Do you eat junk? why or why not?

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Replies

  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    You just said:
    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.

    Uh-huh.

    dr-evil-right.gif
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I literally just ate some m&ms with my toddler. It keeps my sanity to eat a little junk food.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Yeah I do. Usually 300ish calories a day (out of 1900). Sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on how hungry I am that day.

    (not reading the replies because I don't care about another debate about how there's no such thing as junk food).
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    I literally just ate some m&ms with my toddler. It keeps my sanity to eat a little junk food.

    I have a toddler too and sometimes it's hard not to eat whatever they're eating, whether it's baby puffs, a cereal bar, etc. Or maybe that's just me, lol.

    I haven't given my son M and M's yet because I'm worried he'll choke on them. [He's 15 months old soon]
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Yes, I still eat foods that are traditionally categorized as "junk." I include them in my day, track them, and make them fit because they bring joy to my life (so do puppies and cat gifs, and I make room for those too).

    There are some foods that I used to eat that I just don't find worth the calories anymore. Oatmeal Creme Pies are one of those. Just not as good as I remember and I'd rather spend the calories on something tastier.

    I don't do a lot of baking for myself, so I don't have cake or cookies around very often unless I seek them out. But if I'm at a friend's house and they make mini-cupcakes you can bet I'm going to partake (looking at you @gramarye :drinker:) And if I'm at my parents' house and they have fresh Krispy Kremes or if they bought me a blueberry cake donut from Dunkin, I'm going to enjoy it.

    And sometimes there are things that I could moderate before that I can't moderate now, for whatever reasons. Ice cream is like that for me, at the moment. Depression, anxiety, SAD, whatever it is, I just can't stick to one serving at the moment. So I don't bring it in the house and will swap it out with another treat until I can moderate it again.

    I don't know what percentage of my day it works out to be. I don't really care as long as I'm hitting my goals consistently (including weight management, macros, and whichever micros I choose to track). But this is a place where everyone's mileage will vary. Include what you want. Cut out what you want.
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 721 Member
    I love junk food. Like everyone else I just add it into my calorie intake. Had to learn moderation because I could eat a family size bag of barbeque chips with french onion dip in one sitting easily!!! Lol
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    vada44 wrote: »
    I love junk food. Like everyone else I just add it into my calorie intake. Had to learn moderation because I could eat a family size bag of barbeque chips with french onion dip in one sitting easily!!! Lol

    Ahaha same here. Over the weekend, I ate an entire bag of Goldfish, the 6.6 oz size, lol. No regrets!
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    _John_ wrote: »
    _John_ wrote: »
    _John_ wrote: »
    Ninkyou 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.

    I'm showing an example of how a food generally thought to be super healthy, in reality is little better than food considered junk (say potato chips or crackers).

    It puts things in perspective of our trying to draw a line between junk and not junk.


  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I consider junk food to be foods that I would not eat everyday because they are nutritionally inferior to the foods I would normally eat at a meal. Usually said junk food can be found at the checkout of any gas station or convenience store.

    I eat junk food that fits my macros and has some nutrition to it. Lately my junk food is pork rinds. It fits my very LCHF macros. I skip junk food with no real nutritional value such as diet cola.
  • KareninLux
    KareninLux Posts: 1,413 Member
    gramarye wrote: »
    Hell yes. If I have the calories and have already eaten my meals for the day, that's extra room for snacks. Yesterday I was under 1200 calories after I finished dinner (which is super rare for me, to be honest). So I hade two servings of ice cream and a can of cream soda, the latter being something that I haven't had in over a year because drinking calories is usually such a waste.

    On the average day, though, I usually just make room throughout the day. I usually have a fun-size candy bar every day with lunch -- about 100 calories, and satisfying for the part of me that wants something sweet mid-day. It works for me. :)

    Oh, my heavens! Haven't thought of cream soda in a long, long time. Don't think I can get it here - thank heavens, lol.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I consider junk food to be foods that I would not eat everyday because they are nutritionally inferior to the foods I would normally eat at a meal. Usually said junk food can be found at the checkout of any gas station or convenience store.

    I eat junk food that fits my macros and has some nutrition to it. Lately my junk food is pork rinds. It fits my very LCHF macros. I skip junk food with no real nutritional value such as diet cola.

