Fitness Junkies Nutrition FAQ

Is there something I can take or do to combat sugar cravings?

Basically craving sweets/sugar is a combination of an innate trait and a learned response for all humans. Innate because sweetness translates in the brain as immediate energy and is therefore important to our evolution/survival.

I am trying to stay away from pasta; however, when I do eat it when is the best time?

The short answer is you can eat pasta any time and often as you like as long as your average total daily calories from all foods does not exceed the amount of calories you burn since your goal is weight loss.

Do you know anything about a drink called “Green PhytoFoods”?

Green PhytoFoods contain blue-green algae (spirulina), Gingko Biloba, antioxidants, and plant-based enzymes. The main compound however is the Spirulina which contains small amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals.

I’ve seen articles that imply that vitamin and mineral supplements are not beneficial. What are the facts?

First, multiple vitamin and mineral (MVM) supplementation is just that: a supplement to your best possible food diet. Second, MVM supplementation was designed to cure nutritional deficiency disease.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

There are numerous countries that border the Mediterranean Sea including the northernmost countries of Africa, some of Southern Europe, Turkey and the Aegean islands. The Mediterranean Diet is not one specific diet, but represents a set of dietary choices that is common in this region of the world.

I've heard that dietary fat is bad for you. Is this true?

Too much of anything can be bad for you. But in the proper amounts, dietary fat makes a contribution to good health. There are essential fatty acids that the body needs for health and normal functioning that must be obtained through diet.

Do I need to take a multivitamin?

The short answer is yes. Now let's discuss why. You’ve probably heard for years that you do not need to take supplements because you can get everything you need by eating a healthy diet. The biggest obstacle to this approach is that no one consistently eats a healthy diet or can define what a healthy diet is.

Do excess carbs show up as fat in one area of the body and excess fat in another area?

While it is true that any food (carbs, protein or fat) can be stored as body fat when daily calorie intake exceeds expenditure, where the fat is stored is not determined by the type of food.

How can I avoid emotional eating?

The first step in controlling and changing emotional eating is to learn the high risk situation(s) that cause you to eat when you are not hungry.

Are there any health benefits from drinking green tea?

Tea (all varieties) is one of the most consumed beverages in the world and its consumption has been associated with lower incidences of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

What’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup? I’ve read that it’s bad for you.

There is no valid research showing that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is associated health problems or weight gain.

What’s an insulin response?

This is almost a trick question because insulin responds to virtually everything you put in your body. Its role in the body, after all, is to take amino acids, glucose and fatty acids and put them into storage for later use.

If I don’t have high blood pressure or heart disease, do I still need to watch my sodium levels?

Yes, as the most current pervasive thinking goes, we should all pay attention to our sodium intake and some people more than others. High sodium (salt) intake increases blood pressure and reducing sodium intake decreases it.

I am supposed to eat 20% fat 20% protein and 60% carbs. When should I eat my carb vs. protein?

Eat them together at each meal if possible – just like everyone else. There is no need to separate your protein and carbohydrates.

How does sugar affect metabolism?

Sugar has been vilified by the popular press but moderate amounts will not hurt any healthy person. In fact, the right amounts and kinds of “sugar” can be a positive contributor to the training-induced results of athletes and exercisers.

At what point do you start counting calories for artificial sweetener like Equal or Splenda?

Even if you feel you are using many of these packets a day, every day, the amount needed to sweeten food and beverages is so small it is virtually zero calories.

How does the body process the calories in alcoholic beverages? Fats, carbohydrates or protein added to alcohol are processed in the body just as they are when delivered in foods. But alcohol itself is unique in that it cannot be converted to blood sugar, but instead must be processed as a fat in order to be used for energy.

What affect does coffee have on one's overall nutrition status?

As long as one does not have adverse reactions to coffee or stimulants, coffee may offer more health benefits than most other beverages when consumed in moderation (from one to six 8oz cups per day).

I am trying to lose weight. Should I limit or avoid carbohydrates?

Some carbohydrates are healthier than others, but ultimately eating more calories than you burn makes you fat, whether those calories come from carbohydrates, protein or fat.

I know I should eat more fiber, but what is the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber?

Fiber, indigestible chains of carbohydrate present in all plant foods, is categorized by its ability to dissolve in water. Fiber that partially dissolves in water is labeled soluble fiber and that which does not dissolve in water, insoluble. These differences lend unique benefits to each type of fiber in the diet.

How many grams of protein should I be eating in a day?

The actual recommendation for someone with your goals (dieting and presumably exercising with a fat loss goal) is listed below under “active recreational athlete” and “adaptation period”. You should strive for 1.2—1.8 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight, or .5--.8 grams of protein per 1 pound of body weight.

Does eating fat make me fat?

No, eating more calories than you burn makes you fat, whether those calories come from carbohydrates, protein or fat. There are essential fatty acids that the body needs for health and normal functioning that must be acquired through diet.

Is Splenda (sucralose) dangerous to consume due to the chlorine used in making it?

It’s true that Splenda (which 600 times sweeter than sugar) is made using chlorine, but there is no evidence that the chlorine atoms in sucralose are any more dangerous than they are in sodium chloride (i.e. table salt).

I’m not a big fan of fish oil or seafood for that matter. Can I take flax oil supplements and receive the same benefits as fish oils?

At this time it appears the answer is no, at least not in full, unless you ingest very large doses daily. But flax oil may deliver benefits of its own. It’s not uncommon for people to think they get the same potential health benefits because both flax oil and fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, but there is a difference in their structure and conversion once in the body.

Is excess protein stored as fat?

Any time your total calories consumed (food eaten) is greater than your calories burned, the excess calories are stored as fat.

Why are dietary carbohydrate recommendations higher than protein? Simply put, your body uses more carbohydrate for energy in a day than it uses protein to build muscle. Carbohydrates are pure energy foods that you continually use to keep your body alive and in motion.

Can diet soda cause metabolic syndrome?

The short answer is no. There is no cause-and-effect relationship established with drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome (which is a host of obesity-related diseases).

Does fruit or fructose make you fat?

No. Eating more calories than you burn makes you fat, whether those calories come from carbohydrates, protein or fat.

I have seen websites promoting personalized diets based on genetics. Do these really work?

In short, we don’t know. The research on genetics and how they interact with your diet is still in its infancy.

Are there really foods that are negative calories, like celery and broccoli?

Negative calorie foods are a myth. It is a common misconception that foods high in fiber such as the ones mentioned above burn more calories during digestion than they contain.

Is there any weight loss or nutritional benefit to doing a colon cleanse?

The only weight loss benefit resulting from a colon cleanse is the weight removed from your intestines. In other words, the number on the scale may go down immediately after you cleanse, but unless you are “dieting” that number will return to normal soon after.