can i lose weight but still eat rubbish?

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  • pmdhardy
    pmdhardy Posts: 40 Member
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    Some days i just want to eat my desert and treats because if I eat the healthy stuff i just crave those sweets anyway and eat them right after.. so some days I will eat a treat and count those calories but after a day or so i feel too crappy!
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    You can put anything you like in your mouth - cookies, ice cream, fish and chips, crisps etc… You do need to log it. When I started, I was amazed on where my calorie count was going.
    That cup of ice cream, and I mean measured cup, was 300 calories! Thats 1/4 of the day allowance, and you think its filling? nope.

    The key is to see what is going where and adjust. I found that by 10:30/11am I was hungry… why? because I was shorting myself on calories for breakfast. Couldn't make it on 200 calories (1 egg, veg, omelet microwaved) so I added in meat, and now I get hungry right before lunch. So I added in a small snack at 11am. It varies, but I try to keep it at 100 calories or less… So it could be 1/3 cup of ice cream, or it can be a lot of sugar snap peas.

    You will need to see how you are eating and adjust based on logging EVERYTHING. And throw out the word diet. Diets don't work, as the premise is changing what you are eating for a while to lose weight. You need to change how you are eating for life.

    Add in the exercise, it makes a big difference. I can do two 45 minute power walks during the day, (lunch time and before dinner) and find I don't / can't eat all my calories.

    Wean yourself away from the rubbish, it will just make you bounce up and down in weight and in cravings. Once in a while you might get a craving for "X", have 100 calories of that, it generally will remove the craving, then follow up with 100 calories of something healthy, like a banana. Train your body and mind to substitute the perceived cravings.

    Great post!
  • RoughDiamondUK
    RoughDiamondUK Posts: 151 Member
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    Is this a joke? Seriously, who asks if they can eat junk food and be healthy.

    The original poster isn't asking if they can eat junk and be healthy, they're asking if they can eat junk and still lose weight, which they can.
  • _Ben
    _Ben Posts: 1,608 Member
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    While it may not be healthy, in terms of cleaning out your arteries, improving heart health, etc. I absolutely agree that you can lose weight if you stick to only whatever calorie goal. With a combination of dieting, portion control, calorie counting, and exercise, I was able to lose 40 lbs in about 3 months, and I have maintained that lost for 6 months now
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
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    Is this a joke? Seriously, who asks if they can eat junk food and be healthy.


    I thought the same thing.
    People get very defensive about their weight and eating habits, and dont like being told that getting their calories from cream, sweets, sugars and fats is daft, but its just common sense. No, you cant just eat crap and be healthy. You might eat crap and be thinner, but things like clogged arteries and visceral fat still affect your health.

    I personally wouldnt care if someone called me a food-nazi or whathaveyou. I dont eat 'perfectly'. I do 80/20 and am slim and healthy. I advocate lifestyle changes over faddy calorie cutting and excuse making. I HATE the word 'treat' in relation to food. It reminds me of children. Just eat well, everything moderation, do some exercise, and voila, the non-magic formula for a healthier and thinner you. Hard work, yes. Worth it. absolutely.
  • shellsrenee01
    shellsrenee01 Posts: 357 Member
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    I'm still in denial that I have lost 10lbs my first 30 days of using MFP considering the food that I eat. However, because I log EVERYTHING I put in my mouth, it has made me aware of just how much I ate pre-MFP days and I have reduced that amount drastically. So yes, in my experience thus far, you can still have your "rubbish" daily and lose weight. You will notice, however, that you will want to cut back on the amount of junk. I'll never forget my very first day of logging my food. I had reached my calorie limit by 11am!! Incredible!

