Can I eat whatever I want?
nic041mccoy
Posts: 74 Member
This may be a dumb question, but as long as I stay in my daily calorie defecit, can I eat whatever I want no matter how “unhealthy”?
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Replies
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For weight-loss, yes. Absolutely.
What you will likely find, though, is that if you eat a lot of high-calorie nutrient-poor foods, you're going to find yourself often hungry, lethargic, and over time, likely malnourished.
Fortunately? Most of us don't eat a mono-diet of chocolate and potato chips. So, if you're really asking, "Can I keep eating dessert, go out for fast food every now and again, grab a chocolate bar when I need an afternoon pick-me-up, or have some beer and pretzels when I'm watching the game, so long as it fits my calories and I'm generally eating a balanced diet?" YES. ABSOLUTELY.26 -
That’s very very good to hear! Thank you so much for that
(I am trying to cut out the junk, but I do love me some chocolate and a greasy cheeseburger from time to time 
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Yes, technically, you can do that and still lose weight. But the reality depends a bit on what "whatever you want" means. Most people probably want to eat a range of regular foods they find tasty and filling, and want to get reasonable nutrition, while fitting some treats within their calorie goal. There's no need to stick with a restrictive eating plan of entirely "clean" "superfoods" or anything like that.
Eating foods that are filling is pretty important, because it's hard to stick to a calorie deficit when you're feeling super hungry. And nutrition is certainly important, because most of us want to be healthy and strong, and maybe look good, not just be thin.
Calories are key for weight management; a balanced diet is important for good nutrition; and exercise is useful for fitness and strength. Combining all three gives the best odds of overall good health.6 -
Whatever you want? Yes.
However much you want? Probably not.14 -
You can make room in your day for a bit of chocolate every evening if you want. As far as the greasy cheeseburger, assuming it's with fries, you may have to plan a few days in advance for that. Just save up 100-200/day for a few days, then have at it When you want something that's more calorific than usual, eat lighter earlier in the day/week to make it fit. I use a weekly average rather than only looking at my day, so I have room for wings/fries or whatever else. I ate 2800ish calories yesterday, but my net average for the week is still about 1300. 6
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In theory, yeah. But keep in mind that a Whopper is like 700 calories. I find that a lot of people get sticker shock when they first start really looking at the calories in something. You may like a Whopper but then when you realize how much you're cutting out to have it its less appetizing somehow.
But treat yourself by all means, if you don't allow something here and there you'll just grow to hate the diet and abandon it. Good luck.
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Here’s a Carl’s Jr burger, no fries, no drink.
https://www.carlsjr.com/menu/nutritional_calculator
If you are on a 1500 calorie a day diet this one burger will suck up a full third of your day’s calories. Fat and sizzly, yes. Calorie king, yes.0 -
I find that a lot of people get sticker shock when they first start really looking at the calories in something.
Yes! I love Fatburger strawberry milkshakes, and before I joined MFP we'd have them maybe once a month or so. Then I discovered one has about 900 calories in it. I've had two in the last 2.5 years!
But yeah, if I couldn't fit in some treats here and there (or every day, sometimes!) I'd have given up long ago.2 -
To lose weight: yes
All you have to do is stay in a calorie deficit. Now, a diet of purely junk food will most likely lead to other health problems. Having snacks in moderation along with generally healthy foods is just fine.1 -
In theory, yeah. But keep in mind that a Whopper is like 700 calories. I find that a lot of people get sticker shock when they first start really looking at the calories in something. You may like a Whopper but then when you realize how much you're cutting out to have it its less appetizing somehow.
But treat yourself by all means, if you don't allow something here and there you'll just grow to hate the diet and abandon it. Good luck.
Oh yeah! I know that feeling. I used to love Frappacinos, then I saw the calorie content. I haven't had one in a very long time.
Now I budget around 200 calories for my evening snacks. Tonight was 2 Tim Tam's at a total of 190 calories, so they fit my calories for the day.5 -
This is the approach I've taken this time and I've had great success with the 'eat what you like but stay in a deficit' style of eating. It made getting started SO much easier to get started and stick with it, than cutting and slashing food groups, relying on willpower to deny cravings and eating food that to me tasted 'bad' just because they're categorised as 'good'.
