Calorie Limit ........... Does it matter what foods you eat?

sarahavery

Just wondered....if i stay within my limit that MFP has given me for calories, fat, protien, carbs, soduim, can i basically eat what I like?

Will i still lose weight?

this is what my friend does on her weight watchers diet

sweebum

Yes, I eat what I want and try to stay close to the limits. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. But filling up on 100 snacks, or weight watchers dinners probably wouldn't make anyone feel full

plt55

yes stay on your calorie count a 1000 calories are a 1000 calories depends on your day sometimes I will waste 350 on a snickers because I need it lol other days i have a couple sandwiches green bean etc because I need more food

lilRicki

yes...I personally like to eat my face off, so I have to pack in the low calorie foods like fresh veggies and fruit...but if you're ok eating 5 things a day and have them high in calories, then it's ok, just make sure it has enough fuel for your body to be healthy...double check your calcium, iron, protein, etc to make sure you're getting enough...

Avalonis

Just wondered....if i stay within my limit that MFP has given me for calories, fat, protien, carbs, soduim, can i basically eat what I like?

Will i still lose weight?

this is what my friend does on her weight watchers diet

In theory, yes.

HOWEVER - Eating bad foods will do a few things:
You will feel STARVING, which could lead to binging and then failure.
You will not get proper nutrition, which can leave you very tired and not feeling like working out.

Both of those are terrible when trying to lose weight. You can have little cheats, like a handful of pretzels or a square of chocolate, but for 99% of what goes into your mouth it should be better choices like lean meat, chicken, fish, shellfish, veggies and fruits of any kind.

Let me know if you want any support of ideas for good foods, snacks or tiny "cheats"

sharoniballoni

Generally yes, a deficit is a deficit and you will lose weight. However, that doesn't say anything about your overall health or how hungry you'll be. If you care about those two things, you'll want to make sure to eat lots of healthy foods, especially veggies, to keep you full on few calories.

amysuemartin718

I've lost almost 30 lbs and unfortunately been eating out a lot during this time. I just make better choices at Fast Food and other restaurants.

lilRicki

Just wondered....if i stay within my limit that MFP has given me for calories, fat, protien, carbs, soduim, can i basically eat what I like?

Will i still lose weight?

this is what my friend does on her weight watchers diet

In theory, yes.

HOWEVER - Eating bad foods will do a few things:
You will feel STARVING, which could lead to binging and then failure.
You will not get proper nutrition, which can leave you very tired and not feeling like working out.

Both of those are terrible when trying to lose weight. You can have little cheats, like a handful of pretzels or a square of chocolate, but for 99% of what goes into your mouth it should be better choices like lean meat, chicken, fish, shellfish, veggies and fruits of any kind.

good answer

Scarlett_S

It should be as simple as calories in, calories out - at least that is what they say on the Biggest Loser! Just remember that you will get more 'band for your buck' out of healthier foods that are lower in fat and sugar and high in protein.

That said, I abide by an 80/20 rule myself because I have learned over the years that I can't just NOT have things I want to eat, or forbid myself, because I'll binge on them. So a few meals out of the week I may have a small portion of something I normally wouldn't eat, like a chicken quesadilla, or even an alcoholic drink, or a small dessert. The key for me is VERY small portions if I do that and I still log the calories to the tee!!! Another thing I do is bank some calories for the weekend - say 500 or 600 extra - either from exercise or food, and use them if I want to go to happy hour or dinner out. You just have to have control.

I've been doing this since January. I've lost 62 pounds. I just make sure my weekly calorie intake is between 9000-9500 calories, or 1300-1400 daily if you are averaging. If I see I am over by the end of the week, I plan extra workout for Saturday or I lower my calories the last day.

Most of the rest of the time I eat the same foods: egg white omelet with veggies and salsa for breakfast, grilled chicken salad for lunch, fish and a veggie for dinner, protein bar or shake for snack. High protein, low carb has worked well for me.

crozierb

This is the perfect article to answer your question! Even though this professor ate junk, he lost weight AND improved overall health by consuming fewer calories than he burned. Not to say you should go on a twinkie diet, of course

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

Fochizzy

No I don't worry about the food. I mean obviously I need to not become protein deficient or the like but overall, I don't have nutrient problems. I take a multi-vitamin, I drink a delicous breakfast shake that is high in protein (my biggest problem). And then I have the foods I love, Pizza, Fries, Wings and Pasta and then I make sure not to go over calories. If I start to feel bad I will reassess the nutrients, but when I try and cut the foods I love and the food I crave out I fail. When I take them in moderation considering that I can have only two pieces of pizza, or four wings I do ok. I personally don't end up hungerier later, but everyone is different!

k8edge

I would think that you would want to make a change and eat more healthy food.

