does the "eating anything you want in moderation" really wor

cpotter4

I can't do it. As soon as I have a bite, my body craves more and I can't stop. My self-restraint is either at full blast (don't even touch it!) or not there at all.
If I must I will try to use moderation but I have to stare at the nutrition label while doing so and keep thinking, "One bite=10 calories. Oh well that was two bites, thats 20 calories."

ThePhoenixRose

FOR ME - yes. absolutely. It doesn't work for everyone though. I still eat every food i did a year ago. I've not cut out anything. I've lost a bit over 30lbs. I'm working to lose about 10 more, and am not planning on changing anything. But, again, it doesn't work for everyone!

katherinemm31

There are some things I cannot eat in moderation because they have an addictive affect on me--I can't stop and/or end up binging.

nutandbutter

IIFYM works best for me. I tried to eat "clean" and quickly realized I didn't want to eat like that for the rest of my life. I enjoy candy and ice cream way too much for that. As long as I hit my macros, I can eat whatever I want with my leftover calories.

Sweet_Potato

It works for me. I eat sweets every day, drink alcohol several times a week, eat pizza once or twice a month, etc.

CyberEd312

Some people it works for and others it won't.... I maxed out at 560 lbs. and had to make the hard choices which was emptying the house of all junk foods. I couldn't have a box of oreo's in the cupboard and say oh in moderation, I will just eat 2 and leave the rest for another day... Grab me a gallon of ice cold milk and the box and it wouldn't stand a chance.... So i chose to replace everything with good choices like Fruits and Veggies... I like Nuts like Almonds and Pistachios...... I have a spike meal twice a week but beyond that I eat to my plan and never vary..... It is what works for me....... Good Luck to you on your journey.......

Rae6503

Another fan of IIFYM here.

jacksonpt

Sort of. You have to use some common sense here too (assuming better health is yoru goal and not simply a lower number on the scale).

Can you have 2 donuts instead of 4 for breakfast, a quarter pounder (instead of a quarter pounder with fries and soda) for lunch, and 2 slices of pizza instead of 4 for dinner? No. Can you have a burger and fries tonight and pizza tomorrow, both surrounded by a healthy and balanced diet the rest of the day? Yeah, you might have success doing that.

Hayesgang

Works for me~Nothing is off limits!

textlikekisses

i fully believe in not denying yourself. let's say one day you want to go out with friends to eat pizza - that morning, add the meal into your diary and shape your other meals around the fact that later the pizza will take up "xxxx" amount of calories. Denying yourself leads to stressing over it. stress can lead to weight gain! Just make sure the indulgence isn't on the menu every day.

KimmieBrie

Yes it works - just stay within your calorie limits. Deprivation I find just causes me to binge later. A slice of pizza now and then isn't going to make you "unhealthy" either. If I want something I try to only make or purchase the portion I should have - like a small snack size bag of doritos instead of a family size huge bag because I can't seem to make myself stop eating them otherwise until there are no more! Know your own limits. I rarely purchase those things now, but when I do it's 1 slice of pizza or 1 small bag of chips and I don't have junk in the house.

MrsM1ggins

Yes it does work. I don't have any banned foods but I do eat to lose weight, so I have a daily calorie limit that I aim to stay within regardless of what I eat.

I have found that what I want to eat has changed since I decided to lose weight though. That pizza looks a lot less appetising when you work out that you'll need to exercise for over an hour to be able to eat it and stay within your calorie limit.

I'm really not the type of person who does well with absolutes when it comes to food. "Eat that, don't eat that" doesn't work for me. As soon as something is forbidden I want it! Eating what I want in moderation works for me.

sfh0wrd

"In moderation" would be "within your calorie goals and not an excessive amount or every day." You can certainly eat 1200 calories of junk each day and lose weight. Of course, you won't be happy, you won't be healthy, and you'll probably be hungry all of the time. I think for most of us, "in moderation" means that I can have the cookie I'm really craving if I have the calories for it. It also means that I'm going to have one, maybe two, and not the whole bag and I'm not going to eat them every day.

I agree with this. I'd add that there are probably "trigger" foods for everyone that they should pretty much avoid at all costs. I don't know why, but there is this buffalo cheddar popcorn they sell in huge bags. Popcorn is good, but that buffalo cheddar popcorn MUST have had crack in it, because it was impossible for me to just eat a serving. Now I can't have it because of the dairy, but I quickly learned that that stuff just can't be in my house! My husband can't handle having cereal in the house. I'm able to eat my one serving of Rice Chex with blueberries and go on my way. But for him, cereal is, again, like crack. One bowl turns into 3. So we don't keep cereal in the house very often.

Moderation works if it's something you can moderate. Can you handle having one slice of pizza and a salad? Then eat your slice of pizza. Does one slice of pizza turn you into a shaking mess looking for more? Then it might just be best to eliminate pizza entirely for a while.

sobriquet84

Doesn't work for me. Personally I had to switch my mindset to food being fuel for whatever it is I'm doing. If it tastes good then that's a bonus.

