This post could be a book. It seems there is so much ground to cover when talking about fact vs fiction when it comes to nutrition. Was eating always this complicated? Is it complicated? Why are we so obsessed with food and weight and nutrition?
It seems like it should be very simple, and it is, but it’s not easy, and there is a big difference.
There are so many ways to approach nutrition. I eat mainly to fuel my body and think of food in terms of how many milesĀ ofĀ running, biking or swimming, can I get out of it. I also have fun with food and try not to take myself too seriously, indulging in desserts and libations pretty much every weekend.
The following is about food in general, and how the averageĀ personĀ approaches food, without thought to athletic training or weight loss.
#1 – IĀ SHOULDĀ CUT OUTĀ ‘X’ FROM MY DIET
FICTION!
The major offenders here are usually sugar, carbs and gluten. If you’re cutting out one of these for a set period of time, like 21 or 30 days, with specific goals in mind, there is probably no harm. If you think you can live the rest of your life without eating sugar, whole grains (unless you have celiac disease) or carbohydrates, not only is that absurd, it’s unhealthy.
If you do not have celiac disease, eat wheat. I know some people feel better when they don’t eat it, which obviously is great but, it should not be used as a weight loss tool. Plus, have you tried gluten-free bread? It’s more flavorful and satisfying to eatĀ the plate it comes on.
Fact:Ā All foods and food groups are healthy when eaten in moderation. If you embark on a 30 day diet which excludes a macronutrient (like carbs), have a plan to work it back into your diet.
Articles worth reading on sugar and carbs:
Sugar’s Siren Song DecipheredĀ | Science Daily
- Sugar’s sweetness and calorie content combine to give it lethal power to destroy diets, many scientists have assumed. However, a new study suggests that the brain responds to taste and calorie counts in fundamentally different ways. And only one of these responses explains why most New Years’ resolutions have already disappeared under a deluge of Boston CrĆØme Pies.
The Truth About Carbs (And Why You Should Be Eating Them) | Greatist
Ā CarbsĀ are the most important source of energy for your body. Your body will break down carbs intoĀ glucoseĀ (the sugar found in your blood), and your blood helps transport this fuel all over your body to provide the energy you need to do everything from run and jump to sit and sleep.
#2 – FULL FAT DAIRY PRODUCTS ARE LINKED TO OBESITY AND HEART DISEASE
FICTION!
This was shocking to me as well so hear me out. We all know that high-fat dairy products are among the richest sources of saturated fat andĀ have a ton of calories, which is why most of us eat low-fat or fat-free yogurt and milk products. However, several studies do not support the findings that eating high-fat, high-calorie dairy causes weight gain or increased risk of heart disease.
Some, in fact,Ā claim the opposite:
āIn terms of obesity, we found no support for the notion that low-fat dairy is healthier,ā says Dr. Mario Kratz, first author of the review and a nutrition scientist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Of the 25 studies included in his teamās review, Kratz says 18 reported lower body weights, less weight gain, or a lower risk for obesity among full-fat dairy eaters. The other seven studies were inconclusive. āNone of the research suggested low-fat dairy is better,ā he says.
In my very first call with my nutritionist, he told me to eat full-fat greek yogurt and whole milk. Now, I’m very excited about the yogurt but not sure I can do full fat milk. I started drinking 2% and will go from there. Baby steps.
Articles worth reading on full-fat dairy:
Why Full-Fat Dairy May Be Healthier Then Low-Fat | TIME
Whole Milk vs Skim Milk – What’s Best for Your Diet | CBS News
FACT: “What we do know is that fat is not the enemy. Fat is good for us. It provides satiety, that feeling of fullness. It helps us to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. So it’s good for us for several reasons. However, the fat that’s found in dairy is saturated fat, which may not be the best fat out there. There’s other, healthier fats like monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, omega 3s.Ā Having fat in dairy is one piece of the whole nutrition puzzle,Ā youĀ have to look at, what else are you eating?Ā What is the entire picture?”
#3 – MARATHON TRAINING MAKES ME GAIN WEIGHT
FACT! *well, it can be a fact
I have heard this, seen it and read about it many times. I can tell you from personal experience that I definitely did not lose any weight when training for two marathons in 2015 and I absolutely lost weight when training for duathlon (run, bike, run) nationals and worlds the previous year.
