Eating "junk" and losing weight?
Replies
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I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!0 -
I eat a lot of "junk"...so far so good.0
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If I ate only fresh or "clean" food all the time I'd be at like 800 cals a day. Ummm no thanks, starvation. There are a few days on my diary that are super low. I get full fast and healthy food is mostly low cal. So some days I eat cheez its (like right this moment as I'm typing) because I like them and it adds some calories. Honestly, I could probably survive and be happy eating lettuce all day, but I would be sickly because there just isn't enough calories in that.0
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Yoi don't know how much more "junk" they were eating before the weight loss. Also its life and we have to find the balance between enjoyment/health. So many things come in to play also metablosim, intensity fo workouts/amt of workouts. I know I could get away with eating alot more Junk a few years back and maintain which I cant do now.0
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I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.0 -
I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
My health is excellent thank you very much, and I certainly don't cut out the foods I enjoy.0 -
No, they won't lose more weight, if anything you might actually lose more weight quicker eating junk because your body will be looking for the nutrients it needs and eat away at things it already has to get those. Now, these people will be lighter, maybe not overweight anymore, but not healthy at all. I eat junk food when I want it, but as a snack, or a dessert, not as my main form of food, I eat salads, beans, chicken, sandwiches, etc. and also chips and chocolate and muffins, but I make sure it fits in, and I (it seems like more than most people) also really try to stay within my macros and also I watch sodium and sugar. I'm almost always under on calories, but sometimes i'll go over on fats, or carbs, or sugar, I often go over on protein. I want to be healthy, and healthy means enjoying life and food so I don't restrict, if I really want something and it puts me over on calories I'll go work out to get those calories back, stuff like that.0
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All due respect to everyone's approach at this process, but I really do not understand why people are thinking you're doing yourself a disservice or even insinuating people are damaging themselves dramatically for eating less than *their* idea of less than stellar foods...especially when nearly everyone here is suggesting they do so in moderation. I just don't see where the logic suggests that people who eat a bit of "guilty pleasure" foods are somehow sabotaging their health. I refer back to the post that actually quoted science refuting this "fact".0
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you can still lose weight as long as you stay under calorie, if you deprive yourself of your favorite foods your losing weight will be shot! not to say you should not eat veggies and fruit, but you can still enjoy your favorite foods by eating in moderations, I kind of mix my eating up a little bit but i make sure i dont completely cut out foods i enjoy because i dont want to binge later sabataging my weight loss.0
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If you try to set completely off limits foods, then you aren't learning anything. That food still runs your life because you have set this rule, so practicing moderation at all times is better than trying to be perfect right away, nutrition wise. You will just get overwhelmed and ultimately fail if you are too hard on yourself.
Plus, I think for the most part, people here are focused on weightloss, not building a perfect body. When it comes to weight loss all that matters is calories in, calories out. Just burning more calories than one consumes, that's it. If you can do that, you will lose weight, period.
If someone goes all nutrition crazy right away then they will probably not stick with their plan. Slow and steady wins the race.
Like I said, it all depends on what your priority is. To me, my health is much more important than any pleasure that food ever afforded. I have been on this program for a number of years now. The improvement in my health is more than enough to keep me firm in my resolve. As one gets older, one simply cannot afford the empty calories.0 -
All due respect to everyone's approach at this process, but I really do not understand why people are thinking you're doing yourself a disservice or even insinuating people are damaging themselves dramatically for eating less than *their* idea of less than stellar foods...especially when nearly everyone here is suggesting they do so in moderation. I just don't see where the logic suggests that people who eat a bit of "guilty pleasure" foods are somehow sabotaging their health. I refer back to the post that actually quoted science refuting this "fact".
Thanks for seeing why some of us are finding these topics so infuriating. There is a belief on here that you can somehow be healthy and fit by all objective standards, but if you're not eating perfectly then, well, you're really not "healthy" even if all of your medical diagnostics are great and you're in obviously great shape. I just don't get it.0 -
I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
My health is excellent thank you very much, and I certainly don't cut out the foods I enjoy.