    Oh gosh...diet soda is a vice of mine. Luckily I got a SodaStream so that fills my soda void. No cans or bottles and no recycling needed, hehe. I just press the button and get carbonated water. I don't even add flavoring.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited January 2016
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result. Do you eat fruit and veg when it's not that time of the month?
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result.

    What if I took a multivitamin?
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result. Do you eat fruit and veg when it's not that time of the month?

    Or just take a multi-vitamin.
    I'll probably go with eating 1 pound of veggies most days instead though.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited January 2016
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result.

    What if I took a multivitamin?

    I think research has shown that taking multivitamins isn't enough.

    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253

    From the study:

    With respect to multivitamins, the studies published in this issue and previous trials indicate no substantial health benefit. This evidence, combined with biological considerations, suggests that any effect, either beneficial or harmful, is probably small. As we learned from voluminous trial data on vitamin E, however, clinical trials are not well-suited to identify very small effects, and future trials of multivitamins for chronic disease prevention in well-nourished populations are likely to be futile.

    In conclusion, β-carotene, vitamin E, and possibly high doses of vitamin A supplements are harmful. Other antioxidants, folic acid and B vitamins, and multivitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective for preventing mortality or morbidity due to major chronic diseases. Although available evidence does not rule out small benefits or harms or large benefits or harms in a small subgroup of the population, we believe that the case is closed— supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.

    Take that as you will, if you want to or dont want to take a vitamin makes no difference to me.

    Prenatals are different because the lack of folic acid can cause spina bifida.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I consider junk food to be foods that I would not eat everyday because they are nutritionally inferior to the foods I would normally eat at a meal. Usually said junk food can be found at the checkout of any gas station or convenience store.

    I eat junk food that fits my macros and has some nutrition to it. Lately my junk food is pork rinds. It fits my very LCHF macros. I skip junk food with no real nutritional value such as diet cola.

    Oh gosh...diet soda is a vice of mine. Luckily I got a SodaStream so that fills my soda void. No cans or bottles and no recycling needed, hehe. I just press the button and get carbonated water. I don't even add flavoring.

    Love my SodaStream! I add just a bit of lime and I am happy. :)
  • MikeAV8s
    MikeAV8s Posts: 85 Member
    Yes, because it is delicious.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result.

    What if I took a multivitamin?

    I think research has shown that taking multivitamins isn't enough.

    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253

    From the study:

    With respect to multivitamins, the studies published in this issue and previous trials indicate no substantial health benefit. This evidence, combined with biological considerations, suggests that any effect, either beneficial or harmful, is probably small. As we learned from voluminous trial data on vitamin E, however, clinical trials are not well-suited to identify very small effects, and future trials of multivitamins for chronic disease prevention in well-nourished populations are likely to be futile.

    In conclusion, β-carotene, vitamin E, and possibly high doses of vitamin A supplements are harmful. Other antioxidants, folic acid and B vitamins, and multivitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective for preventing mortality or morbidity due to major chronic diseases. Although available evidence does not rule out small benefits or harms or large benefits or harms in a small subgroup of the population, we believe that the case is closed— supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.

    Take that as you will, if you want to or dont want to take a vitamin makes no difference to me.

    Prenatals are different because the lack of folic acid can cause spina bifida.

    But that's about supplements for "well-nourished adults." We're specifically talking about people who don't eat a balanced diet.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I consider junk food to be foods that I would not eat everyday because they are nutritionally inferior to the foods I would normally eat at a meal. Usually said junk food can be found at the checkout of any gas station or convenience store.

    I eat junk food that fits my macros and has some nutrition to it. Lately my junk food is pork rinds. It fits my very LCHF macros. I skip junk food with no real nutritional value such as diet cola.

    Oh gosh...diet soda is a vice of mine. Luckily I got a SodaStream so that fills my soda void. No cans or bottles and no recycling needed, hehe. I just press the button and get carbonated water. I don't even add flavoring.

