Quiz: Your Food and You

What a load of crap this article is!!! It seems so irrespsonsible of the aurthor to suggest such things are goo in any shape of form!

1. I don't need to eat unless my stomach is grumbling.

This encourages the body to store fat when the person eats. It also forces the body to eat away at itself. This should never be done.

2. I feel guilty after I eat sweets.

What's wrong with feeling guilty about eating sweets? Sweets are bad for you in many different ways. Consumption should be kept to a minimum.

3. I'll run extra miles tomorrow to make up for whatever I eat at dinner tonight.

This is part of a balanced diet. If the person eats really fatty foods or what ever it might be, what is wrong with ensuring that moment on the lips stays off the hips?

4. I believe there is a perfect way for a runner to eat.

Of course there is a perfect way for a runner to eat. Just like there is a perfect way to eat for the majourity of physical activites, depending on what sort of a body you require. It doesn't mean that the person eats in the perfect way, just because they think it.

5. I have off-limits foods, like pizza.

I think the whole of the western world would be in a better physical form if we all had off-limit foods. Off-limits food help keep control of our in take of the things we shouldn't consume too much of, eg. salt, fat, sugar. Personally i have many off-limit foods on a day to day basis, ready meals, jared sauces, ice cream(especially ben and jerrys), chocolate, take-aways. Doesn't mean i never have such foods.

6. I often skip meals.

 This is the same as point one but has even worst effects on the body. 

7. I eat the exact same thing every single day.

Nothing wrong with eating the same thing every day. If you eat a good variety of different foods which covers all the nutrients and vitamins you require and is a balanced diet. What would be the point in eating a different food?

8. I have to know how many calories are in my food.

Calorie counting works. I have a friend that dropped 7 stoned through calorie counting. After a short period he didn't need to calculate the colories in meals because he had a really good estimate 

9. I never splurge on an alcoholic beverage or dessert.

Are you condoning binge drinking? Do i need to say anymore?...

10. I can only eat carbs if I'm logging heavy training mileage. 

Ok, this point is actually a good one. Carbs are needed to help repair the muscles used in exercise. So carbs should be consumed on a daily basis.

Posted: 07/04/2012 at 15:49

I'm not sure the quiz is perfect, but it appears to be linked to an article about disordered eating which is in the current issue of RW. The point of the article is that if you take a lot of the points set out above to an extreme it can be unhealthy.

By way of example, if you have a long list of forbidden foods (point 5) and eat the same foods every day (point 7) it is extremely unlikely that you are getting all of the nutrients you need, especially if your list of forbidden foods means (as it is likely to for someone with disordered eating) that essential fats have been cut out. Similarly, although there is nothing wrong with keeping an eye on calories in, having to know exactly what is in every thing you eat (point 8) suggests overly controlled eating habits. I'm not sure that point 9 is condoning binge drinking, but again making the point that if you can never allow yourself to have one extra beer or a second portion of dessert, that suggests a need for too much control, in the same way that always having the extra beer or the extra dessert suggests too little control.

I agree that the quiz needs far more by way of explanation linked to it, explaining why answering 'true' to some of the statements may indicate disordered thinking about food, but I don't think it's entirely flawed.
Posted: 07/04/2012 at 16:36

I don't think there needs to be any issued with this article. It's intention is to look at your relationship and attitude with food. I myself log calories, check food contents and this article does help with overcoming such obsessive behaviour. Well done RW on raising such a topic.
Posted: 07/04/2012 at 18:00

I suppose it might get some people thinking.

Scott Jurek's Eat & Run will be out soon. I think that will contain rather more useful advice on what is a genuinely effective diet for a runner. 

Sure, though, I eat sweet stuff occasionally to boost my energy and motivation if I'm physically active for more than one-and-a-half hours. Calorie counting definitely works, and there are many 'surprise foods' that have ridiculous calorific values. You're not going to get an eating disorder just because you're aware of how many calories are going in and how many are being used. 

Alcohol's okay for some, if you know the effect that it has on your body and how it develops muscle. I wonder what proportion of drinkers really do manage 'in moderation'. Home made pizza isn't off the menu. Take away quattro-formaggi most certainly is. If my friends try to force certain indulgences on me, then I can't really see that they're genuine friends. 

Are there runners who miss meals so that they can get down to a ridiculous body fat percentage? I can't imagine they can have much fun running. 

Ultimately, the question is: is this article really aimed at runners, or your average person who does a bit of running specifically for the purpose of burning calories?

Posted: 08/04/2012 at 16:51

I agreed with the 'No perfect quiz' I answered True to 7 qestions.

As Tim says, Yes I know what is off limits and I do keep track of cals and add extra miles for 'naughty foods/ treats' but I maintain my diet whilst in work and at home. I dont splurge and I dont binge eat. I stay away from fast food and not been drinking that much due to just not feeling like it.

I have a personal life and its great. Re assess RW. This is awful.

Posted: 23/05/2012 at 12:41