Eating what you want and losing weight

I've read countless amounts of crap from people on this forum that just doesn't make sense, for example in order to lose weight you need to eat wholesome foods and NO junk food, to lose weight. But the truth is, you can eat what you want and lose weight - no, it's not ideal, you obviously need X amount of vitamins, protein etc, however anyone can lose weight eating what they want, as long as it's within their calorie allowance.

There is an interesting read on the link below, a scientist eats nothing but Twinkies and junk food for two months and, would you believe it, lost weight. He took tablets for his vitamins and what not, but it just goes to show that these "only eat wholesome to lose weight" preachers are people who fell off a bandwagon somewhere along the way.

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

Moral of the story? You CAN eat junk food (although it should be in moderation IMO) and lose weight - please do not listen to these ney sayers who claim eating junk food will result in not losing weight.
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Replies

  • BSBgirl337
    BSBgirl337 Posts: 119 Member
    I totally agree with you! I think people who cut junk out completely are going to fall off the wagon someday! It is much easier to eat it in moderation and still lose weight. If we didn't like junk food, most of us probably wouldn't be on here in the first place :)
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    This is funny. I have been formulating thoughts around explaining the addictive nature of junk food, and how my 4 year journey has finally gotten me to a place where I no longer desire it at all, in fact, quite the opposite; I am repulsed by most of it, and completely indifferent to the rest. I crave natural wholesome food now and make those choices every time when offered either or. But, it takes some explaining. This little Preamble doesn't really do it justice.
  • katellanova
    katellanova Posts: 204 Member
    I completely agree. I have lost about 30 pounds so far with portion control and moderation. This is the only thing that would work for me. Otherwise I wouldn't be successful for long at all.
  • Yeah, I think the reason most people fail with their diets/lifestyle change, is because they, for some reason, believe that cutting out all junk food is a must, but it really isn't.
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    What I say: "I've lost weight eating cookies, ice cream and fast food."

    What I mean: "Over the last 6 months I've lost weight incorporating cookies, ice cream and fast food into an otherwise nutrient rich and balanced diet."


    How is this hard to understand?
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    This is funny. I have been formulating thoughts around explaining the addictive nature of junk food, and how my 4 year journey has finally gotten me to a place where I no longer desire it at all, in fact, quite the opposite; I am repulsed by most of it, and completely indifferent to the rest. I crave natural wholesome food now and make those choices every time when offered either or. But, it takes some explaining. This little Preamble doesn't really do it justice.

    When I was still living at home back in high school (more than a decade ago now), my dad was diagnosed with diabetes. All refined sugar basically disapeared from the house. My reaction: when it wasn't there and I wasn't eating it regularly I stopped craving it. I still don't like sweets much. Have I cut all sugar from my diet? Certainly not, but I also don't crave it like I did when it was readily available.
  • stupidloser
    stupidloser Posts: 300 Member
    Losing weight thru diet sucks shhhhh!
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    This is funny. I have been formulating thoughts around explaining the addictive nature of junk food, and how my 4 year journey has finally gotten me to a place where I no longer desire it at all, in fact, quite the opposite; I am repulsed by most of it, and completely indifferent to the rest. I crave natural wholesome food now and make those choices every time when offered either or. But, it takes some explaining. This little Preamble doesn't really do it justice.

    When I was still living at home back in high school (more than a decade ago now), my dad was diagnosed with diabetes. All refined sugar basically disapeared from the house. My reaction: when it wasn't there and I wasn't eating it regularly I stopped craving it. I still don't like sweets much. Have I cut all sugar from my diet? Certainly not, but I also don't crave it like I did when it was readily available.

    This. Maybe it's just because I don't eat sweets so much. Every once in a while I'll get a craving for a pastry or the obligatory once a month chocolate rush, but other then that, I'd rather have salty snacks.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    This is funny. I have been formulating thoughts around explaining the addictive nature of junk food, and how my 4 year journey has finally gotten me to a place where I no longer desire it at all, in fact, quite the opposite; I am repulsed by most of it, and completely indifferent to the rest. I crave natural wholesome food now and make those choices every time when offered either or. But, it takes some explaining. This little Preamble doesn't really do it justice.

    When I was still living at home back in high school (more than a decade ago now), my dad was diagnosed with diabetes. All refined sugar basically disapeared from the house. My reaction: when it wasn't there and I wasn't eating it regularly I stopped craving it. I still don't like sweets much. Have I cut all sugar from my diet? Certainly not, but I also don't crave it like I did when it was readily available.

