Does it matter what you eat?

13

Replies

  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    (Also, I'm really looking forward to general food judgments from those with closed diaries. That's one of my favorite parts of threads like this.)
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    People have different opinions on this.

    As far as I've seen, it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you stay within your range.

    This is true but it will be MUCH MUCH easier for you to stay in that range and not be starving if you eat the right foods.

    the right food being the foods you enjoy?

    I suspect it's easier to stay under calories if you only eat food you hate. Of course, that leads to some horrible binge cycles, but the diet is remarkably "effective"...

    ...(if only for a few weeks at a time).
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    (Also, I'm really looking forward to general food judgments from those with closed diaries. That's one of my favorite parts of threads like this.)
    x2
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    People have different opinions on this.

    As far as I've seen, it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you stay within your range.

    This is true but it will be MUCH MUCH easier for you to stay in that range and not be starving if you eat the right foods.

    You should open your diary so we can see examples of these "right" foods.

    (Also, are you trying to lose 31 pounds from your current profile pic? I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that. Not really related to this thread...I'm just curious.)
  • J_adoreDior_
    J_adoreDior_ Posts: 57 Member
    People have different opinions on this.

    As far as I've seen, it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you stay within your range.

    Agreed, I believe you can…
    But >>>“Good food is good medicine that can prevent, reverse, and even cure disease"
    So eating right is good for the health in general.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I just ate a dill pickle rolled in kettle chip crumbs. It's effing delicious, and I highly recommend it to all of you.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    People have different opinions on this.

    As far as I've seen, it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you stay within your range.

    This is true but it will be MUCH MUCH easier for you to stay in that range and not be starving if you eat the right foods.

    You should open your diary so we can see examples of these "right" foods.

    (Also, are you trying to lose 31 pounds from your current profile pic? I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that. Not really related to this thread...I'm just curious.)

    Hi jofjltncb6 -

    I actually use my own spreadsheets in excel to track my calories and exercise so I don't have a diary to open up. My current diet is aiming at a macro breakdown of 50/30/20 Protein/Carb/Fat focusing on whole foods. Mostly lean proteins (chicken/turkey breast, tuna, sashimi), carbs from vegetables and some fruit and fat naturally as it comes from those foods plus a little dairy. That picture is my motivation, that's what I looked like 3 years ago at 15% bodyfat before career and life derailed my health as I stopped exercising and ate convenience-foods from local shops. I am currently at 25% bodyfat. That picture is my goal, not where I am at right now.

    The trick for me has been and will always be to settle on a maintainable diet for the rest of my life allowing maintenance of the health that I want. The getting there over time through diet and exercise has never really been the issue for me. Right now I'm trying to lose the belly then I will be focusing on achieving maintainable habits of regular exercise and diet that are a bit more relaxed. Hope that helps with your questions.

    As for what I meant by "right foods" I agree that that is pretty vague and subjective. For me "right foods" is things like broccoli and chicken breast which I find satiating without being highly caloric while still being nutritious. I agree that if I ate the equivalent calories in twinkies I could still lose weight however I would argue I would fail to do so because I would be ravenously hungry lethargic and depressed as a result from that diet.
  • viglet
    viglet Posts: 299 Member
    I just ate a dill pickle rolled in kettle chip crumbs. It's effing delicious, and I highly recommend it to all of you.

    tumblr_m8iehtburT1r99jqc.gif
  • a_stronger_me13
    a_stronger_me13 Posts: 812 Member
    I just ate a dill pickle rolled in kettle chip crumbs. It's effing delicious, and I highly recommend it to all of you.

    Was it fried too? Sounds like it'd be excellent after a dip in the deep fryer.
  • I just ate a dill pickle rolled in kettle chip crumbs. It's effing delicious, and I highly recommend it to all of you.

    That sounds awesome! I am going to the grocery store right now, and I'm going to actually buy the ingredients and eat that with my lunch:)

    I enjoy peanut butter and kettle chip sandwiches frequently:)
  • SymphonynSonata
    SymphonynSonata Posts: 533 Member
    I've lost weight with both extremes:

    Eating a diet that consisted of ~90% junk
    Eating a diet that consisted of ~95% healthy foods.

