Does anyone eat whatever they want just within calories?

lilmzzgreeneyez · June 2012

i am so glad to read this thread. i feel better now knowing that i still have treats here and there and its not going to kill my progress. i eat generally healthy (whole grains fruits veggies ect) but i am so obsessed with staying under my sugar and sodium taht some day i notice that i obsess on what i eat too much and then im not happy.; i am losing weight (20 lbs so far in a month or so) but i have to try to keep my mind off the obsession and just be happier that im doing it right. problem is that some days i go over my sodium some or my sugar and i feel like a failure. thats not good. so yea im glad that its not going to halt my progress or send me backwards.

mdet06 · June 2012

I try to eat on the healthy side but have occasional things I really like. I stay under my calories though, mostly.

ster81 · June 2012

Yes, I eat pretty much what I want as long as I hit my calorie goal for the day. Only thing I really track is the amount of protein, just to be on the safe side. I tried the healthier eating route before.. I gained weight since I wasnt satisfied and kept eating more.

ehalps26 · June 2012

IIFYM

Lkoblara · June 2012

That's how I do it. I tend to make better choices still because I eat 4 small meals a day and 2 snacks. But for example, today I wanted my favorite pizza, so I made sure to make better choices earlier in the day so I could eat 2 slices. I don't do this everyday, but it's nice to know that I can be flexible.

jodyjustice · February 2013

I was just wondering the same thing and then I saw this post! I am staying under my calories, but if I eat something, like an oatmeal pie, I feel SOOOO guilty and Fat even though I am still under my goal!!!

chica6578 · March 2013

bumping this for a late night read lol

gapm · March 2013

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.

My rule for myself is that I can eat absolutely anything and everything regardless of calories as long as I record ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING I eat. And I do mean I record ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that I eat, or at least I try very hard to do that. In some cases I approximate what I ate if what is in the database does not exactly match what I ate, but I try to match it as well as I can. If I'm over the calorie recommendation that MFP has for me, so be it with no guilt.

This might not work for everybody, but in my case, behavior observed and recorded is behavior changed. The act of thinking about what I eat and recording it has lead me to eating less and making changes to my eating habits. The net result for me has been weight loss.

Emmalou202620 · March 2013

yes i do i eat every think lol chocolate on toast crisps, have cakes and im still loosing as long as you stop within your goal your fine

tgustafson85 · March 2013

I've been actively watching WHAT I eat. The other day I picked up a box of gril scout cookies, only to realize 2 measly cookies have 140 calories! And those 2 cookies wouldn't satisfy my hunger the way other foods would.

margieparkins · March 2013

I do eat what I want but with in reason, I find myself out of habit now making better choices. I am losing slowly but am enjoying the learning of portion control, not always easy

scarrletti_girl · March 2013

yes and no. Depends on my mood and the day and whats food is in the house. I sometimes watch what I eat but other times I just keep in my calorie goal. And I have lost weight. The first time I ever counted calories(2yrs ago) I just ate what I wanted as long as it was in my goal and I lost weight then too.

WAHMto5 · March 2013

For sure! I always eat what I want and it is not always good but I want to make this a lifestyle and not a diet! I try to make good choices most of the time but do not limit myself on food, only portions.

littlelily613 · March 2013

I don't. Theoretically one CAN, but it doesn't always work for me. This is because eating what I want takes up my calories so quickly, that I am out half-way through the day, still hungry, and then I go over even more. I might have an occasional treat, and I definitely don't eat only diet foods, but I try to make healthy choices not only to make me healthier but to stretch my calories further.

allymateik · January 2014

I eat relatively whatever I want but I always just try and make sure to stay within my calorie range. This includes pasta, bread, butter, and even candy sometimes. Of course, I make healthy decisions too, but I just dont think that a diet is manageable if you cant eat your favorite foods. Its worked for me im 5'3 and 110 pounds!

arabianhorselover · January 2014

Sounds like awfully fast weight loss.

quote]
i am so glad to read this thread. i feel better now knowing that i still have treats here and there and its not going to kill my progress. i eat generally healthy (whole grains fruits veggies ect) but i am so obsessed with staying under my sugar and sodium taht some day i notice that i obsess on what i eat too much and then im not happy.; i am losing weight (20 lbs so far in a month or so) but i have to try to keep my mind off the obsession and just be happier that im doing it right. problem is that some days i go over my sodium some or my sugar and i feel like a failure. thats not good. so yea im glad that its not going to halt my progress or send me backwards.
[/quote]

allymateik · April 2014

YES. This is the key to maintaining weight loss. I am in the best shape of my life and I eat absolutely whatever I want, but stay within my 1500 calories a day range. The catch is that naturally, I do gravitate towards more healthy foods, but all in all if I want that pepperoni pizza and a beer, im gonna budget for it accordingly.