    Just the simple act of not buying it forces you into thinking about food a little differently.
  • FarmGirl69
    FarmGirl69 Posts: 211
    I agree w/you Maverick...I love food sooooo much and am not too big on all the "healthy" stuff....with the help of MFP, I can get the right proportions and am still loosing weight....and I still eat pizza, burgers, etc! It's all about moderation...and by eating what I like, I don't feel like I'm really dieting! Good post buddy! :drinker:
  • bethabethh
    bethabethh Posts: 14 Member
    who wants to live in a world where you cant eat doughnuts. i love doughnuts
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    This is very simple.
    For mere weight loss with no concern for optimal health, eat whatever but create a deficit.
    For peak fitness and to look good, feel great and live well, clean eating is best.
    And that's lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
    It's not rocket science.
    I eat clean 75% of the time. That's as good as it gets, and it's a work in progress.
    Life is to be lived :drinker:
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I've read countless amounts of crap from people on this forum that just doesn't make sense, for example in order to lose weight you need to eat wholesome foods and NO junk food, to lose weight. But the truth is, you can eat what you want and lose weight - no, it's not ideal, you obviously need X amount of vitamins, protein etc, however anyone can lose weight eating what they want, as long as it's within their calorie allowance.

    There is an interesting read on the link below, a scientist eats nothing but Twinkies and junk food for two months and, would you believe it, lost weight. He took tablets for his vitamins and what not, but it just goes to show that these "only eat wholesome to lose weight" preachers are people who fell off a bandwagon somewhere along the way.

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

    Moral of the story? You CAN eat junk food (although it should be in moderation IMO) and lose weight - please do not listen to these ney sayers who claim eating junk food will result in not losing weight.

    You can lose weight eating anything. But to stay healthy and live long you need to eat right. You can't eat twinkies 3Xday for life and expect that you'll live to be an active 80.

    The crappy food catches up to you with high cholesterol, diabetes and heart attacks. These problems have been falsely attributed to obesity as the only cause. The truth is, a crappy lifestyle causes the problem.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
    I've read countless amounts of crap from people on this forum that just doesn't make sense, for example in order to lose weight you need to eat wholesome foods and NO junk food, to lose weight. But the truth is, you can eat what you want and lose weight - no, it's not ideal, you obviously need X amount of vitamins, protein etc, however anyone can lose weight eating what they want, as long as it's within their calorie allowance.

    There is an interesting read on the link below, a scientist eats nothing but Twinkies and junk food for two months and, would you believe it, lost weight. He took tablets for his vitamins and what not, but it just goes to show that these "only eat wholesome to lose weight" preachers are people who fell off a bandwagon somewhere along the way.

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

    Moral of the story? You CAN eat junk food (although it should be in moderation IMO) and lose weight - please do not listen to these ney sayers who claim eating junk food will result in not losing weight.

    MaverickUK2K,

    While it may be true that you can eat whatever you want as long as you are expending more calories that you are taking in, you will never have a fit, healthy, good looking body if you do that. And I think you're chastising without realizing the reality of these forums and the people on them.

    Most people equate losing weight with getting the body they want. They equate losing with getting healthy and getting fit and trim. You're upset because you think in literal terms only and you don't see what most people see.

    The FACT is that HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE WEIGHT LOSS can only be done eating healthy, wholesome foods. And even your twinkie-eating scientist has to admit to that one.

    Oh btw, if all I ate was twinkies...even if it was only 1200 calories...I would blow up like a balloon. So perhaps they should have used a wide range of people for their little scientific test so it would be a real test and not a total, non-scientific, absolute fail. What that scientist did proved only that HE could lose weight eating that way. It proved NOTHING about the majority of the population.
  • Dragonldy69
    Dragonldy69 Posts: 368 Member
    Losing weight thru diet sucks shhhhh!
    I don't really do a diet.:happy: I eat what I want but I watch what I eat and how much.. I exercise and drink alot of water.. :drinker: There are days I am not hungry and eat a small amount or shakes for dinner and breakfast.Lunch is my biggest meal..
    I haven't really changed my eatting habits but have watched and journal everything I eat.I have lost 5 lbs since I started using MFP and appreciate all the support and motivation I get on here.:flowerforyou:
  • Every morning I wake up and I smoke a cigarette. And for breakfast I eat five strips of bacon. And for lunch a bacon sandwich. And for a mid day snack...BACON. A WHOLE DAMN PLATE. and I usually drink my dinner. Now according to all those flat belly experts, I shoulda took a dirt nap 30 years ago! Just goes to show ya.
  • loneworg
    loneworg Posts: 342 Member
    Every morning I wake up and I smoke a cigarette. And for breakfast I eat five strips of bacon. And for lunch a bacon sandwich. And for a mid day snack...BACON. A WHOLE DAMN PLATE. and I usually drink my dinner. Now according to all those flat belly experts, I shoulda took a dirt nap 30 years ago! Just goes to show ya.
    Lol I like this woman!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    Every morning I wake up and I smoke a cigarette. And for breakfast I eat five strips of bacon. And for lunch a bacon sandwich. And for a mid day snack...BACON. A WHOLE DAMN PLATE. and I usually drink my dinner. Now according to all those flat belly experts, I shoulda took a dirt nap 30 years ago! Just goes to show ya.

