What foods for you aren't worth the calories

saraann4

I like processed crap... Stuffing, au gratin potatoes, macaroni & cheese, donuts, cake, and chocolate (although, I do have some every once in awhile...woman has gotta have her chocolate), I won't touch that stuff anymore. It's just not worth it. If anything, I'd rather make the real deal.

qofdisks

Sugary drinks and full fat dairy are never worth it to me. Sugary high carb desserts and fatty meats usually aren't, though I do have them on occasions.

TurnLeftNow

Mostly liquids that have calories in them. I would rather eat the 170 calories than drink a can of coke or drink juice or whatever. Those liquids can add up really really fast without filling you up.

UpEarly

I like the way fruit-flavored Greek yogurt tastes, but it's not worth double the calories of the old-style light vanilla yogurt. I don't have a problem with using artificial sweeteners and I usually hit my protein goal without needing the protein Greek yogurt provides. So, I figure why waste the extra calories and grams of sugar on Greek yogurt. I can have an extra cookie for the 80 calories I save by skipping the Greek. And face it... I'd rather have the cookie. :-)

Chameleone

Juice...
I used to love juice but I just noticed I haven't had it in months because it's just not worth it...

OnionCookie

I like the way fruit-flavored Greek yogurt tastes, but it's not worth double the calories of the old-style light vanilla yogurt. I don't have a problem with using artificial sweeteners and I usually hit my protein goal without needing the protein Greek yogurt provides. So, I figure why waste the extra calories and grams of sugar on Greek yogurt. I can have an extra cookie for the 80 calories I save by skipping the Greek. And face it... I'd rather have the cookie. :-)

I was going to put this too except I dislike the tastes of most Greek yogurts and a small cup here costs enough to buy four packs of old style yogurt. I still have to watch my budget.

qofdisks

I still eat full fat dairy. Otherwise, why bother? I sure don't get to eat very much anymore and I have to be very paranoid about measuring it out. Not putting cheese on top of everything and eating cheese several times a day for both meals and snacks is one of the main habits I am changing/have changed by tracking calories these last 35 days. It sucks not being able to poke cheese and sour cream in my face whenever I feel like it. I am even careful with the yogurt now.
I am still too careless with the half and half in the coffee. That "may" be next habit to change? Cringing.
I hate being fat and unhealthy more than I love cheese.

qofdisks

Stuff I gave up over these first 35 days

lots of cheese on everything
sour cream
most carbs and eating carbs 4 times a day or eating large portions of carbs, I try to save for carbs one meal per day as a goal
big portions of anything except veggies (had an apricot binge)
candy and candy bars
all chips except corn tortilla chips and they HAVE to go!
fried food
second alcoholic beverage
sandwiches with a bun or two slices of bread
too many nuts
pre-packaged foods with too much sodium and calories
the WHOLE bag of microwave popcorn drenched in pancake syrup
FRIED POTATOES and more FRIED POTATOES and did I mention, FRIED POTATOES? Most days I don't even eat potatoes
(confessing to snatching a few from my boy's fast food)
Oh yeah, fast food is mostly GONE, GONE, GONE...

There is a whole lot of bad stuff out there that I was already avoiding for the most part. I have lost only a couple of pounds so far and have forever to go.

qofdisks

fred food for the most part.. but I live near New Orleans so I'm used to everything being fried. I'm the weird one at family gatherings not eating anything.

I bet most Cajun recipes can be modified to be lower in fat and higher in nutrition with very little loss in flavor. Mexican food is like that too.

qofdisks

Yes, big time, and I must sacrifice 6 days every week.
My "Free Day" is when I do not count calories and eat whatever. Life is to be lived.
Lost 75 lbs doing it this way.

I know another gentleman that has a free day once a week. He has lost 100lbs.
I do not think women can get away with this but, we may be able to have a free meal every week or two. I am determined to record my intake even if I cheat. After my first 35 days of MFP, I have found that I cannot eat as much even when I "cheat". This has been a good diet for the chickens. I try to save up my budget calories if I know I am going out or make something special. Tomorrow night, I am going to a fajita party. I am already anticipating a game plan of what I will choose. I plan to eat dessert and allow myself to "go over" my budget but, still no flour tortilla and no sour cream or guac. Cheese is still a daily battle for me. DAILY.

theblackbirdtree

Alcohol: Does nothing for your body or your mind, IMHO.

Cooking oil: Just steam it. So much better for you and less stress on the cooking action towards the food. I look at it like high heat + oil + food = microwave cooking. Just nukes it.

Soda: Add some lemon to your water, drink tea, do anything but drink soda. Carbonation is really bad for your intestines and stomach.

kayakinggrrl

Any Starbucks or other coffee shop drinks. I'd much rather eat those calories.

qofdisks

Said before..... the microwave meals. Healthy choice, lean cuisine, etc. Very conveinient for work lunch, but always high in sodium and not that appealing. Would rather eat healthy leftovers....

Agreed. I actually think a few of them are really tasty, but they never fill me up for long. So why bother?

I love, love, love milkshakes. I really love Chickfila's milkshakes. But somehow, since I found that they're 700+ calories each (for a small!) they don't seem that appealing to me anymore!

A small serving of soft serve ice cream can be worked into the calorie budget.

Ariberri9

Any "snack foods", really -- Little Debbie things, Frito Lay stuff...little pantry snacks. Totally not worth the massive amount of calories (unless I need to make up calories quickly).

Also, sodas and other sweet drinks. Not worth it either. And specialty coffees -- Starbucks, Heine Brothers, etc. And desserts.

MakeItWork_75

Ranch dressing. Once upon a time I used ranch on everything! It has ssooo many calories that I can't eat it snymore. I feel like I lost a loved one.

Oh, I can totally relate to this!! Bye bye..Ranch, Blue Cheese, and Thousand Island dressings. They just aren't worth it to me.
I have stopped all fried foods (which is very hard when you live in the South!), pasta, and mayonnaise.
I get nervous eating at a restaurant because I can't control how the food is prepared, and I don't like guessing my calories. If I am going to be serious about being healthy, I want to do it right.

chivalryder

You know what... This is just a once-in-a-while Sunday drive. There's nothing wrong with indulging yourself every now and then. Remember, a pound of fat is 3500 calories. It's not like you're going to gain a whole lot from this one trip.

As long as you stick to your goals for the rest of the week/month, one heavy meal isn't going to set you back a whole lot!

I say get what you want. :P

thrld

Frosting (ganche not included) is not worth the calories.
Any kind of macaroni & cheese.
hot dogs
Onion rings (used to love, love, love them, but now... not worth it)


Although, it's hard to tell if my changes in eating have resulted in changes in palate, because this stuff just doesn't taste as good as it used to -- or Maybe it never tasted that good in the first place and could I have been eating it out of cravings that had nothing to do with how it tasted?

hswayze

Regular sodas & full fat dairy products

bdubois63

MIlk to drink with a meal.....bread on a daily basis....sugar......I WOULD RATHER HAVE FRUIT than milk or bread, so I choose choices of that over the other! and oil or butters to cook with, instead I use a no stick pan and water.......

i_am_asparagus

Anything that doesn't taste good. I rarely eat out but when I do, it had better be yummy! I hate leaving the restaurant thinking that I could have made the dish at home and it would have tasted better and had less calories. :grumble: