March 2, 2022 • 30 mins
Fitness tech is helping us gauge our health and workout performance more conveniently than ever! As the number of this type of product grows everyday, we need to be vigilant about the information we come across as it relates to the metrics these products track. On this episode of the Fitness Disrupted podcast, Tom talks about an article he read recently that paints a vivid picture of how a problem can be created for a product to cure, all while destroying something that is actually good for us!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio.
I am Tom Holland, and this is Fitness Disrupted. So
I got up this morning early, early even for me,
(00:21):
getting a lot of work done, busy, and made my breakfast,
which I consider, yes, the most important meal of the day.
And I rotate several as I've talked about before, and
today was oatmeal, and for me, it's the steel cut
oatmeal plane half a cup with a large handful of
(00:46):
blueberries and she is seeds somewhere around, a couple of
tea spoons, one big table spoons somewhere around there, healthy fat,
and too hard boiled eggs. I love this breakfast works
for me. It's got all of those healthy things right there,
the great carbs slow releasing, giving me energy for the day,
(01:11):
my body and my mind. I got the blueberries and
all of the health benefits that science says come from
berries in general and blueberries in particular, and the chiest seeds,
healthy fats. Read about them in books like Born to Run.
We need fats and then protein, eggs and the yolks.
(01:33):
And if you think the eggs are bad, few, the
yolks are bad few, I understand why. And that goes
to today's show, I'm gonna get worked up. I already am,
and I already got worked up with my wife, My
poor wife. You know, when I first was signing on
to do this show, so excited, and I had had
to radio shows before, but you know, those were once
(01:56):
a week. This was you know, three times a week,
and those were live, which was cool. This was gonna
be different. I was super excited, and I basically said
to my wife, you know, now I'm gonna be able
to vent two people in a whole new way. And
she was pretty much like, thank goodness, because that will
take the pressure off me venting to her. But I
still do and did this morning about this very topic.
(02:19):
So I hate my breakfast. And then as I do,
I go through emails and news of the day and
things like that, and what popped up, what popped up
for the second time from the same company, an article
basically saying, oh meal was bad, basically saying, oh meal,
(02:40):
it was bad. And I'm gonna give you the exact
specifics of what they said because it's super important. It's
the stuff you're reading. And let me say this, I
try to limit the content of what I take in
as I said so many times prior as well, like
what we put into our heads just as important as
what we put into our bodies. Are are you know
through our mouths what we can assume. There's the physiological
(03:02):
and the psychological. So I try to limit the garbage.
But because I'm in the job that I'm in, I
have to know what you are seeing and what's out there,
and that's a struggle. So I try to limit and
just get enough so I know what I need to
talk to you about. And those myths and misconceptions, you know,
(03:25):
there's something that are just ridiculous, And like you know,
I don't have to read everything. I guess it's my
point because a lot of it's redundant. So it's the gist,
and this is perfect. This is the perfect topic. And
as I've said before, I feel no need the time
to mention the company doesn't matter. I'm gonna talk about
(03:46):
the product because it's connected, but it doesn't matter. It's
the it's the content that I have the issue with
as well as the product. But again specifics need not
exist here, all right, So this is perfect on so
many levels, all right, And I'm just gonna call it
more misleading info I read today and it's on oatmeal.
But there's so much more in this topic. It's about
(04:09):
fitness technology, it's about twisting science, it's about tracking like
met or why do we track things? And one of
the greatest lines I've heard in that vein was David Epstein,
who I still have yet to interview for this show,
a guest I need to have on, but he has
a line. He's an author and just incredible like sports
(04:32):
scientists of sorts, but he has a line about tracking things.
He's talking about the combine in football in general or specifically,
but just tracking in general. Do we track it because
it's important or is it important because we track it?
And that has never been more true than today and
all of the products that are out there and all
(04:54):
of the ways we can track these metrics and what's
the science? All right? So that goes to this topic
about oatmeal and the confusion that's created and what is
so common in exercise nutrition, making the simple complicated and
the complicated simple. That's pretty much exactly what's going on today,
(05:19):
all right. And finally I'm going to bring it all together.
Is this product helping to fix a problem or is
it creating a problem to fit the product, and I
would argue it's the latter. All right, quick break, when
(05:40):
we come back, more misleading info I read today is
oatmeal bad for you. We'll be right back, and we
are back talking about an article I read this morning.
And as I said earlier, it's the second time. So
(06:04):
like I let it go the first time, I let
it go the first time. And it truly says to
me that this product, this company is trying to create
a problem where there isn't one. What do I mean
by that? All right? The product itself, and there are
several companies doing this, so I again don't feel the
(06:27):
need to to mention the brand. It's irrelevant. It's a
continuous glucose monitor. Now, being in the job that I
am in, I am sent everything known to man when
it comes to products, potions, and programs, right fitness tech.
You know my home gym. It's small, and it's packed
to the gills from the basic to the most ridiculously complicated.
(06:52):
And I love trying out everything everything and that includes
this continuous glucose monitor was sent me way back. I
kind of forgot about it, but let me give you
my take on it. Right, So what is a continuous
glucose monitor. It is basically, uh, the way to describe.
So you attach it to your arm, right, like snatched
your arm. It's a little disconcerting. You have this contraption.
(07:16):
You press it against your arm and it stays there.
It's a little disc that sits on your arm for
two weeks. I think it was two weeks. Now why
do you do this? What is the point in monitoring
your glucost Well, this was for diabetics. This is what
diabetics have to do, right, and so let me just
read you the definition of a CGM. Continuous glucose monitors
(07:36):
measure the body's glucose levels in real time by sensing
the glucose present in tissue fluid. Glucose is another word
for sugar, while a blood glucose meter provides a measurement
of the blood glucose level at a specific moment in time.
