Do you eat junk? why or why not?
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I eat junk food once in a while. I just try to limit it. My issue is I can chow the heck out of an entire bag of chips. So I set some in a bowl, eat them as slowly as I can manage and then put it away.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
Oatmeal cookies are no "junkier" than a bowl of oatmeal with honey.
Potato chips are certainly junk. At least the ones you buy from Lay's and other companies. Let's compare a white potato to potato chips.
Potato chips [Lay's brand]: no vitamin A, calcium, 6 percent vitamin E, 6 percent niacin, 4 percent magnesium - based on RDA values.
Whole russet potato:
Vitamin content:
1 percent vitamin A, 64 percent vitamin C, 1 percent vitamin E, 16 percent protein, 7 percent vitamin K, 13 percent thiamin, 8 percent riboflavin, 20 percent niacin, 53 percent viatmin b6, 19 percent folate, 12 percent pantothenic acid, choline and beatine.
Minerals:
5 percent calcium, 18 percent iron, 22 percent magnesium, 21 percent phosphorous, 47 percent potassium, 7 percent zinc, 16 percent copper, 34 percent maganese, 2 percent selenium , 135 mcg flouride
Like I said. Junk foods don't typically contain the necessary vitamins and minerals as whole fruits and veggies.
Cape Cod Potato chips. Ingredients: Potatoes, Canola Oil, Salt.
Apparently if you cook and salt a plain old potato it becomes junk.
Comparing a 1oz serving chips to an entire 10-oz potato is not valid. Normalize your data before making a comparison. The chips have all the exact same nutrients as a potato. Because they're potatoes.
Not really. Per calorie, the potato chips will have much less micronutrients because most of the calories come from the fat. If you ate enough potato chips to get the same amount of potassium as a baked potato you'd likely blow through most of your calories for the day.
So only boiled and baked potatoes (with no butter or cream) are good, and grilled potato wedges with canola oil and salt are junk. got it.
Obviously you don't. But nice spin.
Russian parts, American parts ... all made in Taiwan.0 -
realityfades wrote: »NikiChicken wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Out of curiosity, who here eats junk food, and who doesn't? If you do or don't eat junk, why?
I feel like if I completely banned junk food, I wouldn't feel satisfied and would overeat. I also try to balance junk with fruit and veg. I think that's pretty sensible.
This is me. I eat *everything* in moderation. I eat a diet made of mostly nutritious choices, but find room for all the other things I enjoy as well. I have learned that the minute I try to ban something from my diet, that's all I want and I start obsessing and feeling deprived and end up binging. When I stopped looking at food as "good" or "bad" (or "junk"), and instead started looking at food as puzzle pieces that all had a place in my diet if I worked it right, things became so much simpler and easier and I lost that feeling of deprivation and started seeing a lot of success.
Someone I know is currently doing a food ban with certain items. Items that she's prone to overeating on. And I get it, it's easier to avoid foods when the temptation is not around, but I know if I banned anything I'd just end up binging anyway.
I get it too. I know there are certain trigger foods for me - foods that if I start, I have a hard time stopping. So, for those foods, if I really want them, I buy a single serving. For instance, I will never buy a dozen bagels or a large bag of potato chips. Once I eat one serving, I have a very difficult time stopping. Instead, if I really want those items, I will go to the bagel shop and buy 1 really good, high quality bagel and enjoy every bite of it, or I will buy a single serving of my favorite potato chips and sit down and enjoy them. I log the food and when they are gone, they are gone. That has been a far more successful strategy for me than trying to avoid anything altogether. I also *enjoy* those items so much more when they become a less frequent part of my diet and I make sure I am buying high-quality and/or my favorites and making them part of my food plan. Food tastes better when you don't make yourself feel guilty for eating it!0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
Your fat macro is junk food?
Junk food: foods that are low in vitamins and minerals and often high in calories. Cookies, cake, candy, potato chips. That is the definition. It's called junk food due to the lack of nutrients.
Not saying they're inherently bad. Just saying that it's important to have balance.
Potato chips are not junk. They meet every definition i know of "Clean" and are one of the best sources of potassium you can get your hands on.
What makes them better than say tomato juice or sauce? Or a baked potato? Or a banana?
They got crunch! Plus you can take them anywhere.
Where can I take potato chips that I can't take a can't take the other foods I mentioned?
