Sugar is bad for you

[maxthetrade]

Interesting... so what are true whole grain products and where does one buy them?

 

Try brown rice, millet, buck wheat (Kasha), steel cut oats or rolled oats (not precooked instant oats), potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beans, lentils etc. I eat them ad libitum (with lots of veggies and some fruit) every day and don't gain any weight - actually I lost over 40 pounds over the first year after switching to a healthy diet. I am never hungry, have excellent lab tests and feel so much better than on a conventional diet, can't imagine going back.

[maxthetrade]

Thank you twacowfca!

 

My experience is that, since I have stoped eating pasta, bread, and desserts, I can shape my body much more easily and effectively, and I can run faster and longer than ever before! ;)

 

Gio

 

Pasta and bread (especially the white varities) are highly processed grains, they can be easily digested and spike your blood sugar. Whole grains on the other hand are slowly digested, contain lots of micro nutrients and keep you full for a long time.

 

[twacowfca]

Interesting... so what are true whole grain products and where does one buy them?

 

Try brown rice, millet, buck wheat (Kasha), steel cut oats or rolled oats (not precooked instant oats), potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, beans, lentils etc. I eat them ad libitum (with lots of veggies and some fruit) every day and don't gain any weight - actually I lost over 40 pounds over the first year after switching to a healthy diet. I am never hungry, have excellent lab tests and feel so much better than on a conventional diet, can't imagine going back.

 

maxthetrade is spot on. My 10,000+ hours of research over my adult lifetime overwhelmingly supports the idea that getting the great majority of calories from this type of diet is optimal for the  health of adults.

[LC]

what about red meats, dairy, protein in general?

 

i ask because i think "most" people are usually trying to lose weight. i'm in the opposite camp. 155 lbs, 6 feet tall of pure skinny.

 

so recently i've started lifting heavy weights (starting strength/stronglifts) and my diet is as such:

 

breakfast: the ron swanson

3 slices bacon

3 fried eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup coffee

 

lunch: the steak salad

1 serving steak, cut into pieces

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 cup leafy greens

1 handful walnuts

1 avocado

doused in olive oil + vinegar

 

dinner:

we subscribe to blue apron (https://www.blueapron.com/) which is really awesome. healthy, delicious, perfect serving sizes for 2, and it teaches you new cooking techniques. very cool.

 

during the day i snack on nuts, berries, and drink milk.

 

i definitely feel healthier and stronger, and have more energy. i was never "fat" so putting on weight is a new feeling to me.

[twacowfca]

what about red meats, dairy, protein in general?

 

i ask because i think "most" people are usually trying to lose weight. i'm in the opposite camp. 155 lbs, 6 feet tall of pure skinny.

 

so recently i've started lifting heavy weights (starting strength/stronglifts) and my diet is as such:

 

breakfast: the ron swanson

3 slices bacon

3 fried eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup coffee

 

lunch: the steak salad

1 serving steak, cut into pieces

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 cup leafy greens

1 handful walnuts

1 avocado

doused in olive oil + vinegar

 

dinner:

we subscribe to blue apron (https://www.blueapron.com/) which is really awesome. healthy, delicious, perfect serving sizes for 2, and it teaches you new cooking techniques. very cool.

 

during the day i snack on nuts, berries, and drink milk.

 

i definitely feel healthier and stronger, and have more energy. i was never "fat" so putting on weight is a new feeling to me.

 

The exercise program is good. You are eating some good foods. The animal protein has helped you build up your muscles and strength, but should not be necessary to maintain that strength now that you have it if you continue to exercise.

 

Keep up the good work. :)

[Uccmal]

I think what is far more important for people in Western society is exercise. If you look up the diets of people in the past, they ate tons of sugar and carbs. You have societies that primarily consumed carbs (ex: potatoes or rice) because protein was expensive and scarce. It only becomes a problem when people sit for more than half of the day. In today's society, it is very easy to end up sitting for 12+ hours a day (8 hours at work, 2 hours driving in car to/from work, 2 hours at home). People end up with very little muscle mass on their body, so they cannot use up the carbs that they eat. A lot of people don't look fat. They eat a lot of salads. They look very nice with their clothes on. But they actually have far higher body fat percentage than they realize because they have very little muscle mass. When these guys consume a little extra carbs, it can still bring their blood sugar up.

 

I think for those people who work in an office, it is extremely important to hit the gym and lift some heavy weights. You can't let you muscle mass atrophy away, because then your metabolism would go way down as there is no lean mass to sustain and you will end up with "too many carbs" even though you eat very little. You have to undo the damage of sitting for an extended period of time.

 

Different body types have different dietary needs. People have started viewing sugar and carbs as the plague because their lifestyle caused them to have bodies (either too fat and/or too little lean mass) that can't use much of it any more. If you look at the Asian American population, diabetes have suddenly become a major problem (significantly higher than average) because they prefer to eat so much rice or noodles. Their ancestors ate the same diets for thousands of years and they had very long lifespans. It's not that carbs suddenly became bad. It's their body chemistry that has changed because of disuse and sitting around all day.

 

The problem is the rice and noodles that are consumed now.  There is nothing wrong with Whole grain unhusked rice, or noodles made from wheat straight off the farm in Italy.  Indians and Asians have been brainwashed into believing that eating white, processed rice is a sign of prosperity.  The same thing happened with North Americans and white bread in the 60s. 

