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Speechless…But Not Really
I don’t even know where to start with this one. Friends, I am beyond mad. I cannot believe something like this was actually published in the latest edition of Runner’s World.
My beautiful friend Kim wrote a brilliant post yesterday about an article that inspired her in the latest issue of Runner’s World. I loved her post so much but I’m not a big fan of Runner’s World (hence why I get my advice from my running friends-not the magazine that’s constantly talking about weight loss in relation to running). I left a comment on Kim’s post expressing this and being the thoughtful friend she is, she emailed me this picture she found from the latest issue:
Oh. My. God. Where do I even start with this? I cannot put into words how much this infuriates me. A global magazine that people turn to for running inspiration and tips is endorsing the swish and spit to avoid calories? (Or as it’s known in the eating disorder world-chew and spit.) How did this make it through the final edits? Did not one person at Runner’s World think to themselves “hmmm maybe this isn’t the best thing for us to publish?”
Whatever you want to call it, the idea of telling people to swish/chew and spit a food and/or dink is almost down right offensive in my opinion. It’s not healthy in the slightest and is something many women (and men) with eating disorders struggle with. Isn’t that the exact opposite of what they should be promoting? If a runner would like a sports drink with lower calories, there are definitely other much better options than swish and spit. Nuun perhaps? Mixing your own low-sugar sports drink at home? Propel? Even light Gatorade for goodness sake. But to advise people to put the liquid in their mouth and spit it out without swallowing to avoid calories? Seriously? Is that a joke?
I honestly just can’t even begin to wrap my mind around this. If you need to swish and spit to rinse your mouth or because the stuff upsets your stomach, that I get- but to do it to avoid calories is a big ole red flag. People, please whatever you do, do not follow this advice. It’s downright stupid in my opinion, and could lead to some really dangerous behavior. Shame on whoever came up with the idea to publish it.
Come one friends, rant with me here…I can’t be the only one who feels this way…I know Kim’s angry about it too:
That’s all the nonsense I have for now!
Categories Nonsense | Tags: horrible advice, magazine, runner's world
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37 Comments to Speechless…But Not Really
I heard about this in a RadioLab podcast on Limits. They took a bunch of cyclists and had tested how well they could ride a stationary bike while one group drank the drink, another group swished and spit the drink, and another group drank water. The evidence showed that the ‘swished and spit’ group did just as well as the group that drank the drink because once the brain thought it was going to be getting sugar for energy (i.e., once the drink hit the taste buds), your body uses some of it’s reserve energy because it thinks it will be refueled.
Now, that is a very interesting scientific experiment to understand how our bodies naturally reserve energy for crisis moments. But for the love of eight pound, six ounce newborn baby Jesus: why in the world would you *suggest* someone to do this?! It’s actually not very safe because it is causing your body to use its reserve energy. The body reserves energy for a reason, and I’m pretty sure it’s not so you can save some calories on a training run.
Thanks for making me mad to Kelsey! RW will be getting a very sharply worded letter to the editor from this guy!
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 7:49 am
That is really interesting and thanks for sharing. Erin said something to me yesterday about how she’s heard of swish and spit for people who have sensitive stomach’s-that I get. If you have a sensitive stomach and can’t handle sports drinks-for that reason I get, but to do it to avoid calories? That I will never get. Or agree with.
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Erin @ Loop Looks Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 9:49 am
Yes, Art! That’s the same story I heard (with the awesome but a little scary story of the first woman to finish the Kona Ironman, right?) so I knew it was a thing, but you make even more awesome points than I did when Kelsey told me about her anger!
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Wow! That is beyond ridiculous. You should email this post and tweet it to them. I can also drop a friendly WTF comment into their laps!
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 7:47 am
The thing is, I don’t even know what to say you know? Like HOW did this make it through??
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Are you EFFING KIDDING ME?!?!
I have no words…
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 7:47 am
I KNOW.
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That is ridiculous. You should write in to RW or post this on their FB page! Honestly!
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I definitely get it for sloshy stomach or upset stomach reasons…but I’m with you – for saving calories?? If your big concern is the calories, my guess is that you don’t really need to swish and spit for performance. And I say that as a very non-elite runner and someone who will only swish and spit wine if I’m driving. Otherwise – BRING ON THE WINE! (maybe not while running)
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 8:21 am
Omg this comment CRACKED me up.
CHEERS- maybe while running../.?
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Here’s a suggestion that could have been 100X better: Stick to H2O in work-outs less than an hour. That’s the standard tip from sports dietitians. If you are doing an endurance work-out for an hour+ then you DO need to add some calories & electrolytes. Simple as that.