    Love my SodaStream! I add just a bit of lime and I am happy. :)

    If you're a big SS user like I am, you can actually get a SodaStream mod so that you can fill a paintball tank instead of exchanging the 60 L one for $15. To fill a paintball tank is only a couple of bucks. The downside is that the mod is $80.
  • MeiannaLee
    MeiannaLee Posts: 338 Member
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    I eat as much junk food as I can stand. It prepares my body to withstand the junk science I come across from time to time on MFP.

    Liar

    You just don't understand how much the junk food helps when it is that time of the month that it seems like every one is posting woo.

    I GUESS you can eat all junk, look at the Twinkie diet. But then you'd be void of essentially vitamins and minerals as a result.

    What if I took a multivitamin?

    I think research has shown that taking multivitamins isn't enough.

    http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1789253

    From the study:

    With respect to multivitamins, the studies published in this issue and previous trials indicate no substantial health benefit. This evidence, combined with biological considerations, suggests that any effect, either beneficial or harmful, is probably small. As we learned from voluminous trial data on vitamin E, however, clinical trials are not well-suited to identify very small effects, and future trials of multivitamins for chronic disease prevention in well-nourished populations are likely to be futile.

    In conclusion, β-carotene, vitamin E, and possibly high doses of vitamin A supplements are harmful. Other antioxidants, folic acid and B vitamins, and multivitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective for preventing mortality or morbidity due to major chronic diseases. Although available evidence does not rule out small benefits or harms or large benefits or harms in a small subgroup of the population, we believe that the case is closed— supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.

    Take that as you will, if you want to or dont want to take a vitamin makes no difference to me.

    Prenatals are different because the lack of folic acid can cause spina bifida.

    But that's about supplements for "well-nourished adults." We're specifically talking about people who don't eat a balanced diet.

    Can we make it a gummy multi-vitamin, just so I can keep it junk food?
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    MeiannaLee wrote: »
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.

    A Krispy Kreme original glazed donut is 190 calories.
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
    edited January 2016
    MeiannaLee wrote: »
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.

    A Krispy Kreme original glazed donut is 190 calories.
    MeiannaLee wrote: »
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.

    A Krispy Kreme original glazed donut is 190 calories.

    Heh, the donut I had today was 230, but it's frosted and has sprinkles. I'm sure the donuts I used to get from this rad place was even more, because those things were huge. RIP, Dough Loco in Manhattan.
  • MeiannaLee wrote: »
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.

    A Krispy Kreme original glazed donut is 190 calories.

    I'd rather have something is more substantial and will keep me full for longer.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    MeiannaLee wrote: »
    Its not worth the calories to me to be honest.
    How many calories is a donut? 280-300? I can have egg whites with veggies and cheese and a side of fruit with those calories and it fills me tenfold.
    And as a sweet treat I just have some hot chocolate or some coffee with a biscotti. I dont know, cutting the junk cold turkey was really easy for me.

    A Krispy Kreme original glazed donut is 190 calories.

    I'd rather have something is more substantial and will keep me full for longer.

    Good?
  • starbuckaddict
    starbuckaddict Posts: 38 Member
    I find this thread super interesting. However if I ever start thinking about fruits as junk food *shudder* can't handle that.

    Anyways I don't really eat "junk food" like cookies, donuts, pizza, ice cream but I do drink a lot of sugary drinks from starbucks (like three a week in general) and I count those as junk drinks.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    nvmomketo wrote: »
    I consider junk food to be foods that I would not eat everyday because they are nutritionally inferior to the foods I would normally eat at a meal. Usually said junk food can be found at the checkout of any gas station or convenience store.

    I eat junk food that fits my macros and has some nutrition to it. Lately my junk food is pork rinds. It fits my very LCHF macros. I skip junk food with no real nutritional value such as diet cola.

    Oh gosh...diet soda is a vice of mine. Luckily I got a SodaStream so that fills my soda void. No cans or bottles and no recycling needed, hehe. I just press the button and get carbonated water. I don't even add flavoring.

    Love my SodaStream! I add just a bit of lime and I am happy. :)

    If you're a big SS user like I am, you can actually get a SodaStream mod so that you can fill a paintball tank instead of exchanging the 60 L one for $15. To fill a paintball tank is only a couple of bucks. The downside is that the mod is $80.

    I had no idea. Thank you! :)