This approach alone made me start to eat slightly differently as when planning meals it became very clear that typically 'bad' choices don't look so good when you see the tiny volumes that come with them. It made choosing the large/more substantial 'better' choice more attractive.
After a while a funny thing happened. Something I didn't even notice at first. The food I started to crave 'healthier' foods particularly after I started to incorporate some exercise into my life. I don't even know if it's a thing but it felt to me like my body was saying 'you need more nutrients!' and I started to crave vegetables which is the most un-me like thing ever as my entire life I've always pushed my veggies to the side.6 -
It may be the best question you'll be asking this year. So many people (including myself) struggle/have struggled with weight management for years, trying to adhere to all the "good advice" out there, like the good little girls (or boys) we are inside. That is nonsense! To maintain a healthy weight, all we have to do, is not eat too much (too many calories) over time. But to maintain good health, of course we have to eat a healthy diet. But a healthy diet is NOT restrictive. A healthy diet is the opposite, it's balanced and varied, fresh and tasty and delicious. No foods are in themselves unhealthy (or healthy), it's all about balance. No foods are fattening (or aiding weightloss), it's all about portions and frequency. MFP tells you how many calories you should eat to lose, maintain or gain weight. Common sense tells you what to eat. If you're unsure, look up "Harvard Healthy Eating Plate" but please, please, for your own sake, for your own health - stop being the good little girl/boy and use common sense when you read, and adjust to your own preferences and your own real life situation.4
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Yes of course! But with that unfortunately bad foods are higher in calories so you won't be able to each as much of those foods and then you'll end up hungry unless you do ALOT of exercise you can give your self some more cals to play with. I have done this a few times if I had a McDonald's I literally could only eat something small if I didn't do exercise 1
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There are no 'bad' foods. There are staples, treats, and extremely special treat foods.
It's about portion control, context and dosage.
eople would call that "good" food. But if I'd had a larger portion of it, it would have taken me over my calories.4 -
I do and I've lost 40lb in the last 18 months, however, I exercise more and don't have as much as I used to have. I don't deny myself anything and adjust other days if I've gone particularly mad.
Also, as Danp says, I find myself wanting healthier things nowadays - I could literally eat my own weight in strawberries right now (and that's a lot despite the loss lol) but last year I would have killed for chocolate cake yet last month took the kids out and watched them eat theirs without having some myself.0 -
It is really important to get yourself started and be patient. If you find yourself hungry too often hurry back here and this forum can provide you with some strategies to try. Give yourself time to get it right before worrying about the scale.2
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Here’s a Carl’s Jr burger, no fries, no drink.
https://www.carlsjr.com/menu/nutritional_calculator
If you are on a 1500 calorie a day diet this one burger will suck up a full third of your day’s calories. Fat and sizzly, yes. Calorie king, yes.
If you're on a 2800 calorie a day diet, this burger will fit in quite neatly without struggle or inconvenience.
Context matters.
For a Tall, active person a Fast food burger is just another part of another normal meal. for a less active, more sedentary person it's quite a challenge, but even then, it's still only 1/3 of those calories, and provides a meaningful quantity of your days protein. So it's not that big of a challenge.6 -
In theory, yeah. But keep in mind that a Whopper is like 700 calories. I find that a lot of people get sticker shock when they first start really looking at the calories in something. You may like a Whopper but then when you realize how much you're cutting out to have it its less appetizing somehow.
But treat yourself by all means, if you don't allow something here and there you'll just grow to hate the diet and abandon it. Good luck.
Oh yeah! I know that feeling. I used to love Frappacinos, then I saw the calorie content. I haven't had one in a very long time.
Now I budget around 200 calories for my evening snacks. Tonight was 2 Tim Tam's at a total of 190 calories, so they fit my calories for the day.
My aussie friend got me addicted to tim tams. Unfortunately for me it is either like 5+ or none so I save them for special times.
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stanmann571 wrote: »If you're on a 2800 calorie a day diet, this burger will fit in quite neatly without struggle or inconvenience.
