Does anyone eat whatever they want just within calories?

emrys1976

Balance
Balance
Balance

littlewhittles

I do.

smplycomplicated

My husband is Not the health conscious type, and we're on a pretty fixed budget..So we don't have enough $$ to be able to buy food to please both of us, so i fix whatever and add as much veggies to it as i can, and make sure i stay within my calorie goal.

PShep17

To some extent yes. I am making better choices, eating more salad etc. I have not and will not switch to low fat, low cal, weight watchers style foods. I enjoy my tasty everyday foods in moderation

doreenOrtiz

yes I eat what I want, the rule of thumb is if you burn more then your taken in then you will lose weight. For now it is working for me and I am able to do 1200 calories and actually stick to it, in the past I have tried to eat healthy but in the end my body always craves the bad stuff and I end up quitting. So I say if it is working for you ( if it's not broke then don't fix it).

amandavictoria80

I eat as healthy as I can and try to make conscious choices. I think it's really a difference of diet or life style.

Personally, when I eat anything I want (junk) even though I am under my calories, I don't lose weight and I feel like garbage.

I went through a phase of eating treats that were low in calories thinking it would be alright. Wrong! All that stuff was loaded with sugar. I'd much rather go over my calories with healthy food than be under but overloaded with sugar.

CalJur

No. All calories are not created equal. You can fill up on twinkies if you wish too but would miss out on valuable protein and potassium, among other things. It is not only quantity but quality. Peeps miss the point who only focus on quantity. It is a complete life style change which includes healthy food.

jenilla1

Pretty much. :drinker:

ETA: I don't eat a lot of junk calories, just because junk tastes gross to me. So I do eat whatever I want - pasta every day for example - but I don't eat greasy fast food, twinkies, soda and other garbage cuz it's just nasty!

tmd0521

the thing is, if i eat what i want, i wouldnt be eating much at all because the foods i like are high in calories, so i do a give and take-one meal is usually what i want, the rest is balanced more healthy stuff-that i can eat more of.

kittykat201111111

il be sticking to healthy foods where possible

ladybarometer

I don't just to avoid over eating.

xHelloQuincyx

a balance of both. you will soon find yourself liking the healthier options (at least in my case.) then again i did eat an entire package of sour canndy yesterday and didnt feel bad about it at all. :]

docturtle

I eat whatever I want...I just don't eat everything I want, every time I want it.

BustyTransformer

Quality over Quantity. It's never a good idea to fill up on junk just because you're staying under calories. Eat a variety of wholesome good for you foods. So called "junk food" should be eaten in moderation.

jofjltncb6

If you think "a calorie is a calorie" is BS you might want to read up on the definition of a calorie, and then the first law of thermodynamics.

And you may want to consider the fact that our bodies are not a closed system.

Nita_Bita

I do this. It's much easier, I'm making a change in my life and this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, if I want something, I'll have it but in moderation. I'm not going to not eat it because it isn't healthy, because I'll just end up craving it more and binging on it. I do however try to eat healthy, because i find I can eat more of it and I actually like it!

I agree!

mcarter99

If you think "a calorie is a calorie" is BS you might want to read up on the definition of a calorie, and then the first law of thermodynamics.

And you may want to consider the fact that our bodies are not a closed system.

Are you referring to the thermogenesis of nutrients? It does take more energy to digest protein. But most people left to their own devices do eat protein, too, I think.

volume77

If you think "a calorie is a calorie" is BS you might want to read up on the definition of a calorie, and then the first law of thermodynamics.

And you may want to consider the fact that our bodies are not a closed system.

Are you referring to the thermogenesis of nutrients? It does take more energy to digest protein. But most people left to their own devices do eat protein, too, I think.

I'm not tryin to Argue... I'm not a scientist... But from my own experience... A calorie is not a calorie in terms of weight loss ... There are many studies supporting this ... And from my own experience I can eat 1400 calories high carb and gain weight and eat 1400 calories low carb and loose weight... Our bodies are much more complex than a mathematical equation

HMonsterX

So most of u say it's ok to eat craP as long as ur with in ur cals?? That's crazy. If I wanted a big Mac at 700 calories and a doc pepper for another 200 and then a candy bar as long as I stay under my goal of 1300 that's ok? Wow I totally disagree

why?

Well for one because it's my opinion and I'm entitled to have one. But also just it's my lifestyle change. Eat crap food isn't healthy if that's all u eat. I choose to not eat fast food or drink pop. If I want a burger I make my own, same with pizza. I still eat chocolate and sometimes a cookie or chips but by crap food I mean overly greasy, fatty, no nutritional value foods. Plus I'm setting an example for my kids I don't want them growning up addicted to junk foods

You assume all of us are trying to get "healthy". That's your mistake.

Alright Jesus. I guess somehow ur offended by my opinion, but anyways whether or not it's ur motivation losing weight does mean trying to be healthier. Just because one persons motivation might be to look like a sexy beast it's still being healthier. And don't tell me I made a " mistake" cuz pretty sure my opinion is not a mistake

The point i was trying laboriously to get to is that in terms of pure fat loss, then it doesn't matter where your calories come from, as long as you create that deficit. We KNOW it's not healthy to eat crap all day every day. But getting healthy and losing weight are two totally different things. The OP asked whether as long as you hit your calories goal does it matter where they come from. From a fat loss viewpoint, the answer of "No, it doesn't matter" isn't crap. It's the truth. Ofc, this applies to most people, the vast majority. There are those with other medical conditions where things change, but for the majority, its true.

