Does it matter what kind of food you eat?

ohiohannah2

Would you lose weight faster if you were eating things like salads and lean meats as well as fruits and vegetables. Or would you lose the same amount if you were eating breads and pastas as long as your within your calorie range?(with working out btw)

Laurend224

For weight loss it doesn't matter.

melimomTARDIS

same as above

ana3067

Laurend224 wrote: »

For weight loss it doesn't matter.

This. Only sort of matters for endurance and body composition goals. For endurance this means focusing on carbohydrate intake. For body comp it means focusing on protein intake while lifting weights. Even then all of this only requires monitoring macros, not specific food items.

Sabine_Stroehm

For weight loss, probably not. For HEALTH yes.

There's more to life than a number on a scale. Macros AND MICROS are important for health. Yes, one can meet their macros and fail to eat a nutrient dense diet. Easily.

fat2strongbeth

Agree with above that for weight loss, it doesn't matter as long as you are in a calorie deficit. However, for me, I did much better once I cut out most processed foods, etc. I find that when I eat fresh fruits, veggies, high quality meat, etc. I have fewer cravings and have more overall success. I also have more energy and focus.

obscuremusicreference

You get to the point where you WANT more fruits and veggies and lean proteins, because you see how much farther you can stretch those calories than bread and pasta.

Sabine_Stroehm

obscuremusicreference wrote: »

You get to the point where you WANT more fruits and veggies and lean proteins, because you see how much farther you can stretch that than bread and pasta.

And how much better you feel.

FatFreeFrolicking

Unless you have a medical condition, no, the kind of food you eat doesn't matter for weight loss. For health, that's a different story.

ninerbuff

For weight loss, no. For health and optimal performance, yes.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ana3067

obscuremusicreference wrote: »

You get to the point where you WANT more fruits and veggies and lean proteins, because you see how much farther you can stretch those calories than bread and pasta.

I've yet to get to that point. I love fruit and pasta, but if I had to make a choice I'd probably choose pasta because I can easily turn that into a delicious macaroni casserole or just top it with some meat and sauce. Pasta and fruit leave me equally hungry after their consumption when eaten during the first half of my day if my macro ratios aren't well balanced. If I ate an entire meal of pasta vs an entire meal of fruit and veggies for lunch, I'd be really hungry by like 3-4pm. Carbs are carbs are carbs, my body reacts to them in the same way regardless of their nutritional content.

Kalikel

I really don't know if foods make a difference. If they do, nobody told me. I'm sure they'll continue to study it, though. Nutrition is a rapidly expanding World Of Wonder.

The experts are in agreement that calories have the largest, possibly only, effect on weight loss and we have to deal with what we know. You could eat nothing but junk food and still lose weight, no doubt about it.

The experts are also in agreement that the kind of food you eat is important for your overall health.

So, to answer the question...Health, yes - weight loss, no.

seltzermint555

As everyone has said - for health, yes, but for weight loss, no.

Original_Beauty

For health yes, you can not expect your body to work at its peak when you give it crap.