So that's when you prick your finger. Uh, A couple
of friends, have a couple of friends who are type
one diabetics, and remember them doing this, you know, in
(07:58):
grade school years ago. But now this is an easier
way for diabetics to monitor their blood glucose levels, and
the cgms typically provide a new glucose level every five minutes,
meaning around two times per day. So fitness tech, instead
of pricking your finger, you wear this on your arm continuously.
It monitors. You have an app and you open the
(08:19):
app and you can see what your blood sugar is. Okay,
So it's measuring your glycemic control blood glucose level again,
and it's important for people who have issues. So why
are we doing it? Is the question for healthy people?
And these companies would tell you, well, it's for a
variety of reasons to be healthier. But let's let's dig
(08:40):
into that. Right, is there really in need? Okay? And
what is diabetes again, if you're confused about what diabetes is,
it's a disease that causes blood glucose to reach dangerously
high levels. Right, So that's why diabetics need to monitor this.
And if a person doesn't control them, you get you
have issues complications, right, So you got monitor it to
(09:01):
avoid spikes. And just another quick kind of lesson in
glucose and sugar. So glucose comes from food to simple
sugar and it's the main source of energy for our bodies.
And final kind of diabetes glucose lesson. You have a pancreas.
We all have pancreas, is right. It secretes a hormone
(09:21):
called insulin that makes the cells more sensitive to glucose.
The cells draw the glucose in from the blood, reducing
the impact of spikes and blood sugar. And so when
you have diabetes, either the pancreas doesn't produce insulin or
the cells have a tough time they develop resistance to insulin,
and so the glucose stays in the blood, which is
(09:42):
a problem. So you monitor it and finally, when final
you know what's the problem. If it remains in the blood,
the blood sugar well, persistent high blood glucose levels leads
to a whole host of issues potentially like diabetes obviously,
but then you can have nerve damage, vision loss, kidney damage,
kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease. All right, but that's for
(10:04):
insulin and people who have an issue. So why are
we monitoring that? Is there a reason? So these companies
would say yes, And I'm not going super deep into
it today. Will continue this conversation as the research changes,
But right now I don't see the reason. And in
this very article, on oatmeal, The author themselves kind of says,
(10:28):
we don't have the data, so we're not sure what
the numbers should be. Are you kidding me? Right? And
so the article was titled the best oatmeal are Alternative
for better blood sugar bell I'm gonna get worked out
when we have something that's healthy, and I'm gonna get
(10:50):
into how, of course, any food can be unhealthy. You
can make any food unhealthy, and it often is. But
we don't have that headline that most people don't read beyond,
and so they're gonna go, oh my gosh, it's not
good for me. And that's where the vast majority of
people stop. And in this article you have to go five, six,
(11:10):
seven paragraphs deep to get to what I'm gonna get
too quickly for you, all right. And the second line,
which again if people go, Okay, I'm gonna read the headline,
let me read one more wine, and That's where I'm
gonna stop. The classic breakfast may not be as healthy
as you think. Oh my gosh, I have such a
problem when there's enough misinformation, there's enough people eating complete
(11:33):
garbage for breakfast or not eating breakfast at all. I
believe both are problematic for the vast majority of people.
And so when we start to demonize something that's healthy
like fruit or eggs or oatmeal or breakfast in general,
when we have all this research that says, for the
vast majority people it is really beneficial, I have such
(11:55):
a problem. And so that gets clicks the econom class
going against the true, not true, but the current beliefs.
And let me get right into this article. So I'm
not gonna read you the whole thing, but just the
stuff that may be completely nuts, which was most of it.
(12:18):
But I gave you the first two lines, and then
here we go. Ah, oh my gosh. All right, most
people think of oatmeal as one of the best foods
to start your day. Now again, if you stop right there,
you're going it must not be after all this whole grain.
(12:38):
Here we go. So if you stopped after sentence wander,
sentence to or sentence three, which again most well, you're
done and you think it's bad in sentence for though,
and I would argue, because this author is somewhat legit
has a tough time going against all of the research
that's out there. Here's the sentence, the fourth sentence, after
(13:00):
all this whole grain is a good source of fiber
and is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease
and weight loss. Hello, can we stop reading right there?
Are you kidding me? And I love how I I
look at adjectives too. Is it good to know it's
a great source of fiber? Again, depends on the brand,
(13:21):
and I know all of that kind of stuff, But
it's a great source of fiber. It's associated with reduced
rights of heart disease, the number one killer globally, and
weight loss. Wait, I'm gonna live longer potentially, and I'm
gonna whose weight. But tell me how how it's bad? Again?
(13:41):
And I continue, But your blood glucose might not agree
that oatmeal should be considered a super food. They used
the brand name for the CGM here, I'm not going
to Their data consistently shows it's one of the worst
foods for blood sugar. I underline that their data shows
(14:05):
it's one of the worst foods for blood sugar in
their food logs. It spikes blood sugar. And they give
you a number. Okay, they give you a number, and
then they go into well let me read it to
see why. Start with the oats themselves rolled in instant
oats are processed foods. Okay, so right now, what they're
(14:27):
saying is there's good odmeal and there's bad omeal Right,
processed anything, it's not going to be as good as
the better version of it. So right now, instead of
saying processed otmeal might not be good for you, why
why did they just say oatmeal? Why do they just
demonize something without them saying, well, it's kind of how
it's prepared, because then people will start to understand it's
(14:51):
the processing. It's the processing. It's the processing, whole foods,
whole grains in its most natural state. Awesome, But no, no,
I'm gonna skip. I'm reading, I'm skipping. Uh. They continue,
and when you consider the links between metabolic function and
cardiovascular disease, oatmeal status as a heart healthy food seems
less certain. No no, no, no, no no, go back
(15:15):
to the fourth sentence. Okay, reduced risk of heart disease
and weight loss processed foods. Probably not take the word
oatmeal out and just use the word processed foods and
stop demonizing something that helps people start their day. I mean,
it's it's wrong on on so many levels because we
want people to hopefully eat breakfast front load your day,
(15:40):
not the end of the day when most people take
in the most calories. That's why so many people gain weight.