Possible reasons for weight gain (or no weight loss) during marathon training include increased muscle mass (although don’t count on this one!), storing more sugar, eating more calories then you’re burning (because running all those miles makes you ravenous!) and too many “extra” calories in the form of gels, energy drinks and bars.
Marathon training is also about LSD or long, slow distance mileage. If you’re gunning for a personal record then you will probably do more calorie torching sessions that involve speed and/or hill workouts. However, the majority of your training will most likely involve miles and miles of running at a pace you can sustain over 26.2 miles, which equates to a slow burn.
Articles worth reading on marathon training and weight gain:
Why You Might Gain Weight Training for the Marathon | Runner’s Connect
“I shower up and head out to the local bar for the 12pm Packer game. I am starving and feeling like I deserve a treat so I order a basket of boneless buffalo wings and fries. This could be anywhere from 800-1000 calories, depending on if I am in a sharing mood. Add in the ranch dipping sauce and we are talking another 200-300 calories. Now letās add the 3-4 pints of beer (Miller Lite because I am āhealth consciousā and from Milwaukee): another 400-500 calories. Grand total? 1400-1800 calories
During my 20 miler I burned about 1600 calories.”Ā
How to Avoid Marathon-Training Weight Gain | Runner’s World
“…werenāt you working out hardcore before you started marathon training? And wasnāt your body accustomed to the calorie burn in the first place?Ā We runners are fine-tuned machines, but not so fine-tuned that our bodies become hypermetabolic once the āmarathon trainingā switch is activated. In other words, you donāt get to eat loads more just because you are in training and now running consistent mileage.”Ā
FACT: You are most likely training harder and longer for a marathon then you have in the past. Just as you have a marathon training plan, have a plan on how to fuel your body properly. Do some research and be prepared for post-long run with healthy and satiating options and don’t count on marathon training for weight loss.
#4 – I NEED TO DRINK ‘X’ AMOUNT OF WATER PER DAY
FICTION!
This is my favorite argument because my husband drinks a ton of water and I don’t. We constantly “discuss” which method is better and obviously mine is. I don’t see any swords hanging out near his desk. Anyway…
The recommendationĀ of 8 glasses of 8 ounces per day somehow became a golden rule. Most of us know by now that there is also a danger (called hyponatremia) in drinking too much water. So, how do we know how much we need?
Drink when you are thirsty. *MIND BLOWN*
Seriously, that is pretty much it. Of course how thirsty you are depends on a plethora of factors including sex (meaning male or female not actual sex but I guess that could be a game changer?), training intensity, weight, environmental conditions, age and diet.
Also, let’s not forget how much water is contained in some foods. Obviously watermelon is very hydrating as isĀ lettuce, celery, strawberries and cucumbers.
Articles worth reading on hydration:
10 Ways to Stay Hydrated (That Are Not Water) | Daily Burn
ā[8 glasses of 8 oz a day] Itās not the recommendation,ā she says. āBut itās also not that far off. For women, itās about 11 cups and for men itās about 15 cups. But remember, that includes 20 percent from food.ā
How Much Water Should You Drink Each Day? | Medical Daily
“Harvard recommends drinking 30 to 50 ounces a day, which is equivalent to approximately four to six glasses of water. However, the team isnāt just recommending water to drink at this optimal standard, but fluids in general to aid inĀ hydration.”
Ā 
Hopefully you are not more confused then before reading this post. As with most things, when it comes to nutrition, listen to your body. Most often it will tell you exactly what it needs.
[Tweet “Fact or fiction? Nutrition edition! Think you have the answers? Check it out here… #train4life”]
Right now mine is telling me I need a Bloody Mary because it’s Wednesday and I had a root canal yesterday. Don’t worry, there are nutrients in the vegetable juice, the celery stick is very hydrating and the olive is full of healthy fat. Cheers!
Ā Do you have any to add to my list?
Any challengers out there?
This is a great post. There is so much information out there, that it is truly hard to believe what is good and what is bad.
I’ve actually been reading quite a few articles about full fat versus low fat. It’s so interesting to read. I do think as athletes putting in more mileage we could benefit from more full fat items and I try and go that way (plus they taste better IMO).
I couldn’t agree more with the taste of full fat yogurt and this is like a whole new phenomenon to me! I’m interested to see if I can actually feel/notice any difference??
Yes!!! I love this. I switched to whole milk or 2% yogurt and it rats tea so much better. Try the Stonyfield Plain Whole Milk with honey on the side. Sooooo good!! And I have mention water. At least 80% of my patients/clients don’t drink any water. That’s just plain crazy! Water is our friends people. But just don’t over do it…like everything else.
