So I can eat ANYTHING as long as it's in my calorie deficit?

Allthingsglitter
Allthingsglitter Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I heard the way to lose weight is to eat no more than my deficit. But can I eat anything I wanted to and lose weight?

Lets just say I can only eat 1,400 in a day and for breakfast I would eat a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich from McDonalds (430 calories)
Lunch would be a Junior chicken from Mcdonalds (370 calories)
Then dinner would be something healthier like ground turkey and veggies (600 calories)

Would I still be able to lose weight even though all I am eating half the day is junk food? Technically I am still in the deficit.

Also, I am not active as I am doing a desk job so I won't be burning any calories through out the day.
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yes, if that combination of food adds up to fewer calories than you burn all day long, it will put you in a calorie deficit, which is the key to fat loss.

    BTW, you burn calories all day long whether you are sitting around during nothing or running a marathon. It would be differing amounts of calories, of course, but either way there are calories burned.
  • CaladriaNapea
    CaladriaNapea Posts: 140 Member
    Yes, you can eat literally whatever you want and still lose weight--I en junk food and ice cream (my weakness). However, staying in a calorie deficit long term is easier if you find foods that are highly satiating for you. For me, that means foods with high fiber and high protein. Other people need high fat or high carb. It depends on you, but I would really recommend that you play around, experiment, and figure out what makes you feel the most full.

    FYI, you can do this at fast food places too. Most of them have healthier options and you can see if they work for you to help you stay within your calorie budget.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    Yes if the goal if weight loss. For health you should attempt to eat healthy foods (veggies,lean meats,seafood,ect) and moderate junkfood (soda chips ect) .But enjoy and savor the treats.
  • DaniG_1987
    DaniG_1987 Posts: 40 Member
    edited March 2017
    As other people have said, yes you can eat this way and lose weight. However, you are most likely not going to feel great during it and might even have a larger chance at not sticking with it. If you eat McDonalds for breakfast and lunch every day your body will be lacking important vitamins and nutrients and you will be consuming a lot of sodium, which will lead you to feeling bloated and probably more tired. If you eat healthier, fresher, food that gives you vitamins and nutrients your body needs you'll feel a lot better and you will still be losing weight.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    Indeed! I sure did. Still, don't abuse the science. Just because you can lose weight without nutrient dense food, doesn't mean you should. Have your treats in reasonable amounts and get in your macros and micros as necessary.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,142 Member
    Ashleyjt_ wrote: »
    I heard the way to lose weight is to eat no more than my deficit. But can I eat anything I wanted to and lose weight?

    Lets just say I can only eat 1,400 in a day and for breakfast I would eat a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich from McDonalds (430 calories)
    Lunch would be a Junior chicken from Mcdonalds (370 calories)
    Then dinner would be something healthier like ground turkey and veggies (600 calories)

    Would I still be able to lose weight even though all I am eating half the day is junk food? Technically I am still in the deficit.

    Also, I am not active as I am doing a desk job so I won't be burning any calories through out the day.

    Yes. You can. You might be hungry during the day, or you might not. You do want to make sure that you are getting enough protien and good fats and nutrients. But you do not have to completely cut out any foods in order to lose weight.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    Yes, but personally if all I had for lunch was a small chicken sandwich, I'd probably be ravenous by mid-afternoon and end up blowing all my calories for the day. :( Maybe if I rounded it out with some fresh veggies, berries, & Greek yogurt from home (which would only add about another 150 calories).
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    That would depend. Does McDonalds fill you up, or would you find yourself grabbing food here and there an hour later making sticking to your deficit harder? If the answer is yes, then yes, that's exactly how it works. It would be an acceptable diet, too, because eggs and chicken aren't the worst things you could do nutritionally either, as long as you introduce a bit more nutritional variety from time to time.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Be curious to see what a day logged like this would look like macro wise? I'm thinking add a couple of pieces of fruit as snacks for a couple hundred more calories and it wouldn't look too bad.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Be curious to see what a day logged like this would look like macro wise? I'm thinking add a couple of pieces of fruit as snacks for a couple hundred more calories and it wouldn't look too bad.

    stb64gkk2fi8.png
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    You can but I would be so hungry plus the salt in just one of those is insane.

    I have been losing consistently but eating mostly balanced. I will have a cupcake if I want it but it must fit in my calories. Lately I've eliminated the majority of that though because it takes up so many calories and sodium, takes two minutes to eat and leaves me hungry. Now I will eat one of those items over two days and eat apple/carrot/veggie/cheese to help fill me.
  • HGarcia1527
    HGarcia1527 Posts: 69 Member
    Absolutely. But I wouldn't recommend it on a daily basis.
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    sunsweet77 wrote: »
    You can but I would be so hungry plus the salt in just one of those is insane.

    I have been losing consistently but eating mostly balanced. I will have a cupcake if I want it but it must fit in my calories. Lately I've eliminated the majority of that though because it takes up so many calories and sodium, takes two minutes to eat and leaves me hungry. Now I will eat one of those items over two days and eat apple/carrot/veggie/cheese to help fill me.
    I know, part of the reason I don't eat fast food is because it is so high calorie for what you get. I split a steak and shake meal with my boyfriend, and we still had a large calorie meal, even though we weren't super full.

