Diet

Does Fruit Make You Fat? The Truth Revealed! – Workout Recap (September 28 – October 5, 2008)

Published

3 months ago

June 18, 2023

This article focuses on workout recaps and the diet consumed in your daily life. The fact that “does fruit make you fat” makes you alert and think about the daily diet.

You can follow my weekly recaps right here every Sunday, but you can follow me every day as I post daily updates of my journey from GeekLand to FreakVille at Geek2Freak.com.

Current Stats and Measurements (October 5, 2008)

Height – 6’3″
Weight – 192.4 lb.
Bodyfat – 16%
Biceps – 14.3″
Calves – 14.9″
Thighs – 25.1″
Waist – 32.3″
Chest – 43″

“How to Get Abs” Progress Pics (October 5, 2008)

Today’s Diet Log

For up-to-the-minute coverage of my world-famous digestive system, check out my very cool and overly-detailed Diet Log.

Current Supplements

Current Workout Routine

Eric Cressey’s Maximum Strength: Get Your Strongest Body in 16 Weeks with the Ultimate Weight-Training Program

Weekly Recap (September 28 – October 5, 2008)

Welcome to my Does Fruit Make You Fat? experiment…

Very, VERY cool! I feel like I’m back in high school science class, except this experiment is actually fun and exciting.

My knowledge of how to write up a proper report following the scientific method is long gone, so bear with me, because I’m going to have to write it in… understandable, conversational English!

Rekindling of my inner scientist

Ok, so I’m constantly tinkering with my diet to find that elusive combination that will allow me to burn fat and build muscle most efficiently, which, of course, is a moving target.

Two weeks ago, on September 21, every one of my measurements stayed almost exactly the same, which I hadn’t noticed in a while, so I figured I had found my maintenance level for my current weight.

Maintenance level just means a balance between exercise and nutrition that basically keeps your body right where it is, with no gaining and no losing.

Mine, for that week, turned out to be:

Maintenance level = 3,509 average total calories per day, 176 average grams of carbs per day, and 170 average grams of fat per day.

Having found this baseline, this was a perfect opportunity to turn myself into a guinea pig and conduct some experiments.

My Hypothesis – Fruit makes you fat…

I’ve always loved fruit, especially apples, but I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that fruit makes me fat (a hot-button issue in the nutrition world, along the lines of abortion and stem-cell research).

It’s one of those things I tried to ignore because I didn’t want to believe it and didn’t want to give up my beloved apples.

I finally faced the music and decided to find out once and for all if carbs make me fat. And these aren’t even “bad carbs” like candy, soda, etc. I zeroed in specifically on fruit carbs, even more specifically on apples.

The week after finding my maintenance level, I began part one of the experiment: I would decrease calories while increasing carbs. Also, my idea of “high-carb” is very relative here because, as you’ll see, it’s still VERY low compared to the average junk food and soda-filled diet.

In other words, I was giving carbs an unfair advantage because they would have to make up for the overall calorie drop, using all of their fat-storing powers combined (Captain Planet, anyone?).

And keep in mind none of the numbers I’m using are estimates. I think I’m at least half robot because I’m able to eat the exact same things at the exact same times for long periods of time, so conditions were as controlled as possible throughout, much more so, I’m sure, than the average guinea pig in the big studies.

Does fruit make you fat

By the way, all of these numbers can be confirmed, and you can even see exactly what foods they came from on my daily diet log, which lets you browse by a specific date, and I can also export a detailed breakdown for any timeframe in the unlikely event that anyone is interested enough to want that.

Just the fact that I keep track of all that, right down to obnoxiously measuring everything I eat on a food scale, should provide some level of credibility to my results.

High-Carb Week

So, here is my breakdown for my high-carb week:

High-Carb Week = 3,205 average total calories per day, 215 average grams of carbs per day, and 119 average grams of fat per day.

Now that I’ve already done the math for you, it shouldn’t be hard to see that my average total calories dropped by over 300 per day, and my average grams of fat dropped over 50 points.

