Over-eating or eating over your recommend daily cals

Hey guys - A question that has come up a few times with me and my mates - well maybe not a question as such just a convo that we have from time to time...

Now most of us eat well over what we should eat or what we are told is a "healthy" way to eat - i.e some of my mates eat up around the 8,000-10,000 cal mark, eating 1kg - 2kg of meat a day, few cups of oats, L's of milk, cups of rice/pasta etc etc etc.

What we have questioned is what effects does this have on the body/health over the long term? - if any....

Does over-eating like this for yrs have more bad effects on the body than say different supplement use....drinking....smoking....

Even though the foods are clean (well most of it) does this still have a risk factor to it over the long term....

What do you guys reckon????

Sumo wrestlers eat up to 20,000 cals a day over 2 meals and have a average life expectancy of 65 years.

I would say that under eating would have to be the secret to longevity. Nothing but nothing places the body under tremendous stress than digestion does. So it would stand to reason that if we can take some pressure (or rather constant pressure) off our body, then not only would we have energy to spare, but all our systems would be better for it since we would actually be digesting what we're eating instead of overwhelming our bodies with excess calories that would simply ferment and cause havoc in the long run.

Furthermore, I can think of the relationship between insulin and HGH. Now we know that every Tom Dick & Harry (including Sylvester Stallone) want to take this stuff (HGH) and they want to do it because of a simple reason called the fountain of youth.

So where does insulin fit into my analysis?

Well we know that insulin and HGH are not the best of buddies. By that I mean insulin blocks the release of HGH. Now what happens when you continuously eat a high calorie diet for an extended number of years as you have suggested in your post, is that you'll have more of the aging hormone insulin and less of the anti-aging hormone HGH.

I'm sure someone would find a counter argument and say that eating plenty has never been associated with disease or the like. I have given you my opinion based on putting 2 and 2 together and from observing how I personally feel when I'm hungry to when I'm stuffed with food. On one hand I've got so much energy and on the other I want to compete with the African lions to see who would win in a sleepathon or just simply being lethargic.

This is coming from someone who used to eat 13500 calories a day for 6 months straight. Not any more thank God.


Fadi.

I asked a couple of doctors this. They said, "So long as you don't get fat and have plenty of fibre with it, should be no problem."

I mean, 2kg of meat a day, at least 1.5kg is going to go straight through you. So you better eat your oats or those six dumps a day you have are going to be painful.

Over-eating or eating over your recommend daily cals

Click to expand...

The answer is to be found in the question itself!


Fadi.

Fadi said:

The answer is to be found in the question itself!


Fadi.

Click to expand...

Confucious he say: Fadi too cryptic for me today...



FWIW, I'm a fan of eating enough to grow without going crazy with the cals. But I'm losing weight at present despite trying to maintain current bodyweight so what do I know. Upping my cals as we speak.

Cheers,
Mike

Fadi said:

I would say that under eating would have to be the secret to longevity. Nothing but nothing places the body under tremendous stress than digestion does. So it would stand to reason that if we can take some pressure (or rather constant pressure) off our body, then not only would we have energy to spare, but all our systems would be better for it since we would actually be digesting what we're eating instead of overwhelming our bodies with excess calories that would simply ferment and cause havoc in the long run.

Furthermore, I can think of the relationship between insulin and HGH. Now we know that every Tom Dick & Harry (including Sylvester Stallone) want to take this stuff (HGH) and they want to do it because of a simple reason called the fountain of youth.

So where does insulin fit into my analysis?

Well we know that insulin and HGH are not the best of buddies. By that I mean insulin blocks the release of HGH. Now what happens when you continuously eat a high calorie diet for an extended number of years as you have suggested in your post, is that you'll have more of the aging hormone insulin and less of the anti-aging hormone HGH.

I'm sure someone would find a counter argument and say that eating plenty has never been associated with disease or the like. I have given you my opinion based on putting 2 and 2 together and from observing how I personally feel when I'm hungry to when I'm stuffed with food. On one hand I've got so much energy and on the other I want to compete with the African lions to see who would win in a sleepathon or just simply being lethargic.

This is coming from someone who used to eat 13500 calories a day for 6 months straight. Not any more thank God.


Fadi.

Click to expand...

Good read mate.

Wondering what you ate to get 13,500 cals a day??

He did a whole thread about it, mate. Even with that, hunger was his undoing

Kyle Aaron said:

He did a whole thread about it, mate. Even with that, hunger was his undoing

Click to expand...

Thats crazy cool lol

One of my mates was eating 12,000 cals a day leading upto a PL comp and he didn't end up gaining much weight/fat - but strength was crazy.

I am with Fadi on the feeling full and not wanting to do anything feeling, but if I do not over eat I usually have a fair bit of energy.

Over eating is not going to be too healthy for you due to having more byproducts of eating in your body, same thing can be said about eating too much protein and having more uric acid. But if you are eating healthier, as in lots of vegies, taking fish oil, getting in your vitamins and minerals, taking in good quality fats, you are probably going to be healthy than 90% of people who are not eating as much as you. Any way do you do PL for health?

To be honest most of the guys I know who eat a shit load are bodybuilders - most of my PLing mates arnt as big on diet - yes they still eat alot, but not as consistently high as my bodybuilding mates.

Same question for them (mainly for competing BB's or huge ones) do they do it to be healthy if so they need to take a long look at what they are doing as I doubt what they are doing is healthy for them. PL's are the same you are hammering out huge weights day in day out, sporting athletes are the same as they are punishing themselves to injury every game/meet/training session. It is performance and not health that they are all interested in.