^^^ me too.

i ENJOY eating to live, rather than living to eat. of course, this doesn't count my "whatever" day or special occasions.

BaconMD

If I ate only foods I used to eat, I'd have to eat so little of it to fit into my goals that I'd be super hungry all the time.

I don't believe there's anything I CAN'T ever have, but I am trying to protect the changes I've made, and I do that by eating better foods, not just within my calorie and macro goals, but also foods rich in vitamins and minerals that are not tracked by MFP.

hpsnickers1

I don't belive this in the least. Sure you can eat anything you want in moderation and it could possibly help with weight loss - short term...but isn't weight loss pointless if you don't have your health to go with it?
Eating nutritionally deficient foods and food products (aka "franken-foods"; pretty much about 90% of what you find in a grocery store) in moderation probably wouldn't do much for long term health and longevity.

The only thing in my diet I moderate is carbohydrates. Protein and fat are "free reign" and I take advantage of that. Especially fat. Veggies just taste sooo good sauteed in butter and/or bacon fat or coconut oil.

My appetite changes with my activity.

2jayjaysmom

SueinAz and Cannibalistic said it best for me...
for me it means that yes I can still eat what I want just watch how much and how often I eat it...A lot of people set them selves up by saying I want to shed some pounds so I "can't " eat this or that anymore, then they tend to benge on the item. that ends up hurting themselves.

So yes you can eat some pizza just 1 slice maybe 2. If you are going out with friends at say Pizza Hut then get the personal pizza that way its already portioned out, when its gone you are done....

If you love Oreo's don't buy the regular package get the small individual package.

If you just love going out to eat then plan it, that way you will still have control. Or challenge yourself--for example on the 20th of each month I can eat out at Red Lobster but ONLY if I work out everyday before that for at least 30 min. a day...then that one day don't worry about it and eat the meal you want...that is not to say eat everything on the menu either.:happy:
then the next day go right back to working out and looking forward to the 20th of the next month....

I love chips so I don't buy the big bags when I want some I go to the store and get the small bag they are usually 3 for $1.00 and just get 1 ok 2 bags, I ate my chips the craving is gone i'm happy. Then I don't want any more but if I buy the big bag once its open you just have to eat them all so they don't get stale...LOL

or I buy cookies in the mornign on my way to work, eat a few then give the rest away...then i'm not tempted to eat more and I got to eat what I enjoy

tweez8976

I lost all of my weight eating in moderation. There are no taboo foods or food groups in my world. I eat 2 slices of pizza for dinner, not 4. I weigh out one ounce of aged cheddar for a snack, not mindlessly slicing off of a hunk of cheese. I split desserts or other fatty foods with other people so I can still have *some* just not a ton.

It works for me!

Definitely this! I still get my breakfast tacos (I LOVE barbacoa tacos!!!) at least a couple times a week but I make sure they fit in my daily calories and try to eat very healthy options the rest of the day and/or exercise enough to make up for it.

SueInAz

However if I was trying to lose weight I’d watch carbs, they are digested quickly so you get hungry again right away, whereas a burger or even fatty bacon (!) provide a more filling meal calorie per calorie. I think it would take a ton of will power to hit a low calorie target for the day eating a lot of sugary junk foods.

I didn't get into this in my first response but I actually can't lose weight following "everything in moderation." After a few months on MFP losing and gaining the same 5 pounds, I found that I need to cut my carb intake to lose. I've really always watched what I ate but over the course of 10 years I put on 15 pounds following a lower calorie, low fat, high carb diet. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me to find that I can't lose weight doing the same thing but eating even less.

Your mileage may vary.

jedibunny

Yes and No.

Yes, cutting calories works to kick off your weight loss.

No, filling your daily calories with sugar and fat isn't going to help you.

I still eat most of what I want, but I'm mentally changing my attitude about what it is exactly that I want! Do I want a donut for breakfast? EFF NO, I don't! They taste great, but I'm getting zero nutrition there and I'm going to set myself up for eating junk the rest of the day to get my sugar fix (because once the sugar high dissipates, I need more). Do I want 1/4 of a donut that someone cut into pieces? ...well, maybe, but only if I've eaten something else and I'm planning on some physical exercise later in the day. Do I want pizza for dinner? Not really... I used to eat 3-4 pieces in a sitting and would be pretty happy about the general idea of ordering pizza, but now I barely eat 2 and I don't feel too good afterward. Do I want a cookie? Not unless it's my favorite cookie. Do I want potato chips? Not really, no - I'll have almonds or fruit instead. Do I want mac and cheese? Heck yes I do, it's yummy! Do I want a beer? Well, yes, provided it's a good beer. etc.

