich endosperm that offers carbohydrates in the form of starch. Refined wheat has the germ and bran mostly stripped away to leave the starchy endosperm--the carbohydrates without the bulk of the vitamins and minerals found in the germ & bran. By law in the U.S., all refined wheat has to be enriched with certain vitamins & minerals (but not all) that are found in the germ & bran but are stripped away when wheat is refined. So if you see "enriched wheat" anywhere in the ingredient list, run the other way. It means they added back artificially what they stripped off. (Artificially added nutrients have not been found to have the same health benefits as naturally occurring nutrients; besides, even with enrichment, white bread lacks the fiber and some vitamins and minerals that 100% whole wheat bread does).
P.S. I love Trader Joe's too.
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mccobra
New Member
| Joined: | 6 Nov 2011 |
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| Posts: | 13 |
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Posted: 9 Nov 2011 01:24 am |
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Great points.
I would say basic supplements are, at worst, a convenience and an assurance that you are getting everything your body needs. Nothing wrong with a daily multi. Sups are essential if someone is lacking a specific vitamin or mineral due to an enzymatic deficiency because of a genetic disorder or other condition.
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mikestenger
Member
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Posted: 10 Nov 2011 05:16 pm |
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For myself, I have found certain supplements to help, particularly the product linked as my website, but you're absolutely right about eating healthy.
You can have the greatest supplement of the Universe and mankind, but if you're putting #%@&! into your body on a consistent basis, it's not going to matter one bit.
And no, taking supplements does not mean cheating here and there during the day is not going to affect you ;-)
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