 

So I dont think our ancestors had the same diet at all.  Your right about activity though.  Most evidence suggests that sitting is itself the problem.  Has anyone noticed that rock band members seem to be staying healthy and living really long.  Maybe its survivorship bias, or maybe bouncing around a stage frenetically, and standing keeps the body healthy. 

[twacowfca]

I think what is far more important for people in Western society is exercise. If you look up the diets of people in the past, they ate tons of sugar and carbs. You have societies that primarily consumed carbs (ex: potatoes or rice) because protein was expensive and scarce. It only becomes a problem when people sit for more than half of the day. In today's society, it is very easy to end up sitting for 12+ hours a day (8 hours at work, 2 hours driving in car to/from work, 2 hours at home). People end up with very little muscle mass on their body, so they cannot use up the carbs that they eat. A lot of people don't look fat. They eat a lot of salads. They look very nice with their clothes on. But they actually have far higher body fat percentage than they realize because they have very little muscle mass. When these guys consume a little extra carbs, it can still bring their blood sugar up.

 

I think for those people who work in an office, it is extremely important to hit the gym and lift some heavy weights. You can't let you muscle mass atrophy away, because then your metabolism would go way down as there is no lean mass to sustain and you will end up with "too many carbs" even though you eat very little. You have to undo the damage of sitting for an extended period of time.

 

Different body types have different dietary needs. People have started viewing sugar and carbs as the plague because their lifestyle caused them to have bodies (either too fat and/or too little lean mass) that can't use much of it any more. If you look at the Asian American population, diabetes have suddenly become a major problem (significantly higher than average) because they prefer to eat so much rice or noodles. Their ancestors ate the same diets for thousands of years and they had very long lifespans. It's not that carbs suddenly became bad. It's their body chemistry that has changed because of disuse and sitting around all day.

 

The problem is the rice and noodles that are consumed now.  There is nothing wrong with Whole grain unhusked rice, or noodles made from wheat straight off the farm in Italy.  Indians and Asians have been brainwashed into believing that eating white, processed rice is a sign of prosperity.  The same thing happened with North Americans and white bread in the 60s. 

 

So I dont think our ancestors had the same diet at all.  Your right about activity though.  Most evidence suggests that sitting is itself the problem.  Has anyone noticed that rock band members seem to be staying healthy and living really long.  Maybe its survivorship bias, or maybe bouncing around a stage frenetically, and standing keeps the body healthy.

 

Violinists, symphony conductors and baseball players have among the lowest mortality rates in the developed world .

 

Regular exercise throughout the day with occasional more demanding exercise is crucial for good health. Any amount of exercise is much better than none. Irving Kahn, an outstanding value investor, passed away recently at the age of 110. The circumstances of his death were that the recent, heavy snowstorms in NYC had prevented him from making his regular daily walk across Central Park  to his office in the weeks before his death.

 

Having a painful foot problem that prevents mobility is a huge risk factor for sudden death in nursing home patients. Their death rate can be ten times higher than other patients who are able to walk around a little bit.

 

Most people who sit at a desk all day long aren't that bad off, but the same beneficial, exponential effect of exercise is still in play.

 

[cwericb]

You don't mean those Rolling Stones.

Everyone knew those guys would never see 30.

Sex, drugs, rock n’ roll and hard livin’ would surly kill them all in their 20's.

Oh wait, they are still alive?

Must all be in a nursing home by now.

What? They’re still touring?

Can’t be. They must all be in their 70's.

Wonder if they eat sugar? They surely tried everything else  :)

[original mungerville]

what about red meats, dairy, protein in general?

 

i ask because i think "most" people are usually trying to lose weight. i'm in the opposite camp. 155 lbs, 6 feet tall of pure skinny.

 

so recently i've started lifting heavy weights (starting strength/stronglifts) and my diet is as such:

 

breakfast: the ron swanson

3 slices bacon

3 fried eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup coffee

 

lunch: the steak salad

1 serving steak, cut into pieces

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 cup leafy greens

1 handful walnuts

1 avocado

doused in olive oil + vinegar

 

dinner:

we subscribe to blue apron (https://www.blueapron.com/) which is really awesome. healthy, delicious, perfect serving sizes for 2, and it teaches you new cooking techniques. very cool.

 

during the day i snack on nuts, berries, and drink milk.

 

i definitely feel healthier and stronger, and have more energy. i was never "fat" so putting on weight is a new feeling to me.

 

The exercise program is good. You are eating some good foods. The animal protein has helped you build up your muscles and strength, but should not be necessary to maintain that strength now that you have it if you continue to exercise.

 

Keep up the good work. :)

 

LC,

 

Your eating looks pretty good to me.

 

I don't think, however, that is the optimal amount of protein to gain significant muscle mass / bulk up. But 180 grams per day should do it. This is basically impossible on a normal diet (I can do about 120 grams max on normal food - and that isn't easy) - so you need some protein powder to get you there. Take in a lot of that just before, during, and mainly after a work-out (maybe 50 grams around the workout) and then take the rest some other time during the day. Buy the cleanest stuff possible - usually low calorie to protein ratio, and low sugar. Also just eat like a pig up to 30 minutes after a workout, this is when you can drink a lot of milk, whatever and your body will tend to send that to your muscles rather than to fat. Basically if you are trying to bulk up, a lot of milk right after the workout could be a good idea.