It's not the time of day you eat, it's how
much well it is, and it isn't. It's that you
just consume vastly more calories at the end of the day,
especially when you don't eat healthy whole foods throughout the
day and to start your day. All right, Okay, let
(16:01):
me give even more. Keep getting worked up. Okay, Going
to again the clarification on the type of oatmeal the
article continues. Then consider what you eat with the oatmeal.
Instant oats often come with added sugar and process natural flavor.
Blah blah blah. Okay again, garbage version of oatmeal. We
(16:26):
can find that for anything, So don't say oatmeal, say
find the most natural form of whatever you're consuming. Those
are healthy, all right, And again I'll give the author
credit because when you add something like a protein or
(16:49):
a fat, even to a highway semic food, something that's processed,
it changes your body's response to that. It lowers potentially
that glucose spiking effect, lower blood sugar when you consume
protein and different foods with it, and the author way
(17:11):
deep down in the article. Now, if you've continued to read,
goes there can oatmeal be blood sugar friendly. If you
live oatmeal, there are ways to enjoy it with less
of a spike. Consider upgrading from rolled and instant oats
to steel cut oats or groats. Blah blah blah. And
then they do go into but remember glycimic response is
(17:34):
highly individual. So why the simple swat may make a
difference for some, steel cut oats can still spike glucose
levels for many. Ah, So what yes, we we you
could get into the hunger aspect. Right, So when you
(17:55):
eat processed foods, when your blood sugar spikes, that's when
they talk about a calorie is not a calorie, right,
because you're grilling and you're leptin, the hormones that deal
with hunger and satiety, feeling full or feeling hungry, that's
the problem. Right, So we're talking spikes, We're not talking
consistently elevated that lead to those diseases and those complications
(18:17):
that I outlined at the beginning, Right, And so my
experience with it was all over the place. If you exercise,
you're gonna have different readings and let's talk about those readings,
like what numbers should we look for in this very article?
(18:38):
Again to their credit, but way too far down, you've
already done the damage. They say, we scoured the research
to determine what's optimal for people without diabetes wearing a
continuous glucose monitor and give further insights into what glucose
levels might be ideal for good health. CGM goes further
by showing continuous data about daily glucose trends, but there's
(19:01):
no clinical consensus yet on goal TWUR glucose levels for
a non diabetic individual. Why are we looking at it?
Why are we looking at it now? Yes, of course,
if you're seeing like crazy blood sugar spikes, it may
(19:22):
be a sign, maybe a sign that you should improve
your diet, that you are consuming processed foods. I'm totally
on board with that. But there's too many variables to
get into now right, and we don't have the numbers,
And as they said, it's highly individualistic. That's why are
(19:43):
we tracking it? Why are we focusing on that? Especially
when exercise can have an issue and I should go
into that, But the numbers aren't there. The numbers aren't there,
and so you're taking your focus off of a there's
things you should be focusing on. And that is always
one of my huge issues with programs and products and
(20:06):
people that you follow that are taking you off course.
You're not just off course, you're taking your resources away
from focusing on what you should be. And then when
you get into like what does the numbers even tell you?
And if it's saying, well, I just exercised and now
my blood sugar is going crazy? What? What? Why? Why?
(20:30):
And they say one final line, limiting major blood sugar
fluctuations after eating can help keep you healthy, So limiting them,
limiting them, But like, that doesn't mean they shouldn't happen
every now and again, and so on, we save it.
I'll save it for the end, you know, I'll try
(20:50):
to end on a good note, all right, So why
are we doing that? And let me? Oh no, I
saved it the best for last. Actually, okay, buried the
lead here almost uh final little piece from this article,
the ultimate oatmeal alternative. Okay, so now we're gonna throw
it out oatmeal instead of saying, you know, eat the
(21:11):
healthy oatmeal like the breakfast I had this morning that
works so well for me, and it is literally what
I have before an iron man or an endurance event
because it's that good. It fuels me lots of oatmeal,
it's easy on my stomach. People always ask, you know,
what should I eat before workout? Well, it depends on
how long you're going in all of those different things,
and it's highly individualistic. But something like whole grain oats
(21:34):
I have found and many others super easy on your
stomach and provides the great energy source for everyone, know,
for a lot of people. Yeah, And so final line
they say, is a better way to keep blood sugar
stable is to avoid grains altogether. Are you kidding me?
Take another break, We're gonna come back. I'm just gonna
read one one study, just the title and the conclusion.
