Tater Haters, Organic Food Hype, and The Basics of Productive Exercise
417 Fitness & Wellness Digest (Issue #1)
Tater haters are just wrong
Some tasty taters I cooked up in my Ninja air-fryer a few days ago, with just a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and Greek seasoning.
Some misinformed folks and/or low-carb dogmatists claim potatoes are unhealthy and fattening.
Which is complete, 100% nonsense.
First off, potatoes have only about half the calories of other starches, such as pasta and rice, on a gram-for-gram basis. Which is one of the main reasons I’m eating more of them lately, as I continue working on getting down to very low bodyfat levels at age 60. (Yikes, how did I get so old?!)
And, according to research looking into the most satiating (i.e. hunger killing) foods, taters scored higher than ANY other food, in terms of blunting hunger.
Better hunger-control with less calories for the win.
Take that tater haters!
They also have more potassium than bananas. Not to mention fiber, plus a decent amount of vitamin C.
Plus they taste dang good and are easy on your grocery budget, which leaves you more money for maybe hiring a personal trainer. (Hint, hint)
References:
A Satiety Index of common foods,European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Organic food hype debunked
I recently got into a bit of a friendly debate with a young lady on Facebook about the supposed superiority of organic food, as compared to non-organic foods.
Here was my reply to her:
I hear you, and I used to think similarly—before I learned more about what the term “organic” actually does and doesn’t mean.
It turns out an organic label does not mean pesticide-free, nor does it automatically mean the product is healthier for you.
It just generally means that pesticides derived from natural sources are used instead of synthetic ones. And that crops are grown using natural fertilizers—like compost or manure—instead of chemical nitrogen fertilizers.
This may help explain why we sometimes see foodborne illness outbreaks (such as Listeria) from organic crops grown close to the ground—like lettuce or cantaloupes—where natural fertilizers (poop/manure) are applied. Because they were grown in poop!
Many people assume anything “natural” must be better than something chemically synthesized—but that’s simply not true in all cases.
In fact, there’s a term for this.
The Appeal to nature fallacy.
Here’s how Google’s Gemini AI describes it:
“The Appeal to Nature Fallacy is a common logical fallacy where someone argues that because something is ‘natural,’ it must be good, right, or superior, or conversely, that because something is ‘unnatural’ (artificial, synthesized, or man-made), it must be bad, wrong, or harmful. It is a fallacy because the quality of being ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’ has no bearing on whether something is beneficial, moral, or effective.”
Organic crops often do have pesticides applied, and, believe it or not, some of these can actually be more toxic or environmentally persistent than synthetic alternatives.
For example:
Rotenone, a naturally derived pesticide, is highly toxic and has been linked to health risks.
Copper-based fungicides can accumulate in soil over time, harming soil organisms.
It’s also worth noting many organic pesticides break down faster than synthetic ones, so they may need to be applied more frequently—potentially increasing the overall environmental load.
Another consideration is yield: organic farming often produces less food per acre, meaning more land might need to be converted to farmland to meet demand. That means more trees cut down and less space for wildlife.
That said, I completely understand the good intentions behind choosing organic. I’m not trying to be argumentative or critical.
But in my opinion, minimizing heavily processed junk in our diets is almost certainly far more important than stressing over whether one’s food is 100% organic or not.
No need to go broke buying all organic groceries at Whole Foods (“Whole Paycheck”), unless you just really want to.
But if you’re absolutely set on eating mostly organic, growing your own food is a great option. That way, you have full control over how it’s produced—you can avoid synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and even limit your use of organic ones too, which (as mentioned earlier) can sometimes be about as toxic as their synthetic counterparts.
Busy people don’t have time for pointless fluff in their workouts
Far too many people waste time in the gym doing near-useless fluff exercises instead of focusing on “the basics” that have stood the test of time and real-world experience.
The basic movement patterns that deliver optimal results are:
✅ Vertical & horizontal pressing
✅ Vertical & horizontal pulling
✅ Squats & lunges
✅ Hip extension movements
✅ Elbow flexion & extension
The more you stray from gradually and safely getting stronger in these fundamental “basics” (by tossing in a bunch of random fluff), the worse your results will be…and the more dishonor you’ll bring upon your family and ancestors. 🥋👀
That is why I maintain a relentless and consistent focus on the basics in my clients’ workout programs. Because most of them are busy, and that’s what’s going to give them the best ROI for their time spent exercising.
Can sticking to these proven basics get boring sometimes?
Sure, that happens from time to time.
Kinda like brushing your teeth several times a day can get a bit boring, right? But do you quit brushing your teeth just because it’s not as “exciting” as it once was?
I think you get my drift.
Recreation is for fun.
But don’t confuse recreation with result-producing exercise.
Result-producing exercise isn’t about fun or being entertained. It should instead be about giving you maximum results without a huge weekly time commitment. That way you’ll actually have more free time for things you actually do find fun and entertaining.
💡 Train With Me In Person: If you happen to live in the Springfield, MO area, and would like to learn more about my safe, sane, and time efficient approach to exercise, request a free, no obligation consult and workout at: SpringfieldPersonalTrainer.com