Junk and food of no nutritional value

SkinnyMel89
SkinnyMel89 Posts: 16 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone on here committed to eliminating all junk food and artificial sugar from their diet - for good?
I like to believe I have, since I feel that if I ingest even the smallest amount of it, my whole day is ruined - nutrition wise. It seems that I am only motivated to keep losing weight and eating healthy if I never eat any sort of junk. How do you feel about junk food?
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Replies

  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    If it fit in my macros.... I eat i... Today I had a 520 calorie cinnamon roll.... Dent ruin my day I loved it... Oh ya and I was 900 calories under goal!
  • TiffieLand
    TiffieLand Posts: 159
    Haha same case as you. If I eat junk food even if I am not over the calories intake. I still feel like I am ruined for the whole day.. probably not very good to be so since sometimes it is good to have a little junk in moderation.
  • Gidzmo
    Gidzmo Posts: 906 Member
    A little bit is not so bad--but that's me, and everyone's different.
  • Eastern_Echo23
    Eastern_Echo23 Posts: 198 Member
    my vice is pepsi and coke. So i always budget an extra 300 calories just in case i want one... usually it works out in the end and I am still seeing good results. Everything in moderation I think!
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    All food has by definition got some nutritional value, even if it is only energy. I follow an IIFYM approach. Much of my food comes from nutrient dense sources but I will also eat what some people would consider to be 'unhealthy food'.

    Oh, and what do you mean by 'artificial sugar'? Are you referring to artificial sweeteners (I.e. aspartame and the like) or do you mean refined sugar which is in fact a natural product?
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I've never been a fan of junk food anyway, so I don't find it hard cutting it out, but i suppose it depends on your definition of 'junk'. To me it is food from places like McDonald's, Burger King, Dominos etc and then crisps (chips to Americans), chocolate bars and microwave ready meals.

    I have the occasional couple of slices of Dominos if my husband gets it (maybe 3 times a year max) but never step foot in a fast food place. It's not just me being snobby, I just simply don't like it. I have a 2 and a 4 year old who've never been to a junk food place.

    We don't tend to buy chocolate bars, and if we want something we make it ourselves. I like to make cupcakes occasionally, which I know isn't the healthiest, but they taste so good compared with store bought stuff.

    My husband makes chips (fries) himself sometimes, but we don't buy frozen ones. So basically it's a bit of oil and some potatoes.

    I like the occasional biscuit (cookie) with a coffee but we don't tend to buy them, it's more something I might eat at work sometimes.

    I don't like the feeling I get if I eat something crappy, full of chemicals and other stuff.

    My husband likes to research food, ad now he won't let me have diet drinks because of aspartame (not that I've ever been a big soda drinker) and he stopped me eating the 'diet' version of anything years ago. He won't buy things with fructose syrup in them, although I think here in England we don't have quite as much crap as in the US.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Yes and no. I eat better quality treats now. You can get french fries from a drive thru window or you can get them made from real potatoes at a burger joint that only serves organic grass feed beef and cooks their fries in beef tallow. Yum!

    I mostly don't drink soda any more. Maybe 1-2 servings a month. Soda and sport drinks are about as empty of nutritional value as is available today.

    If I eat a sweet treat, it is of very high quality. Pies made with seasonal fruit and real vanilla ice cream, hand crafted cheesecake, fresh doughnuts from the local bakery, truffles from gourmet chocolatiers. It is hella expensive, but so worth it!

    Fast food is mostly disappointing to me, now. Jimmy John's sandwiches are the devil, however. Their bread is just way too good.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Has anyone on here committed to eliminating all junk food and artificial sugar from their diet - for good?
    I like to believe I have, since I feel that if I ingest even the smallest amount of it, my whole day is ruined - nutrition wise. It seems that I am only motivated to keep losing weight and eating healthy if I never eat any sort of junk. How do you feel about junk food?

    IIFYM works for me... Yesterday I had a peanut butter kitkat chunky.... Sooooo good! And it fit in my cals!
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 559 Member
    I feel that if I ingest even the smallest amount of it, my whole day is ruined - nutrition wise.