 

If you take in 180 grams per day, and do 2-3 sets of 3-5 repetitions of weight where you bring it down over 5 seconds, and ensure you are using weight which effectively maxes you out after the 3rd or 4th repetition. And also only lift once a week for each set of muscles (your muscles need time to rest so they can grow). I think you'll bulk up pretty fast. There is some good stuff in the Four Hour Body (by Ferris) on this. That book is probably worth skimming - there is a chapter on how to bulk up. Looks like you are already lifting heavy, but Ferris makes the point it 1) has to be really heavy, 2) the muscles need time to rest, and 3) you need a shit load of protein (around 170-210 grams depending on your weight) and also a good amount of calories per day (I forget, but its quite a bit).

 

 

 

[twacowfca]

what about red meats, dairy, protein in general?

 

i ask because i think "most" people are usually trying to lose weight. i'm in the opposite camp. 155 lbs, 6 feet tall of pure skinny.

 

so recently i've started lifting heavy weights (starting strength/stronglifts) and my diet is as such:

 

breakfast: the ron swanson

3 slices bacon

3 fried eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup coffee

 

lunch: the steak salad

1 serving steak, cut into pieces

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 cup leafy greens

1 handful walnuts

1 avocado

doused in olive oil + vinegar

 

dinner:

we subscribe to blue apron (https://www.blueapron.com/) which is really awesome. healthy, delicious, perfect serving sizes for 2, and it teaches you new cooking techniques. very cool.

 

during the day i snack on nuts, berries, and drink milk.

 

i definitely feel healthier and stronger, and have more energy. i was never "fat" so putting on weight is a new feeling to me.

 

The exercise program is good. You are eating some good foods. The animal protein has helped you build up your muscles and strength, but should not be necessary to maintain that strength now that you have it if you continue to exercise.

 

Keep up the good work. :)

 

LC,

 

Your eating looks pretty good to me.

 

I don't think, however, that is the optimal amount of protein to gain significant muscle mass / bulk up. But 180 grams per day should do it. This is basically impossible on a normal diet (I can do about 120 grams max on normal food - and that isn't easy) - so you need some protein powder to get you there. Take in a lot of that just before, during, and mainly after a work-out (maybe 50 grams around the workout) and then take the rest some other time during the day. Buy the cleanest stuff possible - usually low calorie to protein ratio, and low sugar. Also just eat like a pig up to 30 minutes after a workout, this is when you can drink a lot of milk, whatever and your body will tend to send that to your muscles rather than to fat. Basically if you are trying to bulk up, a lot of milk right after the workout could be a good idea.

 

If you take in 180 grams per day, and do 2-3 sets of 3-5 repetitions of weight where you bring it down over 5 seconds, and ensure you are using weight which effectively maxes you out after the 3rd or 4th repetition. And also only lift once a week for each set of muscles (your muscles need time to rest so they can grow). I think you'll bulk up pretty fast. There is some good stuff in the Four Hour Body (by Ferris) on this. That book is probably worth skimming - there is a chapter on how to bulk up. Looks like you are already lifting heavy, but Ferris makes the point it 1) has to be really heavy, 2) the muscles need time to rest, and 3) you need a shit load of protein (around 170-210 grams depending on your weight) and also a good amount of calories per day (I forget, but its quite a bit).

 

I strongly disagree unless LC's goal is to have a bulky body builder physique, regardless of long term health consequences.  That kind of diet is the way to an early grave. Dr. Adkins (yes he of the high protein Diet Revolution) was 100 pounds overweight with obese fat at the time of his death from a massive heart attack .

[Parsad]

Just waiting for that special hard core reader to come in here and brag they don't eat any sugar and subsist on rocks and dirt, but pure rocks and diet, none of that processed crap.

 

Anything in excess is bad, food in moderation is fine. But what is moderation?

 

Years ago I lived the classic unhealthy life. I ate too much, sat too much, ate out for lunch and felt like crap even thought I didn't know it at the time. I had a switch in my job where I could work at home. I started to eat less and work out, suddenly I was losing weight. Took about a year and lost 45 lbs that I've kept off. I was skinny and athletic up until I entered an office. I have a natural athletic inclination, I look at my overweight period as the anomaly.

 

Co-workers asked me what my secret was. There is no secret, hundreds of small life changes compounded over a year is the secret. It sucked, but it worked. I went from being hungry at first to being satisfied. I eat a lot less now and am fine. I eat better too, I love veggies and fruit. If I have some desire to pig out I will do it on that. I figure after a run if I eat a bag of radishes or two apples and a head of broccoli that I'm not doing my body much harm. 

 

A weird thing happened though. As my body reverted to normal I will now feel terrible if I don't eat properly. If we go out of town for a few days and the host only eats out or has junk in their house I feel miserable by the end of the weekend. My body will get kicked out of line by unhealthy food or too much of it. I still enjoy sweets but after more than a handful of Starburst or some other candy I will have a stomach ache. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, just self regulation at work.

 

+1!  I can tell you exactly why I'm fat and overweight.  It has nothing to do with sugar, gluten, etc, but the fact that I do not eat a balanced diet and do not get enough exercise.  You eat too many calories and don't exercise at least three times a week, your body will slowly, if not over years, become unbalanced and your health will deteriorate.  It's as simple as that! 