If the OP had asked "Does it matter where the calories come from if i want to get healthy" it would be a very different story!

jickalina

I do...sort of? When i joined MFP I knew I wanted to make lifestyle changes that would last me, well, for the rest of my life! So I've been doing the "slow and steady wins the race" method. Smaller changes over time, making easy-for-me dietary adjustments. Some of them were more drastic (becoming flexitarian, that is eating meat only 3 or 4 times a month versus feeling like i need to eat meat every day) but only because I discovered that I liked vegetables and it was waaay easier than I thought to turn to other forms of protein.

Others have been more gradual, I still eat ice cream occasionally, chips, dip, candy, fast food, I'm still a night snacker. But only within my calories. I've never had a "cheat" day where I've exploded past my calorie limit. But the main thing I've discovered is on days where i eat more junk than healthy clean foods, i get more lazy, low energy, a bit more emotional, have highs and lows throughout the day. I also get more munchy when i eat junk so it's more of a battle to stay on track those days. I'm a firm believer that when your foods aren't balanced, it totally throws you out of whack. So in the end, even though i don't ban those foods from my diary, i tend to naturally crave them less frequently.

I dunno, think about that the next time you look at your diary. Calories aside, when you eat healthier, do you feel better?

mcarter99

If you think "a calorie is a calorie" is BS you might want to read up on the definition of a calorie, and then the first law of thermodynamics.

And you may want to consider the fact that our bodies are not a closed system.

Are you referring to the thermogenesis of nutrients? It does take more energy to digest protein. But most people left to their own devices do eat protein, too, I think.

I'm not tryin to Argue... I'm not a scientist... But from my own experience... A calorie is not a calorie in terms of weight loss ... There are many studies supporting this ... And from my own experience I can eat 1400 calories high carb and gain weight and eat 1400 calories low carb and loose weight... Our bodies are much more complex than a mathematical equation

I'm not trying to be argumentative and I'm not a scientist, either. I see your point. I have a similar bad reaction to certain carbs. I think I have an inflammatory response and retain water, though. So my 'weight gain' isn't really meaningful, in the sense of an increase in body mass. But I guess that's debatable. I haven't seen the studies (short of what Atkins claimed) that carbs are more caloric calories or affect body fat more. I do think they might affect appetite more. And water retention.

I've read about the study where a researcher has shown that he lost weight fine on an 'all junk' diet. Here's an excerpt from the US News article about it. You can google Mark Haub to read more.

"Losing a double-digit chunk of weight in one month was a piece of cake for Mark Haub. On August 25, the Kansas State University professor of nutrition began a 10-year-old's dream diet of Twinkies, Ho Hos, and brownies for each meal. Thirty days later and 15 pounds lighter, Haub not only feels great, but his bad cholesterol is down, his good cholesterol is up, and his blood pressure is fine. But while he is pleased about his new, trimmer self, that's not the reason he switched to junk food. He wanted his students to see for themselves that any diet can produce weight loss­—and if accomplished with a menu all but guaranteed to wreak havoc, then weight shouldn't be the sole standard for good health.

Haub's diet grew from a course he teaches on energy balance. Weight loss, he told his students, is simply about consuming fewer calories than you burn—energy in, energy out. "

sanalva

I do this. It's much easier, I'm making a change in my life and this is what I'm going to do for the rest of my life, if I want something, I'll have it but in moderation. I'm not going to not eat it because it isn't healthy, because I'll just end up craving it more and binging on it. I do however try to eat healthy, because i find I can eat more of it and I actually like it!

I agree :bigsmile:

Jacwhite22

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.

OopzaDaisy

What I do, and what works for me is "Swap it, don't stop it". If there is something in particular that I love and I'm hesitant to give it up, then I'll try and find a healthier option that will satisfy me. I think what's important is that you keep going no matter what, keep doing whatever is working for you, and I really believe over time you'll start looking at healthier options. You know even if it was one heatlhy change per month, within 12 months, your eating habits would look very different.

drdortch

I try to eat healthy AND within my calories but it doesn't always work out that way. No matter what I eat, I do my best to be under my calories.

kimad

For me, personally, I changed my eating habits so I could make this a lifestyle change. If I continue to eat those foods, I will just stop MFP'ing and be back at square one. Also, the healthier I eat, the MORE I get to eat. That being said, I have a splurge day once a week and I dont let this consume my life -- I went for beer and wings last night, I may have cake at work, whatever it be... I just try to be smart.

but at the end of the day if is up to you!!!!

Good luck

BazAbroad

as a rule, no, I don't do that,
I have changed what I eat, and if you like learned to like what I eat.
I have days off from the diet, or I will train real hard to burn of cals and then eat them back.
I train to compliment my lifestyle not stop me living.
Swings and roundabouts, give and take, until you find a good balance.
If your overweight that balance is off, your have to work harder now to get it right, then you can add some of the nice things back in your life.
More changes you make now, the quicker the results,
depends on how quickly you be the new you...

kierstin1976

I eat clean. Losing body fat and gaining muscle is what's important to me. You can be skinny and have high body fat.

moeheep

YES!!

Fortunately, I like to eat clean.

Simone_King

Yes and no.

Yes that I can have things but I look at the calories...

Would I eat a honey bun that has over 500 cals?

Or something else that doesn't have that much calories? Personally, I rather save my calories for the rest of the day.