(21:58):
And this is where we've thrown out pretty much oatmeal,
and now we're throwing out whole grains altogether. This is
creating a problem to fix the product people. In my opinion,
all right, we'll be right back. All right, I'll read
(22:24):
it one final time. A better way to keep blood
sugar stable is to avoid grains altogether. It takes my
breath away, takes my breath away. You're you're you're changing
the research to fit your bias, to fit your bias
(22:46):
that isn't even scientifically validated. Yet you don't even you
admit that you don't have the numbers. We don't know
what it should be. We're just gonna look and if
it's a big spike, it's probably bad. Don't have a
big spike. There's a different factors they can cause that spike,
but don't have a big SPIKEE. So look at your phone. Wait,
like we already look at our phone way too often
(23:07):
to begin with. Now we're gonna really have it almost
attached to our hip. You have something attached to your arm.
And listen as I say this. I love fitness technology
and I love like where we are. It's it's the
most incredible world. But there are far too many people's
book I'm working on now. People it's for the truth
about fitness. There's too many players in the game. Investors.
(23:32):
I'm gonna get a little deep here for me, but
we're going there who don't care about truly helping you
with your health. They're creating products and then they're selling
their companies. They just they want that out. What is
the end game for them? So I couldn't be more
in support of advances in fitness technology. I am really
(23:55):
against everything I just outlined when they have to demon confuse,
create problems where there aren't any, and not only create
problems where there aren't any, demonize healthy things to fit
their narrative, including keeping whole grains out of your diet.
All right, and there are people that do that. Listen,
(24:18):
as long as your numbers are great, as long as
you're healthy, as long as you're feeling good, whatever you're doing,
that's fine. But I go by results, and I go
by science, and we go by what we can do.
And the science is pretty darn strong in favor of
whole grains, Okay, blue zones, moderation, whole grains, lean sources
(24:40):
of protein, healthy fats, light tea seeds and flax seeds
and avocados and things like that. Here's the study. It's
just one that just grabbed one. I could grab dozens,
but whole grain intake and mortality too large perspective studies
in US men and women. This was two fifteen March
JAMMA Internal Medicine. I'm just gonna read you the summary
(25:04):
in summary our data from Too Large Perspective cohort studies
consistently showed significant inverse associations, not causation but association, but
like huge numbers of whole grain intake and mortality, especially
CVD mortality, cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of people
(25:24):
globally cause of death. In addition, brand portion of the
whole grain foods as well as brand added to foods,
was significantly associated with lower CVD mortality. These findings further
support current dietary guidelines that recommend increasing whole grain consumption
to facilitate primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases, and
(25:45):
also provide promising evidence suggesting diet enriched with whole grains
may confer benefits toward extended life expectancy. So should we
focus more on our blood sugar spikes and what's happening
on our app and and wearing some thing on our arm?
Or should we look at the science and go, why
(26:05):
am I confusing the issue, muddying the waters? Tracking something?
Why am I tracking it? Do I need to track it?
What is it telling me? What? What? What are those numbers?
What's the history of those numbers? In other words, like
what is the empirical data and science behind it? And
these things cost money and time. We don't have time
(26:27):
to waste. You don't have time to waste. I have
to waste time, although I don't consider it wasting. It's
my research for you. Now, it could be fun. I guess,
I guess you put this thing on and you know there.
It's all over Instagram and other social media see people
working out this little thing on the back of their arms. Again,
(26:49):
there's multiple brand I get it. I believe they're collecting
data to have the data obviously, and then the work
backwards after they've confused, after they've told you to do
things like avoid oatmeal and then avoid brains altogether. I
disagree personally, MANI Trane die for me again. Many different
(27:12):
ways to be healthy, many different ways to eat. But
I'm going by the people who have lived the longest,
along with the science and what I can do on
a daily basis, and they take all those things into account.
For me, that's things like oatmeal and whole grains and
holy toast and eggs and avocado and berries and fruit
(27:32):
getting my nutrients. I don't focus on what I don't
eat as most of these articles do. Isn't it talk
about like fast food? Like why are we throwing out
greens and oatmeal because we have to fit the narrative.
People don't like to be told that they can't have
(27:53):
their fast food. They do like to be told this
is now. We're getting to it. People kind of just again,
this new book I'm working on, it's much easier to
tell you to not eat the healthy stuff that you don't.
Maybe I'm not listen. I'm not crazy about my oatmeal.
It doesn't I kind of am in a different way.
(28:14):
But does it taste like a piece of cake? No?
Does my body respond better to the breakfast eye outlined
with the blue bears? And would I feel better having
a bacon, egg and cheese from a fast food place?
Feel better like five minutes later and feel better about
myself so much? This is the mental thing I know.
(28:34):
I start my day in a great way that first
hour in the morning for me, making my bed, eating
a healthy breakfast, doing a couple of fitness things as well,
the moderation, the micro workouts. That's what I focus on, alright.
So I actually held back. I thought I was gonna
(28:54):
get I thought I was gonna get much more worked up.
Do we track it it's important or is it important?
Because we track it and we have limited time, and
let's stop wasting it. All right, enough to Instagram, Tom
h fit is Twitter reach out. Gosh, so many great
people reaching out, posting things, advice they've followed successes. Could
(29:17):
not make my day more so, thank you for reaching out,
Thank you for posting things. I'm going to continue to
do this and bring it to you because that's the goal.
Give you the best information so you can live your
best life. That's simple. That's my bias. That's my bias.
I'm open to everything if it makes us better. Everything,
all right, let start to get worked up. Fitness disrupted
(29:40):
dot com. You can email me through the site. The
most recent book is The micro Workout Plan. Thank you
for listening again. I'm Tom Holland exercise physiologists, certified sports nutritionists. Remember,
there are three things we all control, how much we move,
what we put into our mouths, and our attitudes. And
that is awesome. A little different when they leave you
(30:02):
with what their swap was, chia flax and hemp pudding.
Are you going to eat that? Probably not believe in yourself.
