Something to Ponder on

MyaPapaya75

I do wonder if anyone else is seeing this whole weight loss journey the same way I do. So here is my attempt at explaining my thoughts lol.
I see a lot of posts regarding calories and trying to get them in..the problem is........ what I see is a lot of people making reasons to eat cake,cookies,and things that provide little to no nutritional value just to get in enough calories per day. I dont know if I have flipped my way of thinking out of the ball park but here is how I see it. Many of us are here struggling to excercise and eat properly. For most of us I dont see this as a struggle to get in all of our calories. I see it as a struggle to choose "good" food. So when I see others choosing cake,cookies and food that provides little to no nutrition just to meet their allotted caloric intake I wonder if they have even thought about this.. I see them having a battle of calories per say. Couldnt this just be remedied with a reversal of thinking.. Example: Lets say you didnt get your calories in ...do you fill up with junk or do you eat something sensible even if it doesnt meet your caloric allotment? Then the next day you would work harder to get in as many "good calories" as you can....Because sometimes that cake or cookie is all we need to "fall" off the band wagon. Maybe its just my thinking but Im interested to hear if anyone else understands what Im saying. I dont want to have 400 calories leftover at the end of the day and eat a bag of M&M's all for the sake of calories ...I want to eat a salad or beans or lean meat and although I may not have reached my allotted calories...my struggle the next day would be to do that...verses having a struggle to stay away from cake....I hope that makes sense...I would just rathe be struggling to meet my allotted calories the healthy way rather than just picking up empty calories to do so.

MyaPapaya75

I do wonder if anyone else is seeing this whole weight loss journey the same way I do. So here is my attempt at explaining my thoughts lol.
I see a lot of posts regarding calories and trying to get them in..the problem is........ what I see is a lot of people making reasons to eat cake,cookies,and things that provide little to no nutritional value just to get in enough calories per day. I dont know if I have flipped my way of thinking out of the ball park but here is how I see it. Many of us are here struggling to excercise and eat properly. For most of us I dont see this as a struggle to get in all of our calories. I see it as a struggle to choose "good" food. So when I see others choosing cake,cookies and food that provides little to no nutrition just to meet their allotted caloric intake I wonder if they have even thought about this.. I see them having a battle of calories per say. Couldnt this just be remedied with a reversal of thinking.. Example: Lets say you didnt get your calories in ...do you fill up with junk or do you eat something sensible even if it doesnt meet your caloric allotment? Then the next day you would work harder to get in as many "good calories" as you can....Because sometimes that cake or cookie is all we need to "fall" off the band wagon. Maybe its just my thinking but Im interested to hear if anyone else understands what Im saying. I dont want to have 400 calories leftover at the end of the day and eat a bag of M&M's all for the sake of calories ...I want to eat a salad or beans or lean meat and although I may not have reached my allotted calories...my struggle the next day would be to do that...verses having a struggle to stay away from cake....I hope that makes sense...I would just rathe be struggling to meet my allotted calories the healthy way rather than just picking up empty calories to do so.

adopt4

I agree. Although I'm new on this, this is week 3, my goal is to change my entire lifestyle by exercising, eating right, and thinking about what I eat as well. If I eat cake or cookies just to meet my calories for the day, then I haven't changed my lifestyle, that's what got me into the trouble in the first place! There are more healthy ways to "get in" calories, even if it's using full fat yogurt in a smoothie or something.

MyaPapaya75

whew im glad im not the only one lol...i hope this posts will help other to reverse their thinking and possibly see this as a batle to live a healthy lifestyle..rather than a battle to stay within the allotted calories anyway we can.

nightangelstars

I totally understand what you're saying, and on one level, I agree.

On the other hand, we're trying to make a lifestyle change here, and if we all cut out any 'empty' calorie foods, we would eventually fall off the bandwagon completely and it would be worse than if we allow ourselves a treat here and there as part of our daily allotment. At least I know I would. I've tried it both ways, and allowing 'bad' foods once in a while is the only way for me to keep this up for any extended period of time. I have a terrible sweet tooth! :blushing:

Just my two cents! :flowerforyou:

marisa0918

I also agree. I have a major sweet tooth :grumble: I know from my dieting the longer I go without the cakes and cookies the less I crave them. Then if I do eat something bad because well its there and I have the calories to do it I start craving them again. I have stopped doing that too myself....it's hard enough to fight the cravings once but to have to continuously do it becuase I ate just one cookie is totally not worth it to me. :noway:

MyaPapaya75

Im not saying cut all the "treats" but if lets say you have a ton of calories leftover and its 10pm at night ..What I see is a lot of people running and eating anything to meet the caloric goal. I eat chocolate pudding a lot but I also eat it in moderation...verses trying to eat 600 calories worth just to meet the allottment at the end of the day..... I think I just see this as way more than calories...their is fat to consider,protein,carbohydrates,sodium and so on.

