Results May Vary: Interpreting Diet and Exercise Information
This video is an overview brief disclaimer for people who are currently on or thinking of following a diet/nutrition program.
Genetics
Your genes are the most powerful factor in dictating how your body will respond to particular stimulus. Genetics predisposes you for certain natural traits and attributes. This includes how tall you are likely to grow, how large your body will likely be, and other traits that relate to health such as your body’s ability to process particular proteins or possible defects in genes that may be linked to diseases.
X Factors
Aside from genetics, there are many other factors in your life that will have an affect on your health.
Physical Factors
This is closely tied to genetics and may include things like the size of your stomach and the development of your teeth. Physical factors may also be introduced by injuries or defects in growth that may adversely impact your health.
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors pertain to your surroundings. Things such as air, food, and water quality all should be considered in attaining good health. Other environmental issues such as the exposure to allergens or toxins should also be factored in.
Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle factors are mainly things that you choose to do. The amount of exercise that you partake in and the amount of sleep you get are examples of lifestyle factors. Smoking, and the consumption of drugs and alcohol are common factors that will affect your diet and fitness goals.
Psychological Factors
Psychological factors is often overlooked. Mental health is essential to good physical health. The amount of mental stress you are exposed to on a daily basis may directly correspond to physical measurements such as blood pressure.
Body Reactions
The numerous reactions and processes that occur within your body are a result from your genetic programming and the factors mentioned above. External stimulus such as food, air, and physical activity will trigger different hormonal releases/suppressions, metabolic reactions, and cellular growth and repair.
False Assumptions Regarding Calories
Be weary about what calories ultimately mean for you. Calorie counting may be helpful in certain respects, but is often used and interpreted incorrectly. One of the misconceptions regarding calories is the idea that the number of calories you consume and use is directly correlated to weight gain or loss. This notion comes primarily from thermodynamics.
Thermodynamics
The first law of thermodynamics states:
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed
This law of thermodynamics has been applied incorrectly to dieting by some of the public. The false assumption simply put is:
if (Calories IN < Calories OUT) then weightloss = true
This claims that if calories you take in (i.e. through food) is less than the calories burned (i.e. through metabolism and exercise), then you will lose weight. It is incorrect because it oversimplifies calories as just units of energy. It neglects to take into account the source and quality of the calories. Running a caloric deficit may not always mean you are going to lose weight. The same goes for a caloric surplus and weight gain.
Not All Calories Are Created Equal
The source and quality of the calories you consume may have vastly different effects on your body. Obviously, 150 Calories from a soft drink will create different reactions in your body than 150 Calories from spinach. This is indeed obvious, yet many people still have the following train of thought:
If I eat a delicious chocolate cake for lunch, I can work it off later at the gym. This would be the same as I ate a bland salad but skip the gym.
This logic is incorrect. Remember that not all calories are the same. The chocolate cake will produce significantly different reactions within the body than that of the salad. Further, the act of going to the gym to workout is a lifestyle factor that will also change the reaction within the body, thus affecting your health.
Simple Equation For How Something Will Affect You
Nutritional Source (food)
+ Your Genetic Programming
+ X Factors in your life
__________________________
~ Your Body’s Reaction
Changes to any of the components in this simple equation will result in a different reaction within your body.
Disclaimer For Diet, Nutritional, Fitness Information
A lot of the mainstream programs out there are very generalized so that they can target as many people as they can. The results for people on these programs will vary. Part of the reason for the generalization is so that the program can make more money through sales of their merchandise and memberships. Please be careful in taking any information word for word. Do your research and be conscience of the reality of the goals that you set to achieve with any diet or program.