Calorie deficit

Brisk09
Brisk09 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can you eat anything during a calorie deficit? For example if MFP gave me a 1700 budget i can eat whatever i want within that budget?

Best Answer

  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 3,556 Member
    edited May 15 Answer ✓
    If your only goal is to lose weight, the short answer is yes, anything.

    The longer answer is you will probably stick with it longer and enjoy the journey more if you eat things that make YOU feel better. For some people that may be vegetarian, while others may choose carnivore. Some may choose OMAD while others will have 6 or so smaller meals. Most will choose somewhere in between.

    The really long answer is----loooong.

    If your goal is to be healthy, it's more complicated.

    But yes, you can eat anything anytime, and if it's less calories than you burn, you'll lose weight.

Answers

  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,581 Member
    Yes. You don’t have to stop eating the foods you enjoy. Ultimately you will want to try to find foods which you like, fit your macros and fill you up. For many of us, that took some time and experimentation. I’m a carbie girl, but others on here find keto a good lifestyle choice. I eat most things including fish and meat, others are veggie or vegan.

    I can tell you that I maintain and eat the things I enjoy including cake, chocolate and biscuits - because I adjust calories when necessary.

    What do you enjoy eating?
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,316 Member
    The short answer is yes.

    The longer, more nuanced answer is that while you can eat whatever you want that fits within that calorie goal, different foods will have different effects on your energy levels and satiety (feeling full). Nutrition matters not so much in terms of losing weight, but in terms of health and long term sticking to your calorie deficit. Generally, protein will fill people up, and if it has a decent amount of fat will help keep them full for longer than say a high carb meal. Yes, carbs will make you feel full, but that feeling passes quicker if there is not sufficient protein and fat. Also consider that highly processed foods are usually lacking in nutrients you need, and that will also negatively affect your long term adherence to your calorie goals. So while you can eat anything, it is still a good idea to focus on getting away from highly processed foods and moving toward home cooked foods.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,187 Member
    Yes however in a deficit one of the big factors is satiety so you want foods that keep you full so that usually leaves out highly processed carbs which are also the foods that are easy to over eat. You don't have to totally eliminate those things just be mindful of how they affect your hunger and calorie goals
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,056 Member
    These are cases in point that calories are key when it comes to weight loss, not food choices (note that they were done as stunts, not as universally recommended ways to eat):

    https://www.npr.org/2010/11/12/131286626/professor-s-weight-loss-secret-junk-food
    https://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
    https://people.com/kevin-maginnis-mcdonalds-100-days-results-7506887

    Others have already clarified that feeling full most of the time, and getting decent overall nutrition, are both a really good idea, and the above "case studies" are pretty shaky in that regard . . . but they do pretty much demonstrate that food choices can be pretty idiotic, and weight loss will still occur if the right calorie level is achieved.

    Most of those stunt dieters improved health markers, too, like some or all of blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, A1C, etc.

    To be crystal clear: I'm not recommending their approach.

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