"WHOLE" food VS "BAD" food

tiaamato

my daily goals are as follows:

calories 1700
carbs 170
fat 57
protein 128
sugar 24

so what is the difference in reaching these goals with fast food than with "whole" foods? if it all totals the same numbers at the end of the day, does it really matter? if u say yes, please explain y.

Loulady

kinsellae

I eat crappy food on the weekends and when I do I don't usually meet my protein goal always go over on fats and rarely- if ever get all the vitamins or fiber that I'd like to. I'm sure that even if I met my macro goals I would still miss out on the nutrients.

CantarellaMiyani

Generally speaking, calories are calories. However.

Fast food is more likely to contain chemicals that stimulate appetite, preservatives that retard weight loss, sodium that increases water retention. The "pink slime" that was causing such a ruckus recently, which was/is used as filler for fast food burgers, and treated with ammonia. Hell, Taco Bell ground beef has sand in it.

It's less about the calories themselves being "better," and more about me knowing what's going into my body. Taking care of my liver at the same time I'm counting my intake.

arenkel

Well, would you rather have a Big Mac and fries or 3 meals and 2 snacks? Honestly, for me, that's what it comes down to. I need to eat every 3 hours, so I choose not to eat the so-called "bad" foods, simply because I'll go way over if I do. "Whole" foods, the ones closer to nature, tend to allow you to eat more, especially if you fill up on veggies.

arenkel

Yes. Hahaha.

I know I may be feeding a troll, but I couldn't help myself!

Acg67

my daily goals are as follows:

calories 1700
carbs 170
fat 57
protein 128
sugar 24

so what is the difference in reaching these goals with fast food than with "whole" foods? if it all totals the same numbers at the end of the day, does it really matter? if u say yes, please explain y.

Micronutrients, although I wouldn't expect significant differences in body comp

IronPlayground

tiaamato

so pretty much i would still lose weight eating crappy foods (within my daily limits) but i might no "feel" as great if i were eating veggies and all that? like maybe if i ate crappy food, i wouldn't wanna do my workout in the evening as where if i ate "whole foods" i would feel energized? is that the difference?

ToughTulip

so pretty much i would still lose weight eating crappy foods (within my daily limits) but i might no "feel" as great if i were eating veggies and all that? like maybe if i ate crappy food, i wouldn't wanna do my workout in the evening as where if i ate "whole foods" i would feel energized? is that the difference?

Pretty close.

Plus "whole" foods tend to be more filling. Junk foods can leave you being hungry later. Depends on the person.

Having some junk food isnt bad, but filling up your whole diet of it sure can be. Need those vitamins!

gp79

You could do this. It would take a little figuring out as you piece together meals to meet your macro goals. You would likely have to alter the food from it's original form since a good portion of "fast food" is proportionately higher in fat / carbs than protein. ie, removing a bun or breading on chicken nuggets.

lruff1987

It's all about feeding your body with healthy ingredients. Yes, you can eat 1700 calories of crap and stay within your range. But think about what your body does with food. We feed ourselves to give our bodies energy, to give our bodies nutrients, to keep it functioning in a healthy manner, to have a healthy complexion, etc. So if all we're giving our bodies is fast food, where are the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that we need?? Eventually that fast food will manifest itself in one way or another. : /

taunto

few things
1) You're not getting the micronutrients. Like the calories might be spot on, along with carbs and proteins if you get the right junk food but the nutrition (vitamins etc) might not be there

2) This is me. Anytime I try to eat only junk food for the day (chips, cookies etc) I have severe headache and feel like crap if I try to stay within my calorie limit. I have to basically eat anywhere from twice to three times as much junk food to fill me up compared to regular home-cooked meals.

I'm not saying you shouldn't be eating bad food. I have been toying with my foods and have been keeping aside a coupe of hundred calories just for bad foods to satisfy my cravings (experiment still under progress).

Anyways, whichever way you go, good luck

dlyeates

Kind of like that. I have found that I like to have more food....as in volume....which makes me feel fuller and more satisfied longer.

If I eat a double cheeseburger (440 calories) or a Big Mac (540 calories) that is pretty much my meal and I don't get full and I'm not very satisfied.