    I'm not saying that you have to eat "junk food" - you can eliminate it if you like - but a little bit won't kill you. It won't even ruin your health. Such "all or nothing" mindsets often lead to unnecessary anxiety.
  • adamalle
    adamalle Posts: 88 Member
    My husband likes to research food, ad now he won't let me have diet drinks because of aspartame

    He doesn't research that thoroughly then, there's nothing wrong with aspartame!
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame_controversy

    But anyhow, if it fits in with my calories I'll eat it! But whereas I'd demolish a whole large takeaway pizza before, now it'll only be a few slices of a medium or a whole small/individual pizza.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Totally removing food because they aren't 'healthy' is normally a way to set yourself up for failure in my opinion. If it fits within your goals occasional foods just because you like them are fine and can help you mentally as well. Yesterday I had 2 jammie Dodgers ( a biscuit for the non UK people) 150 of not the best calories but I enjoyed them and they were within my calories for the day and the rest of my food was healthier. Moderation is the key as with most things restrictive diets are the ones that people either fail on port put the weight back on. I'm doing this long term to use a cliche it's a lifestyle not a diet
  • snazzyjazzy21
    snazzyjazzy21 Posts: 1,298 Member
    I always allow myself treats, because that's the only way I can keep myself sane. I'll usually have some form of chocolate every day (usually under 100cals) and if my will power is low, an energy drink at work (while I skip my lunch break to get more done). Junk food is great, IIFYM!
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    I try to eliminate them as much as possible but also don't become a drama llama when I have some.

    I've never subscribed to "a calorie is a calorie", because for me it's not just about thinness but about health. And I like elements of IIFYM, but I don't like the way some people seem to interpret this as "as long as your basic macros are met, the rest can be a load of crap". Seems a pointless attitude...

    A bit like planning "cheat" days. I don't understand that either. There is nothing wrong with the odd trespass, but why plan it?

    And by calling junk "treats" it still implies a pretty rubbish relationship with food.
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 559 Member
    I like elements of IIFYM, but I don't like the way some people seem to interpret this as "as long as your basic macros are met, the rest can be a load of crap". Seems a pointless attitude...

    Many of us take the "M" to stand for both macronutrients and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, that sort of thing). I don't take supplements and I live in a very pro-local farming community, so you'll see a lot of whole, fresh, nutrient-dense foods in my diary. Yet I still have room for sorbet and gulab jamun and chocolate tapioca pudding. I'm quite healthy, I enjoy what I eat, and I never feel like I'm on a restrictive diet. This is just my life. That's why I like IIFYM.
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
    Totally removing food because they aren't 'healthy' is normally a way to set yourself up for failure in my opinion. If it fits within your goals occasional foods just because you like them are fine and can help you mentally as well. Yesterday I had 2 jammie Dodgers ( a biscuit for the non UK people) 150 of not the best calories but I enjoyed them and they were within my calories for the day and the rest of my food was healthier. Moderation is the key as with most things restrictive diets are the ones that people either fail on port put the weight back on. I'm doing this long term to use a cliche it's a lifestyle not a diet

    ^^ This.

    Totally agree.
  • Nenny1985
    Nenny1985 Posts: 122
    I used to binge really bad on chips (potato chips/Doritos etc so I have completely cut them out of my diet (been about a year now) as I don't trust my ability to portion control but I allow other treats like chocolate and cake from time to time as I can generally portion control that sort of thing
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,261 Member
    Context and dosage, again.:smile:
  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    Has anyone on here committed to eliminating all junk food and artificial sugar from their diet - for good?
    I like to believe I have, since I feel that if I ingest even the smallest amount of it, my whole day is ruined - nutrition wise. It seems that I am only motivated to keep losing weight and eating healthy if I never eat any sort of junk. How do you feel about junk food?