It was a light-hearted comment. However...my own personal opinion...
I would rather take a bag of chips on a hike than a baked potato since I don't enjoy them cold nor do I want to build a fire to heat them. Also if I am on a road trip it is much easier to transport a bag of chips than having to find a way to heat a baked potato. I also find a serving of chips to be more satisfying with a sandwich than a baked potato. Plus the last time I tried to dip a baked potato in a jar of cheese sauce...it got stuck and made a mess.
I personally don't care if you find juice and baked potatoes better than chips and more portable. I leave each to their own to select their foods and how they eat them. I can't have chips very often because of the sodium but I do enjoy them on occasion...I love crunchy foods. I have never had a crunchy baked potato that I thought was edible.
Again...I wasn't trying to force you in to taking chips anywhere...just meant to add a little humor.
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I'm fortunate in that "junk" food...which I label as "candy, pies, ice cream, and similar" simply doesn't look good during the day. However, at night, its a different story. I love chocolate and ice cream. I try to keep certain "junk food" around that I will eat somewhat sparingly when I crave it...like dark chocolate , high percentage cocoa, that seems to sometimes satisfy me after a few pieces. However, there are times I simply need ice cream or some other form of chocolate. I try to manipulate by buying chocolate covered pretzels and nuts :-). Also, I found that if I buy ice cream, I try to not eat it for a few nights to work on my control. Anyway, if I eat it, I have to work it off ...which is fine by me.0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.
I get where you're coming from, but the definition of junk food is food that is low in nutrients, like cake, cookies, etc. and typically high in calories. They don't really provide vitamins and minerals compared to fruit and veg. Maybe you don't like to label foods and that's ok. But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
That said, I see nothing wrong with eating things in moderation. Especially if I log it.
whole wheat, apples, bananas, coconut, and whole grain rice would also have to be examples of foods meeting the "junk" classification...
How could fruit ever meet a classification that included the phrase "compared to fruit and veg."?
apples and bananas are very nutrient poor fruits.
That's not true, nor does it answer the question.
fruits in general are nowhere in the ballpark of being as nutrient dense as vegetables. And apples and bananas are among lowest in nutrient density of the fruits americans commonly consume.
Apples: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2
Bananas are a little better /100 cals, but still.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2
RIght in line with wheat:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5744/2
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As for the emotional benefit of eating food for the delight of eating food, is that part of the equation..you know the hedonic pleasure from something highly palatable
I think this is a very, very important part of the equation. I truly enjoy eating (fortunately I like the highly nutritious food as much as the less nutritional choices, but I digress). It would be a very sad world indeed if I didn't truly enjoy the food I was eating. It would also be a sure fire way to cause me to fall off the wagon. Who wants to go through life never eating the food they enjoy?0 -
some, but not much...0
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I eat "junk" daily. Whether it's cookies, ice cream or fast food. Part of health is how a content a person is in their life. If they were paralyzed by guilt for wanting to indulge in food they like, then IMO their health isn't complete. It's like penting up anger and never letting it loose. One day it will be an issue and it doesn't have to be something that's a physical action. Like stress, it can eat a you and be that one burden on your shoulder.
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I have a little treat after dinner every day! Usually chocolate.
I haven't had crisps, fizzy drinks, pastries or fried food in over a week and to be honest I don't miss it! I feel so good about myself that eating them would just make me feel gross!0 -
Yes - i eat junk all the time - and i make healthy things that taste like junk too, so it seems like I'm getting even more junk - but yes, real pizza is a must for me at least once a week & beer/wine/cocktails - however I'm basically maintaining, rather than losing... when I tighten up I have to cut out some of the junk and stick mostly to the "healthier" junk... protein fluff, pretending doctored up greek yogurt is ice cream, making my own pizza so its much healthier, etc0
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For those of you who are actually answering the question: thanks! I get curious about other people's eating habits, which is why I asked the question in the first place.0
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RDA's
500 cals of apple: 10% Vit A, 70% Vit C and 10% Magnesium
500 cals of chocolate: 1% Vit A, 5% Calcium, 3% B-12, 44% Iron and 36% Magnesium
Context matters!
(eating 500 cals of apples is hard, eating 500 cals of chocolate is easy! If you're training and want an energy boost and are low on certain salts - chocolate is better choice than an apple.)
