34lbs lost eating anything i wanted

Achrya

You can also lose weight successfully by starving yourself for a few weeks or months... that doesn't make it healthy anymore than losing weight whilst regularly eating fast food does.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in having the things you enjoy sometimes... but I'm talking, like, a pizza takeaway every couple of months, etc.

Working on a calories in, calories out 'diet' may well work - if your only goal is weight loss. For me I wanted to see some other improvements...higher energy levels, clearer skin etc. All things I wouldn't have achieved (or, at least, not to the same degree) on a calories in, calories out 'diet'.

Not knocking that the way you're doing it can work....just stating that it's not overly respectful of/kind to your body.

I eat whatever I want and my skin is clear, my hair is healthy, my labs came back 'optimal' according to my doctor (except my blood pressure, which is a touch low and unrelated to diet), and I have the energy to lift heavy 3 days a week as well as various forms of cardio and hiking once a week with my husband.

So. What part indicates that eating what I want when I want hasn't left me healthy? Or is this some non-quantifiable metric that no one will be over to actually explain or begin to give me a clue as to measuring or observing?

bigballin2013

You can also lose weight successfully by starving yourself for a few weeks or months... that doesn't make it healthy anymore than losing weight whilst regularly eating fast food does.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in having the things you enjoy sometimes... but I'm talking, like, a pizza takeaway every couple of months, etc.

Working on a calories in, calories out 'diet' may well work - if your only goal is weight loss. For me I wanted to see some other improvements...higher energy levels, clearer skin etc. All things I wouldn't have achieved (or, at least, not to the same degree) on a calories in, calories out 'diet'.

Not knocking that the way you're doing it can work....just stating that it's not overly respectful of/kind to your body.

Thank you for these thoughts. Please consider this. With the exception of genetics, I promise you that being healthy is about moving (activity) more than anything. In most cases, active overweight people are healthier than thin, out of shape sedentary people. Remember, I said genetics aside.

To clarify, as I said in the post, I also eat healthy foods...but only those that I enjoy. I would say on average, at least one to two of my four or five meals/snacks I consume each day are yummy things not considered "diet or healthy" food by any stretch. Some days, everything I put in my mouth is on the "yummy - not diet" side. Remember, your body has the ability to turn ANYTHING YOU EAT into fat and or sugar. Eat whatever you want....Eat less to lose weight...stay active to be healthy.

bigballin2013

KUDOS!!

I won't say you're wrong,cause fact is that it worked for you.

but don't forget that you are both young and male - so what works for you doesn't always work for, say, 50-something post menopausal women such as myself...

and the truth is that you are correct - calories calories calories. but look at it this way (the way it looks from where i'm sitting): if my total calories for the day comes to 1800 (just throwing a random number), for ME to "waste" calories on eating "whatever i want" vs. "making the most of every calorie" would be a waste. which to me is the difference between eating *a* slice of pizza or eating 3. so that isn't to say that i sometimes DO indulge and buy ice cream or falafel etc. but honestly? even when i buy ice cream, i'll get a smaller cone, or buy a creamsicle etc - still having what i want and actually NOT feeling deprived. I feel actually great when i make a choice that is both healthy for me and staying within the limits.

You have a great attitude! And by the way...50 is NOT old:) it's the new 30! Keep up the good work and you will soon agree with me about that. So to address the "wasting calories" thing. I agree with you. Sometimes I eat chicken because the protein fills me up and provides me with, well...protein. Is it SMOTHERED in kick *kitten* sugary bbq sauce?? YES! Still fills me up. So yes, if i were to only eat big macs and snickers, I'd feel like ****. Sometimes your body screams "healthy choices" sometimes it screams "fast food/chips/cookies". Listen to it and stay within a decent calorie range for yourself.

blah2989

Well, I know "your method" has worked for me. Although I do add in a salad, mixed veggies, something along those lines everyday, ( almost) I do not deny myself if I really want it ( I also try to work everything off and have a deficit. Ive been on mfp for about five weeks now I really watch my portion sizes as well as all those "hidden" calories in how the food is prepared ( like roasted green beans, except they roast them in butter)- that kind of thing. I think the key thing is exercise..Then again I wouldnt encourage deep fried foods everyday lol.

blah2989

KUDOS!!