 

Not that sugar is toxic, or whatever smoke people are blowing up your ass these days.  Anything in a large enough dose will kill you...even water!  Your body is self-regulating and a prime piece of technology...to call it a marvel of engineering is an understatement.

 

Yes, processed foods over the years have increased the amount of sugar and sodium levels in them.  But it all still comes down to a balanced diet, watching your total caloric intake and a moderate amount of exercise.  Those three things will take care of a whole host of other ills.

 

15 years ago, scientists and doctors said you shouldn't consume more than a few eggs a week.  Now, doctors and scientists are saying that eating a couple of eggs a day isn't an issue.  Red meat, coffee, sugar, salt, butter, alcohol, and whatever else go in and out of favour every decade.

 

The real problem isn't sugar or fat, but the sheer size of the portions we get these days.  It all started with Big Gulps and Supersized...7/11, Costco and McDonalds should all get the same amount of blame!  If you went to a restaurant 20-30 years ago, their dinner plate is today's appetizer plate, and today's dinner plate can hold twice as much food as back then.  A Big Mac used to be the biggest burger you could eat when I was a teenager...today it's about the same size as a fully-loaded "L'il Buddy Burger" at Five Guys!  That's the little burger at Five Guys...the one children order these days!

 

Even if you order something healthy at a restaurant, the portion size is huge.  So while you may be eating a nice salad, the total caloric value of that salad may be well over 1,000 calories.  A 7 oz steak, with vegetables and mashed potatoes is healthier and less than 2/3rds of the calories.  You could add a Coke and still come in under the salad.

 

And then you have all of the food porn that people love!  Inundated with food culture, and the fact that acquiring food gets easier and easier, while lifestyles are more and more sedentary, you can easily see why the world is becoming fat...and it isn't due to the sugar, salt, fat or gluten.  Cheers!       

[giofranchi]

twacowfca,

let me know if I have understood what you are saying well: are you against the consumption of meat? If so, any kind of meat? Red and white alike?

 

Furthermore, I would like to know what you think about supplements: I regularly take resveratrol, omega 3 fatty acid, probiotics, and vitamin D. Should I stop?

 

Finally, what’s your view on fasting?

 

Thanks,

 

Gio

 

[twacowfca]

Just waiting for that special hard core reader to come in here and brag they don't eat any sugar and subsist on rocks and dirt, but pure rocks and diet, none of that processed crap.

 

Anything in excess is bad, food in moderation is fine. But what is moderation?

 

Years ago I lived the classic unhealthy life. I ate too much, sat too much, ate out for lunch and felt like crap even thought I didn't know it at the time. I had a switch in my job where I could work at home. I started to eat less and work out, suddenly I was losing weight. Took about a year and lost 45 lbs that I've kept off. I was skinny and athletic up until I entered an office. I have a natural athletic inclination, I look at my overweight period as the anomaly.

 

Co-workers asked me what my secret was. There is no secret, hundreds of small life changes compounded over a year is the secret. It sucked, but it worked. I went from being hungry at first to being satisfied. I eat a lot less now and am fine. I eat better too, I love veggies and fruit. If I have some desire to pig out I will do it on that. I figure after a run if I eat a bag of radishes or two apples and a head of broccoli that I'm not doing my body much harm. 

 

A weird thing happened though. As my body reverted to normal I will now feel terrible if I don't eat properly. If we go out of town for a few days and the host only eats out or has junk in their house I feel miserable by the end of the weekend. My body will get kicked out of line by unhealthy food or too much of it. I still enjoy sweets but after more than a handful of Starburst or some other candy I will have a stomach ache. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, just self regulation at work.

 

+1!  I can tell you exactly why I'm fat and overweight.  It has nothing to do with sugar, gluten, etc, but the fact that I do not eat a balanced diet and do not get enough exercise.  You eat too many calories and don't exercise at least three times a week, your body will slowly, if not over years, become unbalanced and your health will deteriorate.  It's as simple as that! 

 

Not that sugar is toxic, or whatever smoke people are blowing up your ass these days.  Anything in a large enough dose will kill you...even water!  Your body is self-regulating and a prime piece of technology...to call it a marvel of engineering is an understatement.

 

Yes, processed foods over the years have increased the amount of sugar and sodium levels in them.  But it all still comes down to a balanced diet, watching your total caloric intake and a moderate amount of exercise.  Those three things will take care of a whole host of other ills.

 

15 years ago, scientists and doctors said you shouldn't consume more than a few eggs a week.  Now, doctors and scientists are saying that eating a couple of eggs a day isn't an issue.  Red meat, coffee, sugar, salt, butter, alcohol, and whatever else go in and out of favour every decade.

 

The real problem isn't sugar or fat, but the sheer size of the portions we get these days.  It all started with Big Gulps and Supersized...7/11, Costco and McDonalds should all get the same amount of blame!  If you went to a restaurant 20-30 years ago, their dinner plate is today's appetizer plate, and today's dinner plate can hold twice as much food as back then.  A Big Mac used to be the biggest burger you could eat when I was a teenager...today it's about the same size as a fully-loaded "L'il Buddy Burger" at Five Guys!  That's the little burger at Five Guys...the one children order these days!