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mbcieslak87 wrote: »Yes - i eat junk all the time - and i make healthy things that taste like junk too, so it seems like I'm getting even more junk - but yes, real pizza is a must for me at least once a week & beer/wine/cocktails - however I'm basically maintaining, rather than losing... when I tighten up I have to cut out some of the junk and stick mostly to the "healthier" junk... protein fluff, pretending doctored up greek yogurt is ice cream, making my own pizza so its much healthier, etc
I LOVE pizza. It's the bane of my existance. And if you think about it, it has protein, carbs and fat. But these days when I want pizza, I try to make it myself with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour has more fiber and to make it myself is much cheaper than buying it.
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In moderation0
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I eat it sometimes but always make it work in my food schedule so I don't go over my calorie goal.
I completely agree with you about restricting your self. I think everything in moderation is the best way to go!0 -
realityfades wrote: »For those of you who are actually answering the question: thanks! I get curious about other people's eating habits, which is why I asked the question in the first place.
Daily I will have
A packet of crisps (chips) - occasionally 2
An ice cream of some description
A cookie or two
My meals are mainly nutritionally sound, if I not hitting my macro or micro targets I will adjust
I will on occasion eat pizza, Chinese or Indian food ..and I go out once or twice a week and drink a couple of glasses a wine
This is all within my calories and nutritional guidelines ..but I classify nothing as junk in my head0 -
realityfades wrote: »For those of you who are actually answering the question: thanks! I get curious about other people's eating habits, which is why I asked the question in the first place.
Daily I will have
A packet of crisps (chips) - occasionally 2
An ice cream of some description
A cookie or two
My meals are mainly nutritionally sound, if I not hitting my macro or micro targets I will adjust
I will on occasion eat pizza, Chinese or Indian food ..and I go out once or twice a week and drink a couple of glasses a wine
This is all within my calories and nutritional guidelines ..but I classify nothing as junk in my head
Interesting. Here's my food diary for yesterday:
Breakfast: croissant
Lunch: protein smoothie with greek yogurt, protein powder, one cup strawberries, and almond milk and a serving of cheetos
Dinner:
Scooped out bagel with cream cheese and a small salad
Snacks:
1 BJ's chocolate chip cookie
1 serving cheerios
1 serving wheat thins
According to my Fitbit, I burned over a thousand calories because of a ten mile run, so I actually got to eat more than normally, because I didn't want my net calories to be 80, that's ridiculous.0 -
realityfades wrote: »realityfades wrote: »For those of you who are actually answering the question: thanks! I get curious about other people's eating habits, which is why I asked the question in the first place.
Daily I will have
A packet of crisps (chips) - occasionally 2
An ice cream of some description
A cookie or two
My meals are mainly nutritionally sound, if I not hitting my macro or micro targets I will adjust
I will on occasion eat pizza, Chinese or Indian food ..and I go out once or twice a week and drink a couple of glasses a wine
This is all within my calories and nutritional guidelines ..but I classify nothing as junk in my head
Interesting. Here's my food diary for yesterday:
Breakfast: croissant
Lunch: protein smoothie with greek yogurt, protein powder, one cup strawberries, and almond milk and a serving of cheetos
Dinner:
Scooped out bagel with cream cheese and a small salad
Snacks:
1 BJ's chocolate chip cookie
1 serving cheerios
1 serving wheat thins
According to my Fitbit, I burned over a thousand calories because of a ten mile run, so I actually got to eat more than normally, because I didn't want my net calories to be 80, that's ridiculous.
Wait, so what was your net calorie intake for yesterday? 'Cause I gotta tell you, it does looks ridiculously low.0 -
Hell yeah taking cate of your body does not mean punishing it
My body is a temple i am widening the base to support more construction0 -
Aargh taking care of0
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It also looks nutritionally unsound0
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tincanonastring wrote: »realityfades wrote: »realityfades wrote: »For those of you who are actually answering the question: thanks! I get curious about other people's eating habits, which is why I asked the question in the first place.