Well, I'm glad---for your sake. But then, you're male, 40 and healthy. You missed my point.0 -
Certainly better to eat healthy foods versus "junk" foods but even Jillian Michaels has recommended that you eat 80% healthy, 20% "cheat" type foods. For some, having the opportunity to eat foods that they enjoy (while they may not be the healthiest choice) in moderation, may prevent a binge later on. For me, I look to what I can sustain...I still eat the foods I like but try to cut down on my portion sizes and understand when I get a craving what is driving that craving. If you look in my diary you will see Mountain Dew on most days...but I always calculate that into my daily allowance or else I don't get it.0
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There is weightloss and there is fit and healthy. You can eat 'junk' food and lose weight. But you can't follow that path if your goal is to get fit and improve your health. Your journey is yours...decide what your goals are and go for it.
This! There is a huge difference between thin and healthy. Tosca Reno calls it skinny fat. My sister falls into that category, she eats nothing but crap and weighs 120 lbs. But if you look at her labs and my labs... it tells a very different story. Eat clean!0 -
I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
My health is excellent thank you very much, and I certainly don't cut out the foods I enjoy.
Well, I'm glad---for your sake. But then, you're male, 40 and healthy. You missed my point.
Unless you've already gotten or developed some serious medical condition, maintaining a healthy body fat percentage, getting enough micronutrients, and getting regular exercise will get you pretty much everything you can get in terms of physical health.0 -
I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
My health is excellent thank you very much, and I certainly don't cut out the foods I enjoy.
Well, I'm glad---for your sake. But then, you're male, 40 and healthy. You missed my point.
No. I'm pretty sure I didn't. I guess being male makes me healthy then in your book? Or is it 40. Or is it the very circular statement that I'm healthy?0 -
There is weightloss and there is fit and healthy. You can eat 'junk' food and lose weight. But you can't follow that path if your goal is to get fit and improve your health. Your journey is yours...decide what your goals are and go for it.
This! There is a huge difference between thin and healthy. Tosca Reno calls it skinny fat. My sister falls into that category, she eats nothing but crap and weighs 120 lbs. But if you look at her labs and my labs... it tells a very different story. Eat clean!
Skinnyfat is about body composition. Body composition is the result of exercise and macronutrient intake, nothing more.0 -
It's all about moderation. Do not deny yourself some enjoyment of foods you love that are not necessarliy 'good' for you. The quickest way to fail is to deny yourself those foods that you crave.... moderation does work!0
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All due respect to everyone's approach at this process, but I really do not understand why people are thinking you're doing yourself a disservice or even insinuating people are damaging themselves dramatically for eating less than *their* idea of less than stellar foods...especially when nearly everyone here is suggesting they do so in moderation. I just don't see where the logic suggests that people who eat a bit of "guilty pleasure" foods are somehow sabotaging their health. I refer back to the post that actually quoted science refuting this "fact".
Thanks for seeing why some of us are finding these topics so infuriating. There is a belief on here that you can somehow be healthy and fit by all objective standards, but if you're not eating perfectly then, well, you're really not "healthy" even if all of your medical diagnostics are great and you're in obviously great shape. I just don't get it.
For some, I believe this belief is because they medically cannot. A fraction of those people fighting it may be bitter. Some also feel the all or nothing mentality the scientific paper previously mentioned warned against. For a very chosen few, that works. But for the vast majority, it does not and is actually wildly UNhealthy. A small fraction of those people feel they are right, everyone else is wrong and they feel it is their moral obligation to correct everyone. In any of these cases, I am not judging...merely observing. People have to do what works for them. I only take issue when they try to use their yard stick on someone else. I can't follow that logic.0 -
you can still lose weight as long as you stay under calorie, if you deprive yourself of your favorite foods your losing weight will be shot! not to say you should not eat veggies and fruit, but you can still enjoy your favorite foods by eating in moderations, I kind of mix my eating up a little bit but i make sure i dont completely cut out foods i enjoy because i dont want to binge later sabataging my weight loss.
I do not binge. When I got rid of sugar and wheat, it ended any tendency I had to binge.
If all of you are happy with your programs, then I'm happy for you. Using "science" to attack other people's choices and suggesting that they are somehow mentally ill because they choose not to eat sugary "treats" is ridiculous. 0 -
There is weightloss and there is fit and healthy. You can eat 'junk' food and lose weight. But you can't follow that path if your goal is to get fit and improve your health. Your journey is yours...decide what your goals are and go for it.