    My advice? Restricting yourself too much, too soon, of your normal eating habits will result in frustration, stress, and unhappiness. Especially on days when you "fall off the wagon" and go on a binge. Try eating as you normally would, log everything, and see how quickly your mind changes when you start to reach for that "rubbish" on the 3rd or 4th day! :)

    Good luck to you! Happy losing! :drinker:
  • lorraine311
    lorraine311 Posts: 127 Member
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    Why would you want to do that?? You need proper nutrition which you will not get from junk food. I'm thinking you are joking!
  • pat6250
    pat6250 Posts: 90
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    You take baby steps away from high fat, high sugar foods. For example, if you crave a chocolate bar, melt 10 chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave oven. Dip a banana in it, and slowly enjoy each bite. Consider how good it tastes. Drink a glass of water. You feel full now, and calm. Walk away.
    Do the same with high quality versions of foods you like. Make a whole wheat crust pizza with lots of tomato sauce and a little cheese instead of the high fat version at the fast food place. Years from now, you will not have high blood pressure and diabetes, or, if you are genetically predisposed to it, your condition will be easily controlled with diet and medicine, and you will feel and look wonderful.
  • katysmelly
    katysmelly Posts: 380 Member
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    I'm still in denial that I have lost 10lbs my first 30 days of using MFP considering the food that I eat. However, because I log EVERYTHING I put in my mouth, it has made me aware of just how much I ate pre-MFP days and I have reduced that amount drastically. So yes, in my experience thus far, you can still have your "rubbish" daily and lose weight. You will notice, however, that you will want to cut back on the amount of junk. I'll never forget my very first day of logging my food. I had reached my calorie limit by 11am!! Incredible!

    My advice? Restricting yourself too much, too soon, of your normal eating habits will result in frustration, stress, and unhappiness. Especially on days when you "fall off the wagon" and go on a binge. Try eating as you normally would, log everything, and see how quickly your mind changes when you start to reach for that "rubbish" on the 3rd or 4th day! :)

    Good luck to you! Happy losing! :drinker:

    Love this post, too. :)
  • janet0513
    janet0513 Posts: 564 Member
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    It sounds like (from your profile) you want to make a permanent lifestyle change and keep the weight off. Eating a healthy diet will give you a healthier body long term, but going on and off diets and seeing your weight yo-yo does you no good physically or mentally. My suggestion would be to make gradual changes. You could try to eat only healthy food, cut out all excess sugar and junk food, but how long could you sustain that for? It will probably be easier (and therefore more sustainable) to gradually cut back on the junk.

    Instead of focussing on what you're cutting out, try to think of healthier things you can add in. As others have said, on only 1200 calories, you will probably struggle to feel full and satisfied on only junk. Try new things and experiment with your diet, without thinking of it as a way of depriving you. (A lot of people find 1200 hard to stick to anyway, that might be something you look at increasing in the future).

    As you gradually make changes, you can focus on one aspect at a time, maybe cutting sodium levels for a few weeks, or cutting down on sugar, drinking more water, getting more fibre, protein etc.

    I'm not advocating living off junk at all, but I know how hard it is to stick to a diet that feels like a diet. When I started MFP I decided that I wasn't going to give up any of the foods I like. I still have pizza, chocolate, wine etc. Over three months, my diet has got a lot healthier, I've found new foods that I like and I don't eat as much of that stuff as I once did, but I also feel like this is a way of eating that I can continue forever. I'm not miserable from depriving myself of food I like, but at the same time, I've naturally started making healthier choices.

    Ultimately, a healthy diet is going to be much better for you than one full of junk, but I believe that if you make it a gradual process, you'll find that you're far more likely to stick to it in the long term.
  • janet0513
    janet0513 Posts: 564 Member
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    oops hit the reply too soon. The above quote is well said. Make gradual changes, you will be more likely to stick with that and in the long run eating healthy will make you feel better. You will find that once you are away from it, you will not crave it as much.
  • Caitlinhappymeal
    Caitlinhappymeal Posts: 185 Member
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    Is this a joke? Seriously, who asks if they can eat junk food and be healthy.

    it makes you wonder if it is a joke, just to get a reaction out of people?
  • Caitlinhappymeal
    Caitlinhappymeal Posts: 185 Member
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    Is this a joke? Seriously, who asks if they can eat junk food and be healthy.


    I thought the same thing.
    People get very defensive about their weight and eating habits, and dont like being told that getting their calories from cream, sweets, sugars and fats is daft, but its just common sense. No, you cant just eat crap and be healthy. You might eat crap and be thinner, but things like clogged arteries and visceral fat still affect your health.