Daily I will have
A packet of crisps (chips) - occasionally 2
An ice cream of some description
A cookie or two
My meals are mainly nutritionally sound, if I not hitting my macro or micro targets I will adjust
I will on occasion eat pizza, Chinese or Indian food ..and I go out once or twice a week and drink a couple of glasses a wine
This is all within my calories and nutritional guidelines ..but I classify nothing as junk in my head
Interesting. Here's my food diary for yesterday:
Breakfast: croissant
Lunch: protein smoothie with greek yogurt, protein powder, one cup strawberries, and almond milk and a serving of cheetos
Dinner:
Scooped out bagel with cream cheese and a small salad
Snacks:
1 BJ's chocolate chip cookie
1 serving cheerios
1 serving wheat thins
According to my Fitbit, I burned over a thousand calories because of a ten mile run, so I actually got to eat more than normally, because I didn't want my net calories to be 80, that's ridiculous.
Wait, so what was your net calorie intake for yesterday? 'Cause I gotta tell you, it does looks ridiculously low.
Well, the croissant was 300 calories, the protein shake was 400, the cookie from Bjs was 230, the wheat thins 140, cheerios 110, the bagel and cream cheese was 250 or so and the salad was another 300 cals since I like cheese, lol. The cheetos were 150 cals.
That's 1,880 cals. Net cals were 863. Probably too low, but I was determined to get the 20k step badge from Fitbit. Normally I only burn about 500-600 cals a day and eat around 1500. Trust me, yesterday was a huge exception.0 -
So, you normally net around 900-1000, yesterday you netted 863 but it was a huge exception? You should eat more junk food.0
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tincanonastring wrote: »So, you normally net around 900-1000, yesterday you netted 863 but it was a huge exception? You should eat more junk food.
I normally net 1200 or a little more. Most days, I get very hungry and eat upwards of 1800. You really shouldn't judge me based one day. If I were severely undereating 1. I wouldnt have a BMI of 25 with 36 percent body fat and 2. I wouldn't be able to run miles and miles every day. Also I normally take about 12k steps and burn 500-600 calories. Yesterday was the one and only time I hit 20k and I will probably never reach that again.
I also have high blood pressure so I have to watch my sodium, which is why I didn't eat more junk yesterday. And the bp is due to a heart condition, I really can't do anything about that other than take meds0 -
You just said:realityfades wrote: »Normally I only burn about 500-600 cals a day and eat around 1500. Trust me, yesterday was a huge exception.
So, which is it?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »realityfades wrote: »I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.
I get where you're coming from, but the definition of junk food is food that is low in nutrients, like cake, cookies, etc. and typically high in calories. They don't really provide vitamins and minerals compared to fruit and veg. Maybe you don't like to label foods and that's ok. But junk food typically doesn't provide energy. At least not sustainable energy. A donut and a sweet potato certainly don't act the same.
That said, I see nothing wrong with eating things in moderation. Especially if I log it.
whole wheat, apples, bananas, coconut, and whole grain rice would also have to be examples of foods meeting the "junk" classification...
How could fruit ever meet a classification that included the phrase "compared to fruit and veg."?
apples and bananas are very nutrient poor fruits.
That's not true, nor does it answer the question.
fruits in general are nowhere in the ballpark of being as nutrient dense as vegetables. And apples and bananas are among lowest in nutrient density of the fruits americans commonly consume.
Apples: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2
Bananas are a little better /100 cals, but still.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1846/2
RIght in line with wheat:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5744/2
Not being as nutrient dense as something else is not the same as being nutrient poor. And still does not address my question.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »You just said:realityfades wrote: »Normally I only burn about 500-600 cals a day and eat around 1500. Trust me, yesterday was a huge exception.
So, which is it?
90 percent of the time: eat 1500, net 1200.
9.9 percent of the time: eat 1800, net 1400.
.1 percent, aka yesterday: ate 1800 and net 800 something. And I did feel bad about it and won't eat that little again.
And on the weekends I take rest days and only burn about 200 cals each day through exercise and eat whatever I want and don't really track Sat and Sun.
Like I said, if I were drastically undereating I wouldn't be able to sustain my activities and wouldn't be borderline overweight. Plus I'm a full time SAHM.0 -
True, I just tend to prefer sweets.realityfades wrote: »CooCooPuff wrote: »
This tbh. I eat something sweet almost everyday.realityfades wrote: »I feel like if I completely banned junk food, I wouldn't feel satisfied and would overeat. I also try to balance junk with fruit and veg. I think that's pretty sensible.
For me, it doesn't have to be sweet, it could be savory as well. But my general rule is one junk item per day, everything else has to be healthy.
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