can i lose weight but still eat rubbish?

determinedbutlazy

When I get sweet cravings I go for dried fruit (I'm not a big fan of fresh fruit) oats sweetened with honey etc.
IF that isn't cutting it, I go for 2 scoops of low fat icecream or some sorbet or a few squares of REALLY dark chocolate.
I think that you can still eat the things you want, just eat less. I no longer go through a pint of icecream in 3 minutes because I feel satisfied after just one or two scoops. Craving gone, no major calorie gain, move on with my day.

BreakingOath

As long as you stay in a calorie deficit it does not matter what you eat. But by eating "rubbish" you most likely will not get the correct nutrients your body needs to sustain itself and you may become an unhealthy skinny. Carbs give your body energy, protein helps rebuild and keep your muscles strong, and healthy fats have a number of reasons why they should be included in your diet.

The goal should be just about losing weight by eating rubbish, because that seems to just be a quick fix. It needs to be a a healthy lifestyle change that you can stick with throughout life.

katysmelly

sounds strange yes but what i mean is as long as i eat only my 1200 calories can i eat sweets and high fat food or does it mean i have to eat 1200 calories of healthy food. see im a snacker and crave suger so im trying to figure out what i can and cannot have
please help

Yes, you can. You can do whatever you like.

You will lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you burn, and it doesn't really matter what form those calories are in. However, there are other factors to consider. First, of course, is your overall health. But, you are allowed to decide that you don't care about every vitamin and mineral, so long as you are smaller. That's your choice.

Another thing to consider is your cravings and metabolism. I am a sugar craver. I want to pig out on CAKE and then I go into a sugar crash and feel horrible and then I'm sorta hungry and I eat more CAKE and on and on goes the vicious cycle. On the other hand, if I eat lots of fibre and protein (meat and veggies), I feel fuller for longer and I don't get the blood-sugar yo-yo effect. This makes it easier to eat fewer calories and I generally just feel happier for it.

What is absolutely possible is a little of both: eat sensibly, choosing foods that are high in nutrients and slower to digest (protein, fibre, and fats) and then "banking" a few extra calories so that you can occasionally indulge in your favourite treat.

You may find that these treats start to lose their appeal as you break away from your addiction to them. But, that's just a bonus. You decide what you want to do. Logging what you eat and weighing yourself is the first step. You'll learn what works for you - what you can live with, what you can be happy with, and what you lose weight with.

xoxo

wendywoolley

thanks every one i do try to make some healthy changes like fruit instead of choc or yogurt but then find i eat 4 bananas in a row to stop the craving 1 choc bar would of solved. it good to know that i can make the changes slowley and still say on track to lose weight

frankiesats

I've said this so many times.

EXAMPLE:

1200 calories of McDonalds chicken nuggets
1200 calories of lettuce

Is you did this on a daily basis (obviously neither is healthy at all!) which do you think would make you lose more weight, quicker?

A balanced, mostly clean diet is the best way to lose weight. AND you need to consider this to be a 'lifestyle change' rather than a 'diet' the second you hit your goal weight stop 'dieting' you'll gain all those pounds back. Learn to love fruit and veg

And of course, the occasionally treat is a great thing!

liftingheavy

Just have something like that once in a while. After a bit, you will find that you crave it less and less, especially sugar.

rml_16

sounds strange yes but what i mean is as long as i eat only my 1200 calories can i eat sweets and high fat food or does it mean i have to eat 1200 calories of healthy food. see im a snacker and crave suger so im trying to figure out what i can and cannot have
please help

You can, yes.

But if you would like to try to eat healthier, as a sweet-tooth victim myself, I can give you some pointers on getting your fix in a healthier way and also minimizing those cravings.

squishycow7

technically yes.

but you will find that healthier options give you a greater quantity of food.

for instance, 200 calories of chocolate is NOT a lot and probably will not leave you full
but 200 calories of lettuce is something like 25 cups.... you'd definitely feel full if you ate that much!!

so don't tell yourself you can't have ANY treats, but you'll probably WANT to eat healthier (regardless of actual health benefits) once you see how fast your calories get used up.

LeenaRuns

Can I lose weight but still eat rubbish? Yes, but you won't necessarily be healthy

douglasmobbs

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

rml_16

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

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

But you might expect other indicators of health would have suffered. Not so.
Haub's "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent and his "good" cholesterol, or HDL, increased by 20 percent. He reduced the level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, by 39 percent.

DivaDiane

If you eat rubbish:

You will feel crappy
You will look haggard and tired
You will always be hungry
You will continue to crave rubbish

Not sustainable for your lifetime, which will be miserable and short.

jennifer52484

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

This... You can lose weight but you probably will still be hungry and probably less healthy but that may be your goal..who knows!

rml_16

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

This... You can lose weight but you probably will still be hungry and probably less healthy but that may be your goal..who knows!

Again:

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

But you might expect other indicators of health would have suffered. Not so.
Haub's "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent and his "good" cholesterol, or HDL, increased by 20 percent. He reduced the level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, by 39 percent.

chicpeach

If you eat meals of healthy, nutritious food and they contain a combination of carbs, healthy fat, quality protein and some fiber, you'll find that your blood sugar levels will even out and you won't crave it. It will allow you to make it from meal to meal without snacking. Be sure to eat each meal and be sure you get enough calories at each meal - at least 300-400. BTW, 1200 cals total is pretty low to eliminate the need for snacking. Consider upping your cals and exercising them off. Much easier on the hunger front.

kiminikimkim

Another MFP went that route, by MFP rules, I can't mention her name but she had to buy Rogain because her hair fell out out of malnutrition. Your body needs healthy foods, but you don't have to entirely deprive yourself.