    Neither was nice, and neither was fun. I didn't stick to either. I'm back losing the same 10 pounds again, only trying to be balanced this time! It seems way easier and I feel fine instead of consistently horrendous. :-)
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I just ate a dill pickle rolled in kettle chip crumbs. It's effing delicious, and I highly recommend it to all of you.

    Was it fried too? Sounds like it'd be excellent after a dip in the deep fryer.

    No... but you're definitely onto something here.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Does it matter what you eat as long as your under your calorie goal??
    Im so confused...
    And please no smartass replies...

    Probably not for weight loss. Some people find they are sensitive to certain foods and that can cause water retention, which adds to weight, though usually does not affect fat loss. Other people find certain foods to be "trigger foods" that cause them to want more and more.

    But for overall health it does matter. You need a balanced diet. Balanced for nutrients and satiety. Don't limit all your favorite treats to the point that you are miserable and give up. But don't eat so many treats that you don't get proper nutrition.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    My friend is a clean eater...I've never been with her when she's pooped obviously...but she has the nastiest smelling gas I have ever smelled. So there goes that analogy.

    so clean eating does not equate to clean gas???
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Short answer...yes it does.

    Long answer...if you want long term results then you need to be responsible about your food. If you want to lose weight and don't care if you gain it back, well, then eat whatever you want. It's all about how you fuel your body.

    Yrur body works better with better fuel. Your body feels like crap if you live on crap food. Think about the person at work who eats garbage their whole life and when they go to the bathroom and you are already in the next stall, you don't want to be in there becasue you know they are going to blow it up with their stinky poops.

    Sorry, that just came to me but it's pretty accurate.


    and there goes the thread...


    Sorry, should I not have mentioned "poop?"

    lol its all good ..just having some fun ...

    but are you saying that if I eat clean I will *kitten* clean?????
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Why I said "right foods" instead of listing out the specific foods I eat and saying "you should eat those too" is to suggest that another person do exactly what I do and that will work for them is both arrogant and wrongheaded. Yeah "right foods" is vague but its for a reason that its vague, what is "right" for a person is very much dependent on that person. If you want to lose weight and be healthier and more fit you first have to experiment and find out what the "right foods" are for you. For me its chicken or tuna and broccoli but that's for me, might not work for you and I fully appreciate that. Try different foods, see what satiates you while paying attention to the nutrition (because even if it is satiating short term if it isn't nutritious it won't be satiating long term).
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Why I said "right foods" instead of listing out the specific foods I eat and saying "you should eat those too" is to suggest that another person do exactly what I do and that will work for them is both arrogant and wrongheaded. Yeah "right foods" is vague but its for a reason that its vague, what is "right" for a person is very much dependent on that person. If you want to lose weight and be healthier and more fit you first have to experiment and find out what the "right foods" are for you. For me its chicken or tuna and broccoli but that's for me, might not work for you and I fully appreciate that. Try different foods, see what satiates you while paying attention to the nutrition (because even if it is satiating short term if it isn't nutritious it won't be satiating long term).

    and here we go ..

    I believe that the commenter was saying there are no "right" or "wrong" foods..there is just food (calories) that you eat for energy and that you can combine them to make sure that you are hitting the right macros and deficit for that particular person.

    a lot of people can eat McDonalds once a day, have some ice cream, and fit it into their macros and deficit goals, others cannot...so are you saying that McDonalds would be the "wrong" food...

    while others would rather get a burger from the store and cook it themselves ..that does not make that burger the "right" food..at the end of the day it is all, just food....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    For weight loss, no.

    However if one is trying to improve physique and health, then macronutrients do matter.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    I think we are saying the same thing ndj1979, might just be a semantic difference. I don't think there is a "Right food" for everyone but I do think there are "right foods" for each individual, foods that are both nutrition's and satisfying for that particular person so they don't feel the need to binge or eat over their caloric limits. That's all I meant. Not about to say what food that is because each person has to sort of experiment on their own to find out what works for them.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I think we are saying the same thing ndj1979, might just be a semantic difference. I don't think there is a "Right food" for everyone but I do think there are "right foods" for each individual, foods that are both nutrition's and satisfying for that particular person so they don't feel the need to binge or eat over their caloric limits. That's all I meant. Not about to say what food that is because each person has to sort of experiment on their own to find out what works for them.

