Does anyone eat whatever they want just within calories?

love2cycle

I do for the most part. Chips and things like that are the hardest for me, so I almost have to cut them out entirely, because even if I eat only a few, I ALWAYS want more!! If I I don't eat them at all, I don't feel as tempted.

hoodlette

I've only been doing this for a few days, but I've already lost a few pounds. Some days I'll eat foods that are bad and other days I'll eat foods that are good. It's crazy to see how much more healthy food you can eat within your set calories than the unhealthy food. I think it just comes down to how much you want to eat. It seems like a trade-off to me. Good luck!

ZombieSidwell

For the most part I try to make healtheir choices, such as more fruit and veggies. I am in it for the lifestyle change. However there are those times that I find that I really want something not necessarily good for me. When that happens I eat a small portion of it and not beat myself up over it. It takes time to make good habits, but definately worth the results.

SusanLovesToEat

I know I would probably lose more faster if I didn't do this but I eat whatever I want just stay under my calories is that ok? Does anyone else do this? I feel like if I don't eat what I want I give up early and easier.

You may lose weight but if you really want to keep it off you might also try and make small changes along the way in addition to eating fewer calories. Without these changes you will most certainly regain the weight when you resume your normal eating patterns.

You don't need to be fanatical-just begin with something small like one apple snack in place of a packet of whatever. After a few months this will seem natural. I haven't given up pizza but now I choose a thin crust cheese pizza instread of the deep dish special.

I don't believe there are any intrinsically "bad" foods but adding fruits and vegetables, and trying to reduce excess fat, and reducing the number of foods made of white flour and white sugar really help.

Noone wants to yo-yo diet-especially if you plan on starting a family.

saustin201

No, I don't just eat anything. I eat better, healthier foods and cut down on junk and cut out pop completely. Since I am on a 1450 calorie diet I want to make those calories count on food with sustenance, not ice cream and twinkies.

I do eat a cookie now and then, I just don't go overboard like I did before. I really, really enjoy that cookie when I have one.

Instead of ice cream I eat frozen yogurt and top it with fresh blueberries or strawberries. YUM!

crwarneruscg

at first i did, but then the weight loss halted for nearly a year and i'm having to manipulate the macros to get the results I want. I'm reducing my carbohydrate intake and am losing steadily again.

I agree with the above 100%. I would say eating anything you want as long as it is below your calorie intake works for starting to loose weight or maybe even maintaining. If you want to continue to lose weight after plateau, I would defiantly say you would have to watch what you take in and cut back on carbs. This is something I am just learning and trying myself. Good Luck with your fitness goals

bcattoes

I lost all my weight eating what I want. But I rarely want junk so it was mostly healthy. I don't really understand why anyone would want to eat unhealthy food on a regular basis. Outside medical disorder, weight loss is all about calories, but health is not. I want to be healthy, so I want to eat healthy.

skinyZ

yup, i do eat a little bit healthier so i can eat more, like i swap some carbs for veg and some sweets for fruit but i like that stuff anyway lol, i've only just started my weight loss journey so hopefully it works and also as time goes by hopefully i will start to eat more healthy than "bad" but to start out with i dont think i would stick to it if i had to cut out all the treats i enjoy, it would be just another failed attempt at losing weight

marcia724

I do both. I try to eat healthier, but at the same time...i need treats!

happinessforevercm

I eat what I want as well if I don't eat alot of it then the weight comes off. I do eat better than before and try to get more fruits and veggies in my diet. The only thing I cut out is carbination (aside from beer) which is really easy for me. But, if I feel like I want a cookie I will have a cookie and not beat myself up over it. But, I will have one cookie not the whole bag like I am used to.

HauteP1nk

Sometimes I do... I mean...I do allow the occasional indulgent treat. I just make sure that I keep myself accountable and ensure that I make up for it.

For the most part though I try to eat healthy.

lindaw66

I think that eating what ever you want and staying under your calorie goal will work for a little while, but it also depends on how much you have to lose and how old you are and wether you are a man or woman. I think men have more luck with this concept. I know for myself that I'm changing the way I eat to feel better and be healthier, but i won't deprive myself either. It's okay to reward yourself with a treat every now and again. I think if I choose to eat clean, then I will feel better and I will eventually look more lean than if I had lost weight on crap food. I think eating healthy allows you to have more energy and gives you more food to eat and keeps you filled up through out the day. I've also noticed that I'm not having the digestive issues that I've struggled with for about 5 years and I don't deal with getting the shakes just before l'm getting ready to eat lunch or dinner because I'm fueling my body with better food. I'm 45 years old and I have about 50 pounds to lose and I've tried every fad diet known to man. Bottom line eat right and exercise :bigsmile:

GatorDeb1

I do. I weightlift so I'm careful with protein because I'm not going to put in all that effort in the gym and then screw it all up in the kitchen, so here are my "rules" : 1. 1600 or less, 2. At least one g protein per lb of bodyweight, 3. 20% or less fat, 4. Low sodium/cholesterol.

I take the whole week and divide into days, though, which gives me a little leeway. Four weeks of 1600 daily average and 6.5 weeks of protein goals

fatmom51

I DO BUT IN MODERATION. I HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM THE SWEETS AND I PAY MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT I EAT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITIONAL VALUES. I EXCERISING HELPS ME TO TO WARD OFF CRAVINGS TOO.

Please don't scream.

