Wander Talks: Episode 5 – Misconceptions on Fitness
Laird knows all about this stuff. Do you?
In this episode of Wander Talks, Rachel sits down with some of the guys from her exercise science program to discuss some of the misconceptions on fitness the general public has. Stephen Beaugrand, Michael Dumala, and Rachel dove heavily into misconceptions regarding nutrition and diet. Last week, Rachel talked photography and architecture with Jose Gonzalez.
Portion Control
The biggest issues with eating out are the unhealthy choices provided, and the amount on your plate. Stephen makes a claim later in the talk that “too much of anything is bad,” and that is entirely true. Without having a firm grasp on how much of a certain food group is enough for ones caloric and/or macronutrient needs, overeating becomes entirely too easy.
Marketing vs. Education
Lack of education in nutrition plays a big part in poor dietary habits. If one is not familiar with the basic breakdown of all the macronutrients, micronutrients, and the values applied to foods they are eating, it is next to impossible to know exactly what you need to eat to best suit your dietary needs.
We noted that because of this, marketing takes advantage of consumers by falsifying claims about a products true health value by throwing labels onto packaging such as “low fat” and “low carb.” As a society, we have been fed so many general facts about proper dieting that these advertisements almost trick us into believing their product is a good choice simply because it fits the facts. We associate “low fat” with health, and then end up buying high fat foods, regardless of whether or not the rest of the nutritional label is deemed healthy.
For example, the common belief for a long time was that eggs were bad because of the cholesterol levels. Thanks to research, specifically one Harvard research study in 1999 showed no contribution to heart disease amongst 120,000 men and women. However, if one remained unaware of this, they would continue to stay clear of eggs (unless of course if it was because of a medical professional’s recommendation).
This topic fell beautifully into conversation. Most would agree that a “quick fix” sounds much more appealing than something that takes time; therefore, this want for instant satisfaction has been implemented into how we feed our bodies. Those who don’t understand how to lose weight on there own will reach towards the next fad diet, follow the same grocery list that some celebrity shares on an interview, and then expect the same outcome. With little education and the help of the media, it is made very difficult for one to realize how detrimental this can be to our health. Every body is different. Everyone has a very different chemical make up, varying metabolisms, and various activity levels.
Understanding Supplements- Reading the Fine Print
Supplements or “magic pills” are something commonly associated with aiding in the quick fixes we so desire. They are advertised as cure alls for fat loss, metabolism boosters, etc. Michael and Stephen explained how reading the fine print (aka doing your research) is so important when it comes to buying supplements. Nothing works better than hard work, but buying something that won’t even have an effect on you is just a way to blow your money away to companies.
The Myth That Is “Toning”
This was Michael’s biggest pet peeve when it came to misconceptions. The word “toning” is used in gyms, magazines, and other publications to represent weight loss. We (mostly Michael) heavily explained that there is no such thing as toning. There is the presence of fat, and the presence of muscle. Toning is probably a word used to holistically define “losing fat and gaining muscle,” but it is a word that makes many fitness professionals cringe.
*note that we are students, not medical professionals. Any diet/health modification you make should be discussed with a health professional*