You are feeding for two alter egos: your body and your sweet tooth. Make sure your body doesn't get neglected.

Emilia6909

No idea to why you would want to but YES in the short run.... NO in the long run! Soon enough your organs will start protesting the crap and you'll definitely not age gracefully!

My 2 cents worth......

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Technically I sapposed you can...but those foods wont keep you full and satisfied. What's the point of being skinny and unhealthy? Focus in health and preventing disease. Sugar is terrible for your body. Eat fruit!

I agree. :flowerforyou:

vim_n_vigor

Yes. On 1200 calories though, junk food doesn't go very far and you will feel hungry. If you eat more fresh foods, you will have better luck changing your body composition which will look better in the end.

TheFitHooker

Sure you can, it's about portion control, however don't expect to lose weight as quick as someone who eat's healthy, you might even get stuck and can't move anymore in the weight department before you hit your goal. However not everyone should consume 1200 calories, you need to be sure your body needs just 1200 some people need more then that, if you eat too few calories your body will go into starvation mode.

feistyhorsegal

I still eat plenty of so called naughty foods but just make sure I stay under calorie target and I still lose weight. That said I balance it out with lots of good food too, I'm not just eating junk. If you only eat junk its just empty calories and not proper nutrition

TitanGM

Well, before answering let me tell you something you might know already. You are what you eat! With that on mind, be careful of your choices.
As for your answer, is simple, as long as you eat less calories than your daily limit you will loose weight.

BoxingCoachMo

I think you'll find that by eating *rubbish* foods, you'll very quickly use up your daily calorie allowance. But by eating more healthy and nutritious foods, you'll be able to eat quite a bit more.

i like this response

GurleyGirl524

of course you can, but why would you want to. Why not make a choicy to eat healthy and give your body proper nutrition? I have found that cleaner eating keeps me full longer and satisfies my appetite better than rubbish.

merricker

I try not to think of food as bad and good. Food is not moral. I think about how nutrient dense it is. It's okay to eat things that are low in nutrition density at times, but if you do it often on a low calorie diet you won't get all the great stuff your body needs.

I think vilifying food just leads to "diet think." I can't afford to think that way.

Sl1ghtly

sounds strange yes but what i mean is as long as i eat only my 1200 calories can i eat sweets and high fat food or does it mean i have to eat 1200 calories of healthy food. see im a snacker and crave suger so im trying to figure out what i can and cannot have
please help

Yes. In fact, some people lose weight by not eating at all. But then, usually these types do not have a fitness related goal.

sophjakesmom

Yes, I lost 60 lbs doing that. And now I am struggling to lose the last 20lb. I have been on a plateau for about 4 months. I realized if I want to reach my goal and go all the way to a healthy body and mind, I have to start cleaning up what I eat. I have started slowly by adding more fruits and veggies and less fried and process foods. It has made a difference. Won't know if it is the final answer for a while, but it was worth a try.

Good luck!

marieautumn

you could but then you would still be unhealthy if all you ate was sugar and crap.

jennifer52484

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

This... You can lose weight but you probably will still be hungry and probably less healthy but that may be your goal..who knows!

Again:

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

But you might expect other indicators of health would have suffered. Not so.
Haub's "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent and his "good" cholesterol, or HDL, increased by 20 percent. He reduced the level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, by 39 percent.

Mission Impossible: Portion Control on Junk Food. Haub noted he was overweight and having problems managing his weight. “I was eating healthier, but I wasn’t healthy,” he noted. “I was eating too much.” Haub, like so many Americans, has issues with portion control. Yet, mysteriously, he was able to eat his fill of junk and was able to “push away the wrapper” to keep within his calorie budget on junk food. Why couldn’t he do this with healthy fare? Science has clearly shown that when you eat a tsunami of refined sugar, insulin levels skyrocket and plummet, resulting in a raging appetite for more sugar. And don’t forget the stress and abuse you’re putting your pancreas and liver through. No one can control their appetite on a 60% junk food intake.
http://blogs.webmd.com/pamela-peeke-md/2010/11/the-twinkie-diet-caution-toxic.html

rml_16

A journalist did a programme about this a year or so ago in the UK. He had a full medical before he started, only ate junk food but stayed within his limits, then had a medical at the end of the period (I think it was one month)

Apart from all the negative effects this had on his moods and emotion etc he lost weight but the medicals showed that he was in considerably worse health at the end of the experiment compared to the start.

This... You can lose weight but you probably will still be hungry and probably less healthy but that may be your goal..who knows!

Again:

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

But you might expect other indicators of health would have suffered. Not so.
Haub's "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent and his "good" cholesterol, or HDL, increased by 20 percent. He reduced the level of triglycerides, which are a form of fat, by 39 percent.

Mission Impossible: Portion Control on Junk Food. Haub noted he was overweight and having problems managing his weight. “I was eating healthier, but I wasn’t healthy,” he noted. “I was eating too much.” Haub, like so many Americans, has issues with portion control. Yet, mysteriously, he was able to eat his fill of junk and was able to “push away the wrapper” to keep within his calorie budget on junk food. Why couldn’t he do this with healthy fare? Science has clearly shown that when you eat a tsunami of refined sugar, insulin levels skyrocket and plummet, resulting in a raging appetite for more sugar. And don’t forget the stress and abuse you’re putting your pancreas and liver through. No one can control their appetite on a 60% junk food intake.
http://blogs.webmd.com/pamela-peeke-md/2010/11/the-twinkie-diet-caution-toxic.html

Never said it was ideal. Just pointing out that even with eating a junk food diet, he lost weight and his health improved. You haven't said anything that discounts that.

I haven't forgotten that you are a card-carrying member of the MFP Food Police and have an agenda and are strangely preoccupied with how others choose to eat.