Meagan Duhamel on diets in figure skating world

[triple_toe]

Saying yoga is good for the mind, body, and soul is an advertising slogan, not a fact. The truth is, yoga is a very profitable industry and money is a big factor. I'm not saying it's necessarily detrimental and if it works for you, great, but it's hardly the universal panacea many claim it to be.

 

[soogar]

But I think a lot of athletes (and people in general) just don't have the discipline to commitment to be vegan. And perhaps some athletes just don't feel properly fueled without meat or dairy proteins (though I'm sure Megan would tell them this need not be the case).

Not everyone can handle a vegan diet. So many people think that one size fits all for nutrition but that's not the case. A long time ago, a vegan rocker, Travis Barker, was burned throughout most of his body. In subsequent interviews, he said that he was advised by his doctors to start eating meat to aid his healing.

https://www.gigwise.com/news/46715/

There are vitamins found in meat that you can't get from vegetarian supplements. Some people do fine as vegans, particularly if they don't participate in heavy exercise. There are a number of vegan weightlifters who only consume plant protein and they have to consume copious amounts of food to build their muscles when they can get the same amount of protein without all the carbs in a smaller portion of meat.

Vegan may work for Meaghan because she's naturally muscular. A leaner person who has a harder time putting on muscle may have to eat meat to get the needed protein without the excess calories.

Only the individual can determine how they feel and perform on a vegan diet.

 

[Triple loop]

She is a great role model for other skaters and let's hope she keeps preaching and teaching this on as big a platform as possible so they will hear her. I must admit I was distressed to read a comment from Zagitova (I think) recently talking about limiting her water intake.

An athlete needs about 6 liters of water per day. Not a smart move by Zagitova.

 

[mag]

Saying yoga is good for the mind, body, and soul is an advertising slogan, not a fact. The truth is, yoga is a very profitable industry and money is a big factor. I'm not saying it's necessarily detrimental and if it works for you, great, but it's hardly the universal panacea many claim it to be.

ITA, and the same can be said for “holistic nutrition,” “clean eating,” or “natural food” none have a set definition and all are marketing slogans which support a billion dollar industry. The natural fallacy is a very easy trap to fall into.

 

[barbarafan]

I've read Megan's blog and don't recall her saying that she does yoga. But I could be wrong. And I don't find her preachy in terms of telling others that they should do what she does. Rather, she is just passionate. She likes to share her passion, nothing wrong with that. And she likes to share her food to - she has written about bringing in her vegan brownies (or whatever) to share at the rink.

I don't think you can argue against the claim that holistic nutrition supports good health and well-being, or that yoga is good for mind, body and soul. There is no evidence to the contrary, unless a person is going to extremes.

For example, I remember seeing the blog of a fruitarian some years ago who subsisted primarily on bananas and mangoes.

And yes, some in the wellness community do go to extremes, but that is true of people in a lot of other communities dedicated to self-improvement or personal growth.



Athletes have to be very concerned about their bodies and 'overly concerned' is open to definition. And young women in general tend to be overly concerned with their bodies and appearances, because society teaches us to be that way and we arguably gain some rewards from looking 'the right way'.

Megan cares about eating well, enjoying her food, and being healthy. I think there are far more female skaters who are concerned about restricting their diets and losing weight, even though they are at a healthy weight already.

Also, I think Megan is far less concerned with appearance than with health.

Basically, I think she has a healthy relationship with her body and is a wonderful role model for young women.



I think she is probably less obsessive than most female skaters because she eats well and doesn't go to bed hungry or worrying about that 100 calorie cookie she should not have eaten with her evening tea.

Exactly...and she has been working on a degree in nutrition so is learning insight and new tricks to better health all the time plus exploring new ways to combine certain healthy foods so it is also yummy and doesn't taste like medicine. It is great that she is sharing some of these things with others. I kept hearing all this kale business(I rarely like anything healthy)and was shopping with my sister(who is skinny and healthy and was visiting)and she pointed out a sweet kale mix which she assured me I had eaten at our family reunion and liked it so I bought some. It contains a bunch of diff.veggies which if someone put on my plate would be left. I made it up and totally loved the mix and keep buying it.

