Weight loss while eating badly

kuger4119

There's always a lot of talk about how you have to avoid certain foods if you want to lose weight and people love to chastise other MFP members for eating pizza and the like. The last two weeks have shown me that you can have moments of weakness and still come out ahead even when your diet isn't perfect as long as the overall trends are right and you are working out to compensate.

In the past two weeks, I've had McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese, Dominos pizza, a few beers, half of a giant tub of movie popcorn, ice cream, birthday cake, Taco Bell and the like. In that same time frame, I've lost four pounds.

To do that, I've worked out at least a half hour six days a week and tried to keep the rest of my daily calories under control. Long story short, it is possible to cheat some and lose weight as long as you put in the work the rest of the time. I've lost 7 lbs this month after gaining 3 lbs while on vacation the week after Memorial Day. I don't know if I inadvertently did a metabolic reset by eating on vacation and having the other bad foods, but it's working for me and I'm happy with that. For the others here that worry about the negative effects of food on a bad day........just make sure that you are putting in the work overall and it will work out in the long run.

I'll finish by saying that there are sacrifices to be made if you want to lose weight, but unless you are obsessing about having washboard abs, make sure to enjoy the trip along the way as much as you can while you try to stay within your calorie goals.

Rilke

Long term health / longevity / freedom from disease > weight loss.

A heavily processed diet is not good for anyone, ever.

kuger4119

I will say that in general, I've tried to reduce my fast food intake and eat better.

The common person doesn't need to obsess about perfection and that was the primary point of my post. If someone thinks that they can eat that kind of stuff all the time and stay ahead.....they'll be disappointed. A few bad days hasn't hurt me one bit and I'd bet the same goes for most people as long as they put in the work overall.

ahamm002

Everyone knows that you can lose weight in the short term by eating anything, even Twinkies and donuts. The problem is that once the motivation runs out, if you keep eating those types of foods you'll be more likely to gain the weight back.

EDIT: I'm not recommending that anyone should cut out all junk food. Cheat meals are fine. But snacking regularly on junk, or eating mainly fast food will eventually lead to failure for most people. And you also have to wonder what those foods are doing for your internal health as well.

Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim

Bump

josiereside

I don't consider any meals cheat meals, whether the good, the bad, or the ugly... I eat healthy and clean probably 80% of the time and I don't ban any foods... I have been successful doing this. The only time I am not successful is if I over eat or am not being accountable for my diet.

mdsjmom98

I had a deluxe pizza with my son last night. I would say I probably ate about 8 squares and a breadstick, which totalled over 800 cals. I knew I would probably have pizza for dinner, so I adjust breakfast and lunch accordingly. I had a small breakfast, and only a smart ones for lunch, so I had the calories to spare. After we ate, we walked for almost an hour, then I did a little wii fit. I ended up in the positive by 70 calories or so.

I believe in moderation, and limiting your splurges. It is possible to eat the things you love and enjoy them and still lose weight. I'm proof of that.

ndmain1977

I'm gonna have to go ahead and beg to differ with a lot of you.

Take a look at this:

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

That's a Nutrition professor that did this experiment.

Gotta stop listening to the pseudo scientists, and the people trying to sell you stuff folks.

FAKE EDIT: Go ahead, I know plenty of you are going to flame me, or tell me how it's bs, but I think I'll go ahead and believe a guy who has made it his life to study the effects of food on the human body.

Rilke

I'm gonna have to go ahead and beg to differ with all of you.

Take a look at this:

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

That's a Nutrition professor that did this experiment.

Gotta stop listening to the pseudo scientists, and the people trying to sell you stuff folks.

FAKE EDIT: Go ahead, I know plenty of you are going to flame me, or tell me how it's bs, but I think I'll go ahead and believe a guy who has made it his life to study the effects of food on the human body.

If you would like to eat a diet based on Twinkies to prove you can lose weight on it, please, repeat the experiment. But keep it going for years. Healthy and sustainable, right?

Report back on how it's worked for you.

ndmain1977

A junk food diet would be the most sustainable diet in the world.

The point of the "Twinkie diet" is that despite all the talk to the contrary, it actually does come down to calories in / calories out.

Rilke

A junk food diet would be the most sustainable diet in the world.

The point of the "Twinkie diet" is that despite all the talk to the contrary, it actually does come down to calories in / calories out.

Weight loss comes down to calories in / calories out. But health most certainly does not.

josiereside

Hmmmm, I used to love Twinkies... have not had one in years... Thanks for putting this in my head!

ndmain1977

Did you even read the article? In addition to the weight loss, his health improved.

Josie_lifting_cats

I eat something naughty nearly every day.

Wine.
Fun dip.
Pioneer Woman's iced coffee with evaporated milk *droooooooooollllll*

Sure, if I was eating out 3 meals a day 5-7 times a week, I'd worry. But I eat Taco Bell or Subway (I honestly hold them in the same regard as far as "crap food" is concerned) probably twice a week. I don't worry about it too much. And it didn't hinder my goals - but I eat different things than I used to to stay under calories. And honestly, my protein/fat/sugars are usually pretty close to my goals still.