I am not saying lifting is unhealthy as I think it is and should be performed by everyone it is just that going to extremes is unhealthy in the long run. I mean I would love to be able to jump 40 inches but I know it is going to kill my joints by the time I am 50 if I can but I am willing to compromise on that (and I doubt I will ever reach that goal but it is just an example).

So what I am really getting at is your optimal health more important than performance? Personally for me it is not, I would try and be as healthy as I can but I still would like to get performance out of life and I will still probably be healthier than 90% of people it is just that I may not be as healthy as I could be.

Well Dave I think it's pretty simple in the end. Exercise and diet can change the way you look, feel (health) and perform.

Whenever we train we'll put one of the three first, but it could be WAY above the others, or just above. If we put looks way above, our health and performance will suffer - nobody's setting world lifting records the same day as a bodybuilding competition or model photoshoot, and you reach a plateau with the looks in bb terms unless you're willing to roid it up, and those guys tend to get health problems. As for putting performance first, lots of long-term lifters and cyclists and runners have injuries or other health problems.

But then if you only care about health, you won't have sixpack abs your whole life, and you probably won't win international competitions, all those max efforts will cost you in one way or another.

Looks, performance, health. Put one first, the others will suffer. For many people, I think it's an age thing. When you're 20, looks come first. When you're 30, performance. When you're 40, health. Of course people have different ideas when they begin physical training, I'm talking about what they're after with several months gone.

And of course there are exceptions, like the 20 year olds putting performance first, they become professional athletes. But most 20 year olds don't do that.

Of course the guys who are eating 8,9,10 + thousand cals a day arnt doing it to be as healthy as possible - most have one goal in mind and thats to be the best at what they do...most if not all of them will stop doing that at some point and go back to training and eating like a normal human being.

But what we sort of bring up is you hear alot of stories about pros/old powerlifters having trouble with kidneys/liver etc etc and its always one thing they blame it on - but has there ever been any studies done in regards to huge amounts of food (good food) over a long time i.e 15,20 + years.

Of course its not a big issue but we find it interesting that no1 ever says well maybe its coz you ate 365kgs of steak a yea, and about 730 cups of oats etc etc.

When it comes down to it if they/us are getting results now and competing at a top level and enjoying it...no1 will stop.

That wouldn't help, but then again the steroids mixed with it wouldn't help either...

From what I remember large amounts of food causes oxidative stress, which is why 5 people are following a 9meals a day diet of 1500calories from what I remember which they claim they will live over 100yrs old as it causes less stress on their bodys...

Thats what my nutritionist lecturer told us lol so im assuming it does have an effect.

PowerSports said:

has there ever been any studies done in regards to huge amounts of food (good food) over a long time i.e 15,20 + years.

Click to expand...

No. Not on people eating huge amounts and exercising, only on people eating huge amounts and sitting on the couch watching Oprah. Turns out that's bad for you. I blame Oprah, myself.

Of course its not a big issue but we find it interesting that no1 ever says well maybe its coz you ate 365kgs of steak a yea, and about 730 cups of oats etc etc.

Click to expand...

There's no reason to suppose it'd be a problem, provided the person exercises to remain fit, flexible and strong. Like I said, they just poo more.

Obviously if the person has a history of liver/kidney problems, the volume of protein/fats could be a problem. And same goes for their intestines, etc. But a generally healthy person, no reason to think it'd be a problem. There are no long-term studies on it, but from what we know of the digestive system, we see no reason it would be a problem. And these reasons are usually apparent to begin with.

I mean, long before there were any statistical studies people thought smoking was bad for you and Agent Orange, "well it wipes out plants, so probably it ain't that good for humans, either." Nor did people have to know anything much about liver and brain function to know that being drunk for 20 years straight would fck you up.

Common sense about food and drink is usually a good guide. It doesn't make the difference between living to 78 and 80, but it makes the difference between living to 50 and living to 70.

Daniel.308 said:

From what I remember large amounts of food causes oxidative stress, which is why 5 people are following a 9meals a day diet of 1500calories from what I remember which they claim they will live over 100yrs old as it causes less stress on their bodys...

Thats what my nutritionist lecturer told us lol so im assuming it does have an effect.

Click to expand...

LOL, Ahh I know who your tlaking about here.. This person also tells us SOY food is healthy..

1 billion other physicians disagree..

Also Oxidative stress is a biproduct of life you canot avoid it daniel..

You know the kreb cycle? Well Oxidative stress is the of cellular resperation and ATP burning...

I.E life causes free radicals..

You can not avoid oxidative stress however you can add antioxidants to negate the free radical effects trying to steal irons from imporant cellular structures such as DNA.

n00bs said:

LOL, Ahh I know who your tlaking about here.. This person also tells us SOY food is healthy..

1 billion other physicians disagree..

Also Oxidative stress is a biproduct of life you canot avoid it daniel..

You know the kreb cycle? Well Oxidative stress is the of cellular resperation and ATP burning...

I.E life causes free radicals..

You can not avoid oxidative stress however you can add antioxidants to negate the free radical effects trying to steal irons from imporant cellular structures such as DNA.

Click to expand...

Though eating too much causes too much of this oxidative stress therefore you will die 20yrs younger than what you were supposed too ... Eat soy and live long and strong I say

Daniel.308 said:

Though eating too much causes too much of this oxidative stress therefore you will die 20yrs younger than what you were supposed too ... Eat soy and live long and strong I say

Click to expand...

LOL,

1 thing i am certain of daniel is we are all made to die...

All we can do is try and enjoy the time we have here and be healthy/happy...

Of course your views might be different on your death bed but if I wanted to live longer i would probably alternate day fast give us lifting and become a vegetarian...

We all have goals and without those goals what is the point of life?

So we do a little of the bad and alot of the good and hope things work out in our favour...

Unless we have problems then the ball game changes as your views change..