If you eat crap then you will feel like crap and ultimately you will hinder your weight loss goals.

marie_2454

I focus more on how much I eat than on what exactly I'm eating. I eat fruit, vegetables, yogurt, and other healthy foods daily, but I also have at least half a serving of some kind of goldfish crackers daily too. They've become my addiction I just make sure that I stay within my calories. I very rarely go over on fat, and I don't worry if I go over on carbs or sugar since most of my sugar comes from fruit or yogurt. I just try to eat enough protein and get at least 25 grams of fiber a day. This works really well with me, but it might not work this well with everyone. If you're losing weight eating what you like and you're getting enough minerals and vitamins I wouldn't worry about it.

emsibun

The closer you get to your goal weight the more the choices you make with regards to what you eat will become very important. I'd say start good habits now by making one change every few weeks. Aim to eat one more fruit and one more veg portion (within cals) every day for two weeks. Keeps that habit and add to it. Maybe change all pasta to wholemeal. Two weeks later change all rice to brown. Two weeks later no more soft drinks - only water.

You'll be making great habits for when it becomes very important where those calories come from. The closer you are to your goal, the slower the weight loss is and it's a whole lot easier if you are full up and happy!

Bella1hud

We just have to make sure we generally follow a balanced diet to get all the nutrients we need. We don't want to end up thin... and sickly!

Atlantique

Just wondered....if i stay within my limit that MFP has given me for calories, fat, protien, carbs, soduim, can i basically eat what I like?

Will i still lose weight?

this is what my friend does on her weight watchers diet

In theory, yes.

HOWEVER - Eating bad foods will do a few things:
You will feel STARVING, which could lead to binging and then failure.
You will not get proper nutrition, which can leave you very tired and not feeling like working out.

Both of those are terrible when trying to lose weight. You can have little cheats, like a handful of pretzels or a square of chocolate, but for 99% of what goes into your mouth it should be better choices like lean meat, chicken, fish, shellfish, veggies and fruits of any kind.

Let me know if you want any support of ideas for good foods, snacks or tiny "cheats"

Agreed. There's a difference between creating enough of a caloric deficit for weight loss to occur and providing your body with decent nutrition.

Another risk of just eating whatever you want within your calorie goal is the dreaded "skinny-fat", in which you lose so much muscle mass that even though you're smaller, you're actually flabbier than when you began.

Schwiggity

this is what my friend does on her weight watchers diet

Then she's not really following Weight Watchers.

skinnyhopes

Not really. I eat alot of junk food and lost 10 pounds without any problems.

MichelleB69

What Avalonis said. I also think it depends on what your goals are...if you are only concerned with weight loss and the number on the scale, then no...it doesn't really matter that much; stay w/in your caloric range and eat what you want. But if you are truly trying to attain a healthy lifestyle, feel strong and improve your overall fitness, then it TOTALLY matters what you put in your mouth (or fuel your body with)

I have gained and lost the same 10-20 lbs over the last 20 years, ever since gaining the college freshman 20. Attempted fad diets, Weight Watchers, etc.

This time, I used MFP, combined with a personal trainer and a higher protein, lower (not NO) carb, CLEAN diet. The strength training and the clean eating has made a HUGE difference....in how I look AND in how I feel. Consistency in your eating plan is key; you can have occasional treats, but need to fuel your body with healthy choices for the majority of the time. The good news is, you can eat MORE if you choose clean vs. processed foods

Best of luck to you!

RILEYRED

THAT'S HOW I DO IT, DON'T WANT TO SACRIFICE,LOL

kennie2

As long as youre within your calorie, sodium, carbs, fat, sugar and all the other stuff then it shouldn't matter. However it'll be hard to fit the limits with just junk food. As you'd probably go over on sodium and fat before reaching your calorie limit.