    Junk food is responsible for a lot of obesity in our societies.
    I am committed to removing all junk, highly processed foods and added sugar from my diet. But having said that - I am not super dogmatic and will have a little chocolate or sorbet from time to time.
    I went on a plant-based wholefoods eating regime three weeks ago and have not looked back. Its actually had an amazing effect on my health, happiness and weight loss.
    I cannot recommend it strongly enough.
    kind regards,

    Ben
  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
    What foods are you talking about that have NO nutritional value?
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
    waiting on dairy queen to open. cant wait for dat blizzard
  • Timothy1962
    Timothy1962 Posts: 161
    I have been cutting back on ALL my junk food addictions and with having done some research I am seeing that most if not all processed foods of any sort has potential to be as harmful if not more so than its nutritional value! So, I have the last two weeks cut out all the junk food and even most of the canned and boxed foods. I have used canned beans, tuna, and pumpkin but other than that all fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts. I also buy as much non-polluted meats I can find like grass fed beef, and free range poultry.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Eh. If it fits into my day, I eat it.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I don't categorize foods into groups of good and bad..... I hit my macros and nutrient needs for the day and spend my remaining calories on discretionary foods that I want like Ice cream, whatnot..... I am in this for the long haul and want to enjoy all kinds of foods.... Best of Luck
  • kathydunn12
    kathydunn12 Posts: 1
    Myself, I have to stay away from it or it can ruin your whole day!! I just want to lose lose lose! Untill I reach my goal, don't want to mess anything up.... Have A great Day Everybody!
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Without my regularly planned junk-food days, every day would be junk-food day.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
    I can't imagine cutting out all the things I love which have no nutritional value.

    That said, things which I have given up for one reason or another (soda, white bread, candy bars, McDonald's, KFC, take-out pizza, certain brands of cookies etc etc) - if I ever indulge after a long period of abstinence they don't taste so good any more.

    It makes me wonder how much crap I eat purely out of habit or ritual, rather than genuinely enjoying them.

    And some foods I used to eat ridiculously large amounts of are now pleasing in smaller quantities.

    Still, there are some crappy choices routinely in my food diary and I rarely resent or regret them.

    I like to add more good stuff than take away the bad stuff, I guess.
  • seliinac
    seliinac Posts: 336 Member
    I try to eliminate them as much as possible but also don't become a drama llama when I have some.

    I've never subscribed to "a calorie is a calorie", because for me it's not just about thinness but about health. And I like elements of IIFYM, but I don't like the way some people seem to interpret this as "as long as your basic macros are met, the rest can be a load of crap". Seems a pointless attitude...

    ^ This. It seems a lot of people are in this for fitness or weight loss rather than health, ignoring basic nutrition. We need vitamins, minerals, fibre to stay HEALTHY.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    I try to eliminate them as much as possible but also don't become a drama llama when I have some.

    I've never subscribed to "a calorie is a calorie", because for me it's not just about thinness but about health. And I like elements of IIFYM, but I don't like the way some people seem to interpret this as "as long as your basic macros are met, the rest can be a load of crap". Seems a pointless attitude...

    ^ This. It seems a lot of people are in this for fitness or weight loss rather than health, ignoring basic nutrition. We need vitamins, minerals, fibre to stay HEALTHY.

    That's because you don't understand IIFYM or Flexible Dieting Principles. You are meant to hit your macros, micros, and fiber and then fill in the rest of calories with whatever you please. You do not get extra credit for eating "extra clean" or "extra healthy".
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    if i want a donut, i will eat one. but you bet your *kitten* i will be sweating it off after.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I try to eliminate them as much as possible but also don't become a drama llama when I have some.

    I've never subscribed to "a calorie is a calorie", because for me it's not just about thinness but about health. And I like elements of IIFYM, but I don't like the way some people seem to interpret this as "as long as your basic macros are met, the rest can be a load of crap". Seems a pointless attitude...

    ^ This. It seems a lot of people are in this for fitness or weight loss rather than health, ignoring basic nutrition. We need vitamins, minerals, fibre to stay HEALTHY.

    You might want to read up on basic nutrition. Just a friendly suggestion.

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