You just love your Stonyfield don’t you? It is definitely great tasting yogurt so I will have to try it with the honey – YUM!!
As for the water – I drink about 6 cups a day on average. Drinking no water is insane!? What do they drink?? Never mind. I probably do not want to know!
Wow what an awesome post!! I am happy to know that I knew all of these things–especially the marathon weight gaining part *soul cry* this year will be majorly different when it comes to running nutrition. I’m still ultimately trying to find what works. I’ll get there one day!
Gluten free bread isn’t so bad (ok ok I confess the one time I had it was directly from Udis in a grilled cheese sandwich so I suppose that doesn’t count lol)
And yes I wish they had whole milk at the job–we are only allowed 2% because it’s healthy. š
Thanks Nellie!!
Marathon training nutrition is such a mystery! I’ve run enough of them now and STILL have to change things up and experiment. Good luck with that but have fun with it – that is key š
That fresh/grilled cheesy gluten free bread absolutely does not count!
And at work, you can bring them that article and tell them full fat, whole milk is actually HEALTHY!!
I drink a truly aggressive amount of water. Like, 120-ish ounces a day. AJ drinks about 16, so I like to think I’m evening him out.
I think my husband likes to think the same! I always tell him he drinks enough for the both of us.
Could you also please drink a little extra for me too?
You’re not going to like this but I’m challenging one part of your water post, drinking just when you’re thirsty may not be the best guide. Our body does not always accurately tell us to drink water when we are thirsty. Sometimes this dulls with age and/or given the weather (if it’s hot or we’re exercising) we can’t quite keep up with the demand.
While the amount of water we need per day isn’t quite the well thought “8 glasses/day”, I do like to tell people to look at their urine (if they don’t take vitamins supplements), if the urine is dark and concentrated, it indicates lack of hydration. Vitamins with B supplements will make your irons look radioactive (normal, B vitamins are water soluble and excess is released in urine). Urine should be slightly yellow. It isn’t the best indication of hydration but it is usually a better reflection of hydration status than thirst.
It is safe to say that most people aren’t in touch in enough with their thirst mechanism much like they aren’t in touch with their hunger/satiety points so an overall look at how often one is drinking liquids, what kind of liquids (caffeinated beverages promote urination), how much fiber one consumes (not enough liquid with adequate fiber leads to constipation), water containing foods, climate and exercise (among other things) should be taken into consideration.
Drinking when thristy is definitely a good idea but you’re usually on your way to being dehydrated by that time so preventing it is better. Drink with each meal and if possible between meals and with snacks. Preferably water (vs juices or caffeinated drinks). PS – Carbonated water (without flavorings, sugar or salt) is OK despite the recent press.
Sorry for the book.
Don’t apologize – I love it! And, I happen to mostly agree with you. I also didn’t bring up the urine factor on purpose because this post is already SO LONG but yes, obviously that is a great indicator. I also love when I’m taking supplements and see my neon pee!!
It’s also great advice to drink with each meal and/or snack for someone like me because I’m typically eating every three hours! Thanks Melissa xo
What a great comprehensive post with so many links!! My thoughts: I can’t eliminate anything. Anytime I try, it backfires, so I don’t do it…. everything in moderation and I eat everything! I totally now eat full-fat cheese and ice-cream (still like skim milk because I’m so used to the taste). As far as marathon training and losing weight, I definitely DON’T lose weight doing it. I find that any day that I run about 6 miles or less, I’m fine. Anyday that I run more than 6 miles, I spend the entire day hungry and probably eat more than the calories I burned. 6 miles is the magic number for me so far…. I’m going to back during my lunch break and read the links to some of the articles you posted, particularly the marathon / weight ones. Thanks!
I’m so glad this is helpful Paria!! And I know what you mean about the milk. I’m starting with 2% and we will see how that goes.
And yes, I know that “magic number” in running and also the massive hunger wave you can find yourself riding after high marathon training mileage. Definitely read the articles as I think you will truly find them helpful!
You need to shout out all these myths from the rooftops! I hear this crap all day long when I’m doing physicals at work. The sugar thing is the latest myth to make me want to pull out my hair. Moderation, people!!!!