    Will you marry me?
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I tried to lose weight by eating all the good, healthy foods all the time. Did it work? Well, for a short time, yes. The weight DID come off, but while losing weight I gained a lot of resentment and evil thoughts towards the world.

    I decided to approach things differently this time. I eat M&M's in my Greek yogurt EVERY SINGLE DAY. I eat cookies EVERY SINGLE DAY. I eat chips and hot dogs and *gasp* last night while watching a movie I consumed an entire piece of rainbow colored cake!

    I am in excellent health (and have the test results to prove it!), lost nearly 60lbs and I've kept it off for almost 2 years.

    I don't care what ANYONE says about only eating healthy and never eating any junk or blah blah blah.

    What I'm doing works for ME and that is what counts!
  • suzanne_oh
    suzanne_oh Posts: 95 Member
    I completely agree. I have lost about 30 pounds so far with portion control and moderation. This is the only thing that would work for me. Otherwise I wouldn't be successful for long at all.

    Same with me. I'm like a toddler when it comes to food, you tell me I CAN'T have it and that just makes me want it more! So I just try to eat "healthier" and eat the junk food in moderation while counting calories.
  • rcthale
    rcthale Posts: 141
    Totally true, you can lose weight with any type of food as long as you have a caloric deficit. But, weight is not the only aspect of health.
  • Every morning I wake up and I smoke a cigarette. And for breakfast I eat five strips of bacon. And for lunch a bacon sandwich. And for a mid day snack...BACON. A WHOLE DAMN PLATE. and I usually drink my dinner. Now according to all those flat belly experts, I shoulda took a dirt nap 30 years ago! Just goes to show ya.

    Will you marry me?

    Lmao
  • i_am_losing_it
    i_am_losing_it Posts: 310 Member
    What I say: "I've lost weight eating cookies, ice cream and fast food."

    What I mean: "Over the last 6 months I've lost weight incorporating cookies, ice cream and fast food into an otherwise nutrient rich and balanced diet."


    How is this hard to understand?

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    If I did not allow for the normal foods in my diet, yes, even junk food, I would last about a week or less. My husband, friends, relatives, children and I can all eat the same stuff, I am not excluded or feeling deprived. I just track it and eat in moderation, it does make me choose healthier foods just so I can account for something higher in calorie at another time.
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    I think I'll stay away from junk food, my aim here is to lose the weight and get healthy and that I can only get eating healthy foods. I will have an DQ ice cream cone or a piece of pastry sometimes but the idea is to get healthy. If I had these things on a regular basis I eventually will start another yoyo diet. NOT this time! I'll do it this way. Junk food makes you want more junk food!
  • orishp
    orishp Posts: 214 Member
    Cutting calories alone doesn't work for me, don't care about what the math says (and I am an engineer!!!!!)

    Luckily, I eat fairly healthy most of the time, and even more now, and I don't like fast food. The missing piece for me was the exercise and I seem to have that down now.

    I do have a piece of chocolate everyday, my down fall, but other than that I try to eat as clean as possible most of the time.

    I personally think you are kidding yourself, but to each their own....
  • I think I'll stay away from junk food, my aim here is to lose the weight and get healthy and that I can only get eating healthy foods. I will have an DQ ice cream cone or a piece of pastry sometimes but the idea is to get healthy. If I had these things on a regular basis I eventually will start another yoyo diet. NOT this time! I'll do it this way. Junk food makes you want more junk food!

    But if you're eating the stuff you love, albeit not as much as you'd like, why would you give up and yo-yo diet? You have more chance of doing so if you completely eliminate 'junk' food from your diet.
  • I personally think you are kidding yourself, but to each their own....

    In what respect?
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I'm pretty damn healthy.

    I eat "bad" things on a daily basis.
  • nhga47
    nhga47 Posts: 118
    ;
  • nhga47
    nhga47 Posts: 118
    This is funny. I have been formulating thoughts around explaining the addictive nature of junk food, and how my 4 year journey has finally gotten me to a place where I no longer desire it at all, in fact, quite the opposite; I am repulsed by most of it, and completely indifferent to the rest. I crave natural wholesome food now and make those choices every time when offered either or. But, it takes some explaining. This little Preamble doesn't really do it justice.


    "Like:"