Can you eat whatever you want?

daruco94

What I mean by that is last week I didn't loose any weight, I stayed under my calories and thought I ate pretty reasonably compared to my past. As long as I stay under my suggested calorie level & I follow my plan and exercise, can I eat whatever I want within reason? Thx.

sweetpea7441

Hmmm, don't know to be honest, but I'm interested in seeing the replies. :-)

dayswillpass

I would imagine you can but I don't know. That's a REALLY good question...

jofjltncb6

Maybe you can, but should you? And if you know it means suboptimal health, especially longterm, why? The value of food is more than just the calories it provides.

splendifikiss

Sometimes people hit a plateau, even early on. Just keep working out, eating under your goal and aiming for healthier foods. I had the same issue in my 4th week and so I lowered my alcohol intake, increased my workouts and focused on getting complete meals. The next week I dropped over 2 lbs.

Empty calories and lack of nutrients will make it more difficult for you to drop weight. Balance your meals and get slots of viber nad vitamins. Remember to drink lots of water!

Island_Style20

I'd be careful with this....although, a lot of people say you shouldn't deprive yourself of a certain food, some are just plain out bad for you. Silly me, tried this, and although I stayed at my same weight, I noticed getting bigger in certain areas of my body. A treat here and there is not going to kill you, and usually a good thing when trying to stay committed to a certain workout/diet regimen. That said, if you've got a high metabolism, you may be just fine! Just tread with caution!

imnotyourpal

The nutrients you put in your body are important for fuel efficiency. What I mean is if you eat broccoli, brown rice and chicken as a meal vs. a hot dog and fries, your body will be more efficient at metabolizing it. Also, water keeps your organs hydrated, which helps them more efficiently metabolize your food/fat.

Edited to say, even if the hot dog meal is within your calorie goals.

mrscarrey

Not if you want to be healthy and get your hormones and digestion working well. I could eat 700 calories in processed Twinkees every day and probably lose some weight through some caloric deficit - but it would probably wreak havoc on my body and I would be even unhealthier than before. There are also studies showing that if our hormones are too out of whack, no matter what we eat, it will be stored as fat, even if we eat at a caloric deficit (our bodies will then be cannibalizing our muscles for fuel, etc).

Quality over quantity. Then everything will work itself out.

Sabine_Stroehm

I personally can't. I'm older, going through menopause and sensitive to starches (wheat primarily). Know your own body. That's the best answer.

Also, it depends on your goals? Do you want to be slim? Or slim and healthy with a lifetime ability to exercise and be active?

hongruss

Short Answer - YES.

Long Answer - Although you are staying under your calorie goal, too low will impede your progress. Also you should look at your macros to make sure you are getting enough protein & good fats, these will actually aid in your weight loss.

Others will state you have to be SUPER strict BUT I believe that these things are best done the way that suits us! That said & done, obviously you probably won't get optimum results, but you will probably stick at it longer if you do it your own way

Russ

LorinaLynn

Kind of depends on what it is you want to eat, and in what amounts. :laugh:

I do eat whatever I want, but some of what I want is pretty darn healthy. I work hard to make sure I have enough calories for indulgences, and plan my meals to make sure I get a good balance.

You could lose weight eating nothing but Twinkies or McDonalds, but you'll find you can eat a lot more of healthier foods.

Lozze

Well yes, as long as you hit your calorie goals then generally you will lose weight. For health it's a different matter.