Sabine_Stroehm · April 2014

YES. This is the key to maintaining weight loss. I am in the best shape of my life and I eat absolutely whatever I want, but stay within my 1500 calories a day range. The catch is that naturally, I do gravitate towards more healthy foods, but all in all if I want that pepperoni pizza and a beer, im gonna budget for it accordingly.

And this is key. You've worded it perfectly. If folks want to eat at a DEFICIT, and within their MACROS (whatever the hell they have them set at) then they MUST make some decisions and some concessions. I think this is where folks differ. I'd rather eat a burger, no bun,and have room for wine, than eat the bun. Younger folks or folks with a higher BMI may be able to choose both the bun and the wine, but forgo the dessert... REGARDLESS: We all make our priorities and the success of this approach to dieting (YES, FOLKS, IT *IS* DIETING) is to stick to whatever priorities and concessions we make that day. The beauty is, tomorrow I can choose the bun...
(or in my case, the whole grain bun) and forgo the wine.

Panaru · April 2014

I do this and sometimes I do eat poorly (junk food) but I try to eat better and not just eat snacks all day like I used to. I think the key is knowing your own body and what it wants/needs. Some people can eat 2000cal a day and be fine while other have a hard time if they are not at like 1200-1300.. I just tried going from 1200 and working my way out. I stopped at whatever I could do and do with a smile on my face. For me that was 1600, Somedays I'm a little less or a tiny bit over but it seems to work for me. I think as long as your not feeling hungry all the time and your meals are not like a coke and a candy bar doing the eat what you want thing works.

ab_1203 · April 2014

Dont eat what you want, it works for weight loss just like the twinkie diet, but it cant be that healthy. Youll be lacking in certain areas a bit and nutrients if your diet consists of mainly junk food. Id like to do that, but I cant or I wouldnt feel comfortable especially because most junk foods have low fibre for the calories theyre worth.

sleepawaycamp · April 2014

I do it to a certain extent but if I get too much junk I get too hungry at the end of the day.

dsb188 · April 2014

I tried this for a few months and it didn't work for me but i know people who can do it and it works for them. I would be willing to try once I lose more weight but for now I'm sticking to my low carb. I think whatever works best for you. I feel like we are all different and have different genetic makeup.

Chelsea89600 · April 2014

I eat everything i want... but a WHOLE lot less. Overall, I have been very successful.

This has always been the best method for me. With food I enjoy, I am more satiated with smaller amounts, so I require less. The way food tastes plays a large role in how it can sustain me. Lately, I have been trying to eat for quality, but meanwhile, I've been eating a whole lot more and having a terrible time staying below my caloric limit, even when bending the truth with the calculator. I have gained about 7 pounds, which makes all of my efforts seem worthless, except for eating the healthy food that I enjoy.

I recommend eating foods that you enjoy if you can eat them to a limit, but still trying to form healthy habits so that you do not become pre-diabetic, or develop bad habits otherwise. Either way, track everything honestly, even the healthy stuff, because I am living proof that healthy food can cause serious weight gain. However, I am a runner, and enjoy other forms of activity, and because many other people also exercise and watch out for their health, I recommend that we still aim to eat healthy food that can repair muscle, bring oxygen to blood, hydrate, etc.

In the past, I weighed much less when I was on a completely vegan diet. However, I know I did not achieve this alone, as I was also much more active, and I was dealing with an ED. Nowadays, I often disregard the other factors that were connected to my low weight, and I try to go back to eating a completely "healthy" vegan diet, in hopes that I will lose weight. Each time I try this, I eat tremendously more in quantity, often need to resatisfy through snacks (lots of them, and large ones- including nuts). I end up having terrible digestive issues because my system cannot process the amount of food I require from a vegan diet, even though most of the food I eat on the diet is healthy (rice crackers, fruits and vegetables, CLIF bars, soy milk, flax muffins, nuts, etc.). But here is my secret: I do not like rice crackers, nuts, or even CLIF bars; I eat them as a measure to eat healthy food, so I end up overeating because I am not satisfied! For me, a "healthy" overload of food that I can never get enough of, and that I am not satiated by, is not as good as a moderate dose of something with a little bit of lowly processed chocolate or goat cheese.