 

Even if you order something healthy at a restaurant, the portion size is huge.  So while you may be eating a nice salad, the total caloric value of that salad may be well over 1,000 calories.  A 7 oz steak, with vegetables and mashed potatoes is healthier and less than 2/3rds of the calories.  You could add a Coke and still come in under the salad.

 

And then you have all of the food porn that people love!  Inundated with food culture, and the fact that acquiring food gets easier and easier, while lifestyles are more and more sedentary, you can easily see why the world is becoming fat...and it isn't due to the sugar, salt, fat or gluten.  Cheers!     

 

Sanjeev, You are right about your circumstances and what we should be doing to trim down, but in a strange way we may be unwitting victims of an alien invasion.

 

No, this isn't about spooky invasions of aliens from other planets or graveyards, but about aliens all around us and even inside us. Yikes! That sounds even weirder, but it's true!

 

We all have hundreds of species of bacteria living inside us in our digestive tracts and especially in our colons.  These are continuously fighting against each other for living space and dominance. When we eat a diet that is mostly wholesome whole grains, vegetables and fruits, an amazing thing happens after a period of time. Certain types of bacteria will take over most of the space in our colons. These are the ones that like to feed on the fiber and larger molecules of resistant starch that are part of a mostly plant based diet.

 

When that happens, there is an amazing transformation. The products of that beneficial biome release substances that are absorbed through the gut and have great health benefits throughout the body. One of those benefits is to suppress excessive appetite and to predispose us to enjoy the same whole grains, fruits and vegetables those types of bacteria like. If we continue to eat those foods the undesirable competitors of the good bacteria won't have available the different type of food from our diet that they need to mount a counterattack and re conquer the territory.

 

Then, we are in the sweet spot. We now like and enjoy those foods that are good for us as we benefit from the positive feedback loop from the colon with the good bacteria that release beneficial substances throughout our bodies.  The diet that once seemed so hard to transition to is now very easy.

 

But wait, there is more!

 

We have lost a lot of extra weight, and it is easy for us to get up out of our chairs and move around. We realize we have begun to enjoy taking  walks; so we walk a little farther. That nagging pain we used to have in our feet is getting better as our feet don 't have to bear as much weight.  Then, we may do something we haven't done in years: we begin to jog a little bit. And the feedback loop goes around and around as we get more and more healthy.

[twacowfca]

twacowfca,

let me know if I have understood what you are saying well: are you against the consumption of meat? If so, any kind of meat? Red and white alike?

 

Furthermore, I would like to know what you think about supplements: I regularly take resveratrol, omega 3 fatty acid, probiotics, and vitamin D. Should I stop?

 

Finally, what’s your view on fasting?

 

Thanks,

 

Gio

 

The healthiest, longest lived, most active into old age, and mostly dementia free people in the world are usually not pure vegetarians. However, animal products including meat, comprise a relatively small part of their diet. They also have a very active lifestyle, and they are quite connected socially to friends and close relatives.

 

The plant based foods they eat are generally unprocessed or lightly processed.  The amazing account of these people is in the book, Blue Zones by Dan Beutner, who used to be a feature writer for National Geographic magazine.

 

Gio, you are athletic, and you may not be as obviously affected by a diet with a lot of meat as more sedentary people would be, but you still may have some adverse consequences as time goes by.

 

The results of studies of taking supplements are usually disappointing for reasons that boil down to a U-shaped curve. The  sweet spot is about the amount people get with a wholesome,  mostly plant based diet. Rats who were given large doses of resveratrol in unreported side studies all died of cancer. I found that to be alarming.

 

Beneficial substances such as B vitamines often have in vivo half lifes that are counted in minutes. that huge slug of a vitamine taken in a pill may become a functional deficiency three hours later as the body overreacts in getting rid of the overdose to maintain homeostasis. However, the smaller amount of that vitamin present in nutritious food will still be available as it is slowly absorbed with the food that contains it. Then, that vitamin is available at just the right time as it is needed for metabolism of the food.

 

Vitamin D is an exception. It is actually a hormone that is stored in the body in an inactive form, even when taken as a supplement as vitamin D 3.  There  was a neat study recently reported that used an instrumental variable to produce a practical randomization in the population studied. The results showed a definite, strong benefit from obtaining a liberal amount of Vitamin D from whatever source.

[giofranchi]

Wow! Thank you very much, twacowfca!... That study on the effect of resveratrol in mice is alarming indeed!... Guess I have to quit supplements (with the exception of vitamin D!).

 

And thank you for the recommendation of Blue Zones by Dan Beutner, I am ordering it on Amazon right now! :)

 

Cheers,

 

Gio

 

[giofranchi]

Another thing twacowfca,

have you read [amazonsearch]Should We Eat Meat?[/amazonsearch] by Vaclav Smil? If so, what do you think about it?

 

The whole Smil's body of work has been greatly praised by Bill Gates. :)

 

Gio

[original mungerville]

what about red meats, dairy, protein in general?

 

i ask because i think "most" people are usually trying to lose weight. i'm in the opposite camp. 155 lbs, 6 feet tall of pure skinny.

 

so recently i've started lifting heavy weights (starting strength/stronglifts) and my diet is as such:

 

breakfast: the ron swanson

3 slices bacon

3 fried eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup coffee

 

lunch: the steak salad

1 serving steak, cut into pieces

1 cup steamed broccoli

1 cup leafy greens

1 handful walnuts

1 avocado

doused in olive oil + vinegar

 

dinner:

we subscribe to blue apron (https://www.blueapron.com/) which is really awesome. healthy, delicious, perfect serving sizes for 2, and it teaches you new cooking techniques. very cool.

