Quantity vs Quality - speaking of food

nads_ayoub

So I just gobbled down some battered cod fish for dinner and even though it fit perfectly in my calorie count for the day, I can't help thinking about the oodles of oil used for deep frying and the white flour used in the batter etc.

Curious to know, do you just focus on your numbers and eat whatever your heart desires as long as it's within your calorie allowance or do you actually eat healthy and stay away from all things fatty and harmful?

Ironandwine69

What my heart desires doesn't go well with what looks good on my *kitten*. So I try to find a middle ground. For the most part I am a healthy eater, but I don't stress over it too much.

janejellyroll

I focus on meeting my nutritional needs overall. I don't focus on any one particular food. If I want something fried, I'll have something fried.

cwolfman13

fat isn't harmful in appropriate amounts...it's an essential nutrient.

Personally, I'm not an extremes person...I'm pretty middle of the road...I eat a lot of nutritionally awesome foods...I also enjoy a pizza now and then or a trip to my favorite pub for some fish 'n chips. A lot of the time, my heart desires a nice grilled salmon filet with some veggies and wild rice...other times, my heart desires those fish 'n chips.

Balance and moderation...meet your nutritional needs and look at your diet on the whole and don't get all wrapped up in the minutia of a particular meal or particular food.

kristen8000

I say everything in moderation. I stick to healthy foods 80% of the time, but leave room for endulgences. But what I do find is that when I do endulge my stomach isn't a fan, so it's a rarity now.

Ready2Rock206

I'm not understanding how the cod was harmful. Or how things that are fatty are harmful. That's a very interesting way to think about food.

With that said - I think there's somethings that just aren't worth the calories and things that are a better use of my calories. If the fish is high in calories but I'm going to be hungry again shortly because it wasn't filling enough that wouldn't necessarily be a good use of calories. Unless it is really delicious fish and I want it and I make it fit in my day - but not going to have it for every meal.

kommodevaran

I became healthier instantly when I decided not to divide foods into good/bad, healthy/unhealthy and stopped believing fat, or carbs, or sugar, or eggs, or salt, or dairy, or whatever to be fattening, or toxic, or whatever this week's food fright happens to be.

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

JustRobby1

I have not been one to stress over "eating clean" since very early on in my weight loss process. Keeping my calories at goal is priority numero uno for me. On days when I want some deep fried deliciousness, I have it so long as it fits into my budget. That being said, most of the time a meal like that has enough calories that it makes my other meals for the day suffer as a result. So the question I have to ask myself is simply "is it worth it"? Sometimes the answer to that question is a resounding "hell yes"!

I know plenty of people out there who have a nervous breakdown from even the slightest deviation from their far too whimsical and unrealistic "plan", and these are people I truly feel sorry for. The reason why so many people fail at this game is by setting themselves up for disaster with unsustainable ways of eating. People who account for moderation and being human are far more likely to enjoy long term success that dietary 3rd Reich types.

janejellyroll

kommodevaran wrote: »

I became healthier instantly when I decided not to divide foods into good/bad, healthy/unhealthy and stopped believing fat, or carbs, or sugar, or eggs, or salt, or dairy, or whatever to be fattening, or toxic, or whatever this week's food fright happens to be.

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

This. Realizing that no food/meal could "ruin" my diet was an amazing breakthrough.

Need2Exerc1se

I focus on quality. Both quality of the food as far as taste and how healthful it is. I am especially picky about carbs and fat. I know people on this site get all bent out of shape at the though of good/bad carbs or fat but I believe some are better than others.

DX2JX2

I generally stick with healthier foods because it makes it easier to plan within my targets. I'm not opposed to eating 'unhealthy' stuff but I'll pick and choose my battles. Crappy take out chinese food? Not worth it. Homemade fried chicken? Absolutely.

nads_ayoub

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

I'm not understanding how the cod was harmful. Or how things that are fatty are harmful. That's a very interesting way to think about food.