If I have my "tostada meal" night I get: 2 corn tostadas (don't really fit on a plate together), 4 oz of 99/1 ground turkey with my own taco seasoning to control sodium, 2 Tbsp salsa, 1/2 C lettuce shreds, 1/2 cup black beans (I mash these like refried beans), and 1/2 of an avocado. They are pretty big when you split all of these between the 2 tostadas and come in UNDER 500 calories!!! Plus it's more "whole" foods with some processed in there too (I'm not making my own tostada shells).

Yes, I do get the "bad" food sometimes as a treat but then I'm hungry sooner and usually have less calories to have a snack with. You also are not getting the best nutrients with the junk food and you may not be as healthy inside because of it even if you are losing weight. Good luck....you'll find a balance!!

Namaste1983

I'M HERE FOR THE GIFS

amysj303

I think there is one other thing, that might not matter too much but you actually burn more calories trying to digest wole foods than processed foods, so they have fewer calories ultimately. Also, I find if I eat whole foods I am much less hungry at 1400 cals than if I eat junk food.

ninerbuff

IMO the micronutrients (which has been mentioned) and the calorie density of foods you decide to eat. You can eat more volume of food that's less calorie dense.
That said, I eat 80/20 and it's worked well for me for over 28 years.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

tiaamato

perfect! I completely understand now. especially when lruff1987 said that u can stay within your range but it will effect your body in other ways.

as far as the "wouldn't u rather have a huge filling healthy meal than a small crappy one?".....my concern with eating healthy all the time was that i was not reaching even 1200 calories at the end of the day (when i need 1700) and i wasn't hungry.

taunto

perfect! I completely understand now. especially when lruff1987 said that u can stay within your range but it will effect your body in other ways.

as far as the "wouldn't u rather have a huge filling healthy meal than a small crappy one?".....my concern with eating healthy all the time was that i was not reaching even 1200 calories at the end of the day (when i need 1700) and i wasn't hungry.

Like ninerbuff suggested, try 80% "clean" and 20% "dirty". Implement some nut butters for quick and easy calories. I also used to make a home mixture of nuts with roasted almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans and use honey as the glue for them all. It was like 90 calories per tbsp

tiaamato

I ate crappy today to see what the difference would be. looks like i get WAY to much sodium compared to my healthy eating

chuisle

The answers on here are pretty right on. This article is good too:

http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

It's also hard to hit sugar, sodium, fiber, iron, etc. with processed foods.

Here it is for me in a nutshell:

1. I feel better

2. It is better for my health. I get much closer to the recommended daily micronutrients, which are actually proven to have health benefits.

3. I *might* look better for (people argue clean eating helps achieve a better body composition).

4. It is probably better for my health to avoid the chemicals in processed foods.

tiaamato

thanks for the info to read. lookes like i'm going to go with the 80/20, so is that only 20% of calories can be junk food, or do u have to go by 20% of fat and carbs too?

belgerian

Certain foods for me cause cravings in that study done about fast food Super Size Me it states the combination of foods causes your body to crave the same foods over and over. So for me mentally I make a serious effort not to eat any Junk well except for Ice Cream. But you get the point.

chuisle

thanks for the info to read. lookes like i'm going to go with the 80/20, so is that only 20% of calories can be junk food, or do u have to go by 20% of fat and carbs too?

20% of calories should be non 'whole' foods by this rule. Carbs and fats can be whole foods of course! Vegetables are mostly carbs. Olive oil is great for you.

What is whole foods depends on your personal preferences.

Lesa_Sass

Besides the fact that whole foods are just better for you period? It also takes more energy to digest whole natural foods than it does packaged crap.

The way we look and feel while eating whole foods is way beyond what the scale says. I will be 44 next week and am often told I look in my mid to late 20s, I look younger now than I did 10 years ago. I promise you it is due to my diet.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT.

But please, if you do decide to eat your calorie goal in junk, spare us the "I have not lost weight in 2 months and want to give up" thread.

I find it very interesting that people are more concerned about what they feed their animals than they do themselves. Its a pity really.

ipag

somanyrhoades

so pretty much i would still lose weight eating crappy foods (within my daily limits) but i might no "feel" as great if i were eating veggies and all that? like maybe if i ate crappy food, i wouldn't wanna do my workout in the evening as where if i ate "whole foods" i would feel energized? is that the difference?