 

during the day i snack on nuts, berries, and drink milk.

 

i definitely feel healthier and stronger, and have more energy. i was never "fat" so putting on weight is a new feeling to me.

 

The exercise program is good. You are eating some good foods. The animal protein has helped you build up your muscles and strength, but should not be necessary to maintain that strength now that you have it if you continue to exercise.

 

Keep up the good work. :)

 

LC,

 

Your eating looks pretty good to me.

 

I don't think, however, that is the optimal amount of protein to gain significant muscle mass / bulk up. But 180 grams per day should do it. This is basically impossible on a normal diet (I can do about 120 grams max on normal food - and that isn't easy) - so you need some protein powder to get you there. Take in a lot of that just before, during, and mainly after a work-out (maybe 50 grams around the workout) and then take the rest some other time during the day. Buy the cleanest stuff possible - usually low calorie to protein ratio, and low sugar. Also just eat like a pig up to 30 minutes after a workout, this is when you can drink a lot of milk, whatever and your body will tend to send that to your muscles rather than to fat. Basically if you are trying to bulk up, a lot of milk right after the workout could be a good idea.

 

If you take in 180 grams per day, and do 2-3 sets of 3-5 repetitions of weight where you bring it down over 5 seconds, and ensure you are using weight which effectively maxes you out after the 3rd or 4th repetition. And also only lift once a week for each set of muscles (your muscles need time to rest so they can grow). I think you'll bulk up pretty fast. There is some good stuff in the Four Hour Body (by Ferris) on this. That book is probably worth skimming - there is a chapter on how to bulk up. Looks like you are already lifting heavy, but Ferris makes the point it 1) has to be really heavy, 2) the muscles need time to rest, and 3) you need a shit load of protein (around 170-210 grams depending on your weight) and also a good amount of calories per day (I forget, but its quite a bit).

 

I strongly disagree unless LC's goal is to have a bulky body builder physique, regardless of long term health consequences.  That kind of diet is the way to an early grave. Dr. Adkins (yes he of the high protein Diet Revolution) was 100 pounds overweight with obese fat at the time of his death from a massive heart attack .

 

If he is trying to get from 160 to 180 lbs at 6 foot and do that in terms of muscle rather than fat, its not exactly easy. This is not Adkins, this is just fact - you will build muscle quicker with high doses of protein, heavy lifting and lots of rest. I was talking to a kid the other day who has Ontario Hockey League potential. He was lifting and the coaches also had him on a couple hundred grams of protein a day.

 

Seems like you equate protein with long term health problems.

[rkbabang]

Just waiting for that special hard core reader to come in here and brag they don't eat any sugar and subsist on rocks and dirt, but pure rocks and diet, none of that processed crap.

 

Anything in excess is bad, food in moderation is fine. But what is moderation?

 

Years ago I lived the classic unhealthy life. I ate too much, sat too much, ate out for lunch and felt like crap even thought I didn't know it at the time. I had a switch in my job where I could work at home. I started to eat less and work out, suddenly I was losing weight. Took about a year and lost 45 lbs that I've kept off. I was skinny and athletic up until I entered an office. I have a natural athletic inclination, I look at my overweight period as the anomaly.

 

Co-workers asked me what my secret was. There is no secret, hundreds of small life changes compounded over a year is the secret. It sucked, but it worked. I went from being hungry at first to being satisfied. I eat a lot less now and am fine. I eat better too, I love veggies and fruit. If I have some desire to pig out I will do it on that. I figure after a run if I eat a bag of radishes or two apples and a head of broccoli that I'm not doing my body much harm. 

 

A weird thing happened though. As my body reverted to normal I will now feel terrible if I don't eat properly. If we go out of town for a few days and the host only eats out or has junk in their house I feel miserable by the end of the weekend. My body will get kicked out of line by unhealthy food or too much of it. I still enjoy sweets but after more than a handful of Starburst or some other candy I will have a stomach ache. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, just self regulation at work.

 

+1!  I can tell you exactly why I'm fat and overweight.  It has nothing to do with sugar, gluten, etc, but the fact that I do not eat a balanced diet and do not get enough exercise.  You eat too many calories and don't exercise at least three times a week, your body will slowly, if not over years, become unbalanced and your health will deteriorate.  It's as simple as that! 

 

Not that sugar is toxic, or whatever smoke people are blowing up your ass these days.  Anything in a large enough dose will kill you...even water!  Your body is self-regulating and a prime piece of technology...to call it a marvel of engineering is an understatement.

 

Yes, processed foods over the years have increased the amount of sugar and sodium levels in them.  But it all still comes down to a balanced diet, watching your total caloric intake and a moderate amount of exercise.  Those three things will take care of a whole host of other ills.

 

15 years ago, scientists and doctors said you shouldn't consume more than a few eggs a week.  Now, doctors and scientists are saying that eating a couple of eggs a day isn't an issue.  Red meat, coffee, sugar, salt, butter, alcohol, and whatever else go in and out of favour every decade.