Nothing wrong with the fish but I usually eat things steamed or sautéed in a little olive oil and this fish n chip was a far cry from that! I could almost taste the oil in the batter....think its age but my gut doesn't react well to greasy food

rhtexasgal

kommodevaran wrote: »

I became healthier instantly when I decided not to divide foods into good/bad, healthy/unhealthy and stopped believing fat, or carbs, or sugar, or eggs, or salt, or dairy, or whatever to be fattening, or toxic, or whatever this week's food fright happens to be.

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

Ditto here .... what I DO consider is whether that deep fried cod would be worth it, especially if it is only filling for that one meal only and knowing that I would be hungry again later but without the leftover calories needed to fulfill that hunger. Sometimes, I will eat something like this without planning it (unexpected lunch date etc.) so I either "make do" with the allotted calories I have left for the day OR I just start over fresh the next day. As long as I don't make that deep fried cod a habit, I am ok.

With that said, sometimes, I REALLY want something deep fried so I will make plans to fit that fried food into my day. I will often eat a big salad (filling and low calorie) for lunch so I can fit in my deep fried delicious dinner. I am rather fond of fried fish and shrimp with hush puppies and sometimes fried pickles or fried jalapenos as an appetizer. I do this about once a month, plan for it and then I don't regret it.

nads_ayoub

kommodevaran wrote: »

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

Had I been younger, I wouldn't have cared as it was perfectly okay to eat deep fried food every now and then and not worry about the fat content from a weight gain and from a health perspective. Now, I'd much rather have a healthy fat rather than something that has been deep fried in corn oil.

Why did I eat it? Because I was sitting at the table with my boys who were having the fish for their dinner - it was home made.

No resentment (that's going a bit far!) but I do ask myself check myself after I eat something that is a far cry from my clean eating habits - it's really the same question I ask myself after consuming cake or anything with excess sugar.

Just curious about how others eat and the choices they make...

J72FIT

I live in the middle ground. Eat a little of everything and a lot of nothing...

aeloine

Quantity is more important to me AT THIS TIME. I'd rather eat a TROUGH of vegetables than a piece of cake because I'm already in a calorie deficit. I think that this is going to change, however, when I get into maintenance.

The quantity is important to me so that I don't feel deprived and so that my plate doesn't look empty. It's currently a huge mental game for me, and extended periods of time spent chewing really help me keep going.

I DO eat at maintenance on some weekends, and that's when I pick "quality". I had eggs benedict at brunch yesterday and a pint of Halo Top for dinner. Life is about balance and finding what works for you.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

White flour is harmful? Lol.

cwolfman13

nads_ayoub wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

Had I been younger, I wouldn't have cared as it was perfectly okay to eat deep fried food every now and then and not worry about the fat content from a weight gain and from a health perspective. Now, I'd much rather have a healthy fat rather than something that has been deep fried in corn oil.

Why did I eat it? Because I was sitting at the table with my boys who were having the fish for their dinner - it was home made.

No resentment (that's going a bit far!) but I do ask myself check myself after I eat something that is a far cry from my clean eating habits - it's really the same question I ask myself after consuming cake or anything with excess sugar.

Just curious about how others eat and the choices they make...

Eating some fish and chips now and then is going to have about zero bearing on your health or weight. Eating dietary fat doesn't make you fat...excess calories beyond what you need to maintain the status quot is what makes people fat.

estherdragonbat

I'm trying to work through one cookbook recipe by recipe (1,000 Vegan Recipes, so I've been at it for a few years...) I've just finished the bean and legume main dishes and start the grain mains this week with vegetable fried rice. (The vegetables include peas, to give me some protein.) Usually the dishes are pretty nutrient dense, but some are more calorie-dense than others. Most are pretty filling, though.

I'd say that overall, I eat healthy while making room for indulgences. I don't strive for an '80-20' split, but it wouldn't shock me to find out that I'm sort of hitting it naturally.

Francl27

When I started MFP, I could get away with smaller portion of the high calorie stuff I used to eat.

Now that I have a normal weight (and still fighting to lose my last pounds)... not so much. I read some people who are satisfied with kid meals at McDonald's and I'm shaking my head! I'd be starving if I ate what I was eating when I started, honestly.

kommodevaran

nads_ayoub wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

I must say I'm curious, having such a resentment over battered deep fried cod, why did you eat it - don't you consider the nutritional quality before you eat?

