Pizza for weight loss?

2

Replies

  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    We eat pizza once or twice a month. In that same vein, I would like to mention that I have McDonald's for breakfast every weekend. I do sometimes add 10% to published calorie info to be on the safe side, but a balanced diet means just that - a bit of "good" and "bad".
  • xRezin
    xRezin Posts: 17 Member
    We eat pizza once a week. Every Wednesday night is pizza night. We limit ourselves to two slices each, and we try to make healthier choices. Veggies, or Canadian bacon instead of pepperoni.
  • duckforceone
    duckforceone Posts: 121 Member
    most of my daily meals are above 500 calories, so 2 great slices of pizza sounds really delicious. And more than good enough.
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    I look at it this way- if the type of food calories come from us important for weight loss- there would be a lot more obese people. As an underweight girl i ate pizza and salad for dinner, ate icecream, chocolate etc. I ate a balenced diet and small treats and my weight remained stable.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited May 2016
    Like most are saying, fit it in to you calories.
    We have opted for healthier eating and now are choosing veggie pizza. Load it up with our favorite veggies and honestly do not miss the meat. Papa Murphy's delite with veggies and light on the cheese. Personal choice, but go for everything and fit it in. This is something that has to be sustainable to have long term success. For me, all things in moderation, no food off limits. Works so far 2-1/2 years on maintenance, lost over 1/2 of my current body weight.
  • mom2wessarah
    mom2wessarah Posts: 72 Member
    sashayoung72 wrote: »
    I just peaked at your diary and I am seriously concerned, someone mentioned 800 calories but you didn't even have that for the day, another day was even lower, are you logging everything? You cannot sustain on that amount of calories. Please follow guidelines, they are there to keep you HEALTHY!!!

    Why keep to 800 as a goal -- long story, in my head anyway:

    This is my 4th time trying to lose the weight I lost and gained back. First was Weight Watchers (with my husband), which I loved. They taught me for the first time what a portion is. I even worked there; led classes once I became a lifetime member. However, getting a new job with unexpected travel made me quit WW. Slowly,I gained back.

    Did a medically supervised 500 calorie a day diet. I found it worked well and I wasn't hungry. Gained the weight back.

    Fast forward to a husband who's gained back, even done lap band surgery and gained back. I wanted to jump start my weight loss, then move back to a weight waters diet. However, Medifast worked so well for me, at around 1000 a day, I wasn't hungry and lost about 70 lbs in 8 months.

    Kept that off for several years. The boredom in my job, unhappiness in my marriage, not moving and eating late at night, made me lose weight. I know it was totally my choice to eat badly and not move, I'm not making excuses, I knew what I was doing was wrong, but at the time didn't care. Found myself at the highest weight of my life, and that's even after having twins! My husband isn't any motivation, as he's overweight, doesn't like his job and uses that an an excuse to not move his body.

    My 12 year old said, "mom you should go on a diet" so I took that to heart. I thought I'd go back to what "worked". Medifast as a jump start. I'm so afraid I will not lose weight and want to keep it to about 2 lbs per week, I'm doing Medifast. However, I get so busy during the day, sometimes I'm too busy to eat, thus the low count. At the end of the day I don't want too much either.

    I know I need to eat better to maintain, or I'll be back in the same rut. Just need to convince myself of that and implement. I have made a good friend that loves the outdoors and we often walk or hike on the weekend. I'm doing it to make my body stronger, but a seven mile hike doesn't hurt for CICO.

    So, thank you for all the comments about fitting the pizza into my lifestyle. I'm trying to take to heart the quote about needing to keep a "diet" you can live with and be happy with to maintain. I know I can't do it on such a low intake. I'm getting thee and all the support here is helping. Thanks to everyone for your comments.
  • charleycartee
    charleycartee Posts: 49 Member
    edited May 2016
    mom2wessarah wrote: »
    I was very busy at work today and only had time for a small snack. With little food in the house, I got the kids Domino's for dinner. Starving, I had two pieces and figured I'd make up for it the rest of the week. Well, after looking up the nutrition info, turns out two pieces of what I had is 470 calories and 50 carbs (I know calories are most important for weight loss, but trying to keep carbs under 100 as well), which fits just fine into my daily amounts. I hope everyone is right about what’s most important is CICO!

    Maybe they were small pizzas and only cheese? Because when I had 2 slices of pepperoni (xlg pizza) from papa johns at the scout work day last weekend, it was more like 700 calories. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/update_nutrition_facts/307458413

    I'm not totally avoiding "junk food" and I'm down almost 30lbs over the last 2 months. I had fried chicken several times last week as a snack, for example (an old favorite place is closing down after being open more than 50 years).
  • mom2wessarah
    mom2wessarah Posts: 72 Member
    charleycartee wrote: »
    mom2wessarah wrote: »
    I was very busy at work today and only had time for a small snack. With little food in the house, I got the kids Domino's for dinner. Starving, I had two pieces and figured I'd make up for it the rest of the week. Well, after looking up the nutrition info, turns out two pieces of what I had is 470 calories and 50 carbs (I know calories are most important for weight loss, but trying to keep carbs under 100 as well), which fits just fine into my daily amounts. I hope everyone is right about what’s most important is CICO!

    maybe they were really small and only cheese? Because when I had 2 slices of pepperoni (xlg pizza) from papa johns, it was more like 800 calories.