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 8:20 am
THREE CHEERS
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I remember hearing/reading this somewhere when I started running and thinking it was pretty absurd. Um, I’m burning calories as I run, so I think I can spare however few are probably in a SIP of a sports drink.
Also, I’m a little concerned about their wine premise. I mean, who spits out wine when they’re wine tasting? Is that a thing? Would I be less drunk at wine tastings if I did this? And why would I want to be? So many questions.
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
That was my first question- who is spitting out wine?
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Maggie Reply:
March 15th, 2013 at 9:53 am
I think that’s the “right” way to taste wine, you know, if you’re like a serious connoisseur. I am not. I’m all “DRINK ALL THE WINE.”
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That’s just messed up. You should write a letter to runners world. There’s an actual condition where people chew good then spot it out to loose weight. Yikes.
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 3:08 pm
There sure is.
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You know how I feel about this and I’m so glad many other people are on board. I know that a lot of people run to lose weight.. just like a lot of people take spin classes, do yoga, or crossfit to lose weight. I don’t like that weight loss has become so central to running. What about those of us who just love running regardless of our size and weight? If RW is going to post anything nutrition related, it better be how to best fuel and hydrate for running… not to lose weight in a dangerous and ED-promoting way!
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Agreed! I know wth…
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Sorry I got you so angry, friend. Not really. I am happy you posted this, since I thought it was ridic and I see other people think it is too. Should I share the rest of the FOUR PAGES of weight loss tips with you? There are some real gems in there.
The first thing I thought of was chew and spit too. So bizarro. Sigh.
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
I actually went home and read that article and got infuriated!
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Youn indignation is sound. Boo on you RW.
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Kelsey Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 3:11 pm
CHEERS
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I don’t read RW, but this definitely doesn’t make me want to. Running burns calories so it is a-okay to take a few in when you are out there. Maybe you shouldn’t eat a donut while running, but it’s a sip of sports drink. That has what, 5 calories?
Imagine if someone reads this then attempts to run a half marathon on a 90 degree day with this method. Stupid.
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kilax Reply:
March 14th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
I feel like I should comment that this was in the section on how to lose weight training for a 5K or 10K, so hopefully that would prevent them trying at the HM on a super warm day! Who knows though
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Alyssa @ Don't Look Down Reply:
March 15th, 2013 at 8:51 am
That makes me feel a little bit better!
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Ok ok ok. As a dietitian I am honestly OFFENDED by such an article. Really??? We want to promote unnatural eating/drinking habits?? I saw someone saying before to stick to good old h2o for workouts under 60 mins. Yes, that’s all we need!!! The idea of sports drinks is that we NEED those calories and the electrolytes provided in them during extensive exercise in order to replenish what we’ve lost and provide some energy that is accessible to our body very quickly. Whoever wrote that article is a dumbass.
On the plus side you’ve given me a ball of fury in my chest that I can now go use to fuel my workout!!! Haha thanks Kels!
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Kelsey Reply:
March 15th, 2013 at 7:10 am
I was waiting for your comment!
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I only spit out crappy wine that I bought at the State Fair.
RW is promoting eating disorders with this poor advice.
I foresee a flood of angry letters to the editor and a retraction/apology in next month’s edition.
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Oh man! I am so happy you posted this. Ughhh not a fan of RW at the moment. I hope they realized their mistake!
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Just the fact that Runner’s World has “LOSE 5 POUNDS” on the front of their magazine … I’m sorry, if I wanted shitty advice like that, I would read Cosmo.
Last year my BFF got me a subscription to Marathon & Beyond magazine. Granted it is aimed at hardcore marathoners and ultra-marathoners, but it’s a lot of sensible, practical, REAL advice – and lots of content; I’m still working my way through the July/Aug 2012 issue.
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Wow. Angry Emily over here. When I saw the latest RW in my mail box, the second I read that it was the weightloss issue I was disappointed. I HATE when RW does that. HATE, HATE, HATE.
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Emily Reply:
March 15th, 2013 at 9:38 am
I just reread this and it was one of the least articulate things I’ve written before. To add: I have written to magazines several times about things I find in weight loss and diet tips that I find absolutely eat-disorder tips. About three of those letters were about promoting Skippy Light Peanut Butter. Hee hee. I never get a response even with e-mails.
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I cannot believe they would publish that!! I am beyond speechless!
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Ugh, just ugh. this is right up there with zero calorie sports drinks only much, much more ridiculous. There have been times I’ve swished in the past, but only to avoid tummy upset and usually just with water. If you’re exercising, you need to take in calories! Four ounces of gatorade is not going to push you into obesity!
Idiotic.
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