 

The real problem isn't sugar or fat, but the sheer size of the portions we get these days.  It all started with Big Gulps and Supersized...7/11, Costco and McDonalds should all get the same amount of blame!  If you went to a restaurant 20-30 years ago, their dinner plate is today's appetizer plate, and today's dinner plate can hold twice as much food as back then.  A Big Mac used to be the biggest burger you could eat when I was a teenager...today it's about the same size as a fully-loaded "L'il Buddy Burger" at Five Guys!  That's the little burger at Five Guys...the one children order these days!

 

Even if you order something healthy at a restaurant, the portion size is huge.  So while you may be eating a nice salad, the total caloric value of that salad may be well over 1,000 calories.  A 7 oz steak, with vegetables and mashed potatoes is healthier and less than 2/3rds of the calories.  You could add a Coke and still come in under the salad.

 

And then you have all of the food porn that people love!  Inundated with food culture, and the fact that acquiring food gets easier and easier, while lifestyles are more and more sedentary, you can easily see why the world is becoming fat...and it isn't due to the sugar, salt, fat or gluten.  Cheers!       

 

Sorry Sanjeev, but I disagree with you here.  I have a desk job, spend an hour in my car, and don't exercise, yet I am no longer fat, no longer have typeII diabetes, no longer have fatty liver disease, no longer have high cholesterol, no longer have low HDL, no longer have high triglycerides, and I weight about what I did when I graduated high school after being obese for almost 20 years.  I lost 65 lbs in 2010-2011 and kept it off simply by changing what I was eating.  I haven't yet tried rocks or dirt, but I switched from an atrocious SAD (Standard American Diet) to a lowish carb paleo type diet.  I eat organic vegetables, quality meats (grass fed beef, local heritage breed pork, free range chicken, etc), my own free range eggs from my chickens, good fats (grass fed butter, MCT oil, non-hydrogenated lard, coconut oil, palm oil, olive oil), very little fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes,  and no grains.  I drink only unsweetened coffee/tea or water.

 

If you change your diet without exercising you can get healthy, if you exercise without changing your diet you can't.

 

EDIT:  Of course it is probably better to do both.

 

[CorpRaider]

So, the potatoes...what can I put on them?  Olive oil and sea salt prior to baking?  Nothing?  No butter, cheese, bacon bits and sour cream, I presume.

[merkhet]

I suspect that lowering sugar intake is much like the max/min factor that Munger talks about with respect to companies -- it's one of the 3/4 important things to do that has a pretty large effect. Of course, if you mix that with exercise, you get a fitness lollapalooza.

[adesigar]

The only expert on diet/exercise is Jack LaLanne. Warren Buffett is the JackLalanne of investing. :P

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_LaLanne

 

check his accomplishments, ill list the last one

 

1984 (age 70) – handcuffed, shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, he towed 70 rowboats, one with several guests, from the Queen's Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 mile

[LongHaul]

The health area is filled with utter nonsense and baloney and it is hard to cut thru the BS. 

 

The "Ben Graham" of healthy eating is Walter Willett who is the chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.  He has nothing to sell anyone and is independent of mind and is fact and data oriented as to what works, etc. 

 

His book - which really changed my life is:

Eat, Drink, and be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide To Healthy Eating 2005

http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Drink-Be-Healthy-Harvard/dp/0743266420

I cannot recommend it enough.  If you want to live longer, lose weight and be healthier it is really a must read.

 

The other key point that has come out since the book, is how bad sugar is.

 

Here is the key video on this.  Also highly recommended.

Sugar the Bitter truth: 

 

Sugar is horrible for you.  It is like poison in your body.  It is associated with diabetes, heart disease, being overweight and other diseases. 

 

If you think about it fruits have sugar in them but they are embedded in fiber, which slows down the digestion and ends up being fine for you in that form.  But just raw sugar goes without the benefit of fiber end up being horrible for you.

 

 

[ZenaidaMacroura]

I think  it's likely that being healthy and being lean/skinny/fit do not overlap 100%.

 

Certainly you can't have a high percentage body fat while maintaining good health - but I don't think low body fat is healthy per say either.  I can probably stay under 8-10% bodyfat while drinking cherry cokes, having Ice cream for breakfast or shin ramen for dinner (this is anecdotal) - but I don't know that it would be "healthy" - even if taking prevalent health metrics/blood work can find nothing amiss...

 

Edit: On a slight tangent I wonder about certain artificial sweeteners or even supposed organic stuff such as stevia.

[Ross812]

I think weight problems all stem from is eating what is convenient, tastes good, and not exercising. 

 

Everyone here loves checklists:

 

If it comes out of a box and goes into and oven - don't eat it.

If it is sugary - don't eat it

If it is white - don't eat it

 

Drink lots of water.

 

Exercise 3-4 times a week for at least 30 minutes. At some point in your routine, you should feel exhausted. It's not fun or easy. Only eat meat on the days you exercise.

 

Walk everywhere you could get to if you were to spend a couple minutes in the car. 

 

[Parsad]

Just waiting for that special hard core reader to come in here and brag they don't eat any sugar and subsist on rocks and dirt, but pure rocks and diet, none of that processed crap.

 

Anything in excess is bad, food in moderation is fine. But what is moderation?