That is the difference and it's a HUGE one! It's true that you can lose weight by essentially eating anything, but think about this.... one fast food junk meal can meet almost all of your calorie needs. Is that what you want? to eat one time a day? Also, food is meant to feed your body. It is how we get energy, heal from illness and injury, and keep our bodies functioning at maximum potential. If you are eating junk all the time, you are not getting enough micronutrients (vitamins, minerals etc) to keep yourself healthy. Being healthy isn't just about being an appropriate weight, it's about giving your body what it needs to survive. Fake processed garbage, excess sodium, trans fat, saturated fat.... that's what you're getting when you eat fast food and drink soda and eat junk. Those things have been linked with a ton of serious health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and generalized feelings of, well feeling like crap. So THAT'S the difference. You may be an appropriate weight but will it really matter if your heart gives out at 45 and you end up with gangrene from uncontrolled diabetes?

magj0y

my daily goals are as follows:

calories 1700
carbs 170
fat 57
protein 128
sugar 24

so what is the difference in reaching these goals with fast food than with "whole" foods? if it all totals the same numbers at the end of the day, does it really matter? if u say yes, please explain y.

I think quality is also important as quantity.
No, you don't have to eat like a saint, but if all 170 of your carbs are empty, it's not going to be that great. It's hard enough getting over 100 grams of protein with out shakes! I have some bone loss, so I try and munch on a can of alaskan wild salmon a few times a week. (for D, it must be Alaskan, and it must be wild)
A double quarter pounder w/ cheese has 42 grams of protein, 40 grams of carbs, and 43 grams of fat. 9 on sugar, 1300 sodium and the carbs are pretty empty. At 740 cals, you have less than 1K left. while you can get a lot done in 1k, doing this every day simply isn't good for you.

**This is JUST a sandwich. Not a whole lunch or dinner.

Spend your calories wisely, mix it with some healthy stuff and you'll be fine. Just add water with so much sodium

bcattoes

The difference for weight loss is likely not much, if any. But for overall health the difference could be substantial. How much difference it makes depends on many things specific to you alone (genetics, how much and what type exercise you do, stress level, medical history, family history, etc.)

Akimajuktuq

Besides the fact that whole foods are just better for you period? It also takes more energy to digest whole natural foods than it does packaged crap.

The way we look and feel while eating whole foods is way beyond what the scale says. I will be 44 next week and am often told I look in my mid to late 20s, I look younger now than I did 10 years ago. I promise you it is due to my diet.

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT.

But please, if you do decide to eat your calorie goal in junk, spare us the "I have not lost weight in 2 months and want to give up" thread.

I find it very interesting that people are more concerned about what they feed their animals than they do themselves. Its a pity really.

I love this post!

I eat in a different way than some people on MFP and sometimes when I respond to the "Help me, I can't lose weight" posts I get jumped on. Yet, I'd really like to share what I'm doing since I feel AMAZING and have found a way to end cravings and binging, and the happy side effect is weight loss (and it's SAFE imo, based on thousands of hours of research, experimentation with my own body, and observation of my Inuit neighbours). Yet, I've noticed that many "help me" posts maybe really don't want to try something different, or sometimes won't even stick to their SAD "healthy" eating plan. Calories in, calories out; if that works for you great, but it doesn't work for EVERYONE.

I agree with this post; the quality of food is paramount. I live in the Arctic and can't even access what many people take for granted, yet I am able to do well with what I have (and order a few things that I can't get here and NEED). Admittedly, I have occasional access to some foods that other people would love to have (wild caribou, char, etc).

tiaamato

In no way shape or form was i saying that i was gonna eat fast food all day everyday. I'm just asking questions because i dont know. i cut out soda 3 months ago and lost 18lbs, so i know now that i'm only drinking water.

i tried the fast food today to see the difference...and ive noticed my sodium is thru the roof and i feel tired right now, where as when i'm eating clean, i did not feel tired till after my evening workout. thanks for all the tips. i was so focused on losing weight that i did not think of the way clean foods help then inside of my body. i got it now! thanks!