It’s also important to note that all of the increased carbohydrates were consumed within the workout window, no more than 2-3 hours after working out.

Given all of that decreasing, a simple increase of 40 grams of carbs per day couldn’t possibly overcome and produce an overall fat and weight gain, right?

Wrong! My results for the week showed an overall weight gain of 2.8 pounds, and my waist measurement went up 0.7 inches!

Of course, the body fat measurement is quite meaningless on my digital scale, as I’ve discussed in the past, so that’s why it shows my percentage dropped. Still, the mirror, the progress picture, and the increase in belly fat left no doubt that carbs had added fat, even in the face of a drop of 300 calories per day!

That’s great and seemed to confirm my hypothesis that fruit makes me fat, but of course, my experiment wasn’t complete.

Low-Carb Week

I had to switch it up: keep overall calories the same while decreasing carbs. How will I make up the difference? With public enemy number one: FAT!

That’s right, I’m a complete rebel, challenging common sense, boldly stating that I’m going to lose fat by eating more of it.

In fact, it was an extremely simple switch: I replaced apples (carbs) with almonds (fat).

So, here’s my breakdown from this past week:

Low-carb week = 3,201 average total calories per day, 133 average grams of carbs per day, and 161 average grams of fat per day.

Again, for the mathematically challenged, compared to my “high-carb” week, my “low-carb” diet included almost the exact same number of average daily calories (dropping a measly 4 calories per day), the carbs dropped by about 80 grams per day, and the fat increased by over 40 grams per day.

What happened? I lost over 2 pounds, and that very same 0.7 inches from my waist! Coincidence? I think not!

Hypothesis Confirmed? Does fruit make you fat?

If that’s not conclusive evidence, I don’t know what is. I increased fat and decreased carbs, all while keeping overall calories the same, and burned body fat!

Please, please, please, keep in mind that this was an experiment conducted on my body with my metabolism, not yours. There are plenty of people who could replicate this exact experiment and get the exact opposite results.

In fact, one of my favorite exercise gurus, Craig Ballantyne, has mentioned his disagreement with “fruit makes you fat” several times, and clearly, he can eat a lot of it and still be ripped.

It all comes down to how your body processes and breaks down what you eat, but if you have the same suspicion that I did, then it’s certainly something worth trying.

Conclusion

As for my workouts, they stayed virtually the same throughout. The PETF (People for the Ethical Treatment of Fruits) folks will probably point out that I just finished a “Very High” load week of “Maximum Strength,” and that’s really why I lost the additional body fat.

But, compared to the week before, daily workout time only increased by about 15-20 minutes. With 4 workouts per week, that’s only about an hour of extra workout time total, and I seriously doubt that would account for the drastic changes.

Of course, this is, and will always be, an ongoing study in my quest for the perfect combination, but I will be keeping my diet exactly the same this week, and it’s a “Very Low” load week, which should clear up any potential workout discrepancies.

Granted, as with any study, I’m sure there are plenty of other things to nitpick, and I welcome all criticisms, ideas, and alternate conclusions, so to any other amateur (or “real”) scientists out there, please speak up!

So, what do YOU think? Does fruit make you fat?

That about wraps it up for this week. See you next Sunday, and don’t forget you can follow my daily updates at Geek2Freak.com.

Related Topics:carb fat fruit make you fat week

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Diet

7 Healthy Ingredients Your Diet Needs

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2023

Engeadamkhan

For a perfectly fit body, a perfect diet chart is needed. And for making a perfect diet chart, the necessity of healthy ingredients and elements is very important. Proper healthy ingredients in diet make the diet chart beneficial for your body. Actually, keeping oneself fit, one cannot change the lifestyle. What they need in their diet is to use perfect food material.

Use of Coconut oil

Most nutritionist gives advice on using Coconut oil. Cooking with coconut oil is good for the diet. It can give one relief from stress. Not only that, but it fixes the cholesterol level up also. It increases the immunity power in the body. One can use coconut oil for cooking or drink two or three spoons. Coconut oil contains a variety of antifungal acids, and thus, it helps to keep up the energy level throughout the day.