Rilke

Did you even read the article? In addition to the weight loss, his health improved.

Yes, I have read that article and others on his experiment. But he did this for a very short time -- ten weeks. That is not a long enough time period to study any kind of long term effects.

Again, if you truly believe in this, I invite you to sustain that diet for a year or more and see what your health looks like.

VanessaGS

Everyone knows that you can lose weight in the short term by eating anything, even Twinkies and donuts. The problem is that once the motivation runs out, if you keep eating those types of foods you'll be more likely to gain the weight back.

EDIT: I'm not recommending that anyone should cut out all junk food. Cheat meals are fine. But snacking regularly on junk, or eating mainly fast food will eventually lead to failure for most people. And you also have to wonder what those foods are doing for your internal health as well.

I agree. Most fast food restaurants contain partially dehydrated soy bean oil which can cause lots of problems down the line. Do the research? I'm not going to lie, I do squeeze in some fast food every once in a while, but I have to say I've had fast food maybe twice this month. We are human and can't cut it out completely but it's better to make your food at home. If you want french fries try making some with fresh potatoes in the george forman grill. Tastes good and no grease Same goes for burgers. YUMMMM!

kmeekhof

Did you even read the article? In addition to the weight loss, his health improved.

I'm sure his health "improved" because of the weight loss. Anybodys health is going to improve a little bit from losing 27 lbs.

ndmain1977

My biggest issue with a lot of people that are in the diet community is how they come down on people that aren't eating "clean" or whatever you want to call it. Also, how people on here even, will give someone else that's losing weight grief because they're eating processed foods, and it just isn't up to their standards. It basically comes down to one person trying to tell the other person that "I'm better than you, because I'm losing weight by eating healthy, and you're not."

It's as bad as baptists, that have no problem coming up to a complete stranger, and saying "You're going to hell, because you don't live you're life the same as me.", instead it's "You're gonna stay fat, because you're not eating the same as me.".

Basically, if you want to work something into your diet that someone else tries to tell you is bad for you, don't listen to them. If it's working for you, and you're losing weight, go with it.

LeenaRuns

[Weight loss comes down to calories in / calories out. But health most certainly does not.

This.

Helloitsdan

IIFYM

Weight loss comes down to calories in / calories out. But health most certainly does not.

Somewhat......
Hormones up vs hormones down for some ppl.
Most ppl sub optimal body fat cals in vs cals out just doesnt work.

ahamm002

A junk food diet would be the most sustainable diet in the world.

The point of the "Twinkie diet" is that despite all the talk to the contrary, it actually does come down to calories in / calories out.

Who are you responding to? Nobody said you couldn't lose weight by eating junk. The problem is maintaining that weight loss. Eventually the motivation will start to run out, and you wake up next to an empty donut box. Rinse/repeat, you just gained all your weight back.

Rilke

My biggest issue with a lot of people that are in the diet community is how they come down on people that aren't eating "clean" or whatever you want to call it. Also, how people on here even, will give someone else that's losing weight grief because they're eating processed foods, and it just isn't up to their standards. It basically comes down to one person trying to tell the other person that "I'm better than you, because I'm losing weight by eating healthy, and you're not."

It's as bad as baptists, that have no problem coming up to a complete stranger, and saying "You're going to hell, because you don't live you're life the same as me.", instead it's "You're gonna stay fat, because you're not eating the same as me.".

Basically, if you want to work something into your diet that someone else tries to tell you is bad for you, don't listen to them. If it's working for you, and you're losing weight, go with it.

So you are choosing *not* to try the Twinkie diet for more than ten weeks. Good choice.

Rilke

IIFYM

Weight loss comes down to calories in / calories out. But health most certainly does not.

Somewhat......
Hormones up vs hormones down for some ppl.
Most ppl sub optimal body fat cals in vs cals out just doesnt work.

Most people? I know that a minority of people have metabolic issues or some other hormone dysfunction that means calories in/out doesn't cut it, but that is a minority.

ndmain1977

So you are choosing *not* to try the Twinkie diet for more than ten weeks. Good choice.

Heh... honestly, I don't even like twinkies, but I'm so glad that you got that last little barb off, so you could let me know just how much better of a person you are than me.

amandab1669

I had a deluxe pizza with my son last night. I would say I probably ate about 8 squares and a breadstick, which totalled over 800 cals. I knew I would probably have pizza for dinner, so I adjust breakfast and lunch accordingly. I had a small breakfast, and only a smart ones for lunch, so I had the calories to spare. After we ate, we walked for almost an hour, then I did a little wii fit. I ended up in the positive by 70 calories or so.

I believe in moderation, and limiting your splurges. It is possible to eat the things you love and enjoy them and still lose weight. I'm proof of that.