 

[barbarafan]

Not everyone can handle a vegan diet. So many people think that one size fits all for nutrition but that's not the case. A long time ago, a vegan rocker, Travis Barker, was burned throughout most of his body. In subsequent interviews, he said that he was advised by his doctors to start eating meat to aid his healing.

https://www.gigwise.com/news/46715/

There are vitamins found in meat that you can't get from vegetarian supplements. Some people do fine as vegans, particularly if they don't participate in heavy exercise. There are a number of vegan weightlifters who only consume plant protein and they have to consume copious amounts of food to build their muscles when they can get the same amount of protein without all the carbs in a smaller portion of meat.

Vegan may work for Meaghan because she's naturally muscular. A leaner person who has a harder time putting on muscle may have to eat meat to get the needed protein without the excess calories.

Only the individual can determine how they feel and perform on a vegan diet.

True about the need for protein. I am taking a supplement a super food which is made of green algae. I am taking it due to brain fog I experienced after general anesthesia I had 3 times in 18 hrs and it really helped. When reading up on it I read that it is touted as a powerful superfood which contains among many other things more than the daily protein needs so it is taken by many vegans.

 

[mag]

I hate to burst your bubble @barbarafan, but “superfood” is another marketing term and the supplement industry is another another billion dollar industry (not that there is anything wrong with making money!) Supplements, for the most part, just make for expensive pee. Your brain fog may have cleared, but it is unlikely the supplement you were taking had anything to do with it. I hope Megan is working towards being a registered dietitian. Nutritionist, I believe, is not a regulated term in Canada and tends to be a catch phrase for all sorts of woo filled, non scientific programs.

https://bigthink.com/21st-century-s...amins-and-supplements-appear-to-have-no-value

https://www.consumerreports.org/dietary-supplements/do-memory-supplements-really-work/

 

[Japanfan]

Saying yoga is good for the mind, body, and soul is an advertising slogan, not a fact. The truth is, yoga is a very profitable industry and money is a big factor. I'm not saying it's necessarily detrimental and if it works for you, great, but it's hardly the universal panacea many claim it to be.

The people I know who do yoga tell me it is true. I did it many years ago, and found the same. I don't do it now, it just doesn't appeal to me.

And I don't think it is a universal panacea, and good for mind, body and soul does not mean that IMO.

 

[overedge]

She is not just promoting it she has been heavily working in it. She has a health blog I believe called Lutz of Greens

That is where the post linked at the start of this thread will take you to

 

[triple_toe]

edit: double post

 

[Japanfan]

I hate to burst your bubble @barbarafan, but “superfood” is another marketing term and the supplement industry is another another billion dollar industry (not that there is anything wrong with making money!) Supplements, for the most part, just make for expensive pee. Your brain fog may have cleared, but it is unlikely the supplement you were taking had anything to do with it.

Some people/experts say that supplements don't work because they don't digest properly.

I take a multi-vitamin and magnesium, in any case.

 

[triple_toe]

The people I know who do yoga tell me it is true. I did it many years ago, and found the same. I don't do it now, it just doesn't appeal to me.

And I don't think it is a universal panacea, and good for mind, body and soul does not mean that IMO.

Let me put it another way: it's not good for everyone's mind, body, and soul.

 

[barbarafan]

I hate to burst your bubble @barbarafan, but “superfood” is another marketing term and the supplement industry is another another billion dollar industry (not that there is anything wrong with making money!) Supplements, for the most part, just make for expensive pee. Your brain fog may have cleared, but it is unlikely the supplement you were taking had anything to do with it. I hope Megan is working towards being a registered dietitian. Nutritionist, I believe, is not a regulated term in Canada and tends to be a catch phrase for all sorts of woo filled, non scientific programs.

https://bigthink.com/21st-century-s...amins-and-supplements-appear-to-have-no-value

https://www.consumerreports.org/dietary-supplements/do-memory-supplements-really-work/

Sorry....I am going to agree to disagree on this.