Had I been younger, I wouldn't have cared as it was perfectly okay to eat deep fried food every now and then and not worry about the fat content from a weight gain and from a health perspective. Now, I'd much rather have a healthy fat rather than something that has been deep fried in corn oil.

Why did I eat it? Because I was sitting at the table with my boys who were having the fish for their dinner - it was home made.

No resentment (that's going a bit far!) but I do ask myself check myself after I eat something that is a far cry from my clean eating habits - it's really the same question I ask myself after consuming cake or anything with excess sugar.

Just curious about how others eat and the choices they make...

Do you let your kids eat food you feel is unhealthy? Who made the homemade food?

If not resentment... guilt?

I will eat anything I like, but not everything at once, and not all the time.
Most of my meals are simple and made from ordinary foods and ingredients, and I add enough fat, sugar and salt to make it taste just right.
I differentiate between normal days and special occasions.

lemurcat12

nads_ayoub wrote: »

Curious to know, do you just focus on your numbers and eat whatever your heart desires as long as it's within your calorie allowance or do you actually eat healthy and stay away from all things fatty and harmful?

I mostly focus on eating a nutritious diet, but that is largely consistent with eating what my heart desires (and it's all foods I like).

I don't think being "fatty" makes something unhealthy, though.

True I don't really deep fry things, but that's rarely my preferred way to eat them anyway, and also I just don't cook that way at home.

Edit: Oh, if you mean like an occasion fish and chips as a special meal kind of thing, sure, I'll eat that. Don't see how it prevents me from having an overall healthful diet.

pzarnosky

I stuck to the calorie count to lose the weight. I have slowly been transitioning to whole food plant based eating. Similar to vegan but more mindful of how much processing goes into the foods.
I am 5 weeks out from my first marathon. I fell off the wagon for a few weeks and I felt the difference. Now that I'm back on track and eating a micronutrient dense diet, I feel so much better in all aspects.

kimny72

nads_ayoub wrote: »

So I just gobbled down some battered cod fish for dinner and even though it fit perfectly in my calorie count for the day, I can't help thinking about the oodles of oil used for deep frying and the white flour used in the batter etc.

Curious to know, do you just focus on your numbers and eat whatever your heart desires as long as it's within your calorie allowance or do you actually eat healthy and stay away from all things fatty and harmful?

In general, you want to focus on your overall diet and how often you are eating stuff you want to avoid. I would agree with you that deep fried food is something you need to be careful with. But the danger is in eating it often, not eating it once. Was this a unusual indulgence? Then just enjoy it! Do you feel like you eat fried food too often? Then rather than feeling guilty or worried, focus on why you made that choice and what you need to do to make it easier to make a better choice next time.

Sometimes if I know I'm going to be indulging later in the day, I'll focus on eating lots of fiber and lean protein earlier in the day to offset. But just try to give your body what it need most of the time, and limit foods that are best seen as indulgences or treats to be just that, and as long as you don't have any medical conditions you'll be fine. There's no use in worrying about what you've already eaten

cmtigger

I don't worry too much about fat or white flour. I watch saturated fats and cholesterol because I have some family issues, but overall I don't worry because I found it's not a huge part of my diet after tracking.

I made bierrocks this weekend with some ground meat that needed to be used up, and white flour in the dough. So good. I ate a couple with mustard and put the rest in the freezer to eat over the next couple months. No guilt or worries.

Lounmoun

I eat what tastes good to me and fits my goals. I like lots of different types of food.
I don't eat deep fried food every day. I'm okay eating it sometimes. I don't eat a super low fat diet but spending hundreds of calories on added oil doesn't make sense at every meal.
I don't think some white flour or fats are unhealthy if you are eating a variety of foods.
Look at your whole diet not one meal.

J72FIT

Lounmoun wrote: »

I eat what tastes good to me and fits my goals. I like lots of different types of food.
I don't eat deep fried food every day. I'm okay eating it sometimes. I don't eat a super low fat diet but spending hundreds of calories on added oil doesn't make sense at every meal.
I don't think some white flour or fats are unhealthy if you are eating a variety of foods.
Look at your whole diet not one meal.

^^^For the win...