Counting Calories & Healthy Eating

futiledevices

Will my weight loss be greatly affected by what it is that I eat, if I stay at/under my calorie goal? I've just gotten back from a weekend trip and I ate horribly and I'm so worried. I don't usually eat great because a lot of the healthier items are more expensive (here, at least), but I do stay at my calorie goal and also walk a lot most days. Any insight?

skinnyjeanzbound

It hasn't seemed to affect my weight loss if I stay under with less healthy foods, BUT I am a lot hungrier if I'm not eating the healther stuff. As a consequence, it's way harder for me to stay under my calorie goal if I eat junk food.

amymeenieminymo

On occasion, it won't hurt too bad to not eat healthy but still stay at your goal. Technically you could eat 1200 calories worth (or whatever you goal is) of twinkies and still lose weight, because a calorie in a twinkie is the same as in a vegetable. However, sodium levels are much higher in unhealthy and processed foods, so that can affect your weight, you obviously cannot eat as much of the crap so you'll likely get hungrier faster, and too much sugar, carbs and fried crap can just make you feel drained.

More than likely your goal is to be healthy and thinner, not just thinner, so on a long term basis you want to improve your health and feed your body good healthy foods. However this is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change and there is no way we'll be successful if we cut out all the foods we love. Moderation is key, don't beat yourself up over one bad day.

dxing

Calories are not the same. For example, lets compare a chocolate donut to a chicken salad. If we conclude that both have roughly 400 calories, it really doesn't matter what you eat, correct? Absolutely not. Comparing the two:

Donut: High in processed carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates, saturated fat, possibly trans fat
Chicken salad: high in fibrous carbohydrates, meat protein, vitamins

If you eat the donut, you're putting a lot of crap in your body that goes well beyond your body fat, but your general health. Also, you're going to feel hungry, A LOT faster. Because the donut is so processed, it has next to zero fibre. It goes through your stomach, is quickly digested, and you're hungry again. Meanwhile, the salad is full of vegetables, which are high in fibre and take longer to digest, keeping you fuller for longer periods of time.

Do yourself a favor and spit the donut out.

Ree_Chatelain

Here is a very interesting article:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

This study shows that it's not what you eat but how much of it.

I just wanted to mention that i'm not at all recomending doing this because I sure wouldn't but it shows that one weekend isn't going to kill your hard work if you stayed within your allowed calories.

dxing

Here is a very interesting article:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

This study shows that it's not what you eat but how much of it.

Short term fat loss doesn't mean long term health

Ree_Chatelain

Here is a very interesting article:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

This study shows that it's not what you eat but how much of it.

Short term fat loss doesn't mean long term health

I agree, however it is an interesting study about calorie consumption. It is much better to eat healthy foods that are high in protein and fiber.

futiledevices

Yes, of course I KNOW that it's better to eat healthier foods, but that's not always an option when you have a very strict food budget. I'm just concerned that I won't lose weight.. and although, yes, I do want to live a healthy lifestyle, I'm not going to lie and say weight loss isn't my ultimate goal right now, because it is. That is what I want right now because it's about body image for me. I'm not obese and it's not a real health issue, I just want to feel comfortable with how I look. When I am in a position where I can eat all the healthy foods/vegetables/etc. I want, then I will, but that's not my current situation.