Welcome to Volume 3 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where we explore common food, fitness and wellbeing claims through a practical, evidence-informed lens. With guidance from registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd, each edition helps you move beyond restrictive food rules and better understand what your body needs to feel, train and recover well.
In this edition, we’re unpacking whether sugar automatically leads to weight gain, including sugar from fruit; whether Diet Coke needs to be avoided altogether; and whether protein supplements are truly essential for reaching your fitness goals.
Let’s break down the myths, context and everyday choices behind these nutrition claims.
“Consuming sugar – even in fruit – leads to weight gain”
Fiction!
To gain weight, you must consistently consume more calories than you expend, no matter what foods you’re eating. Sugar isn’t a nutrient-dense food, it is easy to get addicted to, and may lead to weight gain and/or health problems when consumed in excess. However, having a healthy relationship with sugar (and food in general) means that you can enjoy a sweet treat when you want without guilt and in moderation without bingeing.
Fruit on the other hand provides a variety of nutrients including fiber, vitamin c, potassium, phytochemicals, and more. It’s very difficult to eat “too much fruit” because of the water and fiber content, and the vast majority of people don’t consume enough! Try pairing a fruit with a protein and/or fat source for a balanced snack; i.e. banana and almonds, apple and peanut butter, pear slices and cheese, or a delicious protein smoothie that combines both.
While it’s completely normal to include your favorite sweets into your life here and there, if you are craving them all the time or having thoughts about sweet treats consistently, I would start by asking yourself the following:
- Are you eating enough throughout the day?
- Are your meals balanced (protein, carbs, fat)?
- Are you restricting certain foods? (this can lead to sugar cravings, binges/overconsumption, disordered eating & more)
- How is your sleep schedule?
- High stress levels?
- Do you allow yourself to become ravenous before eating?
If any of these are off, this could contribute to increased sweets cravings.
Try to:
- Eat consistent meals throughout the day (don’t skip meals)
- Aim for a balance of macros are your meals, making sure you’re not skipping out on protein and fiber!
- Normalize adding in a favorite sweet to your day or week mindfully- this will help take sweets off of a pedestal and you won’t be thinking about sugar as much as you normalize it. Want to learn more about mastering mindful eating? Our guide will help!
“Diet Coke should be avoided at all costs”
Fiction!
Diet Coke typically contains aspartame (an artificial sweetener that has gotten a bad rap over the last several decades). Rodent studies have shown a correlation between aspartame and blood cancers, but that’s not the whole story. What fails to follow the fear-mongering headline “aspartame causes cancer”, is the fact that humans and rats metabolize aspartame differently, and the rats were fed very large amounts of aspartame.
The FDA and EFSA have deemed aspartame as completely safe for human consumption. The FDA’s acceptable daily intake for aspartame is 50mg/kg/day, while the EFSA’s acceptable daily intake is 40mg/kg/day, which is about 14 cans of Diet Coke per day for a person weighing 150lbs. That’s a lot of Diet Coke! Whether it’s added sugar or artificial sweeteners, excessive consumption will likely cause problems and is not recommended.
If you enjoy having a Diet Coke, have the diet coke! All foods (and drinks) can fit into a healthy lifestyle (while also reaching your health and fitness goals!). But if you find yourself constantly grabbing for them, noticing that you have a higher tolerance for sweet taste, or they’re getting in the way of your nutrition, it could be time to make a change.
Aim for most of your liquids throughout the day to be water to stay hydrated and keep your electrolyte levels up. Also be aware of when you’re consuming the carbonated beverage. This can sometimes interfere with how much we eat at our meals; i.e. if you have a Diet Coke right before lunch, it may fill you up and you might not be as hungry for your meal, therefore you’re not getting the nutrients you need.
“Protein supplements are necessary to reach fitness goals”
There’s more to consider!
Protein supplements are sometimes marketed as essential, “magical”, and the end all be all when it comes to muscle gains and/or fat loss. Protein supplements like protein powder can be a great (and convenient) tool to assist with meeting your daily protein intake targets, but they aren’t always necessary! Overall, if you’re eating a varied and balanced diet, you can reach your protein goals through food alone.
Protein is found in a variety of both animal and plant food sources, including:
- Beef
- Fish
- Dairy
- Nuts and seeds
- Turkey
- Beans and lentils
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Pork
- Soy products
- Wholegrains
Want to learn more? Check out our guide to the differences between plant and animal proteins – and which is best for you.
Keep exploring the truth behind common nutrition claims with Volume 4 of F45 Training’s Fact or Fiction: Nutrition series, where registered dietitian Ashleigh Kidd answers more food and fitness questions to help you build balanced habits throughout Challenge.