    10-4 ..

    sounds like classical misunderstanding...
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    Short answer...yes it does.

    Long answer...if you want long term results then you need to be responsible about your food. If you want to lose weight and don't care if you gain it back, well, then eat whatever you want. It's all about how you fuel your body.

    Yrur body works better with better fuel. Your body feels like crap if you live on crap food. Think about the person at work who eats garbage their whole life and when they go to the bathroom and you are already in the next stall, you don't want to be in there becasue you know they are going to blow it up with their stinky poops.

    Sorry, that just came to me but it's pretty accurate.


    and there goes the thread...


    Sorry, should I not have mentioned "poop?"

    lol its all good ..just having some fun ...

    but are you saying that if I eat clean I will *kitten* clean?????

    Well, it may be a nice color and uniform in size, but it will still be stinky. hahahah!
  • selfepidemic1
    selfepidemic1 Posts: 159 Member
    Yes, it does matter. If you ate 10 chocolate bars, your blood sugars would spike, causing insulin and fat to be stored.

    You could eat a piece of salad for the same calories and you wont cause sugar spikes.
  • KiminNorCal
    KiminNorCal Posts: 40 Member
    I find that the more whole foods I eat as opposed to processed foods, the more I lose. It is a mathematical game in terms of calories in/out, but your body metabolizes whole foods way easier, resulting in less storage. :~)
  • SPeffer1
    SPeffer1 Posts: 74 Member
    I think overall it does. I think you can lose weight ( I KNOW you can) eating all junk food. My husband does it often (but does tend to gain it all back). I think that overall you can lose weight eating less calories than you burn.

    I know that for me my body looks MUCH better when I'm choosing foods that have more nutritional value than if I'm choosing foods that are "junk food". I build more muscle (not body builder - just regular) and it seems to me that I keep at a lighter weight and a toner body eating primarily typically healthy foods and eating other things in moderation.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    Yes, it does matter. If you ate 10 chocolate bars, your blood sugars would spike, causing insulin and fat to be stored.

    You could eat a piece of salad for the same calories and you wont cause sugar spikes.
    Actually insulin spikes. Fat is only stored if there's surplus. And if that salad had grapes or other high sugar fruit in it, it would cause insulin spike.

    If I had to do some serious high intensity training, I pick the chocolate bar over the salad preworkout.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    It absolutely matters what you eat! If you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, you will have more energy, and feel better overall.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Does it matter what you eat as long as your under your calorie goal??
    Im so confused...
    And please no smartass replies...

    In the hierarchy of things that are most important to weight loss, calories in/out would be overwhelmingly the largest factor. Proper nutrition runs a close second as good nutrition is just going to help your body run better, keep your hormones regulated, etc. Not to mention, proper nutrition is pretty essential to your overall health.

    Does this mean that you can't eat anything besides celery sticks? Not at all...proper nutrition actually consists of all kinds of goodness, not just fruits and veg...you need fats and proteins as well. And hey...so long as you are meeting your nutritional requirements, a little ice cream for desert isn't going to hurt.

    Rather than thinking in terms of "good" or "bad" think in terms of meeting your nutritional requirements...so long as you are doing that, there really is no harm in also enjoying yourself. My diet is highly nutritious, but I also enjoy beer, ice cream, the occasional candy bar, etc.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    It absolutely matters what you eat! If you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, you will have more energy, and feel better overall.
    Subjective. I feel great when I eat bacon.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    I relapsed today. I had a darn cinnamon raisin bagel. :sad:

    I went for three days without one. I'm pissed.

    If I stopped eating bread cold turkey...would I stop craving it after a while? Is it possible that I crave bread or is it in my head? I'm not talking Wonder Bread but bagels and crusty ciabbata and semolina and all that good shiz?

    I know bread is merely simple starch which is sugar, so what can I do? I know I'm in control but sometimes I wonder......
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
    It absolutely matters what you eat! If you eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables, you will have more energy, and feel better overall.
    Subjective. I feel great when I eat bacon.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    I have to agree on the bacon.