Context matters.
For a Tall, active person a Fast food burger is just another part of another normal meal. for a less active, more sedentary person it's quite a challenge, but even then, it's still only 1/3 of those calories, and provides a meaningful quantity of your days protein. So it's not that big of a challenge.
You could also be a person that eats less for the other meals to save a most of the days calories for one meal. My wife who has less to work with than I do can make that burger fit in her dinner.
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nic041mccoy wrote: »That’s very very good to hear! Thank you so much for that (I am trying to cut out the junk, but I do love me some chocolate and a greasy cheeseburger from time to time
If you eat clean for a long period of time and decide on the greasy cheese burger -- BE ADVISED, IT IS NOT PRETTY.
I had eaten very clean for about 5 months. I looked at my husband and said -a burger sounds really good right about now. We went to our favorite tavern and got a burger. I ate half. Before I got home my stomach was in knots. I laid in the fetal position for about 3 hours. I looked at my husband and said - for the love of GOD make the second half of that burger disappear before I get up!
Round 2 was about 3 months later. I ate a burger and nachos on a Sunday. It messed with my stomach so much I had to call in sick the following Monday. Luckily, my boss had the same experience a few months earlier and understood.5 -
Also I have found some greasy delicious foods aren't worth the bother of saving up calories for or doing extra exercise.
I used to eat delicious poutine nearly weekly before I joined and now it just feels like too much effort to make room for and I don't miss it at all!
I'd rather spend extra calories of having a bit of wine and chocolate every night and eating at least 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with breakfast.0 -
nic041mccoy wrote: »That’s very very good to hear! Thank you so much for that (I am trying to cut out the junk, but I do love me some chocolate and a greasy cheeseburger from time to time
If you eat clean for a long period of time and decide on the greasy cheese burger -- BE ADVISED, IT IS NOT PRETTY.
I had eaten very clean for about 5 months. I looked at my husband and said -a burger sounds really good right about now. We went to our favorite tavern and got a burger. I ate half. Before I got home my stomach was in knots. I laid in the fetal position for about 3 hours. I looked at my husband and said - for the love of GOD make the second half of that burger disappear before I get up!
Round 2 was about 3 months later. I ate a burger and nachos on a Sunday. It messed with my stomach so much I had to call in sick the following Monday. Luckily, my boss had the same experience a few months earlier and understood.
I do this on purpose now and then just to get things 'moving' when they hadn't been as regular for a bit. It hasn't hit me to the extent it did you, but I don't eat 'clean' all the time, either. Sorry it hit you so hard!2 -
Also I have found some greasy delicious foods aren't worth the bother of saving up calories for or doing extra exercise.
I used to eat delicious poutine nearly weekly before I joined and now it just feels like too much effort to make room for and I don't miss it at all!
I'd rather spend extra calories of having a bit of wine and chocolate every night and eating at least 2 tablespoons of peanut butter with breakfast.
This is the definition of "what you want". You decide something is worth the calories and effort more than something else.6 -
If you eat clean for a long period of time and decide on the greasy cheese burger -- BE ADVISED, IT IS NOT PRETTY.
I had eaten very clean for about 5 months. I looked at my husband and said -a burger sounds really good right about now. We went to our favorite tavern and got a burger. I ate half. Before I got home my stomach was in knots. I laid in the fetal position for about 3 hours. I looked at my husband and said - for the love of GOD make the second half of that burger disappear before I get up!
Round 2 was about 3 months later. I ate a burger and nachos on a Sunday. It messed with my stomach so much I had to call in sick the following Monday. Luckily, my boss had the same experience a few months earlier and understood.
What a great reason not to eat so "clean." I had something similar happen but it wasn't because I was trying to eat a certain way it just kind of happened. I realized my mistake so now I work in more "dirty" food so I don't get sick.8 -
In theory, yeah. But keep in mind that a Whopper is like 700 calories. I find that a lot of people get sticker shock when they first start really looking at the calories in something. You may like a Whopper but then when you realize how much you're cutting out to have it its less appetizing somehow.
But treat yourself by all means, if you don't allow something here and there you'll just grow to hate the diet and abandon it. Good luck.