    I personally wouldnt care if someone called me a food-nazi or whathaveyou. I dont eat 'perfectly'. I do 80/20 and am slim and healthy. I advocate lifestyle changes over faddy calorie cutting and excuse making. I HATE the word 'treat' in relation to food. It reminds me of children. Just eat well, everything moderation, do some exercise, and voila, the non-magic formula for a healthier and thinner you. Hard work, yes. Worth it. absolutely.

    everything you said
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    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

    Sure, but you will be extremely short on nutrients. I will give an example:

    You could have say, meat, veg, potatoes, 2 x small yorkshire puddings for around 650 calories for dinner - contains protein, vitamins and minerals, carbs and fats.

    or

    You could have a Belgian Bun and a Mars Bar for the same amount of calories - contains carbs and fats, little or no protein, vitamins and minerals

    Now let me see, which choice is going to supply me with nutrients.......

    You know when people talk about starvation mode etc? It is not to do with the amount of calories consumed each day, it is to do with WHAT you eat and if you want to eat nothing but crap, fine, but don't expect to stay healthy for too long.
  • zoeluiisa
    zoeluiisa Posts: 392
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    On 1200 calories it's already a challenge to get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs to function at its best - if you use half of those calories for junk it'll be even harder to get enough nutrients from the calories that are left.

    Just ditch the crap - pretty soon you'll adjust and wonder why you ever ate it in the first place!
  • groovyfirechick
    groovyfirechick Posts: 188
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    I have been getting very good about walking past the junk food. I eat lots more fruit and reserve the snack cakes for special treats). I can't justify spending that many calories on a little snack cake which will cause me to be be hungry shortly after when I can eat popcorn or another healthier snack and stay full longer for less calories. It's fun getting creative to see what I can fit into my diet that's healthier. :)
  • kayleesays
    kayleesays Posts: 564 Member
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    Yus! I did it for my first month on MFP. After while, though, the atmosphere gets to you, and you'll find yourself picking up quiona, raw almonds and kale at the supermarket ;) Not a bad thing.
  • basschick
    basschick Posts: 3,502 Member
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    I eat as much junk as I can get away with and still get within 10 grams of my protein goal. Getting enough protein is important to build muscle. On 1200 calories a day this is very tough. Now that I'm at maintenance and 1510 calories is my goal, it's a little bit easier. I have one day out of the week when I purposely go over by about 400-600 calories (calorie spiking). This is when I get most of my "junk food."
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Sure you can eat rubbish if that is your preference but that rubbish (@ 7-8000 calories a day) is what led me to a near death sentence @ 560 lbs. and pretty much unable to walk from room to room without the assistance of a rolling computer chair. The funny thing is after a made my lifestyle change, every bit of the cravings I had for that rubbish completely changed and now I prefer the healthier choices. Heck we supported the girls scouts again this year and bought 8 boxes of cookies (never opened the first one) put them in the freezer and just this week I told my wife if she wanted to give them away that was fine with me. Yesterday I went to Sam's Club and bought bulk bags of Almonds, Pistachios, Strawberries, Salad fixings, Chicken for the grill, fish, etc... My palate has changed some much now a days.... I now eat around 3200 calories a day and am still losing a pound a week, down 305 lbs. to date (compared to that 7-8000 calories) and I eat 10 times more food at 3200 calories than I ever did on those 8000 calorie days of Big Mac's and Chocolate shakes, Doritos, Swiss Cakes and Pizza....... Good Luck on your Weight loss whatever you decide is best for you....
  • tashaa1992
    tashaa1992 Posts: 658 Member
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    Yes you can, anyone can, but if this is about a lifestyle change, I don't see how that's healthy in the long run.
    Aside from the fact that this may lead to weight gain in the future, what about your body? If all you are eating is processed foods your body will not be receiving the nutrients and vitamins it needs to fully function properly.
    I'm not telling you to only eat fruit and vegetables, I'm not telling you to do anything but I just meant balance is key. In the end, this is your choice though so I hope you figure this out. Take care xxx

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