I’m still iffy about the milk thing, tho…
YES! This is my rooftop so I’m shouting as loudly as I can. I cannot imagine being surrounded by that nonsense all day. It’s enough for me to hear it once and a while from a few people – and the sugar thing is killing me!! I’m like – eat a piece of fruit, it’s ok!!
I hear you on the milk thing. Old habits die hard plus, I’m sure “they” will tell us in 6 months that it’s all wrong… Ah, nutrition and science are crazy!!
I love your posts and agree with all of these. Prior to being diagnosed with Crohn’s I was told to go gluten free. It was MISERABLE. Why people choose to for no good reason is beyond me. And honestly I don’t truly believe the majority do it because wheat makes them feel like crap, it is such a trendy thing to say.
Drink when thirsty, so novel! Firmly believe we make things too complicated. On the running front I am happy that I was SO clueless when I first started distance running – my first halves (and current 3 year old PR) were all basically running start to finish no fuel/water. Now everyone is all you have to have x amount every x mins or you will die. I think we fail ourselves in just learning how to be in tune with your body.
I couldn’t agree more on the gluten thing. Plus, most of the people I know who were suddenly gluten free would eat it anyway and say something like “well, I can cheat but usually it makes me feel awful!” Yeah, um ok.
On the running front, you just gave me a whole new idea for a post! I think MOST people ran their first races completely clueless about “fuel” (I know I did) and I raced it just fine. We have moved so far away from listening to our bodies to listening to trends. Thank you!! And, I will give you full credit š
I was about to go hide when I read your first one, considering my recent experimentation š There are SO MANY nutrition myths out there and really, we end up overcomplicating a lot of it. Love this post Allie!
That is exactly why I included “experimenting” (like you did for a PURPOSE) for x amount of days – not cutting it out completely as a lifestyle change. I actually think Whole30 and things like that are good for us and can teach us a lot about our eating habits. Sometimes you really do need a reset š
Thanks so much Christine!
Love this, especially number 1! I understand cutting out certain individual foods for medical reasons like allergies or for religious reasons, but I just want to shake a bunch of people and tell them that bread is not going to make them gain weight, slow down, and die over night.
And yes to the saturated fat/milk thing. I think sometimes the 90’s still prevail in that mentality, which is really sad and I wish people would just eat some fat. Plus skim milk tastes like water pretending to be milk.
I know that urge to shake people and tell them the same! I used to have a shirt with cookie monster on it that read “I love Carbs!” I wish I still had it!!
And, I’m so used to skim milk now that 2% tastes like cream. I definitely held some old beliefs about fat-free milk! Plus, the science is always changing and telling us different things which is why is so easy to be confused.
Thanks Laura!
Interesting post! You bring up some good points. I’m with you on the notion of getting rid of carbs… NO WAYYY! People don’t realize that carbs are NOT the enemy. Carbs give you energy and you need them to function properly, it’s just a matter of eating the right kinds of carbs versus simple, nutrition-less ones, and getting a balanced amount of macros overall.
Re: gluten, I do think it’s a good idea for people to give it up for a few months just to see if it affects how they feel. I went gluten free a couple of years ago to see if it affected my allergies… It didn’t, so I went back to eating it, but it made me much more conscious of how much gluten I’m eating. Now I keep foods like gluten free waffles and crackers in my kitchen because I just like how they taste & their ingredients list get an A in my book. It’s all about moderation and balance when it comes to diet!
Thank you and YES to eating the right carbs – so much truth there!
Interesting about your gluten free experiment. I feel like every single one of my friends who went to a naturopath for an allergy was told to go gluten free and I don’t think it worked for a single one of them.
You hit the nail on the head with moderation, balance and especially finding what works specifically for YOU!
Totally agree with all of these, and it’s all stuff I practice, especially the boneless wings after a marathon training run… lol. I’m reading a book right now and the author started talking about going on a diet without grains and legumes completely and I wanted to stop reading right then. It’s not safe or sustainable! Moderation is key, especially with wine.
Ah, boneless wings! I have a feeling there will be a lot of those eaten this Sunday and probably NOT post-run š
I would have tossed that book!!
And yes, always wine…in moderation š whatever that means to you! HAHAHA. Enjoy!
Excellent post! I agree. Food has gotten way too complicated. “Dairy free. Gluten free. Sugar free. Carb free. Fat free.” Are we really free?? Eat to fuel the body and when hungry. Drink when thirsty. Be active. Love life. Done.