  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    Yup, but if you're like me and prefer volume you may find a better bang for your buck is to include more calorie dense food like McDonalds less than twice a day. But yes, you could lose weight that way.
  • hoorayselma
    hoorayselma Posts: 127 Member
    Yes you can basically eat chocolate all day long or ice cream all day long as long as you're under the calorie deficit anything over will gain weight but with that being said it's better to eat healthy food so you can feel fuller longer. But let's say you're goal is 1400 a day you could consume all 1400 cal everything soda all day to reach 1400 or to eat chocolate cake that reaches 1400 but I personally won't do that because I will get hungrier very fast as it's not filling . But in answer to your question.. yes!
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    I would be hungry if I just fit in only 2 small fast food sandwiches and then a healthy dinner for my daily calories! But everyone is different and I do indulge in moderation.
  • orionaimee
    orionaimee Posts: 89 Member
    It would be curious to see what it did to cholesterol levels and blood pressure even if there was weight loss.
  • andrewq6100
    andrewq6100 Posts: 415 Member
    edited March 2017
    well you could follow the If it fits your macros rule, but remember what you eat is your fuel so if you eat fast food, snacks etc all day your workouts will suffer, your body will suffer and your mood as well. People like the guy who dieted with twinkies are a rare case i'm sure if everyone did that people would have heart attacks, diabetus etc because genetics are different from body to body. So always make sure to know what your body can take before just going ham. And of course honestly you'll never see someone shredded who just eats junk 24/7. The guy who weights 140 lbs and can eat anything and has "abs" is not shredded.

    don't get me wrong some days i'' have 3 mc chickens and a mc double to finish off my calories for the night but it's not a usual trend. You can make "poop" foods work for you, and thats when you can make dieting more of a lifestyle, than just a diet.
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    I've eaten KFC, maccas, pies, chips, I've made sure I'm still within my calorie limit and have lost 4.9kg in 6 weeks:-) BUT I'm also learning about "healthy" foods that keep me satisfied for longer so I'm usually eating those now. I'm not good when I'm hangry.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    andrewq6100 wrote: »
    well you could follow the If it fits your macros rule, but remember what you eat is your fuel so if you eat fast food, snacks etc all day your workouts will suffer, your body will suffer and your mood as well. People like the guy who dieted with twinkies are a rare case i'm sure if everyone did that people would have heart attacks, diabetus etc because genetics are different from body to body. So always make sure to know what your body can take before just going ham. And of course honestly you'll never see someone shredded who just eats junk 24/7. The guy who weights 140 lbs and can eat anything and has "abs" is not shredded.

    Not what I would do, personally, but it has been done.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10348650/cico-still-skeptical-come-inside-for-a-meticulous-log-that-proves-it/
  • DaniG_1987
    DaniG_1987 Posts: 40 Member
    sunfastrose wrote: »
    DaniG_1987 wrote: »
    As other people have said, yes you can eat this way and lose weight. However, you are most likely not going to feel great during it and might even have a larger chance at not sticking with it. If you eat McDonalds for breakfast and lunch every day your body will be lacking important vitamins and nutrients and you will be consuming a lot of sodium, which will lead you to feeling bloated and probably more tired. If you eat healthier, fresher, food that gives you vitamins and nutrients your body needs you'll feel a lot better and you will still be losing weight.

    I'd like to know the magic that McDonald's has that suddenly removes all the vitamins and nutrients from its foods. I'm not calling it the healthiest food in the universe, but location of where ground beef is turned into burgers doesn't suddenly change what it's made of.

    I didn't say ALL vitamins and nutrients but she is definitely going to be lacking. Based on the McDonalds nutritional info on their website this is what she would be eating (the calories differ from what she mentioned but I couldn't find a chicken sandwich or breakfast item that matched what she stated --so these are the closest matches).
    Breakfast: Sausage McMuffin with Egg:

    470 No unit of measurement Calories
    30 grams Total Fat: (46% DV)
    30 grams Total Carbs: (10% DV)
    21 grams Protein

    Calories From Fat: 270
    Saturated Fat: 12g (60% DV)
    Trans Fat: 0g
    Cholesterol: 275mg (91% DV)

    Sodium: 810mg (34% DV)
    Dietary Fiber: 2g (7% DV)
    Sugars: 3g

    Vitamin A: 770IU (15% DV)
    Vitamin C: 2mg (4% DV)
    Calcium: 170mg (15% DV)
    Iron: 3.5mg (20% DV)


    McChicken:

    350 Calories
    15 grams Total Fat: (23% DV)
    40 grams Total Carbs: (13% DV)
    15 grams Protein

    Calories From Fat: 130
    Saturated Fat: 3.5g (18% DV)
    Trans Fat: 0g
    Cholesterol: 40mg (13% DV)

    Sodium: 600mg (25% DV)
    Dietary Fiber: 2g (9% DV)
    Sugars: 5g

    Vitamin A: 80IU (2% DV)
    Vitamin C: 1mg (2% DV)
    Calcium: 35mg (4% DV)
    Iron: 2.5mg (15% DV)


    Cholesterol from those two items alone put her over her daily limit. Saturated fat will put her at 78% of her daily amount and sodium will put her at almost 60% of her daily limit. However, for the stuff that is good for you she is only getting 17% of her daily vitamin a, only 8% of her vitamin c, 19% of her daily calcium, and 35% of her daily iron. Unless she is eating an incredibly healthy and nutrient packed huge serving of veggies for dinner-- she is going to feel awful eating like this every day.

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