 

Years ago I lived the classic unhealthy life. I ate too much, sat too much, ate out for lunch and felt like crap even thought I didn't know it at the time. I had a switch in my job where I could work at home. I started to eat less and work out, suddenly I was losing weight. Took about a year and lost 45 lbs that I've kept off. I was skinny and athletic up until I entered an office. I have a natural athletic inclination, I look at my overweight period as the anomaly.

 

Co-workers asked me what my secret was. There is no secret, hundreds of small life changes compounded over a year is the secret. It sucked, but it worked. I went from being hungry at first to being satisfied. I eat a lot less now and am fine. I eat better too, I love veggies and fruit. If I have some desire to pig out I will do it on that. I figure after a run if I eat a bag of radishes or two apples and a head of broccoli that I'm not doing my body much harm. 

 

A weird thing happened though. As my body reverted to normal I will now feel terrible if I don't eat properly. If we go out of town for a few days and the host only eats out or has junk in their house I feel miserable by the end of the weekend. My body will get kicked out of line by unhealthy food or too much of it. I still enjoy sweets but after more than a handful of Starburst or some other candy I will have a stomach ache. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, just self regulation at work.

 

+1!  I can tell you exactly why I'm fat and overweight.  It has nothing to do with sugar, gluten, etc, but the fact that I do not eat a balanced diet and do not get enough exercise.  You eat too many calories and don't exercise at least three times a week, your body will slowly, if not over years, become unbalanced and your health will deteriorate.  It's as simple as that! 

 

Not that sugar is toxic, or whatever smoke people are blowing up your ass these days.  Anything in a large enough dose will kill you...even water!  Your body is self-regulating and a prime piece of technology...to call it a marvel of engineering is an understatement.

 

Yes, processed foods over the years have increased the amount of sugar and sodium levels in them.  But it all still comes down to a balanced diet, watching your total caloric intake and a moderate amount of exercise.  Those three things will take care of a whole host of other ills.

 

15 years ago, scientists and doctors said you shouldn't consume more than a few eggs a week.  Now, doctors and scientists are saying that eating a couple of eggs a day isn't an issue.  Red meat, coffee, sugar, salt, butter, alcohol, and whatever else go in and out of favour every decade.

 

The real problem isn't sugar or fat, but the sheer size of the portions we get these days.  It all started with Big Gulps and Supersized...7/11, Costco and McDonalds should all get the same amount of blame!  If you went to a restaurant 20-30 years ago, their dinner plate is today's appetizer plate, and today's dinner plate can hold twice as much food as back then.  A Big Mac used to be the biggest burger you could eat when I was a teenager...today it's about the same size as a fully-loaded "L'il Buddy Burger" at Five Guys!  That's the little burger at Five Guys...the one children order these days!

 

Even if you order something healthy at a restaurant, the portion size is huge.  So while you may be eating a nice salad, the total caloric value of that salad may be well over 1,000 calories.  A 7 oz steak, with vegetables and mashed potatoes is healthier and less than 2/3rds of the calories.  You could add a Coke and still come in under the salad.

 

And then you have all of the food porn that people love!  Inundated with food culture, and the fact that acquiring food gets easier and easier, while lifestyles are more and more sedentary, you can easily see why the world is becoming fat...and it isn't due to the sugar, salt, fat or gluten.  Cheers!     

 

Sanjeev, You are right about your circumstances and what we should be doing to trim down, but in a strange way we may be unwitting victims of an alien invasion.

 

No, this isn't about spooky invasions of aliens from other planets or graveyards, but about aliens all around us and even inside us. Yikes! That sounds even weirder, but it's true!

 

We all have hundreds of species of bacteria living inside us in our digestive tracts and especially in our colons.  These are continuously fighting against each other for living space and dominance. When we eat a diet that is mostly wholesome whole grains, vegetables and fruits, an amazing thing happens after a period of time. Certain types of bacteria will take over most of the space in our colons. These are the ones that like to feed on the fiber and larger molecules of resistant starch that are part of a mostly plant based diet.

 

When that happens, there is an amazing transformation. The products of that beneficial biome release substances that are absorbed through the gut and have great health benefits throughout the body. One of those benefits is to suppress excessive appetite and to predispose us to enjoy the same whole grains, fruits and vegetables those types of bacteria like. If we continue to eat those foods the undesirable competitors of the good bacteria won't have available the different type of food from our diet that they need to mount a counterattack and re conquer the territory.

 

Then, we are in the sweet spot. We now like and enjoy those foods that are good for us as we benefit from the positive feedback loop from the colon with the good bacteria that release beneficial substances throughout our bodies.  The diet that once seemed so hard to transition to is now very easy.

 

But wait, there is more!

 

We have lost a lot of extra weight, and it is easy for us to get up out of our chairs and move around. We realize we have begun to enjoy taking  walks; so we walk a little farther. That nagging pain we used to have in our feet is getting better as our feet don 't have to bear as much weight.  Then, we may do something we haven't done in years: we begin to jog a little bit. And the feedback loop goes around and around as we get more and more healthy.

 

I totally understand the bioflora residing in our colon and how that affects our health.  But my main point was a lot of the problems with the car can be fixed by simply making sure the battery is charged, brakes aren't rusted out from sitting still, and the engine is revved from time to time.  Everything else is the fine tuning of the engine...using better gas, oil, washes, detailing, etc.  If more of us just did the basics, that would change a lot of things...I'm as guilty as anyone on this matter!  :-X  Cheers!