Can I eat 1200 cals of junk and lose?

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No, this is not my personal desire but I remember reading a story about a man who experimented in eating McD's or Twinkies as a diet plan and it didn't matter what he ate, but more so the sticking to the caloric plan he was on and he was still able to lose weight. I'm just wondering if anybody has any experience doing that as well? Is that what they call "skinnyfat"? Because even with losing weight thats gotta be completely detrimental to one's health.

Replies

  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    Well, of course you would lose...weight, and then hair, muscle tone, healthy internal organs, skin elssticity, need I go on?. A calorie is a calorie but those things have no nutrition. Skinny fat is when you've reduced body fat but have not created healthy muscle underneath, so you're thin but toneless and flabby.
  • prettyfitchick
    prettyfitchick Posts: 502 Member
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    yes you could lose weight doing this but you will feel hungry and tired
  • Spook_adr
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    Yes... People who eat 1,200 calories of REAL food are much likely to be leaner though. Just in general, the lifestyle pattern usually leads to being slim longer.
  • MooMooooo
    MooMooooo Posts: 306 Member
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    Yeah I've done it.

    It's true about being hungry and tired.
  • Stary714
    Stary714 Posts: 110 Member
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    yeah but its really not healthy
  • maverick48
    maverick48 Posts: 69 Member
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    Try it.
  • samanthaspears
    samanthaspears Posts: 18 Member
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    I did it for a month years ago and felt terrible, then gained back all the weight I lost.
  • kadinlucas
    kadinlucas Posts: 77 Member
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    You would reach 1200 pretty damn quick but if you can fight the hunger and resist eating then you would still lose weight.
    But you would also be malnourished.
  • corgihugger
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    I have McDonalds and Taco Bell about every two weeks but I try to eat healthily the other percent of the time so.... I believe that you can lose weight, but that doesn't mean you're healthy or going to lose very much weight.
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
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    Hmm, so that would be one and a half candy bars? You cold have maybe two tacos from Taco bell. How many chips are in 1200 calories? Granted, these are all things I would not have taken into account until recently. But I am simply wondering, just how much "food" that would amount to if you ate nothing but prepackaged junk. Yep, I'm pretty sure you would lose weight. Probably pretty fast. Until you died.

    How much chicken breast does it take to make 1200 calories? How much mixed greens? Vegetables? So, again, you could do it. But why the hell would you want to?? And what would the long term damage to your body be?
  • somedaysoon84
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    when i started this thing... i was eating pretty much prepackaged, processed foods. fiber bar for breakfast, pre packaged junk (or hotdogs) for lunch, and bits and pieces of junk for dinner.
    i felt like garbage. i was working out hard too. i was hungry and grumpy. THEN... my hair started falling out. and when i stood up, i got dizzy.... i decided i needed a better plan, and started eating cleaner. i still cheat a bit.... but i am much more balanced, my hair stopped falling out, and i feel 110 percent better!

    just a word of warning.... a calorie is a calorie, but all nutrition is not created equal. :/
  • aubreykkkk
    aubreykkkk Posts: 147 Member
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    You will lose weight! Weight is all about numbers. However, because of lack of nutrition, you will lose muscle and fat instead of just fat.
  • InvidiaXII
    InvidiaXII Posts: 315 Member
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    I'm guessing if someone did that they would lose weight, but probably feel like crap.
  • inspiredfitchick
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    I'm sorry Somedaysoon84 a calorie is not a calorie. Science proves not all calories are created equal. Our bodies don't break down a protein calorie the same way it breaks down a carbohydrate calorie.

    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/894/Why_the_Calorie_Approach_to_Weight_Loss_Doesnt_Wor.aspx

    Our bodies may lose weight by simply reducing calories but our body composition won't improve through this technique alone. Check out my blog for more weight and fat loss tips based on science not merely personal opinions. I've successfully lost 85 pounds safely without muscle loss.

    Inspiredfitchick.com

    Much luck on your health journey
  • Prayforya
    Prayforya Posts: 68 Member
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    I found one of the links: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

    Personally, I do believe its a numbers game, so there will be weight loss, but at what cost?! Whats the point of being "thin" or "skinny" but feel so horrible you can't do anything.
  • careyannal
    careyannal Posts: 161
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    A number of years ago I ate very little but what I did eat was ALL JUNK. Snack cakes, slurpees, ice cream, etc etc.

    I was at my lowest weight, but definitely "skinny fat" ....

    I can't believe I lived off of those foods for so long. Looking back, I felt horrible and light headed a lot.
  • jjefferies7
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    I'm sorry Somedaysoon84 a calorie is not a calorie. Science proves not all calories are created equal. Our bodies don't break down a protein calorie the same way it breaks down a carbohydrate calorie.

    http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/894/Why_the_Calorie_Approach_to_Weight_Loss_Doesnt_Wor.aspx

    Our bodies may lose weight by simply reducing calories but our body composition won't improve through this technique alone. Check out my blog for more weight and fat loss tips based on science not merely personal opinions. I've successfully lost 85 pounds safely without muscle loss.

    Inspiredfitchick.com

    Much luck on your health journey

    a calorie is a calorie.