1Corinthians13

I don't really see many people on here talking about using cake and such to use up their calories. I see people on here trying to figure out how to eat healthfully, choose the right foods, and still get in the "yummy" factor.

And as one other poster said, it is not a bad thing to allow yourself a break every now and then. To enjoy that piece of chocolate or whatever it is that floats your boat. If you don't...you end up binging. At least that's how it is for me. I can be really, really good for a long time....eating NOTHING bad. And then, wham! A craving for a bag of chips hits me like you wouldn't believe, and I eat the whole thing.

But when I allow myself my daily Dove Chocolate Promise or a glass of wine at night, I feel much more satisfied and do much better in the long run.

mamashrub

I do wonder if anyone else is seeing this whole weight loss journey the same way I do. So here is my attempt at explaining my thoughts lol.
I see a lot of posts regarding calories and trying to get them in..the problem is........ what I see is a lot of people making reasons to eat cake,cookies,and things that provide little to no nutritional value just to get in enough calories per day. I dont know if I have flipped my way of thinking out of the ball park but here is how I see it. Many of us are here struggling to excercise and eat properly. For most of us I dont see this as a struggle to get in all of our calories. I see it as a struggle to choose "good" food. So when I see others choosing cake,cookies and food that provides little to no nutrition just to meet their allotted caloric intake I wonder if they have even thought about this.. I see them having a battle of calories per say. Couldnt this just be remedied with a reversal of thinking.. Example: Lets say you didnt get your calories in ...do you fill up with junk or do you eat something sensible even if it doesnt meet your caloric allotment? Then the next day you would work harder to get in as many "good calories" as you can....Because sometimes that cake or cookie is all we need to "fall" off the band wagon. Maybe its just my thinking but Im interested to hear if anyone else understands what Im saying. I dont want to have 400 calories leftover at the end of the day and eat a bag of M&M's all for the sake of calories ...I want to eat a salad or beans or lean meat and although I may not have reached my allotted calories...my struggle the next day would be to do that...verses having a struggle to stay away from cake....I hope that makes sense...I would just rathe be struggling to meet my allotted calories the healthy way rather than just picking up empty calories to do so.

In my defense,I couldnt eat a peice of fruit or a veggie or a salad or yougurt last night because we need to go grocerie shopping and there wasnt any, and that is why ate a piece of cake (and a 1000 calorie deficit isnt good) regardless of what you ate before then.

expressbug

I think that if you have eaten right all day long and still have left over calories at the end of the day and want a cookie or a chocolate pudding or a 1/2 cup of ice cream then go ahead. The reason most people get over weight is portion control, instead of eating just one serving of ice cream most people eat 3 or 4 at a time. That is unhealthy. (and heavy in calories) So I say if you want it don't deprive your body, because in a couple weeks you will be right back where you start with no weight lost and probley a couple pounds gained because you gave into a whole pint on Ben and Jerry's.

havingitall

I agree completely. It is in our best interests to eat healthy food. It's the garbage that made us this way.
By eating cleaner it takes a load off how your body processes the food and it makes a huge difference.

If you use the extra calories for candy, cookies or chips...what have you learned?

MyaPapaya75

I have those days as well when I run out..I think we all have them...I am just wondering how other view the "battle"

jjett822

I see what everyone is trying to say......may I make a suggestion for the people out there who want to use up their calories and satisfy their sweet tooth............. stock up on protein bars. The one I prefer is the P90X Cafe Mocha. That protein bar and a cup of coffee :drinker: sure makes my tummy smile.
They are about 270 calories and 18 grams of protein.

