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There's some truth to this. Junk food is over-processed, doesn't have much in the way of nutrient content, and is usually loaded with too much sugar and salt. E
by zebraflask 9y ago
There's some truth to this. Junk food is over-processed, doesn't have much in the way of nutrient content, and is usually loaded with too much sugar and salt. Everyone knows that.
But I think this comment is overestimating how many calories you'd need and how concerned you'd need to be about nutrient balancing, even on a fairly intense training program. Most people, in their first few years of weight lifting, aren't going to need much or any increase to their daily calories that they wouldn't come by naturally from getting hungry due to the exercise. For people who want to lose some weight, moderating the size and frequency of meals and cutting out obviously bad food will have the quickest and most visible results.
It's far more important to just hit the weights consistently. That's where you get results. I started about 2 years ago and dropped about 40 pounds without ever worrying about the diet side of things or counting calories. The only real changes I made were to start taking a daily multivitamin and to make an effort to avoid sugared soda, fruit juice (has a ton of sugar), junk food, etc.
- tejohnso 9y ago"...dropped about 40 pounds without ever worrying about the diet side of things" "... [I made] an effort to avoid sugared soda, fruit juice (has a ton of sugar), junk food, etc." Important contradiction to point out there. I'd say you did worry about the diet side of things given the effort to avoid sugar and junk. It's a common and widely accepted saying that "abs are made in the kitchen." That's to say, if you want to loose weight, you must change your diet. A few days of cardio or strength training per week won't make up for a bad diet. In fact, if all you're trying to do is loose weight, you're better off working on the diet than the strength training. You could end up being very discouraged if you go the opposite route. Ideally, do both and you'll see results very quickly. But think diet for fat loss, strength training for...strength.
- zebraflask 9y agoMight be unclear wording on my part. I was thinking about the fitness and nutritional sites, forums, etc. you find when you Google on this topic. A lot of them try to persuade you to follow some pretty complicated or restrictive dietary plans, or expect you to monitor every last thing you eat. When it comes to diet, I am an unashamedly lazy man. Lifting the weights is tough enough as it is. I'm not going to live on oatmeal or kale, count calories, or any of that. That just sounds awful. What works for me is cutting out things that are obviously bad for you: too much sugar, too much salt, comes in a can or a box with a long list of preservatives, etc. Simple plans are easiest to stick with, after all.
- tejohnso 9y agoAbsolutely agree with keeping the diet simple. People like to focus on measuring macros and get hyper focused on hitting someone's idea of perfect balance that won't make the slightest difference unless you're a high level athlete. The obvious, simple changes are going to make a huge difference for the average person.
- zebraflask 9y agoAt the end of the day, I think it's helpful to remember that this sport consists entirely of picking up heavy things and then putting them back down again. Just a little joke, there.
- rwnspace 9y agoI hope HN doesn't mind tangentially related Dylan Moran skits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlLpCh-lE54 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlLpCh-lE54
- zebraflask 9y agoIsn't that the same guy who did the Black Books show?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]