Use of pine apple with meat

When meat or pork is used in the lunch or dinner menu, the presence of Pine apple can make it more digestive. Pipe apple has an enzyme which is bromelain which helps the protein to break down quickly. Then the meat of pork becomes much more digestible. Therefore pineapple slices with chicken or mutton can be good for the diet.

Add Spices with fatty foods.

If someone cannot avoid fatty foods, the use of spices like garlic, black pepper, paprika, rosemary, etc. can help a lot. In that case, the fatty foods will not be out of your favorite options of dishes. These spices will decrease the level of triglyceride in the body.

Drinking aloe vera

Drinking Aloe Vera, which is pure is very good for the health. If this element is in your diet chart, it is very good for keeping fit. Well, it increases digestive power and can repair the problematic digestive system. Aloe Vera thus helps you to keep fit.

Vinegar with some desserts

Desserts are very important options after having your main food. Sometimes these desserts contain some fatty elements. It can make you feel hesitation before taking those. But no need to worry if some vinegar is used on that occasion. Vinegar helps to keep the blood sugar level good. Taking some amount of vinegar in the morning also helps to improve the digestion power of a person.

Cinnamon in coffee

As far as the drinks are concerned, coffee can be a good option in the morning or evening. Some amount of Cinnamon with coffee makes it perfect for you. This spice helps to control the amount of insulin in the body. It decreases the blood sugar level as well. It also helps to keep control of cholesterol levels.

Use of good bacteria

The word Bacteria gives us the fear of bad health. But there are some good bacteria that can be used for a healthy body. Some of the good bacteria can improve the digestive system of humans.

For a perfect diet, these elements can help a lot. It is not possible always to leave a lot of food of your choice. It is better to take these things to keep aside the bad effects of those foods.

About the author: Diana Maria is a blogger by profession. She loves writing about technology, health, and parenting. Besides this, she is fond of games and gadgets. She also likes reading various articles on bornrich.com & cellphonebeat.com

Diet

How to Make Diet Foods Taste…Bad for You

Published

3 months ago

July 11, 2023

Engeadamkhan

How to Make Diet Foods Taste

There’s just something about diving into a late-night snack filled with “bad for you” ingredients. Whether it’s nacho chips decked out in cheese, meat, and sour cream or six-alarm chili with all the trimmings, food that’s bad for you tastes so much better most of the time.

But what if you could make your diet foods – you know, foods that are actually good for you – taste as mouth-watering delicious as the foods that aren’t? Sounds impossible, right? Not so fast.

Research indicates that you can do just that. Here are a few simple ways you can take to make your diet foods taste like your favorite heart attack on a stick.

Use Stainless Steel Cutlery.

A recent Men’s Health News article cites an Oxford University Study which indicated that using stainless steel instead of plastic cutlery gives the impression that your food is more flavorful. Hmm, really?

Eat with stainless steel cutlery to make your diet foods taste better.

According to the study, when participants were given identical samples of yogurt, those eating with stainless steel spoons rated the yogurt at 5.5 while those eating with plastic spoons gave a rating of 4.6. The theory is that people associate stainless steel with higher quality restaurants, while plastic cutlery is commonly associated with fast food.

Create a Food Ritual.

A July 2013 paper entitled “Rituals Enhance Consumption” tested the theory that ritualistic behaviors actually enhance the consumption of food. Simple acts, such as snapping photographs of your meal prior to eating, can help you enjoy your meals better and feel more satisfied by the foods you eat.

Taking a picture of your cottage cheese can make it taste more yummy. Okay, if you say so.

Of course, it doesn’t have to relate only to snapping photos. It can be small rituals such as saying grace, singing happy birthday, setting the table, or even cutting the food on your plate into tiny, bite-sized pieces. The theory is that the rituals involved focus your mind on what you’re doing, allowing you to have greater enjoyment, or involvement, in the moment. So, the next time you’re eating a healthy meal, pull out your camera phone and snap away.

Use Herbs and Other Ingredients for More Flavor.

