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

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  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    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.

    This guy lost 56 pounds by eating nothing but McDonalds for six months. His "secret" was a calorie deficit.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    orionaimee wrote: »
    It would be curious to see what it did to cholesterol levels and blood pressure even if there was weight loss.

    Enlightening: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/hormonal-responses-fast-food-meal.html/
  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Trying to lose weight by eating mostly low-nutrition foods is probably not going to be sustainable. You'll likely be hungry, not be well nourished, and feel bad. That's not a great way to stay motivated and disciplined. And unless you're in a very controlled situation, you may find it very hard to resist the temptation to overeat. And you probably won't have the energy to exercise as much as if you were eating a healthier diet.

    ETA: I'm not saying the examples you gave are necessarily bad to eat - I'm just going off your question about eating more than half your calories from junk food.
  • jamilt
    jamilt Posts: 25 Member
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    Very insightful.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    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. Calorie deficit is how you lose weight. Eat food you like that satisfies you.
    If you cooked and ate eggs, meat, bread, chicken at home would it also be junk food? They all have nutrients.
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
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    I personally wouldn't but yes if you're eating at a deficit you will lose weight.

    I'm a little iffy on the calorie numbers for the food though it could be higher.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    I eat foods I like and don't eat foods I don't like. I can eat anything as long as it fits into my calorie deficit but I can't eat unlimited quantities and I can't eat it to the exclusion of all else. "Eat anything as long as it fits into my calorie deficit" isn't the same as saying it's OK to eat all Snickers all the time and nothing else.

    I aim for about 80% of my calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats. If I really want something, I'll work at least some of it into what I'm eating. No food is off limits.
  • goodasgoldilox165
    goodasgoldilox165 Posts: 333 Member
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    Didn't a guy try living on nothing but McDonalds for a month? I seem to remember that his blood tests showed (shock) that his health had suffered (blood pressure up etc.) However, he ate more calories than you plan to and he only ate McDonalds meals.

    I agree with posts above:

    If it is just weight loss you are concerned about - just look at calories.
    If you want to feel better, have more energy and be motivated to keep going - look at improving your diet a bit too. (You don't need to give up everything - just don't eat the same stuff every day.)
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited March 2017
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    goodasgoldilox wrote: »
    Didn't a guy try living on nothing but McDonalds for a month? I seem to remember that his blood tests showed (shock) that his health had suffered (blood pressure up etc.) However, he ate more calories than you plan to and he only ate McDonalds meals.

    Super Size Me. The guy went from a normal diet and calorie level (I believe he was vegetarian) to cramming as many calories worth of McDonald's food into his mouth as he could with the least nutritious choices that he could pick off their menu. I remember seeing him fighting nausea from an over-full stomach but I don't remember if he threw up on camera or not. It was like he was trying to turn his liver into foie gras. I think he even went from a highly active lifestyle to sedentary. Unsurprisingly, he put on weight at an incredible pace which would have, regardless of the source of those calories, caused many of the health issues he acquired.

    It was basically a strawman set to film.

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