Fitness Disrupted is a production of I Heart Radio. For
more podcasts from my Heart radio, visit the I heart
(30:23):
Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows.
Welcome to Fitness Disrupted, a production of I Heart Radio.
I am Tom Holland, and this is Fitness Disrupted. So
I got up this morning early, early even for me,
(00:21):
getting a lot of work done, busy, and made my breakfast,
which I consider, yes, the most important meal of the day.
And I rotate several as I've talked about before, and
today was oatmeal, and for me, it's the steel cut
oatmeal plane half a cup with a large handful of
(00:46):
blueberries and she is seeds somewhere around, a couple of
tea spoons, one big table spoons somewhere around there, healthy fat,
and too hard boiled eggs. I love this breakfast works
for me. It's got all of those healthy things right there,
the great carbs slow releasing, giving me energy for the day,
(01:11):
my body and my mind. I got the blueberries and
all of the health benefits that science says come from
berries in general and blueberries in particular, and the chiest seeds,
healthy fats. Read about them in books like Born to Run.
We need fats and then protein, eggs and the yolks.
(01:33):
And if you think the eggs are bad, few, the
yolks are bad few, I understand why. And that goes
to today's show, I'm gonna get worked up. I already am,
and I already got worked up with my wife, My
poor wife. You know, when I first was signing on
to do this show, so excited, and I had had
to radio shows before, but you know, those were once
(01:56):
a week. This was you know, three times a week,
and those were live, which was cool. This was gonna
be different. I was super excited, and I basically said
to my wife, you know, now I'm gonna be able
to vent two people in a whole new way. And
she was pretty much like, thank goodness, because that will
take the pressure off me venting to her. But I
still do and did this morning about this very topic.
(02:19):
So I hate my breakfast. And then as I do,
I go through emails and news of the day and
things like that, and what popped up, what popped up
for the second time from the same company, an article
basically saying, oh meal was bad, basically saying, oh meal,
(02:40):
it was bad. And I'm gonna give you the exact
specifics of what they said because it's super important. It's
the stuff you're reading. And let me say this, I
try to limit the content of what I take in
as I said so many times prior as well, like
what we put into our heads just as important as
what we put into our bodies. Are are you know
through our mouths what we can assume. There's the physiological
(03:02):
and the psychological. So I try to limit the garbage.
But because I'm in the job that I'm in, I
have to know what you are seeing and what's out there,
and that's a struggle. So I try to limit and
just get enough so I know what I need to
talk to you about. And those myths and misconceptions, you know,
(03:25):
there's something that are just ridiculous, And like you know,
I don't have to read everything. I guess it's my
point because a lot of it's redundant. So it's the gist,
and this is perfect. This is the perfect topic. And
as I've said before, I feel no need the time
to mention the company doesn't matter. I'm gonna talk about
(03:46):
the product because it's connected, but it doesn't matter. It's
the it's the content that I have the issue with
as well as the product. But again specifics need not
exist here, all right, So this is perfect on so
many levels, all right, And I'm just gonna call it
more misleading info I read today and it's on oatmeal.
But there's so much more in this topic. It's about
(04:09):
fitness technology, it's about twisting science, it's about tracking like
met or why do we track things? And one of
the greatest lines I've heard in that vein was David Epstein,
who I still have yet to interview for this show,
a guest I need to have on, but he has
a line. He's an author and just incredible like sports
(04:32):
scientists of sorts, but he has a line about tracking things.
He's talking about the combine in football in general or specifically,
but just tracking in general. Do we track it because
it's important or is it important because we track it?
And that has never been more true than today and
all of the products that are out there and all
(04:54):
of the ways we can track these metrics and what's
the science? All right? So that goes to this topic
about oatmeal and the confusion that's created and what is
so common in exercise nutrition, making the simple complicated and
the complicated simple. That's pretty much exactly what's going on today,
(05:19):
all right. And finally I'm going to bring it all together.
Is this product helping to fix a problem or is
it creating a problem to fit the product, and I
would argue it's the latter. All right, quick break, when
(05:40):
we come back, more misleading info I read today is
oatmeal bad for you. We'll be right back, and we
are back talking about an article I read this morning.
And as I said earlier, it's the second time. So
(06:04):
like I let it go the first time, I let
it go the first time. And it truly says to
me that this product, this company is trying to create
a problem where there isn't one. What do I mean
by that? All right? The product itself, and there are
several companies doing this, so I again don't feel the
(06:27):
need to to mention the brand. It's irrelevant. It's a
continuous glucose monitor. Now, being in the job that I
am in, I am sent everything known to man when
it comes to products, potions, and programs, right fitness tech.
You know my home gym. It's small, and it's packed
to the gills from the basic to the most ridiculously complicated.
(06:52):
And I love trying out everything everything and that includes
this continuous glucose monitor was sent me way back. I
kind of forgot about it, but let me give you
my take on it. Right, So what is a continuous
glucose monitor. It is basically, uh, the way to describe.
So you attach it to your arm, right, like snatched
your arm. It's a little disconcerting. You have this contraption.
(07:16):
You press it against your arm and it stays there.
It's a little disc that sits on your arm for
two weeks. I think it was two weeks. Now why
do you do this? What is the point in monitoring
your glucost Well, this was for diabetics. This is what
diabetics have to do, right, and so let me just
read you the definition of a CGM. Continuous glucose monitors
(07:36):
measure the body's glucose levels in real time by sensing
the glucose present in tissue fluid. Glucose is another word
for sugar, while a blood glucose meter provides a measurement
of the blood glucose level at a specific moment in time.