Being hundreds of calories under your goals will not help you. I went back a week and I think the closet you were to your calorie goal was -750. Being under your calorie goal is not a good thing. I'd also be interested in knowing how you're getting your calories for your exercise.

rainydaze613

I feel like there's no limit to the type of food that you eat, whether it be cookies, cake, chips, etc. Because I have some of those on a daily basis. I think it comes down to the ingredients in the food.. if its modified and has high fructose corn syrup versus made from real food ingredients. I think that as long as you recognize it as food, you can eat anything you want in moderation taking into consideration the amount of fat/sugar/etc in a day. But in general, filling up on natural foods high in good carbs, protein, and fiber will help with weight loss more than eating an excess of empty carbs.

o_delaisse

I think you can lose weight, yes, but it's a matter about how you feel. I do tend to eat a bit of crap every day (helps me stay in the game), however there are days where it's a bit difficult. For example yesterday, I was under my calorie goal despite having birthday cake (which was more than "a bit" of crap), but in order to be able to stick to my goals I had to nix some good stuff. Got to say, it wasn't entirely worth it as I felt pretty weak by the end of the day. That said, if you're sensible, you might be able to get a way with it

KourtneyLee

Instead of gorging on a bunch of different foods and drinks that you may have given up to lose the weight, I would instead re-introduce only one at a time. Even if you're staying under your calorie goal, you don't want to use up your entire day's worth of calories on those "danger" food items - there's a reason they're dangerous in the first place! Many of them do not provide adequate nutrition, and are very temporarily filling and/or chalked up in fats and sugar leaving you hungry and wanting more of them.

I would continue to eat healthily and have one cheat item. For example, eat healthily and with your salad/chicken dinner, have a SMALL cup of ice cream. It is best to portion these bad foods as well.

If you've plateaued and it's not due to your eating habits, you probably need to either up your activity level and/or change up your exercises. Try introducing more cardio for lean muscle, and weight training to tone up. You can do this by using more weight or increasing your reps.

Good luck!

tat2dmrsgrimm

I eat what I want within reason and if I over do it, I still track it.

Yesterday I had whole wheat cinnamon toast with a little bit of butter, a small banana with a tsp of peanut butter and hot tea with a tsp of sugar for breakfast. I had yogurt for a snack.

For lunch I had a cheese quesadilla and a salad. I had a large apple for a snack.

For supper I had grilled wings with a little bit of BBQ sauce and some deep fried onion rings. I had strawberries for an evening snack and a orange dreamcicle and a fat free fudgecicle for dessert. And I was under my calories.

megsmom2

Short Answer - YES.

Long Answer - Although you are staying under your calorie goal, too low will impede your progress. Also you should look at your macros to make sure you are getting enough protein & good fats, these will actually aid in your weight loss.

Others will state you have to be SUPER strict BUT I believe that these things are best done the way that suits us! That said & done, obviously you probably won't get optimum results, but you will probably stick at it longer if you do it your own way

Russ

this!! broccoli will never replace icecream. There's a place for both...if you take control of your intake and log what you're eating honestly.
Personally, the moment I tell myself I can NEVER have something, it becomes an obsession to have just that. Knowing I can have something, but choosing not to, is a more powerful and sustainable position!

Gosser

Yes you can eat what you want within reason.

There is room for your take-away or chocolate bar or whatever you want as long as you:-
1. Stick to your limits
2. Only eat what your body can cope with
3. Don't think that you can do that every day (your body needs the correct nutrition)

You're doing this for the rest of your life so you can enjoy yourself along the way :happy:

strawberrie_milk

In terms of weight loss, yes you can eat whatever you want as long as it's under your calorie goal. You could lose weight eating only Twinkies, though it wouldn't be a smart idea. You should eat enough protein to avoid losing LBM though.

bm99

You can eat whatever you want and still lose weight, but your health will suffer longterm if you are getting less nutrients along with the fewer calories.

1200 calories worth of cake vs 1200 calories of balanced eating probably won't affect your weightloss but it will definitely affect your overall health.

CherryOnionKiss

No, not really. If I eat what I want I eat take out or junk food because it tastes better than healthy food to me and I gain weight easily within a week.

