Do you eat junk? why or why not?

Need2Exerc1se

newmeadow wrote: »

Yeah, wouldn't "junk" food be a first world problem?

A daily fare of Pixy Stix, deep fried Twinkies, Munchos and Mountain Dew might keep someone alive for years who's withering away from malnourishment in a third world heck hole.

Just because you can survive on it doesn't mean it's not junk. Humans could survive on hog slop. That doesn't mean it's not slop.

JQuinnLife

Ninkyou wrote: »

I don't label food as junk. All food provides energy.

I needed a good laugh

Josh_lol

I eat junk. I'm a boring person and food seems to be something that makes me happy or passes the time.

QueenofHearts023

I eat everything in moderation. I do however, mostly, make my junk food myself. I make my own pizza, pastries, burgers and fries ect. I never deel guilty about them because they are always at least half the calories lower than they are in restaurants. So I can have my cake and eat it too.

amusedmonkey

It's just a term people use to identify certain foods as "lower class". It's "foodism" if you will. Mostly used to describe packaged foods with high sugar/sodium/fat/refined flour content, many fast foods, many snack foods and many street foods. An apple pie from McDonad's is usually considered junk, but a homemade apple pie is less likely to be considered junk. Same for pizza from a chain restaurant vs homemade or bought from a proud mom and pop's pizzeria. A nice fatty cut of meat (or Wagyu if you want to be fancy) is less likely to be considered junk because it's more respected as a food that takes some level of attention and artistry to prepare, but grind a cheaper cut of meat into a burger, and it will acquire the label right away. A good quality wine is not junk, but a soda is. Some actually healthy foods are lumped into this category and some very micronutrient-poor foods are actually left out of this category due to this loosely defined "foodism". Gyros, Indian curries, tacos, fish cakes..etc are actually considered junk food by some.

The term is so ingrained that I stopped arguing about its validity and just take it at face value answering questions accordingly. Does not mean I agree with it. If micronutrient density is the main deciding factor then fortified cereals and vitamin water are the epitome of "unjunkiness", and any type of fat or oil is junk because it has a poor micro:calorie ratio.

merrsa

I eat it as a rare treat and only in moderation

yesimpson

I could easily overeat grapes/mango/bananas, but would struggle to overeat Doritos, so I'm not sure that junk food can be defined as something highly palatable that it's difficult not to overeat. There would come a point, after my vitamin and fibre goals were met, when eating all that fruit was really no longer of any benefit to me.
I don't really think of junk food as a bad thing (which seems like a contradiction to type because that's what I do call it in real life): on days I've been very active and my TDEE is 2700+, I would seriously struggle to get there solely in leafy greens, lean protein, etc. If I've met my protein goals, had 6 or 7 portions of fruit and veg, had sensible, balanced meals and I'm still 300 calories under, I don't see that eating a chocolate bar is doing me any harm at all.

Dreysander

Yes. I have a square of Ghirardelli chocolate every day after supper and on Saturday I have a "junk meal" where I eat more calories at supper / dessert and they're mostly from "bad" food. I try to follow 80 / 20. I find that's best for my mental health and I don't get cravings for junk. It's also caused me to examine what I really want for my junk meal vs what I was just eating because it was there before.

Yesterday my "junk" meal was a 6 in cheesesteak, cookies and 1/4 cup of ice cream.

callsitlikeiseeit

i love 'junk' food.

i try not to eat much of it, but i do love it :P

amusedmonkey

Oh yeah, back to the original question. I eat things I feel like eating. Sometimes it's "junk food" sometimes it isn't. I don't have any system or rules regarding that. I could have it twice a day or once a month. All depends on what I want at the time.

lemurcat12

amusedmonkey wrote: »

It's just a term people use to identify certain foods as "lower class". It's "foodism" if you will. Mostly used to describe packaged foods with high sugar/sodium/fat/refined flour content, many fast foods, many snack foods and many street foods. An apple pie from McDonad's is usually considered junk, but a homemade apple pie is less likely to be considered junk. Same for pizza from a chain restaurant vs homemade or bought from a proud mom and pop's pizzeria. A nice fatty cut of meat (or Wagyu if you want to be fancy) is less likely to be considered junk because it's more respected as a food that takes some level of attention and artistry to prepare, but grind a cheaper cut of meat into a burger, and it will acquire the label right away. A good quality wine is not junk, but a soda is. Some actually healthy foods are lumped into this category and some very micronutrient-poor foods are actually left out of this category due to this loosely defined "foodism". Gyros, Indian curries, tacos, fish cakes..etc are actually considered junk food by some.