 

[mag]

Let me put it another way: it's not good for everyone's mind, body, and soul.

I find yoga extremely stressful! Not the usual reaction I know, but I know other people who feel the same way. For those who like it, yoga is great. Weightlifting is great, running, swimming, walking, cycling ... lots of great ways to get exercise, release stress, and improve fitness. Do what you enjoy, what you can afford, and what you can do with some regularity.

 

[oleada]

I find yoga extremely stressful! Not the usual reaction I know, but I know other people who feel the same way. For those who like it, yoga is great. Weightlifting is great, running, swimming, walking, cycling ... lots of great ways to get exercise, release stress, and improve fitness. Do what you enjoy, what you can afford, and what you can do with some regularity.

Yoga haters unite

I luuuurve cycling. I like barre and swimming. I’m starting to get into rowing.

But yoga or running? Ugh, I’ll pass. Yoga just makes me stressed and I find all the woo surrounding it annoying.

 

[screech]

I find yoga extremely stressful! Not the usual reaction I know, but I know other people who feel the same way. For those who like it, yoga is great. Weightlifting is great, running, swimming, walking, cycling ... lots of great ways to get exercise, release stress, and improve fitness. Do what you enjoy, what you can afford, and what you can do with some regularity.

I don't mind yoga in general, but I don't love it. I HATED downward dog when I (casually) took yoga classes a few years ago. I have really weak wrists from my years of skating (I injured them so many times from falls) that that position was not a relaxing pose for me, as it was supposed to be, and dreaded any time we were told to get into the pose.

 

[manhn]

I have done yoga even though I am terrible at it, it does help with my running issues. But I have not done it for awhile. I need to get back to it.

I don't think Duhamel is telling people only to do yoga or figure skate (although she probably has more regimented plans for competitive skaters). I am sure she encourages people to be active, regardless of the activity. She has mentioned that she would like to do a marathon now that she has retired.

 

[Japanfan]

I don't mind yoga in general, but I don't love it. I HATED downward dog when I (casually) took yoga classes a few years ago.

I like it as a discipline and form of exercise, and find it relaxing. I probably should do it.

What I hate is that canned new age-y elevator music they play in the some classes - there was yoga at a gym I used to go it, and that type of music was always played during classes.

I'm also not very good at copying body positions (maybe because I'm left-handed?). I have the distinction of almost failing St. John Ambulance's CPR class (I didn't, but that's another story).

Guess it I could practice at home were I so inspired.

But TBH, I prefer weight training.

I hate to burst your bubble @barbarafan, but “superfood” is another marketing term and the supplement industry is another another billion dollar industry (not that there is anything wrong with making money!)

Sure, it is a marketing term. But some foods do pack a tremendous amount of nutritional punch and calling them 'superfoods' would be appropriate.

However, I am not commenting specifically on foods described as such.

 

[Mad for Skating]

With TSL slipping further down the scale of appropriate commentary, these are some of their good points.

TSL = Tactless, Slanderous, Libelous

 

[barbarafan]

I like it as a discipline and form of exercise, and find it relaxing. I probably should do it.

What I hate is that canned new age-y elevator music they play in the some classes - there was yoga at a gym I used to go it, and that type of music was always played during classes.

I'm also not very good at copying body positions (maybe because I'm left-handed?). I have the distinction of almost failing St. John Ambulance's CPR class (I didn't, but that's another story).

Guess it I could practice at home were I so inspired.

But TBH, I prefer weight training.



Sure, it is a marketing term. But some foods do pack a tremendous amount of nutritional punch and calling them 'superfoods' would be appropriate.

However, I am not commenting specifically on foods described as such.

ITA...whenever I or my husband are given a new prescription I look it up on various sites and check it out before filling it. The majority of non-medical items I purchase I have run it by a naturopath and also researched it.