MzMandi1025

I have always been the "everything in moderation" type. This whole thing has taught me portion control. So long as I keep the portion down & the calories in line with my limits, then I'm good to go. This doesn't mean I eat fast food everyday so long as I log it, I do make good food choices a good part of the week. I choose healthier snacks & I'm more aware of the foods that I eat. Healthier foods in the long run will fuel your body longer & they just overal make you feel better. But if I'm craving something, I'll check the portion size & amount of calories & account for it. I don't like to deprive myself something that I'm craving. I look at this as more of a lifestyle change & not so much a diet.

fitby38

its not what you eat ... its the portions you eat ... too much of anything can be bad for you
yes ... with self-control you can eat whatever you want to eat and still lose weight

buckystars

I eat whatever I want as long as my calories are under. I try to eat clean (doesn't always happen) and exercise 5 days a week. If you tell yourself you can't eat certain things, that they are "off limits", you are more likely to go insane and eat everything you find. I know, I've done this.

I've lost 32 pounds now eating whatever I want, including chocolate, ice cream and pizza. Should I eat those things? Probably not. Just don't develop a relationship with food where you are terrified of it. It's just not healthy in many ways.

Hope that helps!

dleithaus

Not sure how scientific this might be... but recently I stopped drinking alcoholic beverages. While not a huge percentage of my daily calories, I definitely counted them. My "substitute" was mostly carbohydrate calories, and notably in the form of chocolate and ice cream... things I had kind of sworn off of due to dietary caloric concerns.

Now, one might not think that subbing one "empty" calorie for another makes any difference, but the metabolism of alcohol as an energy source is different than carbs, fats, and proteins... So I was interested. Making this change, I have not gained or lost any weight, consuming the same number of calories and at the same activity level. To me it continues to be all about knowing exactly how much I am eating (eg,by weighing everything and/or portion control) and counting the calories.

bcampbell54

I didn't see anything particularly frightening in your diary. I wonder, though, where you are getting the burn numbers for your exercise; some seemed rather high to me.

I've discovered that as I count calories, I have less "room" for certain foods anymore. I hardly drink any alcohol, I tend to shun any fast food (or restaurant food in general.

Make sure you are keep your diary as accurately as possible, and you should see the loss.

wftiger

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

Yup. As far as weight loss it does not matter. All that matters is having a deficit. Healthwise, I would not recommend the twinkie diet as you would lack many nutrients.

As above poster stated, make sure you are accurate. Weigh your food. I can shove 2 servings of shredded cheese in 1/4 cup but that doesn't work when I weight it out to 28 grams. Every single bite counts and has to be logged.

I didn't look at your food diary but make sure that you are getting adequate protein. Many people do not and wonder why they do not keep or build muscle (and do not stay satisfied longer).

mbraga92

It comes down to carb choices. Carbs has everything to do with weight loss. Unsaturated fats are good for your hormones. Protein is good for repairing muscle and keeping you full and satisfied. But carbs is your main key. It comes down to simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs are the type that spike your blood sugar level which causes your body to release insulin and anytime no matter what, when your body releases insulin, your gonna store fat. These carbs are the obvious. Anything really refined. Complex carbs are the natural kind of foods. Ones that doesnt have processing from them such as oatmeal, beans, wild rice etc. Those types of carbs take a much longer effect of raising your blood sugar in a much slower, stable way due to mainly the fiber content. Which in turn keeps you feeling full longer. I dont care what people say. This 'weight loss' you see from people eating sugary crap, yeah it may be weight, but most of its muscle. If your constantly storing fat, how can you be losing fat? Besides, take a before and after picture of someone who lost 10 lbs eating clean vs someone who lost 10lbs eating twinkies. That person who ate the junk is going to have less tone, saggier skin and overall looking worse than the one who lost the 10 lbs the clean way.

Nataliaho

I follow these broad guidelines which I've taken from reading (amongst others) Alan Aragon.
- Hit my macros
- Get 80% of my calories from clean, whole foods
- do whatever I want with the other 20%

Also to the poster who talked about alcohol consumption, I read an interesting article on that yesterday.. looks like there's not a simple answer

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sex_news_sports_funny/a_muscleheads_guide_to_alcohol_1

LatissimusDorsi

Yes and No.
To lose weight? Yes.
Optimal body composition? No.

fitbydons

The answer is in your first line - "I ate UNDER my calories"!.