So that's when you prick your finger. Uh, A couple
of friends, have a couple of friends who are type
one diabetics, and remember them doing this, you know, in
(07:58):
grade school years ago. But now this is an easier
way for diabetics to monitor their blood glucose levels, and
the cgms typically provide a new glucose level every five minutes,
meaning around two times per day. So fitness tech, instead
of pricking your finger, you wear this on your arm continuously.
It monitors. You have an app and you open the
(08:19):
app and you can see what your blood sugar is. Okay,
So it's measuring your glycemic control blood glucose level again,
and it's important for people who have issues. So why
are we doing it? Is the question for healthy people?
And these companies would tell you, well, it's for a
variety of reasons to be healthier. But let's let's dig
(08:40):
into that. Right, is there really in need? Okay? And
what is diabetes again, if you're confused about what diabetes is,
it's a disease that causes blood glucose to reach dangerously
high levels. Right, So that's why diabetics need to monitor this.
And if a person doesn't control them, you get you
have issues complications, right, So you got monitor it to
(09:01):
avoid spikes. And just another quick kind of lesson in
glucose and sugar. So glucose comes from food to simple
sugar and it's the main source of energy for our bodies.
And final kind of diabetes glucose lesson. You have a pancreas.
We all have pancreas, is right. It secretes a hormone
(09:21):
called insulin that makes the cells more sensitive to glucose.
The cells draw the glucose in from the blood, reducing
the impact of spikes and blood sugar. And so when
you have diabetes, either the pancreas doesn't produce insulin or
the cells have a tough time they develop resistance to insulin,
and so the glucose stays in the blood, which is
(09:42):
a problem. So you monitor it and finally, when final
you know what's the problem. If it remains in the blood,
the blood sugar well, persistent high blood glucose levels leads
to a whole host of issues potentially like diabetes obviously,
but then you can have nerve damage, vision loss, kidney damage,
kidney problems, and cardiovascular disease. All right, but that's for
(10:04):
insulin and people who have an issue. So why are
we monitoring that? Is there a reason? So these companies
would say yes, And I'm not going super deep into
it today. Will continue this conversation as the research changes,
But right now I don't see the reason. And in
this very article, on oatmeal, The author themselves kind of says,
(10:28):
we don't have the data, so we're not sure what
the numbers should be. Are you kidding me? Right? And
so the article was titled the best oatmeal are Alternative
for better blood sugar bell I'm gonna get worked out
when we have something that's healthy, and I'm gonna get
(10:50):
into how, of course, any food can be unhealthy. You
can make any food unhealthy, and it often is. But
we don't have that headline that most people don't read beyond,
and so they're gonna go, oh my gosh, it's not
good for me. And that's where the vast majority of
people stop. And in this article you have to go five, six,
(11:10):
seven paragraphs deep to get to what I'm gonna get
too quickly for you, all right. And the second line,
which again if people go, Okay, I'm gonna read the headline,
let me read one more wine, and That's where I'm
gonna stop. The classic breakfast may not be as healthy
as you think. Oh my gosh, I have such a
problem when there's enough misinformation, there's enough people eating complete
(11:33):
garbage for breakfast or not eating breakfast at all. I
believe both are problematic for the vast majority of people.
And so when we start to demonize something that's healthy
like fruit or eggs or oatmeal or breakfast in general,
when we have all this research that says, for the
vast majority people it is really beneficial, I have such
(11:55):
a problem. And so that gets clicks the econom class
going against the true, not true, but the current beliefs.
And let me get right into this article. So I'm
not gonna read you the whole thing, but just the
stuff that may be completely nuts, which was most of it.
(12:18):
But I gave you the first two lines, and then
here we go. Ah, oh my gosh. All right, most
people think of oatmeal as one of the best foods
to start your day. Now again, if you stop right there,
you're going it must not be after all this whole grain.
(12:38):
Here we go. So if you stopped after sentence wander,
sentence to or sentence three, which again most well, you're
done and you think it's bad in sentence for though,
and I would argue, because this author is somewhat legit
has a tough time going against all of the research
that's out there. Here's the sentence, the fourth sentence, after
(13:00):
all this whole grain is a good source of fiber
and is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease
and weight loss. Hello, can we stop reading right there?
Are you kidding me? And I love how I I
look at adjectives too. Is it good to know it's
a great source of fiber? Again, depends on the brand,
(13:21):
and I know all of that kind of stuff, But
it's a great source of fiber. It's associated with reduced
rights of heart disease, the number one killer globally, and
weight loss. Wait, I'm gonna live longer potentially, and I'm
gonna whose weight. But tell me how how it's bad? Again?
(13:41):
And I continue, But your blood glucose might not agree
that oatmeal should be considered a super food. They used
the brand name for the CGM here, I'm not going
to Their data consistently shows it's one of the worst
foods for blood sugar. I underline that their data shows
(14:05):
it's one of the worst foods for blood sugar in
their food logs. It spikes blood sugar. And they give
you a number. Okay, they give you a number, and
then they go into well let me read it to
see why. Start with the oats themselves rolled in instant
oats are processed foods. Okay, so right now, what they're
(14:27):
saying is there's good odmeal and there's bad omeal Right,
processed anything, it's not going to be as good as
the better version of it. So right now, instead of
saying processed otmeal might not be good for you, why
why did they just say oatmeal? Why do they just
demonize something without them saying, well, it's kind of how
it's prepared, because then people will start to understand it's
(14:51):
the processing. It's the processing. It's the processing, whole foods,
whole grains in its most natural state. Awesome, But no, no,
I'm gonna skip. I'm reading, I'm skipping. Uh. They continue,
and when you consider the links between metabolic function and
cardiovascular disease, oatmeal status as a heart healthy food seems
less certain. No no, no, no, no no, go back
(15:15):
to the fourth sentence. Okay, reduced risk of heart disease
and weight loss processed foods. Probably not take the word
oatmeal out and just use the word processed foods and
stop demonizing something that helps people start their day. I mean,
it's it's wrong on on so many levels because we
want people to hopefully eat breakfast front load your day,
(15:40):
not the end of the day when most people take
in the most calories. That's why so many people gain weight.
