“I went plant-based, and then low-carb
But in the end, it didn’t even matter
Cuz I ran fast, and also far
Cuz in the end, it doesn’t even matter”
-The rumored original lyrics to Linkin Park’s hit from the year 2000 “In the End” as the band reportedly became fed up with the religious tribalism of Diet Gurus
DK Metcalf famously subsisted on a diet of Gummy Worms and coffee…and it clearly affected both his Body Composition and athletic performance!
Usain Bolt’s world records in the 100 and 200 meters are arguably less impressive than his reported consumption of 1,000 McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets at the Beijing Olympics. Indeed, athletes endorse the Golden Arches because THEY ACTUALLY EAT THERE!
And American Marathoner Bill Rodgers, who notoriously lived by the credo, “If the furnace is hot enough, anything will burn,” consistently indulged in Hostess cupcakes, Fritos, and gobs of mayonnaise straight from the jar. (For my unbiased opinions on mayonnaise, READ THIS).
And everywhere you turn, there are Vegans and Pegans, Carnivores and Flexitarians, advocates of Intermittent Fasting and 80:20 and so many ambiguously labeled regimens…but they somehow are all “The Answer” to all your metabolic issues and existential angst. Pretty soon, the next trendy Elimination Diet might be to just stop eating altogether.
And my general advice is to “Prioritize Protein and Eat Real Food” to “Control Your Insulin, Control Your Life.” There are multiple dietary patterns that can optimize your metabolic Home Security System and Lipid Neighborhood…the Standard American Diet just isn’t one of them!
And THIS STUDY, although not without limitations, suggests that if you PRIORITIZE PERFORMANCE, you probably won’t find yourself caught up in a Dietary Cult.
In the study, folks from the Aerobic Center Longitudinal Study were categorized, based on their Diet Surveys, as having a High Unhealthy Eating Index, Moderate Unhealthy Eating Index, or Low Unhealthy Eating Index. Although there is inherent subjectivity to all of these intake forms, there were 6 key food groups that contributed to the index, ranging from universal garbage (French fries and hot dogs) to debatably demonized (red meat and butter). White potato products, non-whole grains, added fat, and processed meat were among the “Unhealthy Food” groups, and you can feel free to analyze the entire list (or not, since the prevailing point is it might not matter that much).
But what is NOT subjective is Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and all the subjects completed a maximal treadmill test to determine quintiles of Aerobic Fitness. The top performers all reached a MET level of at least 13, which corresponds to roughly running a mile at 7:30 pace. (METs are metabolic equivalents, not the other New York Baseball Team).
And guess what? Regardless of whether people in the highest category of Cardiorespiratory Fitness ate “total garbage” or a “healthy diet” or “somewhere in between,” ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY was VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL among the high performers over ~16 years of follow-up.
So should we all start Dieting Like DK as we sing Linkin Park songs? I wouldn’t go that far. I think if you Prioritize Performance, you should put quality fuel in the machine…and I wouldn’t be confident that Gummy Worms, McDonald’s, and mayonnaise will sustainably result in elite performance. But maybe In The End, It Doesn’t Even Matter, (at least as much as people who want to sell you their dietary plans want you to think).