Oh yeah! I know that feeling. I used to love Frappacinos, then I saw the calorie content. I haven't had one in a very long time.
Now I budget around 200 calories for my evening snacks. Tonight was 2 Tim Tam's at a total of 190 calories, so they fit my calories for the day.
My aussie friend got me addicted to tim tams. Unfortunately for me it is either like 5+ or none so I save them for special times.
I freeze all my sweet snacks and have them one at a time. It's not too easy to chew through a frozen Tim Tam, so I usually have just one (occasionally 2).2 -
If you eat clean for a long period of time and decide on the greasy cheese burger -- BE ADVISED, IT IS NOT PRETTY.
I had eaten very clean for about 5 months. I looked at my husband and said -a burger sounds really good right about now. We went to our favorite tavern and got a burger. I ate half. Before I got home my stomach was in knots. I laid in the fetal position for about 3 hours. I looked at my husband and said - for the love of GOD make the second half of that burger disappear before I get up!
Round 2 was about 3 months later. I ate a burger and nachos on a Sunday. It messed with my stomach so much I had to call in sick the following Monday. Luckily, my boss had the same experience a few months earlier and understood.
What a great reason not to eat so "clean." I had something similar happen but it wasn't because I was trying to eat a certain way it just kind of happened. I realized my mistake so now I work in more "dirty" food so I don't get sick.
Yeah, I'm kind of off the wagon at the moment and trying to get back on. I haven't had this issue in quiet a while. LOL. I think a bi weekly pizza makes everything right with the world
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I love this thread because I do think that it needs to be promoted that when dieting and losing weight, it is NOT about cutting anyone one (or multiple) thing completely out! I have so many friends/ family that are so all or nothing. I am down 35 pounds and when they ask me how, I feel bad that their brain goes immediately to, "did you cut out bread? all junk? no snacks? you had to have been really low calorie, right?" I want to shake them and be like, that's why you will (most likely) fail, because you tell yourself "no" then binge a day later. I literally eat whatever I want, but not whenever I want. A great example for me is Pizza Hut personal pan cheese pizza - about 600 calories. If that is absolutely what I want on a Friday after a long week, then gosh darn it, it's happening! I modify my morning and lunch calories and then enjoy every single bite of that pizza with zero guilt. I am a planner when it comes to each day. That's not to say that I meal prep on Sunday for every single bite of food I'm going to have but I plan 2 or 3 days at a time and stick to it, so that I know if an indulgent meal or something I have been craving is in my plan, it makes my days easier. And only doing 2 or 3 days at time allows for me to say well on the 4th day, I'm getting that pizza! Counting calories (using TDEE as my method of how many to eat) has MADE my diet so successful.5
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I'm going to save this thread for the next time someone posts that posters on MFP promote eating a diet of doritos and donuts and ignoring nutrition.
I'm with everyone else, eat what you want and be sure to get enough nutrition. If you don't make your diet sustainable for the long run, you will have real problems succeeding.6 -
Ditto to the last two posters. I lost about 60 lbs then gained back 20 - working on those now. Even though I didn't have a greasy burger for 5 months - I still ate well. I work in a high stress industry and could NEVER give up my Cabernet!!! Only things is - I measure it now and not by the bottle!! LOL
Proper nutrition/eating healthy/weight loss has to be considered 80/20 and not ALL OR NOTHING!
Do I eat pizza? Ya darn right. Do I eat less pizza now than when I was almost 250 lbs? Yep!
Do I eat chocolate? Absolutely! And burgers, and fries...
Do I eat salads - almost every day. Sometimes two - This is the difference.
Do I feel deprived? NOT AT ALL!
What can I NOT eat? I can eat ANYTHING I WANT! IIFYM!!
Love the lifestyle and embrace the changes!!!5 -
A few other things.
I can't (or prefer not to) drink full strength soft drinks anymore. They taste way to sickly and syrupy to me now I much prefer the "diet" version regardless of calories. Gimme a Coke Zero or Pepsi Max any day.
I also prefer skim milk over the full cream version these days. Tastes really do change.2
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