eat what you want within calories or do you restrict?

fiveohmike

Anything I want, if it fits in my goals, but I try at minimum to stick to the 80/20 rule. 80% good stuff, 20% bad (including alcohol)

sdurrahMpls

I eat whatever I want as long as I can fit it into my calorie count, BUT I make healthier choices than I did before. I've cut back so much on processed food, mostly because I've learned how horrible they are for our bodies, but also, because I can eat more and feel satisfied if I eat simple fresh, whole foods.

Joanne_8595

I tend to try to stick to healthy options, but when I want a treat I have one. It's that moderation thing, which I can control most times. If I sit down with a bag of chips vs take a bowl and weigh an ounce portion, I will eat what is in front of me, since I have no will power for certain things. I really don't crave ice cream or cake, my downfall is usually pizza. I know that I can't order a pizza or make pizza and not eat at least 3 pieces, so I eat salad's the rest of the day and low cal meals and plan it out. That way I can enjoy my true love, especially if I have a lot of exercise that day! Btw, several days a week if you looked at my food diary, you will find I have a couple mini snicker bars or things like that, there are so many things that come in mini sizes these days!

bcattoes

I restrict many foods, but I do it for my health, not for weight loss. I gained weight eating healthy and I lost weight eating healthy.

I haven't really cut anything that I like out of my diet completely, but many unhealthy foods are saved for occasional eating only. I do try to eat a variety of fresh natural foods, but I don't eat 100% clean. There are several processed healthy foods that I eat on a regular basis.

rumpusparable

I don't allow myself any sweets or such. I see no benefit to my body in having a piece of cake.

myfitnessnmhoy

As long as you are eating fewer calories than you are taking in, you will lose weight.

However, I think you'll very rapidly find that eating at a deficit is an extremely uncomfortable and hunger-inducing thing to do unless you spend your calories fairly wisely. That doesn't mean cutting out ALL sweets, but it will probably mean cutting back on them and increasing your intake of fulfilling, nutritious food.


reductio ad absurdum: CAN you eat 1200 calories of just table sugar and a multivitamin if you have a metabolic index of 1700 calories, and lose 1 pound a week? Absolutely. But you'll probably get through the first day or two at most and start feeling really awful.

I started my diet using pretty healthy components (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains, a pretty typical American
healthy diet'), and still found that I had to fiddle with proportions and re-balance my diet (increasing protein and fat, reducing carbs) to get through an average day with a deficit without feeling hungry all the time. Now that I'm eating more in balance, I find life to be so much more enjoyable, and wholesome foods make me FEEL good, so now they taste good because they are what my body wants.

This is not to say I don't indulge in sweets. But a teeny tiny portion and I can say "that's enough - I have extracted optimal enjoyment out of this, I will stop eating it now."

breeanreyes

I do a little of both, i try to fuel my body as cleanly as I can, but you gotta live a little! I am in need of cleaning up my diet again,, I notice a huge difference in my energy levels when I eat better (aka, workouts are MUCH easier to get in)