It's not the time of day you eat, it's how
much well it is, and it isn't. It's that you
just consume vastly more calories at the end of the day,
especially when you don't eat healthy whole foods throughout the
day and to start your day. All right, Okay, let
(16:01):
me give even more. Keep getting worked up. Okay, Going
to again the clarification on the type of oatmeal the
article continues. Then consider what you eat with the oatmeal.
Instant oats often come with added sugar and process natural flavor.
Blah blah blah. Okay again, garbage version of oatmeal. We
(16:26):
can find that for anything, So don't say oatmeal, say
find the most natural form of whatever you're consuming. Those
are healthy, all right, And again I'll give the author
credit because when you add something like a protein or
(16:49):
a fat, even to a highway semic food, something that's processed,
it changes your body's response to that. It lowers potentially
that glucose spiking effect, lower blood sugar when you consume
protein and different foods with it, and the author way
(17:11):
deep down in the article. Now, if you've continued to read,
goes there can oatmeal be blood sugar friendly. If you
live oatmeal, there are ways to enjoy it with less
of a spike. Consider upgrading from rolled and instant oats
to steel cut oats or groats. Blah blah blah. And
then they do go into but remember glycimic response is
(17:34):
highly individual. So why the simple swat may make a
difference for some, steel cut oats can still spike glucose
levels for many. Ah, So what yes, we we you
could get into the hunger aspect. Right, So when you
(17:55):
eat processed foods, when your blood sugar spikes, that's when
they talk about a calorie is not a calorie, right,
because you're grilling and you're leptin, the hormones that deal
with hunger and satiety, feeling full or feeling hungry, that's
the problem. Right, So we're talking spikes, We're not talking
consistently elevated that lead to those diseases and those complications
(18:17):
that I outlined at the beginning, Right, And so my
experience with it was all over the place. If you exercise,
you're gonna have different readings and let's talk about those readings,
like what numbers should we look for in this very article?
(18:38):
Again to their credit, but way too far down, you've
already done the damage. They say, we scoured the research
to determine what's optimal for people without diabetes wearing a
continuous glucose monitor and give further insights into what glucose
levels might be ideal for good health. CGM goes further
by showing continuous data about daily glucose trends, but there's
(19:01):
no clinical consensus yet on goal TWUR glucose levels for
a non diabetic individual. Why are we looking at it?
Why are we looking at it now? Yes, of course,
if you're seeing like crazy blood sugar spikes, it may
(19:22):
be a sign, maybe a sign that you should improve
your diet, that you are consuming processed foods. I'm totally
on board with that. But there's too many variables to
get into now right, and we don't have the numbers,
And as they said, it's highly individualistic. That's why are
(19:43):
we tracking it? Why are we focusing on that? Especially
when exercise can have an issue and I should go
into that, But the numbers aren't there. The numbers aren't there,
and so you're taking your focus off of a there's
things you should be focusing on. And that is always
one of my huge issues with programs and products and
(20:06):
people that you follow that are taking you off course.
You're not just off course, you're taking your resources away
from focusing on what you should be. And then when
you get into like what does the numbers even tell you?
And if it's saying, well, I just exercised and now
my blood sugar is going crazy? What? What? Why? Why?
(20:30):
And they say one final line, limiting major blood sugar
fluctuations after eating can help keep you healthy, So limiting them,
limiting them, But like, that doesn't mean they shouldn't happen
every now and again, and so on, we save it.
I'll save it for the end, you know, I'll try
(20:50):
to end on a good note, all right, So why
are we doing that? And let me? Oh no, I
saved it the best for last. Actually, okay, buried the
lead here almost uh final little piece from this article,
the ultimate oatmeal alternative. Okay, so now we're gonna throw
it out oatmeal instead of saying, you know, eat the
(21:11):
healthy oatmeal like the breakfast I had this morning that
works so well for me, and it is literally what
I have before an iron man or an endurance event
because it's that good. It fuels me lots of oatmeal,
it's easy on my stomach. People always ask, you know,
what should I eat before workout? Well, it depends on
how long you're going in all of those different things,
and it's highly individualistic. But something like whole grain oats
(21:34):
I have found and many others super easy on your
stomach and provides the great energy source for everyone, know,
for a lot of people. Yeah, And so final line
they say, is a better way to keep blood sugar
stable is to avoid grains altogether. Are you kidding me?
Take another break, We're gonna come back. I'm just gonna
read one one study, just the title and the conclusion.
(21:58):
And this is where we've thrown out pretty much oatmeal,
and now we're throwing out whole grains altogether. This is
creating a problem to fix the product people. In my opinion,
all right, we'll be right back. All right, I'll read
(22:24):
it one final time. A better way to keep blood
sugar stable is to avoid grains altogether. It takes my
breath away, takes my breath away. You're you're you're changing
the research to fit your bias, to fit your bias
(22:46):
that isn't even scientifically validated. Yet you don't even you
admit that you don't have the numbers. We don't know
what it should be. We're just gonna look and if
it's a big spike, it's probably bad. Don't have a
big spike. There's a different factors they can cause that spike,
but don't have a big SPIKEE. So look at your phone. Wait,
like we already look at our phone way too often
(23:07):
to begin with. Now we're gonna really have it almost
attached to our hip. You have something attached to your arm.
