Layne Norton, PhD Nutritional Sciences, recently said:
“I have been wrong many times. I will be wrong again in the future most likely. But being wrong is a beautiful thing. If I’m already right about everything, then there’s nothing I can improve upon. So being wrong is beautiful because it means there’s room for improvement.”
As a fitness trainer, I have been wrong many times too. But I always tried to maintain an open mind instead of letting existing prejudices and confirmation biases influence my thinking.
If I see enough evidence to change my mind, I change my mind instead of going all nah, I think these fifteen studies are bullcrap and keto is still superior to all the other diets because it worked for me.
So here are some of the nutrition and training things I have changed my mind on over the years.
Branched-chain amino acids improve muscle growth
Remember when I said BCAA could teach supplements that suck how to suck? Well, in the past, I believed it improves muscle growth.
However, a lot of new studies came out and pretty much said no this sexy colorful water doesn’t increase muscle mass when protein is sufficient so go buy some protein powder to meet your daily protein requirement.
Sugar makes you fat and hinders fat loss
My thinking was that sugar inhibits fat oxidation and thus prevents fat loss from occurring. Little did I know that fat oxidation is not the same as body fat loss. Nor does it have special fattening properties.
Sugar simply gets the blame for being part of ultra-processed foods that are hyper-palatable which often leads to calorie over-consumption. Somehow, fat and salt get a pass ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (a mix of sugar, salt, and/or fat makes the food to be hyper-yummy-I-can’t-stop-eating-it).
Further reading: Yes, Goddammit, You Can Eat Sugar and Lose Weight
Insulin prevents fat loss
Nine or ten years ago I ate in a way that wouldn’t raise my insulin levels. Because I thought it inhibits fat oxidation or something. Fast forward a…