It is unnecessary to eliminate all hope of flavor to eat healthily. Flavorless food is less satisfying, which often leads to over-indulging. Simple solutions involve using more herbs and spices in the preparation of health foods, according to this U.S. News Health article.

Things like sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and even low-fat cheese added to dough prior to baking can leave you feeling more satisfied with the flavor of your pizza crusts, rolls, and breads. Adding sharp grated cheeses and dried fruits to food adds a nice burst of flavor, as does marinating foods in low-sodium marinades – particularly those that are tangy, sweet, or savory.

Have Someone Else Prepare Your Food.

Here’s the theory: You’re more likely to find the food satisfying and full of flavor if someone else prepares it for you. When you prepare a meal yourself, you anticipate the flavor while making the food. When someone else prepares the food for you, that mental anticipation isn’t quite the same.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University believe this is due to extended exposure to the food being prepared. Experiencing the making of the meal, in this case a sandwich, makes the sandwich less desirable. It’s sort of like the law of diminishing returns in action. The first bite of a desirable dish is the most desirable (and most satisfying).

These great tips will help you add the flavor diet foods often lack so you can hopefully enjoy them just as much (or close to it, anyway) as you enjoy foods that are notoriously bad for you. Put them to work today and see what a difference they make for your diet efforts.

Have you tried any of these tips or other tips to make your “diet food” taste better? Did they work?

Freelance writer Elizabeth Magill is an author who writes articles, blog posts, news stories, guides, and ebooks on a variety of topics, including health, medical, and many business topics including Reputation.com reviews.

Diet

Why Fruits and Vegetables Will Never Make You Fat

Published

3 months ago

July 11, 2023

Engeadamkhan

Why Fruits and Vegetables Will Never Make You Fat

Despite what you have heard from low-carb diet fanatics, eating fruits and vegetables will NEVER make you fat!

Fad low carbohydrate diets like the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet may tell you that you should avoid all carbs like the plague, but the science and common sense just don’t agree. When it comes to eating fruits and vegetables, More Is Better, according to the USDA, and thousands of studies on the research between chronic diseases and fruit and veggie intake.

The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and almost every chronic disease we know!

Yet some diet promoters will go so far as to say fruits and veggies will make you gain weight! Is it true?

Well, let’s talk about common sense here. If you were to write down the 10 most overweight people you know and analyzed their diets to see what could possibly have made them so overweight, here’s what their diet would look like:

The Typical Overweight Diet

Soda, milkshakes, energy drinks, mocha lattes and other sugary drinks
Excessive amounts of fried foods – french fries, fried chicken, etc.
Lots of dairy consumption including milk, ice cream, cheesecakes and other desserts
Lots of greasy foods like pizza prepared by someone else
Lots of meat consumption, probably in every meal
Lots of white foods – white flour, white sugar, white pasta, white salt, etc.
Lots of packaged and processed and canned foods
Lots of chips, cookies, crackers, and candies
Very few, if any, raw foods – including fruits, vegetables, and berries
Very few, if any, whole grains or legumes (beans)

When you analyze the diets of the average American (and, by the way, the average American is overweight or obese), you realize that this is what most people eat most of the time. And especially overweight people – they’re eating all this processed, packaged food made in a factory somewhere that is loaded with excess empty calories, food additives, chemicals, dyes, preservatives, hormone disruptors and other toxins.

And that’s what they eat day in and day out! In fact, the average American only eats fewer than 20 kinds of fruits and vegetables in any one YEAR – yet many of us will eat 20 different kinds of sugary sodas, 20 different kinds of cookies, 20 different kinds of cakes, 20 different kinds of ice creams, etc. in any one year!

So is the problem with obesity in America that people are eating too much fruits and vegetables? Of course not!

So pay no attention to those who will try to confuse you in order to sell you weight loss products, pills, and quick fix fad diets.

If you want to lose weight, it’s really simple (not easy, but simple). Just reverse the standard American diet we outlined above. Eat very few of those processed foods at the top of the list and eat lots of fresh whole foods – fruits, vegetables, and berries.

Could it really be that simple? Why not try it for yourself!