Calories from Dessert, Question...

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vgirl21
vgirl21 Posts: 37
in Food and Nutrition
Hello, I have a question I have always been curious about. Not that I would do it, but I like to know things. My calorie limit is 1200 a day (prescribed by my doctor)

Say I ate 800 calories from meals and snacks throughout the day, but all of my meals fulfilled by nutritional goals. If I ate dessert for the rest of the 400 calories, what would happen? I feel like this is really bad because there is no nutritional value for the dessert. How does the body work? If I did this for a while, would my body be fine because I still had enough calories to equal 1200 calories and I fulfilled my nutritional goals from the the other meals I ate earlier?

Believe me I would never do this, I love real food and would put food before dessert any day. Thank you :)

Replies

  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
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    Well, it's moderately hard to get all the vitamins and minerals you need in a diet of 1000-1200 calories in the first place - even eating all "healthy" food. Supplements are not truly proven to be "as good" as real food in terms of promoting actual "health" and longevity. It won't probably hurt to do this occasionally, but I wouldn't make it a routine thing - save it as a once a week treat or ration it in tinier portions throughout the week. It shouldn't affect your weight loss, but might affect your overall health (long term). (I'm not going to get into the 1200 calorie limit that is so frequently prescribed other than to say you will lose weight - for a while - but that level seems to lead to plateaus for a lot of people and it's not really sustainable for the "long haul")
  • ajayner85
    ajayner85 Posts: 10 Member
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    Hi there! Here's some info I have learned on my health and fitness journey!

    When you eat sugar, you replace your glycogen stores. Gylcogen stores are basically a sugar-based, readily-available fuel source for your body. It's what gets used up before your body switches into fat-burning mode. When you refill these stores with high-GI simple sugars, your body switches out of fat-burning mode. While you'll still lose weight if you're under your calorie deficit, the loss will likely be at least partly from muscle - not good!

    If I can make a recommendation, get a good protein supplement (Kaizen's Natural Whey is tasty and very good quality!) and have a protein shake with 2% milk and cinnamon instead of a dessert. They taste great (seriously!) and can rid you of your sugar cravings, while bringing you up to your calorie limit with nutritious muscle-replacement food! A typical serving of whey protein is 130cals, which, plus milk, can bring you up to 400. Cinnamon also helps increase your metabolism :smile: added bonus!

    Good luck!!
  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
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    Why should you think there is no nutritional value in dessert? Even chocolate has amino acids and flavenoids - good for you! So far fresh berries and Greek Yoghurt. you can even make nutritionally balanced cake and cookies.
    If you can fit a desert in your macros, then do it. I hand make all my deserts because I have a diabetic husband and have to exclude sugar and too much carbs for him. I have lots of recipes for desserts under 300 calories. If you want one or two, let me know.
  • vgirl21
    vgirl21 Posts: 37
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    Thank you this is very helpful. I know its okay to have natural sugars from fruit. Do you know if there is a real difference from natural sugars to sugars from baked goods like cakes and cookies? In other words does your body except them as the same kind of sugar?

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