I won't say you're wrong,cause fact is that it worked for you.

but don't forget that you are both young and male - so what works for you doesn't always work for, say, 50-something post menopausal women such as myself...

and the truth is that you are correct - calories calories calories. but look at it this way (the way it looks from where i'm sitting): if my total calories for the day comes to 1800 (just throwing a random number), for ME to "waste" calories on eating "whatever i want" vs. "making the most of every calorie" would be a waste. which to me is the difference between eating *a* slice of pizza or eating 3. so that isn't to say that i sometimes DO indulge and buy ice cream or falafel etc. but honestly? even when i buy ice cream, i'll get a smaller cone, or buy a creamsicle etc - still having what i want and actually NOT feeling deprived. I feel actually great when i make a choice that is both healthy for me and staying within the limits.

Completely Agree!!! Thats what I do also!

feathers20

Well done!
I completely agree with you, but some people do have to watch other levels of things to, for instance if I eat over my fat daily allowance, I will put fat on, regardless of calories, so I make sure to follow those numbers too.
I still enjoy a good mcdonalds here and there I never cut anything out completely!

shadus

I've lost 60+ lbs in 3 months (years ago) eating nothing but ****ty fast food (and I don't mean ordering the good stuff like salads) to prove a point to a cow-orker on a fast food is the root of all evil kick (nee: you gotta eat healthy to lose weight). As long as the calories are measured accurately (99% of the time what people screw up) you will lose weight as long as you're under your daily energy expenditure. You can eat the most clean diet around and all organic and gain weight easily if your calories are above your maint level.

If you're recomping what you eat makes more of a difference but for strict weight loss alone? It matters little so long as you don't eat any one thing alone to the point you get deficient in basic nutrients.

Edit: This of course only applies to people without significant health issues. If you're diabetic or glutton intolerant that's a wholly different story.

Edit2: For reference eating fast food and losing 60lbs+ gave me... lower bp, lower chol, lower trig, and better blood glucose numbers. So while it may not have been the best over all solution it was STILL an improvement over staying 60lbs heavier and a net increase in health.

Chard1954

Can't argue with that!
I've lost 39lb since late May - by eating less and exercising more...rocket science.
I tend to have a fairly healthy diet anyway, in that I like veg, salad and fruit, but I also like meat, cake, crisps, curries and chocolate.
So I eat the odd cake, then make sure I do a bit of unplanned exercise to burn off the treats. Works for me, I don't get scientific over it all, it would drive me to distraction and I wouldn't end up sticking with it.
It seems to make me eat less rubbish and I have smaller portions. I try to stick to about 1300 cals a day instead of my old 2500+ and to be honest, I don't find it that difficult most of the time. If I do go over, which I do from time to time, I just exercise a bit more to compensate.
However, if I have a day where I burn off extra calories, I try and make sure that I'm not tempted to "eat" them, I try and stick with around 1300 cals a day, even if I've burned a lot.

bigballin2013

So do you target your calories in vs calories out on a day by day basis or do you average over a period of time. Because sometimes I'll eat 500 calories, other times only 800 calories and sometimes I'll eat up to 2000 calories, but my weekly average is always around 1000-1200 calories.

So far it has worked for me, and it means I can still bake and enjoy my goodies every now and then (usually weekends).

Sounds like you're calories cycling without intentionally doing so:) And YES to all your questions. I try to think one meal at a time, one day at a time, but only so over a period of time my calories are such that I lose weight. Today I ate 4000 calories. That's way over what I had intended. My niece wanted Chicago style pizza, lol. Then cookies for dessert and my dinner/dessert
was 2500 cal! But, not to worry. Like you I know that over the next few days, weeks, months, my calories will be low enough for weight loss without doing anything extreme (like not having pizza with my niece)

gpiercebutler

Interesting that lots of people think if you eat fast food you don't eat anything else or get any nutrients. Because of my lifestyle - that I don't want to change - I eat out at least once a week. I also always eat more than 5 portions of fruit and veg a day and most of my food is home cooked good quality. I just don't stress about changing my life to fit a "diet".

35 ish pounds down 23 to go

Hannah_Hopes

I love this it is essentially true you can eat whatever you like, just keep portion sizes correct, a low enough calorie deficit and moderation, with a bit of exercise for toning and long as you don't constantly eat high fat food (which can cause excess fat inside your body that you can't see outside) you're sorted.
It's not all that hard burn more than you consume its just sticking to that which can cause issues lol.

jdyg81

I'm so glad to see so many of you having success with this way of eating. Deprivation really sucks! Besides that, it can't work if you can't stick with it....so why make it so hard?