Just some food for thought ........:happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy:

Good luck to everyone on their journey!! :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

heather0mc

i understand and agree with what you are saying.

i factor in a 'treat' for myself. i eat extremely healthy all day every day. i dont try to gobble up extra calories with junk but i do factor in a treat at the end of the day.

allaboutme

just my opinion here, but I think people who have tons of leftover calories tend to actually be afraid to eat the calories during the day, so they scrimp and end up having lots left over at the end of the day. I don't think their purpose is to have their cake and eat it too:laugh: society has told us for so long to lose weight you must not eat calories, so even though they know this isn't true from this site, they still tend to do it every day, because this is what we were taught about weight loss, ending up with too many left at the end of the day, then saying well I know I am supposed to eat these so I should eat whatever it takes to get there. What I needed to concentrate on was allowing myself to eat more through the day and not feel like I was doing something wrong because I wasn't hungry all the time. When you aren't hungry or depriving yourself, it doesn't seem like this is going to work. To me, I think people just need more knowledge about nutrition so they can see that they can still eat, be satisied and still lose.

Remember, just my opinion, nothing more :happy:

livinwell

When I started MFP I was having a real hard time eating enough healthy food to fill my calories. It is and should be a life habit we are trying to form and I think baby steps are the only way to make it stick for life. Make sense? Sugary foods can be very addicting and the more you eat the more you crave them. Eating clean will help to curb those cravings. GOOD CONVERSATION

MyaPapaya75

just my opinion here, but I think people who have tons of leftover calories tend to actually be afraid to eat the calories during the day, so they scrimp and end up having lots left over at the end of the day. I don't think their purpose is to have their cake and eat it too:laugh: society has told us for so long to lose weight you must not eat calories, so even though they know this isn't true from this site, they still tend to do it every day, because this is what we were taught about weight loss, ending up with too many left at the end of the day, then saying well I know I am supposed to eat these so I should eat whatever it takes to get there. What I needed to concentrate on was allowing myself to eat more through the day and not feel like I was doing something wrong because I wasn't hungry all the time. When you aren't hungry or depriving yourself, it doesn't seem like this is going to work. To me, I think people just need more knowledge about nutrition so they can see that they can still eat, be satisied and still lose.

Remember, just my opinion, nothing more :happy:

Well said!! I do agree...

MyaPapaya75

When I started MFP I was having a real hard time eating enough healthy food to fill my calories. It is and should be a life habit we are trying to form and I think baby steps are the only way to make it stick for life. Make sense? Sugary foods can be very addicting and the more you eat the more you crave them. Eating clean will help to curb those cravings. GOOD CONVERSATION

I totally understand the whole eating clean...Ive gotten to where I can have myself a perfectly measured portion of something I would consider as a treat...however whats funny is when I do eat these I feel blah..and always run for my frozen fruit instead lol...I notice more how food makes me feel

livinwell

Dove Dark Chocolate and a glass of red wine...........

My favorite treat as well!! YUMMY:noway: :laugh: :drinker:

goochinator

I too know that if I cut out something completely I will go nuts and over do it. I've seen that alot on my many years of weight loss-people start off well enough...NO carbs! No Fat! No Sugar! No Processed foods! Low Sodium...and it goes on and on.
People that cut out one entire food group without a proper substitue are setting themselves up to fail. Deprivation is not the way to go for a lot of people- Its so easy to start off with awesome intentions, but reality eventually kicks in too.
i think anything in moderation is more realistic and more do-able, but thats Just My Opinion. :bigsmile:

MissLissa

I too know that if I cut out something completely I will go nuts and over do it. I've seen that alot on my many years of weight loss-people start off well enough...NO carbs! No Fat! No Sugar! No Processed foods! Low Sodium...and it goes on and on.
People that cut out one entire food group without a proper substitue are setting themselves up to fail. Deprivation is not the way to go for a lot of people- Its so easy to start off with awesome intentions, but reality eventually kicks in too.
i think anything in moderation is more realistic and more do-able, but thats Just My Opinion. :bigsmile:

I totally agree with you. I believe in everything in moderation.
My husband found out, about 6 years ago that he had food allergies. He went to a allergy doctor and the doc told him he was allergic to about 15 different things. From wheat, soy, rice, apples, eggs, beef....just about everything he eats. So my hubby cut all of it out of his diet. He lost a lot of weight. The problem was he started craving it all so bad that he gave in and started eating it all again. We found out later that this particular doc likes to tell his patients that they are allergic to food even if the test only showed a slight bump.
So hubby went to a registered dietician, and she had a more realistic idea of what to do. She suggested a 90/10 routine. Eat healthy foods 90% of the time, and allow yourself to cheat 10% of the time. That way he's not giving up the things he likes, just cutting them back. That has definitely worked out much better for him.