Excellent question! And I think the answer is obvious š
YES – I want to get back to keeping it simple. I wonder how people would eat without outside influence…??
Some of this was new to me, and some I already agreed with – although I will not give up my skim milk. I do feel better about my insistence on full fat half and half in my coffee though!
I do the same with my coffee although now I can get almond milk at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks š
Thanks Dana!
Love this Allie! I literally just finished my post for tomorrow talking about that Greatist article because I thought it was so important for people to read!!! There are so many myths out there about what is healthy and unhealthy and it can be hard to know what is what. This was a great post to provide some clarity!
Great minds think alike!!
It is definitely so confusing and, even as healthy “in the know” professionals we sometimes don’t even know. I was really surprised about eating full fat milk and yogurt. We’ll see how my training likes it š
Looking forward to reading and sharing your post.
Great post Allie!
I totally agree with everything in moderation. I was happy that I did Laura’s 21 day reset as it reminded me of a few things: 1. I don’t have to have chocolate every single day and I enjoy it more when I have it once a week.
2. Reminding myself to eat every 2-3 hours is a good thing.
3. I have to make time to sit down for lunch – I have and it is is so, so good! š
I am all about full fat – bring on the butter and yogurt! I haven’t gone full fat on the milk, but I do use 2%. Actually, I drink almond milk because regular and my stomach don’t agree. Anyway…
I actually lose weight during marathon training! I know every body type is different, but I am always my leanest when I am in hard core marathon training. Interesting…
The point about how not to gain weight during marathon training was interesting. I think of it like pregnancy – you don’t need to eat everything in sight just because you are having a baby! People go crazy and don’t necessarily need to.
I am a huge water drinker and I think it makes me a better runner.
It’s all about moderation.
Love all these points!!!
I feel the same way about a lot of stuff, in that, if I only have it once or twice a week it’s a REAL treat. And you have to remind yourself to eat every 3-4 hours?? I’m always pretty hungry right around the 3 1/2 hour mark and sitting down for lunch is usually in front of my laptop!
I’m so glad to hear you say you lose weight during marathon training and YES it’s so much like eating when you’re pregnant!! I almost threw that in but this post was SO long already š
Keep drinking water as obviously your body craves it plus, you live in a very sunny locale – you lucky girl!!
Thanks so much for ALL your thoughts! xoxo
Gluten free diet sounds gross, especially the bread reference; why does anyone subscribe to this unless it has been diagnosed to be an individual life or death issue? It seems to be so trendy to self diagnose this, it’s the rightous thing to do, like this notion of eating ‘clean’. What does that mean? This also implies, by inverse reasoning, that food is also ‘dirty’!
How can anyone have a healthy relationship with something regarded as inherently ‘evil’. The only irrefutable conclusion I draw from the myriad nutrition aversions, fads, diets, and nutrient manipulations is that it’s been nothing but a MASSIVE fail for decades. The proof is just outside on any street in good Old USA (or whole foods, trader joe’s, and other designer food shopping havens).
Nutrition has duly been elevated, (or relegated to) the darkest depths of ‘bro-science’.
Give me full dairy fat, whipping cream, real butter, real eggs, deep-fry, real sugar, massive carbs, empty calories; just in the right combination and moderation. I just eat A LOT of moderation!
I loved my ‘Oreo Cheesecake’ at the Cheesecake factory Saturday night. I don’t think it was gluten-free; but the 2 Margaritas and Steak Dianne were! I did drink a lot of water with this meal though.
I had a great 8Mile run the next day, with a boat load of energy to fuel it. By mile 5 I was planning my refeed.
Love all of these. Please tell me you had the Bloody.
Damn straight.
Great post. The gluten free craze really drives me bonkers. There is no reason to go gluten free unless you have a sensitivity and will not make you lost weight. I hate the people think that they will lose weight by eliminating it! And I can totally attest to the marathon weight gain despite not over indulging!!
I know you have that same marathon training issue – ugh. Another good reason not to run one this year, right?
I definitely hold onto weight when I train for marathons, no matter how healthy I’m eating. And I’m a big fan of full fat yogurt too- eat it as nature provides it! This is great, Allie.
I’m so glad you approve!! Thanks Laura and maybe you can come up with a solution to that pesky marathon weight gain and make millions? If anyone can… š
I drink a truly aggressive amount of water. Like, 120-ish ounces a day. AJ drinks about 16, so I like to think Iām evening him out.