    It was a medium, hand tossed Domino's with black olives and onions. 8 pieces in total, I had two. I would guess an xlg pizza has much bigger slices?
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Nothing wrong with a couple of slices of pizza.... no food group needs to be cut out in order to lose weight, its all about calories in/out and being in deficit.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited May 2016
    It is totally about CICO.
    How you get there is personal choice, but no matter what kind of diet, or what it is called, in order to lose weight you need to consume less calories than you are burning. You may be eating "special" food, or eliminating certain food groups, but it comes down to eating less calories than you are burning.
    There is no wrong or right way. For each of us, it is what will work for us as individuals for the long term.
    The difficult part is maintaining. If you go back to eating more calories than you are burning, you will gain back weight, and this happens to 80% of the people that lose weight, no matter how they lose.
    CICO is a simple concept, but never easy.
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    I eat pizza several times a month (had it last night). Not a big deal.
  • michelle24p
    michelle24p Posts: 23 Member
    I love pizza. I wont willingly order it but if it is around i will eat the toppings and cheese just for the satisfaction. I still lost weight. Although now that I am closer to my goal I have to be more disciplined. Plus there are days when you wont eat the perfect meal. And if a meal has gone overboard, call it a cheat day and go for it. Then the next days go back to healthy eating.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    All things in moderation. Except water.
  • Nachise
    Nachise Posts: 395 Member
    The reason why people fail to maintain their weight loss is because they start out with unrealistic eating patterns. I could see 800 calories as part of an intermittent fasting regimen, but long-term weight loss involves a balance of diet and exercise that will have you eating at a deficit until you reach your goal. 800 calories a day is not balance.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    layak wrote: »
    pizza seems like empty caliries to me

    Depending on the toppings, pizza has fat, carbs and protein. It's quite the opposite of empty calories, it is one of the most comprehensive from a macro nutrient standpoint.

    FYI, the USDA considers the solid fats in pizza to be empty calories. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers-empty-calories

    I do have pizza once a month or so. Stopping at two pieces would not satisfy me. I do eat a big salad with it, and am now able to stop at three pieces.
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    800 goal is not a good thing for anybody, not even my 7 year old son eats that little. You need more and to find a healthier goal. Pizza is fine in moderation.
  • CasperNaegle
    CasperNaegle Posts: 936 Member
    We make pizza's at home all the time. You can find great flat breads, no fat cheeses, low fat meats, veggies and have a really great meal that fits in your macros.
  • avingers
    avingers Posts: 29 Member
    Nothing wrong with pizza! About once a week I buy the pre maid pizza dough from trader joe's and we make our own mini pizzas at home. With the right toppings, my pizza comes out to be under 300 cals. Paired with a side of veggies, it's totally satisfying.
  • hhnkhl
    hhnkhl Posts: 231 Member
    You can have pizza everyday and lose weight. A slice isn't going to damage your weight.
  • ashleyjongepier
    ashleyjongepier Posts: 130 Member
    I've lost 150+ lbs and eat pizza weekly or bi weekly, sometimes within my calories, sometimes over. Love me some pizza!
  • Adiemus200
    Adiemus200 Posts: 63 Member
    Pizza is okay in moderation. Eating 800 callories a day is not okay. Please reconsider changing your callorie allowance for the day. I would be so hungry and grumpy on 800.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    layak wrote: »
    pizza seems like empty caliries to me

    Depending on the toppings, pizza has fat, carbs and protein. It's quite the opposite of empty calories, it is one of the most comprehensive from a macro nutrient standpoint.

    FYI, the USDA considers the solid fats in pizza to be empty calories. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers-empty-calories

    I do have pizza once a month or so. Stopping at two pieces would not satisfy me. I do eat a big salad with it, and am now able to stop at three pieces.

    In other words, cheese.

    I find 2 pieces of pizza satisfactory (one piece if it's Chicago style). I also eat it with a salad, and tend to like lots of vegetables on it. I also enjoy making my own where I can have more for no more calories. I add cheese to my homemade pizza too, as well as many other foods (and I eat it on its own as dessert sometimes). I do consider cheese a treat or extra, but the idea that it would turn any food that contained it into "empty calories" seems odd. I had a 2-egg omelet with broccoli, spinach, and feta this morning, guess that also had empty calories, but it was not an empty calorie meal, IMO, and neither is a pizza with broccoli and spinach (which is a common enough topping).

    Anyway, rant about pizza aside :-) I'd urge the OP to read the links that WinoGelato gave. They are great and very educational about using MFP. I read most of them soon after arriving here and have always been glad I did.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    Pizza, burgers, fries..all part of my pre weight loss diet. And part of my diet now, but I make it myself and control ingredients and portions better than a restaurant ordered version. And because I can eat the home versions whenever I want, I don't crave the worse versions.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »

    FYI, the USDA considers the solid fats in pizza to be empty calories. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/preschoolers-empty-calories

    The only solid fats in a pizza should come from cheese, which is an excellent source of vitamin B12 and calcium and a good source of protein and vitamin A.
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,412 Member
    mom2wessarah wrote: »
    I was very busy at work today and only had time for a small snack. With little food in the house, I got the kids Domino's for dinner. Starving, I had two pieces and figured I'd make up for it the rest of the week. Well, after looking up the nutrition info, turns out two pieces of what I had is 470 calories and 50 carbs (I know calories are most important for weight loss, but trying to keep carbs under 100 as well), which fits just fine into my daily amounts. I hope everyone is right about what’s most important is CICO!

    I took a peek at your food diary. I can tell you are a busy person. I am not sure this will help, but if you could eat breakfast or at least drink a protein shake in the morning, it might start your day out with a little protein, which a busy mother of two with a job outside the home could use. As far as the pizza goes, it is neither the best nor the worst food choice...and there is no reason why you can't eat pizza unless it's a trigger food, in which case you might want to avoid it for awhile until you can handle it. I think if you like pizza you should plan it right into your diet! Hope this helps.
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