The term is so ingrained that I stopped arguing about its validity and just take it at face value answering questions accordingly. Does not mean I agree with it. If micronutrient density is the main deciding factor then fortified cereals and vitamin water are the epitome of "unjunkiness", and any type of fat or oil is junk because it has a poor micro:calorie ratio.

I think this is generally correct as to how most people use it. One reason I am always confused by the term (since I overthink things). I've also given up caring/arguing about it, and try to define it consistently as "higher cal/lower nutrient," even if this doesn't map out perfectly with how many seem to use it.

azelizabeth

I eat everything....but only when I have room from a calorie perspective. I am down 45lbs since August and this is success for me at age 51. I truly believe it's because I stopped suffering with crazy diets that made me eat like crazy after deprivation. So to answer your question, yes I eat some junk....but not a ton in one sitting and I log it. I am so done with eliminating food groups.

Lourdesong

amusedmonkey wrote: »

It's just a term people use to identify certain foods as "lower class". It's "foodism" if you will. Mostly used to describe packaged foods with high sugar/sodium/fat/refined flour content, many fast foods, many snack foods and many street foods. An apple pie from McDonad's is usually considered junk, but a homemade apple pie is less likely to be considered junk. Same for pizza from a chain restaurant vs homemade or bought from a proud mom and pop's pizzeria. A nice fatty cut of meat (or Wagyu if you want to be fancy) is less likely to be considered junk because it's more respected as a food that takes some level of attention and artistry to prepare, but grind a cheaper cut of meat into a burger, and it will acquire the label right away. A good quality wine is not junk, but a soda is. Some actually healthy foods are lumped into this category and some very micronutrient-poor foods are actually left out of this category due to this loosely defined "foodism". Gyros, Indian curries, tacos, fish cakes..etc are actually considered junk food by some.

The term is so ingrained that I stopped arguing about its validity and just take it at face value answering questions accordingly. Does not mean I agree with it. If micronutrient density is the main deciding factor then fortified cereals and vitamin water are the epitome of "unjunkiness", and any type of fat or oil is junk because it has a poor micro:calorie ratio.

Bingo. I notice the same attitudes about foodies and whether one can or should consider themselves one or not. Apparently the refusal to see or acknowledge the virtues of cheese food, for example, makes one a foodie. *eyeroll*

kirstinlee

I generally leave myself about 200 calories a day for chocolate. I hit my protein macro the rest of the day and it keeps me full, so why not? It also keeps me from bingeing (I feel like I didn't spell that correctly). I would rather allow myself a little every day than deprive myself all week and eat 2,000 calories in cream puffs on Saturday.

arditarose

I'm sure it's been said...but I don't think of any foods as junk really. It either fits my macros/calories or it doesn't. Somethings may not have many micronutrients, but my diet is balanced overall so yes-if junk means cookies, ice cream, pizza, bacon cheese burgers, french fries-then I eat junk.

SherryTeach

While I don't eat what I call "junk," I make sure I can fit in some treats that satisfy my needs and lead me to have a rich, satisfying life. That would include wine, dark chocolate, high quality ice cream, occasionally french fries, cheesecake or other high quality bakery. I stay in my calorie level and have finally found a sustainable food plan that does not leave me deprived. What I choose not to eat: most fast food, grocery store bakery stuff. To me, those are a waste of good calories that I'd rather spend on other food.

chuber15

I eat a bagel with cream cheese almost every day. I eat donuts, but maybe once every few months. I don't like chips anymore. I enjoy gelato or ice cream if it fits within my intake for the day. Otherwise, I eat fruit. Generally, I don't have time nor do I enjoy snacking.

YokiLenko

I have trouble eating packaged foods because it gives the calorie amounts right there. My mind converts those calories into the amount of exercise I would have to do to burn it and I can't seem to open the package after that. But I do find it easy to open mini candy bars, a least one a day.

jgnatca

Highly processed/salted/fried foods are fit in the corners after I have met my chief nutritional goals. I bought Pringles all-dressed this week. I just had four chips.

47Jacqueline

My diet consists only of the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.