I've traveled to many different countries and everyone is thin!! (except those who have taken on an "american" diet) What I do find is people in Japan eat lots of rice. Tons of it! They're thin. Look up rice (white) on the glycemic index. People in Italy and greece and france eat the most delectable carb rich foods! Most are thin! Why? They simply do not overeat. No diets. No "off limit foods". They also walk alot!

Thank you for the posts...those who do not fully agree with me still have valuable insight to share and I appreciate your words.

EXACTLY !!!!!!!!!

1sharonandrea

Love what you wrote. It sounds like we have been on the same merry go round. My goal is 30 kilos, I am now on my second day so far so good.
My fitness pal makes it very easy with counting cals
Good luck with your nest goal.
Mamma V

whitebalance

Thank you for the posts...those who do not fully agree with me still have valuable insight to share and I appreciate your words.

OHMYGODWHATISTHIS did I reach the edge of MFP and fall off? What a reasonable, open, pleasant kind of thing to say. Cheers to you, OP! :drinker:

(And yeah, I eat what I like too... long as I'm getting the nutrients I need for health, and staying within my calorie range, why the heck not? What are people going to do in the long term, deny themselves all the tasty foods forever? Not me, I like them too much for that.

Ang108

1. Eat only "good" complex carbs - Bull****! Eat what you enjoy!
2. Eat low or no carbs -Bull****! Eat what you enjoy!
3. Eat only lean protein / whole grains / fruits / vegges - Bull****! Eat what you enjoy!

If we were all professional endurance athletes, these things would matter when it comes to our performances....but for the 99.9% of us who want to lose weight and be thinner, this whole "macro-nutrient" thing is, uh, Bull****!

Instead...make your life easier and make your way of eating more sustainable!

How?? Pay attention to only one thing. Calories, calories, calories!

What did I eat to lose these 34 lbs so far? Anything and everything.

Fast food
Cookies
Chips
Sandwiches
Burritos
Pizza

along with healthier foods I actually enjoy! I just paid attention to my portion sizes and overall calories.

Now I'm FINALLY losing weight after 6 yes of being stuck!

Hope this helps.

Oh, and to all you "diet and fitness experts" out there,,,please don't write me and tell me how wrong I am. For me, the proof is in the pudding...so to speak:)

Why is it almost always automatically assumed that people " like " over processed food better than anything else ?
I eat exactly what I like and have done so all my life ( I only ate too much of it ). I have never had a pizza that was not home made ( and even of those I had no more than maybe a dozen in a 50 year period ), even though I live in Mexico I never had a burrito, I don't eat anything sweet because I prefer spicy-salty flavors and if you would offer me a pop tart or a bowl of vegetables I would chose the veggies any time over a cardboard processed slab of dough. But this does not cause me to tell people that it is bull**** if they eat how you eat. I figure to each their own and Would prefer that young males would not tell the general member ship that surely consists of all kinds of people how to eat.
I realize you only share your opinion, but I don't appreciate the way you do it.
So please, don't assume that all MFP members automatically crave or generally eat a standard American diet. There are 7 billion people in this world; more than 6.5 billion are not in the US and many have similar obesity problems and they don't all live of the things you find essential for your diet. Why is it so often automatically assumed that a healthier diet means sacrifice and that the average person usually would prefer fast food with lots of ingredients that do not exactly contribute to one's health over anything else ? Or is the American way of eating, where people brag proudly about how unhealthy they really eat so much different from the rest of the world ?
I really don't care what you eat and if you are healthy or not, but don't tell me that what I eat is bull**** and that I should eat something different. It is not your place to do so.
And btw: I am stoked also, because I lost 33 pounds in exactly four month eating exactly what I like......

mspoopoo

KUDOS!!

I won't say you're wrong,cause fact is that it worked for you.

but don't forget that you are both young and male - so what works for you doesn't always work for, say, 50-something post menopausal women such as myself...

and the truth is that you are correct - calories calories calories. but look at it this way (the way it looks from where i'm sitting): if my total calories for the day comes to 1800 (just throwing a random number), for ME to "waste" calories on eating "whatever i want" vs. "making the most of every calorie" would be a waste. which to me is the difference between eating *a* slice of pizza or eating 3. so that isn't to say that i sometimes DO indulge and buy ice cream or falafel etc. but honestly? even when i buy ice cream, i'll get a smaller cone, or buy a creamsicle etc - still having what i want and actually NOT feeling deprived. I feel actually great when i make a choice that is both healthy for me and staying within the limits.