I have tried to follow along many diets except for low carb/ high protein, mostly because I was a vegetarian for 6 years, and I am still not very keen (biophysically or mentally) on heavy meat consumption. The hysterical thing is, all of them work fine except for the vegan diet (which seems the healthiest; I have tried 3 times since I stopped being a vegan with other eating factors), as long as I am following a quantitative plan. If I tried to follow the vegan diet on the quantitative plan, I would feel deficient, lightheaded, and unsatisfied with the flavors and nutrient quantities- also good to mention that I OVERLOAD on carbs when I am eating vegan, and need to watch out for this on vegetarian too.

I have been trying so hard lately to eat better foods, and I struggle more (and weigh 7lbs more) than when I would eat what I feel like on a caloric limit, even if that meant eating chocolate malt balls or fried fish.

It's weird how our preferences change. I am not an alternative vegan rebel rouser, like I once thought I was, and I am not lactose or celiac intolerant (that I know of). I have no medical reason to restrict any food, though I would like to use that as a ploy for restricting certain foods! I do enjoy milk chocolate on occasion, like any girl should, and I do enjoy well marinaded fish and simple ingredients. I cannot fit into any fad diet, because I have my own preferences, that should all be enjoyed in moderation. In my experience, popular (fad) diets have lead to frustration, impatience, weight gain, and disappointment and they have all been too short lived to be considered sustainable. I know how milk makes me feel, and I know how unbalanced a vegan diet is for me, and because there is no diet book to date written on "following our own preferences" (besides calorie counters

), I will have to follow along my own personal diet course, indulging in biscotti for breakfast, as long as I am logging my intake and staying within a quantitative limit, and checking in with Ayurvedic doctor every time I have an imbalance or weight gain (One of the only "diets" I believe in).

My advice: Be happy with your choices, be active, go outside often, log your food and stay within limits, and don't waste your time trying to understand the latest fad diet (unless you're truly into nutrition

)

Chelsea89600 · April 2014

I tried this for a few months and it didn't work for me but i know people who can do it and it works for them. I would be willing to try once I lose more weight but for now I'm sticking to my low carb. I think whatever works best for you. I feel like we are all different and have different genetic makeup.

Ditto- whatever works best for you! The hard part is finding what works best for you!!

mxmkenney · April 2014

No. Quality of food counts. "x" calories of junk food does not equal "x" calories of quality food. Our bodies need good, nutrient rich food. So .. eating 1700 calories of junk food just isn't acceptable.

This is not true. I'm not saying eating nothing but junk food is a great idea, but you CAN lose weight eating nothing but McDonald's - as long as you are eating at a caloric deficit. And YES, a calorie is a calorie no matter if it comes from carbs, protein or fat.
One thing I have found to be true though is that I find I am hungrier when I don't eat nutrient-rich foods. So, while eating 1700 calories of junk will still result in weight-loss, I will not be as satisfied with those 1700 calories as I would if I was making healthier food choices.

Snow3y · April 2014

I eat pretty much whatever I want.. Yesterday, a pizza, chicken chow mein in a wrap, scrambled eggs with mayo... or this past weekend; crisps, ice-cream, haloumi cheese, white rice and gravy with some lamb slices... Mmmm

Do I look like I'm fat? :c should I stick to "healthy" and "quality" foods?

F!@# that

stephe1987 · April 2014

I eat what I normally do but less of it. I have one bowl of cereal instead of two or three. One grilled cheese and turkey sandwich instead of two. I don't make Kraft Macaroni and Cheese because eating an entire box by myself is too many calories (3 servings) and it's nasty to reheat that stuff, although Kraft Macaroni and Cheese spirals is 2 servings per box and I'll eat that every once in a while if my calorie count is low. I try to eat a small meal for breakfast in the morning instead of skipping it (I heard that skipping meals is bad). At Taco Bell I used to get three tacos or two tacos and a nacho supreme but now I only get two items (usually two tacos). McDonald's is pretty much the same because I usually get a single $1 item like a McDouble. If I get fries it's a large to share with multiple people (no more combo meals with a medium or large order of fries to myself). I stopped drinking soda in January 2013 and now I'm trying to cut back on or cut out juice (lots of sugar). At Burger King I got a cheeseburger instead of a whopper. Two slices of pizza instead of three to four (although I'll break the rule and have an extra piece if it's not stuffed crust or the slices are small). Fast food is only a few times per week at the most. For ice cream, I only had a small portion instead of filling up the bowl. I use a smaller (kid) bowl when I get some chips to eat instead of a regular bowl.