I totally agree with you. With moderation you can still eat your favorite guilty pleasures. I hate vegetables and love my chips and fries. I still have them every week but in moderation. That is the key word MODERATION.

kuger4119

It is obviously a dangerous game to play when you have unhealthy foods in your diet. Some people do not possess the ability to restrain themselves from eating way too much and incorporating those kinds of foods is the fastest path back to the obese zone. My viewpoint on weight loss is that it is most important to follow a sustainable path that you are really going to be able to follow and you enjoy following.

I realize that eating hot dogs and other processed meat slightly increases my chances of colon cancer. I know that there are healthier alternatives than a pepperoni pizza. I know that a McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese is horrible for me. You know what? I don't frickin' care. I enjoy eating them and I've lost 22 pounds since February 2nd while enjoying stuff like that every once in a while.

If I happen to die of colon cancer because of what I ate, that is just the way it is and I'm not going to worry about it. As long as I feel comfortable with who I am and how I look and I can do the things that I want to do physically, I'm not going to lose a bunch of sleep worrying about whether or not a particular food falls into the "health food" category. A lot of people, my father included, refuse to improve their lives because they feel that in order to effect change, they have to follow Rilke's path of avoiding everything unhealthy and they are unwilling to make that sacrifice.

As time goes on, I've been incorporating some things that are "healthier" in my food profile because there are things out there that simply do not go hand in hand with weight loss. I try to snack on baby carrots with fat free dressing on occasion and I try to avoid regular soda completely and diet soda for the most part (although I will drink a few cans a week still). I try to avoid the super high sugar foods that can destroy my intake numbers. I'll probably consider switching to skim milk and I try to encourage more vegetables in our diet. For me, throwing out everything that I enjoy that is unhealthy would be unsustainable. My point is that you can make improvements even when you aren't perfect. Sometimes, it's better to win the battles you can win, than to start a war that you don't really have the desire to win. Everyone is different and you have to find what works for you.

FlyEaglesGuy

Too much work to burn off a cheeseburger.

I much rather eat a turkey cheeseburger and let my burn help create my deficit.

Rilke

It is obviously a dangerous game to play when you have unhealthy foods in your diet. Some people do not possess the ability to restrain themselves from eating way too much and incorporating those kinds of foods is the fastest path back to the obese zone. My viewpoint on weight loss is that it is most important to follow a sustainable path that you are really going to be able to follow and you enjoy following.

I realize that eating hot dogs and other processed meat slightly increases my chances of colon cancer. I know that there are healthier alternatives than a pepperoni pizza. I know that a McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese is horrible for me. You know what? I don't frickin' care. I enjoy eating them and I've lost 22 pounds since February 2nd while enjoying stuff like that every once in a while.

If I happen to die of colon cancer because of what I ate, that is just the way it is and I'm not going to worry about it. As long as I feel comfortable with who I am and how I look and I can do the things that I want to do physically, I'm not going to lose a bunch of sleep worrying about whether or not a particular food falls into the "health food" category. A lot of people, my father included, refuse to improve their lives because they feel that in order to effect change, they have to follow Rilke's path of avoiding everything unhealthy and they are unwilling to make that sacrifice.

As time goes on, I've been incorporating some things that are "healthier" in my food profile because there are things out there that simply do not go hand in hand with weight loss. I try to snack on baby carrots with fat free dressing on occasion and I try to avoid regular soda completely and diet soda for the most part (although I will drink a few cans a week still). I try to avoid the super high sugar foods that can destroy my intake numbers. I'll probably consider switching to skim milk and I try to encourage more vegetables in our diet. For me, throwing out everything that I enjoy that is unhealthy would be unsustainable. My point is that you can make improvements even when you aren't perfect. Sometimes, it's better to win the battles you can win, than to start a war that you don't really have the desire to win. Everyone is different and you have to find what works for you.

Thank you for your mature responses.

I am very "into" nutrition and healthy/traditional eating, but that doesn't mean my diet is perfect. I eat far too much chocolate, for one thing. I would be miserable without it. I am also a big fan of Chipotle's carnitas burrito bowls, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, a well done alfredo sauce, and shrimp fried rice from the Thai place up the street. But these are weekly or monthly treats, not several times a week in the name of "moderation".

My point in posting about healthy eating vs mere calorie watching is to inform, not to boast or guilt trip or push anyone towards purism. Life is too short for purism. But life would be even shorter without green veggies

caraiselite

i do low carb.

when i eat carby stuff for a day, i always get a loss afterwards. it's pretty cool.

bubsyh

The more I clean up my diet the more sick I feel after eating junk food. That said everything in moderation. Seriously though, I had a Burger King last week and thought I was going to be sick all over Paddington Station (I was not BTW).

kuger4119

The more I clean up my diet the more sick I feel after eating junk food. That said everything in moderation. Seriously though, I had a Burger King last week and thought I was going to be sick all over Paddington Station (I was not BTW).

That's been the downside for me as well in some situations. The honest truth is that I felt like hell after eating all that theater popcorn.