And listen as I say this. I love fitness technology
and I love like where we are. It's it's the
most incredible world. But there are far too many people's
book I'm working on now. People it's for the truth
about fitness. There's too many players in the game. Investors.
(23:32):
I'm gonna get a little deep here for me, but
we're going there who don't care about truly helping you
with your health. They're creating products and then they're selling
their companies. They just they want that out. What is
the end game for them? So I couldn't be more
in support of advances in fitness technology. I am really
(23:55):
against everything I just outlined when they have to demon confuse,
create problems where there aren't any, and not only create
problems where there aren't any, demonize healthy things to fit
their narrative, including keeping whole grains out of your diet.
All right, and there are people that do that. Listen,
(24:18):
as long as your numbers are great, as long as
you're healthy, as long as you're feeling good, whatever you're doing,
that's fine. But I go by results, and I go
by science, and we go by what we can do.
And the science is pretty darn strong in favor of
whole grains, Okay, blue zones, moderation, whole grains, lean sources
(24:40):
of protein, healthy fats, light tea seeds and flax seeds
and avocados and things like that. Here's the study. It's
just one that just grabbed one. I could grab dozens,
but whole grain intake and mortality too large perspective studies
in US men and women. This was two fifteen March
JAMMA Internal Medicine. I'm just gonna read you the summary
(25:04):
in summary our data from Too Large Perspective cohort studies
consistently showed significant inverse associations, not causation but association, but
like huge numbers of whole grain intake and mortality, especially
CVD mortality, cardiovascular disease, the number one killer of people
(25:24):
globally cause of death. In addition, brand portion of the
whole grain foods as well as brand added to foods,
was significantly associated with lower CVD mortality. These findings further
support current dietary guidelines that recommend increasing whole grain consumption
to facilitate primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases, and
(25:45):
also provide promising evidence suggesting diet enriched with whole grains
may confer benefits toward extended life expectancy. So should we
focus more on our blood sugar spikes and what's happening
on our app and and wearing some thing on our arm?
Or should we look at the science and go, why
(26:05):
am I confusing the issue, muddying the waters? Tracking something?
Why am I tracking it? Do I need to track it?
What is it telling me? What? What? What are those numbers?
What's the history of those numbers? In other words, like
what is the empirical data and science behind it? And
these things cost money and time. We don't have time
(26:27):
to waste. You don't have time to waste. I have
to waste time, although I don't consider it wasting. It's
my research for you. Now, it could be fun. I guess,
I guess you put this thing on and you know there.
It's all over Instagram and other social media see people
working out this little thing on the back of their arms. Again,
(26:49):
there's multiple brand I get it. I believe they're collecting
data to have the data obviously, and then the work
backwards after they've confused, after they've told you to do
things like avoid oatmeal and then avoid brains altogether. I
disagree personally, MANI Trane die for me again. Many different
(27:12):
ways to be healthy, many different ways to eat. But
I'm going by the people who have lived the longest,
along with the science and what I can do on
a daily basis, and they take all those things into account.
For me, that's things like oatmeal and whole grains and
holy toast and eggs and avocado and berries and fruit
(27:32):
getting my nutrients. I don't focus on what I don't
eat as most of these articles do. Isn't it talk
about like fast food? Like why are we throwing out
greens and oatmeal because we have to fit the narrative.
People don't like to be told that they can't have
(27:53):
their fast food. They do like to be told this
is now. We're getting to it. People kind of just again,
this new book I'm working on, it's much easier to
tell you to not eat the healthy stuff that you don't.
Maybe I'm not listen. I'm not crazy about my oatmeal.
It doesn't I kind of am in a different way.
(28:14):
But does it taste like a piece of cake? No?
Does my body respond better to the breakfast eye outlined
with the blue bears? And would I feel better having
a bacon, egg and cheese from a fast food place?
Feel better like five minutes later and feel better about
myself so much? This is the mental thing I know.
(28:34):
I start my day in a great way that first
hour in the morning for me, making my bed, eating
a healthy breakfast, doing a couple of fitness things as well,
the moderation, the micro workouts. That's what I focus on, alright.
So I actually held back. I thought I was gonna
(28:54):
get I thought I was gonna get much more worked up.
Do we track it it's important or is it important?
Because we track it and we have limited time, and
let's stop wasting it. All right, enough to Instagram, Tom
h fit is Twitter reach out. Gosh, so many great
people reaching out, posting things, advice they've followed successes. Could
(29:17):
not make my day more so, thank you for reaching out,
Thank you for posting things. I'm going to continue to
do this and bring it to you because that's the goal.
Give you the best information so you can live your
best life. That's simple. That's my bias. That's my bias.
I'm open to everything if it makes us better. Everything,
all right, let start to get worked up. Fitness disrupted
(29:40):
dot com. You can email me through the site. The
most recent book is The micro Workout Plan. Thank you
for listening again. I'm Tom Holland exercise physiologists, certified sports nutritionists. Remember,
there are three things we all control, how much we move,
what we put into our mouths, and our attitudes. And
that is awesome. A little different when they leave you
(30:02):
with what their swap was, chia flax and hemp pudding.
Are you going to eat that? Probably not believe in yourself.
Fitness Disrupted is a production of I Heart Radio. For
more podcasts from my Heart radio, visit the I heart
(30:23):
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favorite shows.
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