At least on one of my other boards, some people use all caps due to vision issues, and given that this comment is pretty tame, I suspect they're not screaming, just having vision problems or keyboard/shift lock issues. I'm not trying to be confrontational, just giving a alternative explanation since I tend to be guilty of always giving the BOTD..

belgerian

No but sometimes I will choose to have a bowl of icecream or cookies or even cake with alot of frosting.

k8blujay2

I do... but within reason... I try to make healthier choices though, but I don't freak out if I want a candy bar or a cookie but am still within my daily caloric intake.

GatorDeb1

I DO BUT IN MODERATION. I HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM THE SWEETS AND I PAY MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT I EAT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO NUTRITIONAL VALUES. I EXCERISING HELPS ME TO TO WARD OFF CRAVINGS TOO.

Please don't scream.

At least on one of my other boards, some people use all caps due to vision issues, and given that this comment is pretty tame, I suspect they're not screaming, just having vision problems or keyboard/shift lock issues. I'm not trying to be confrontational, just giving a alternative explanation since I tend to be guilty of always giving the BOTD..

Breath Of The Dying?

Back Of The Dragon?

sarah1904

yes, but you soon realize that you have to make a choice of anything you want and quantity. I have made better choices to save on calories. One could say I've become very picky about how i spend them. I like having about 200 or 300 left at night in case i want ice cream, i have yet to actually have it but its there if i want to.

TonyStark30

Surely we all should be eating what we want within calories by default that would make us all the weight we want to be forever. No?

It depends what you want. I depends entirely on what your goals are. If appearance is all you're after and you're happy with "skinny fat" then you can probably get by on that rule.

However if you want to be fit and healthy, for example for sports performance, then you can't have half your calories coming from cake and alcohol.

And if you want to be lean rather than skinny fat then you would most certainly have to make serious changes.

I eat cake most mornings, I put the work in in the gym, and my basic meals are very clean so if i didn't eat cake and things I actually like I would be under eating if anything. I actually enjoy working things into my weekly calories, knowing how much I'll need to work out, or what I'll have to do the rest of that day to be able to have that.

But my actual point was that who would choose to go through the rest of their life eating stuff that they don't even like or never even ate until last year. If we would've eaten what we wanted in moderation and was active enough we would've never put on weight, so thats what I'm aiming for on the way down.

If I didn't eat 'bad' things I would be more likely to be skinny fat as some days I would really not be in the gym lifting anything substantial!

fatmom51

BOTD: benefit of the doubt.

sarahharmintx

Yes. About 80-90% of the time. I know I could lose faster if I made better choices but for now, Im not doing that.

handeye

i started out that way but then after a month or so i found it really messed with my energy levels when trying to work out or getting through the work day. i realized that i felt much better, had more energy, and could work out longer/harder when i ate healthy. but i think it's a great way for people to start to lose weight if they lower the calories, then slowly start switching to healthy foods. that way it's more of a gradual change and you don't get discouraged doing everything at once.

bcattoes

Surely we all should be eating what we want within calories by default that would make us all the weight we want to be forever. No?

Not necessarily. If I don't exercise and eat what I want, I gain weight. I get too hungry if I eat little enough to stay thin without regular exercise, so I want to eat more. My weight control is 90% exercise.

JustJennie1

Yes it's just that the "whatever I want" happens to be lots of fruits, veggies, yogurt, etc. Stuff that I like and that is good for me. I do occasionally indulge and will have pizza, ice cream or cookies etc. but not that often because I feel like absolute garbage the next day.

Bob314159

I started 3 months ago eating whatever I wanted - its hard enough keeping the calories down and exercising. Doing too many changes at once may sabotage your efforts.

Then I started to fine tune, noting that 250 calories of chocolate might not be as satisfying as a more healthy alternative.

Right now I'm working on getting my fiber percentage up. I still need to cut my cheese consumption in half or more.

On the other hand, I don't eat soft drinks, HFCS, fast food, or foods with lots of chemicals - but I was doing that before I started watching calories.

TonyStark30

Surely we all should be eating what we want within calories by default that would make us all the weight we want to be forever. No?

Not necessarily. If I don't exercise and eat what I want, I gain weight. I get too hungry if I eat little enough to stay thin without regular exercise, so I want to eat more. My weight control is 90% exercise.

There has to be a balance point though, but you make a good point, weight lost may be mostly diet, but weight control is mostly exercise, why not exercise on the way down if it works? You'd be already be setting yourself up for how you need to be when you get to the weight you want.

MrsBully4

http://www.nwcr.ws/Research/default.htm

Might be helpful for people wanting to know how people maintained weight loss

GatorDeb1

BOTD: benefit of the doubt.

Ah Google didn't know that one.

justal313

Generally I try to eat healthy. Whole Grains, fruit-not-fruit-juice, veggies, leaner meats etc. I will on occasion eat something "bad" but I stay under my net goal. If I'm planning on being badder than usual I add to my workout so I'll still be under net.

I do however have milk and a Kashi dark chocolate cookie everynite about an hour before I go to bed. If I am waaaaay under goal I'll have two. I won't have 3 even if I have enough calories left. I am happy if I'm under (but not more than 150-200 under) because it will account for error if I have to estimate anything.

I'm trying to keep closer to my net. I have often come waaay under because I exercised too long. So now I try to prelog my planned food before I exercise I might be able to have a 40 minute session instead of 60.

erikapereira

Sometimes I eat whatever I want and other times I try to make better choices but I ll never put myself in a painful diet lol