Love this post!

I didn't gain all the weight eating only lettuce.
I gained it eating whatever I wanted. One fast food meal puts me over my daily calorie limit. Sure I could eat it but I'd have to starve the rest of the day. Not fun.

Young men can get away with a lot of abuse with food, alcohol etc. but things change in the 40s and 50s.

Achrya

KUDOS!!

I won't say you're wrong,cause fact is that it worked for you.

but don't forget that you are both young and male - so what works for you doesn't always work for, say, 50-something post menopausal women such as myself...

and the truth is that you are correct - calories calories calories. but look at it this way (the way it looks from where i'm sitting): if my total calories for the day comes to 1800 (just throwing a random number), for ME to "waste" calories on eating "whatever i want" vs. "making the most of every calorie" would be a waste. which to me is the difference between eating *a* slice of pizza or eating 3. so that isn't to say that i sometimes DO indulge and buy ice cream or falafel etc. but honestly? even when i buy ice cream, i'll get a smaller cone, or buy a creamsicle etc - still having what i want and actually NOT feeling deprived. I feel actually great when i make a choice that is both healthy for me and staying within the limits.

Love this post!

I didn't gain all the weight eating only lettuce.
I gained it eating whatever I wanted. One fast food meal puts me over my daily calorie limit. Sure I could eat it but I'd have to starve the rest of the day. Not fun.

Young men can get away with a lot of abuse with food, alcohol etc. but things change in the 40s and 50s.

Sounds like you have a very small calorie limit. I eat plenty of fast food and it barely makes a dent. I had popeyes a few days ago plus two other meals and my nightly ice cream and cookie, and was still at goal. Had panda express yesterday still had 1200+ calories to burn when done.

And there are plenty of people, male and female, who are 40+ and eat in the same manner as the OP and look amazing. Just saying.

serendipity57

I totally agree with the OP , I have also lost my weight purely by watching my calories...I have not changed my diet at all except for the amount I eat...I still have my chocolate, cake and cookies whatever I want!
For me it's all about calories in and calories out.. I refuse to spend my life eating mushed up cauliflower instead of potatoes.
I always had a pretty good diet anyway of fruits and veg and always cook from scratch, it was just the amount of it I was eating that caused my weight gain. Oh and I am 58!

rebamay87

I think some people are missing a key word here - which is moderation - I totally agree with the OP on this one, you CAN eat whatever you want, as long as you stick within your calorie limit.

Life isn't short, as the cliche often states, once you reach your goal weight/size/look you NEED to maintain that weight. Its not as if you're never going to go out, never have a birthday to attend or a friends night out.

Yes - as the OP commented, eat those healthy things mixed in there, I don't JUST live on 'dirty' foods, and I've always gravitated towards the 'healthier' options it was just my proportions and lack of exercise that was the problem. Now I've lost over 105lbs (almost 50kgs) and my husband has lost almost 90lbs (40kgs).

I think if you're choosing to eat clean its because you believe in that philosophy, but really its no different than those who have a philosophy towards eating 1200 calories, or bulking and eating 3000 calories while hitting the weights - everyone has their own agenda and I didn't see anywhere in the OP's comments where he said his way is the ONLY way to lose weight, but he IS giving voice to those of us who get smashed on the boards, who get frowned on for not being a purist and what not.

So in that spirit - thank you OP for being brave enough to put it out there for the rest of us

barbz2119

So true!
I never had a problem with weight growing up, then in the past 20 years have convinced myself, I will never lose because...
I have an 'undetected' underactive thyroid, borderline diabetic, insulin resistant, gluten intolerant....the list just kept getting bigger, then going to diet clubs that have 'free food' didnt help either. Like you I'd googled all the information and knew what was healthy but was trying to eat like olympic athlete and live like an office worker.
I started tracking with MFP about 3 months ago and have managed to lost over 20 lbs, my problem was portion control plain and simple. There is no free food, it is moderation, get the right nutrients, but go ahead and treat yourself now and again, just remember a treat is a treat, and not something to eat all day every day.
Well done on your loss and thanks for sharing the info.
Barb