The point is, don't feel like you have to give up "bad food" completely - but be sensible about what you're eating and what sort of value it has for you. If the reward you get is a sugar high followed by a crash, it may not be worth it. If the reward is a full feeling with energy to spare, then go for it. I also realized once I started working out that I didn't miss the extra sugars as much and I can't bring myself to eat too many sweets anymore.

davemewman71

portion control is only one part of the jigsaw, but it is an important one. I lost nearly 5 stone some years ago when i was put on Reductil by my GP. but as soon as i come off it, i piled the weight back back on because i was not controlling my portion sizes, so all my bad eating habits resurfaced. Now i have brought my portion sizes under control, along with swapping to low calorie/fat alternatives, i can still enjoy all my favourite foods/recipes, only now in moderation. As a result, i have lost just over a stone in my first month. But best of all, i dont feel hungry between meals, and i feel fuller after every meal.

mixedfeelings

I think it depends on the person. Of course you need to stick within your cals/carb/fat/sodium levels so it's just down to whether the individual can stick to that. I've always been bad, trying to avoid "bad" foods but this year I've switched to weighing my food, sticking within my goals and not only am I finding it easy but I don't feel restricted.

LorinaLynn

Substitutions come in handy, too.

I love candy bars, but a candy bar is 200 calories with virtually no nutrition. A protein bar tastes just as good*, is around 200 calories, with 15g of protein.



*Ok, maybe not quite as good as Take 5 bar, because those suckers are incredible and should be sold next to the Midol.

SabrinaJL

Absolutely it works. Every time I tried cutting things out of my diet in the past, I failed, because I missed those things, and would binge and go back to my old eating habits. Think of it as when you tell a child he can't play with a certain toy. The child might not have even been thinking about that toy, but as soon as you say "no that is off limits" well of course, they want to play with it more.

Once I told myself that eating what I like to eat is OK but just to make sure I stay within my calorie limits and balance my meals, then I stopped worrying about it...and I've lost about 11 lbs since changing that mentality.

That. In the last 16 years, every time I've tried to lose weight, I put all junk food off limits. Never lost more than 15-20 lbs before id have a bad day, feel like a failure and quit. This is the first time I ever tried losing weight without cutting anything out. If I know I CAN have it if I really want it, its easier to say no. I can keep a lindt chocolate bar in the house and make it last a couple weeks. Or cookies. Or ice cream. I have ice cream bars that have been sitting in my freezer for a few months. I do have trigger foods and I know what they are so if I really want those, I only get them in single servings.

MandaJean83

I agree that as long as you are hitting your macros, you absolutely can eat in moderation and lose weight. I am more likely to eat that healthy turkey sandwich for lunch if I can have a few chips with it (a few, as in half a serving...just to quench my taste for salty/crunchy goodness!). I am more likely to behave all day if I know there is a slice of pizza awaiting me for dinner, without putting me over my goals. I've lost 15 lbs in 2 months living this way, and some inches too. It's possible, but it takes self control!

MinnieInMaine

I'm in the yes and no group as well...

When I started out, I was all about eating everything I wanted in moderation because I knew that deprivation was the root of failure in my past attempts (I'm a foodie). As I've progressed, I'm leaning more towards having the things I want that matter, more like quality instead of quantity. Sure I could have a muffin for breakfast but those carbs are going to be burned up in a couple hours and I'm going to have to eat a couple hundred more calories to get through my mid-morning workout. Better to use the same 500 calories on good fuel like a breakfast sandwich and a protein bar.

But there are still things I can't have in my house because I have no control. For instance, hubs bought me one of those small heart boxes of chocolates for Valentine's Day. I managed to make it last but only 2 days. Chocolate and me are sooooo best friends. :laugh:

jedibunny

*Ok, maybe not quite as good as Take 5 bar, because those suckers are incredible and should be sold next to the Midol.

I LOL'ed... so true!!

gaberieger

Ive heard a lot of people say that you can eat whatever you want as long as its in moderation and still lose weight, is this true? If so what is "moderation"?

In my limited research, there seems to be two schools of thought here. 1) a calorie is a calorie. Once inside your body, your body will do/convert to whatever it needs, and 2) a calorie is not a calorie. Two people, eating the same number of calories a day for a year... one all fats, carbs, etc., the other more "healthy" foods- will they look the same at the end of the year given similar, or no, exercise?

One thing that is fact, is 1 pound of fat = approximately 3500 kcal. So, if your weekly kcal deficit is -3500 net, you will/should? lose a pound for that week.

So, is a cal just a cal - or will your body burn/process/convert THAT cal better/faster/etc vs. THAT OTHER cal?

Thus far, I have changed my diet some but not gone uber healthy and do have my bad foods. But I am sticking at or below my suggested cal limits- and still dropping weight. Also exercising more than before.

Bottom line: eat less, move more.

pamelad77

So far it's working just fine for me. If it fits into my calorie goal and I want it, I eat it.

^^^^this

Sullivanwilson

*Ok, maybe not quite as good as Take 5 bar, because those suckers are incredible and should be sold next to the Midol.

*snort* Exactly.