This! There is a huge difference between thin and healthy. Tosca Reno calls it skinny fat. My sister falls into that category, she eats nothing but crap and weighs 120 lbs. But if you look at her labs and my labs... it tells a very different story. Eat clean!
Skinnyfat is about body composition. Body composition is the result of exercise and macronutrient intake, nothing more.
Yea. I guess a few of us are "skinny fat" by this standard. LOL!0 -
Calories in and calories out.. I choose to not eat the "junk" because it makes me feel.......junky.0
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I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
Nope. Health is important. I can't say I don't care what I look like but, I would rather be healthy and the most unattractive person than be unhealthy and be gorgeous. Certainly not vanity for me. Both my parents are morbidly obese---do not want to be like them. As mentioned, you don't know the junk I ate before coming here. It was very much worse than it is now. Baby steps, not trying to run a marathon until, I have worked my way up to that point. I have slowly weaned a great deal out but, I know that for the most part I am good. Not 100% but, yes, good.0 -
There is weightloss and there is fit and healthy. You can eat 'junk' food and lose weight. But you can't follow that path if your goal is to get fit and improve your health. Your journey is yours...decide what your goals are and go for it.
This! There is a huge difference between thin and healthy. Tosca Reno calls it skinny fat. My sister falls into that category, she eats nothing but crap and weighs 120 lbs. But if you look at her labs and my labs... it tells a very different story. Eat clean!
Skinnyfat is about body composition. Body composition is the result of exercise and macronutrient intake, nothing more.
Yea. I guess a few of us are "skinny fat" by this standard. LOL!
LOL is right!0 -
I agree, to each his own, but for me healthy eating and subsequent weight loss is the goal. I just feel better when I eat fruits and vegetables and avod the processed stuff, but for all who can lose and manage to eat whatever they like, more power to them!!!! I just have to look at a bowl of ice cream and gain weight!!0
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There is weightloss and there is fit and healthy. You can eat 'junk' food and lose weight. But you can't follow that path if your goal is to get fit and improve your health. Your journey is yours...decide what your goals are and go for it.
This! There is a huge difference between thin and healthy. Tosca Reno calls it skinny fat. My sister falls into that category, she eats nothing but crap and weighs 120 lbs. But if you look at her labs and my labs... it tells a very different story. Eat clean!
Skinnyfat is about body composition. Body composition is the result of exercise and macronutrient intake, nothing more.
Yea. I guess a few of us are "skinny fat" by this standard. LOL!
Wait... were you agreeing with me or laughing at me? :laugh:0 -
If they're losing weight, why does it matter to you what they're eating?
Good nutrition has way more benefits than losing weight. Of course it matters what you eat..but it is an individual choice. There is no such thing as junk food, there's junk, and there's food.0 -
I'm not willing to cut out anything that I won't cut out for the rest of my life. It's not sustainable. I eat my fair share of fruit & veg and other healthy foods, but I eat junk too.
Agreed. You can't go the rest of your life without eating something that is not quite perfect. If this is your mindset, you are setting yourself up for failure. Not many can eat perfectly clean 100% of the time. I have been here before and gained all the weight back and this is why I am here. Good luck!
Well, it probably depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you are young and reasonably healthy, looking better is likely a higher priority than health. When you are older, health becomes waaaay more important than vanity. Just sayin'.
My health is excellent thank you very much, and I certainly don't cut out the foods I enjoy.
Well, I'm glad---for your sake. But then, you're male, 40 and healthy. You missed my point.
No. I'm pretty sure I didn't. I guess being male makes me healthy then in your book? Or is it 40. Or is it the very circular statement that I'm healthy?
You're the one who said you are healthy. I'm just suggesting that if you were old and sick, you might be more motivated to avoid the junk. Even now, we are all building cells---and what we put in our mouths determines the quality of those cells.
But there are lung cancer patients who smoke through the trach tubes in their necks--so, on second thought, nevermind.0 -
If they're losing weight, why does it matter to you what they're eating?
Good nutrition has way more benefits than losing weight. Of course it matters what you eat..but it is an individual choice. There is no such thing as junk food, there's junk, and there's food.
^^^THIS^^^0 -
Just because a person is losing weight doesn't mean they are losing undesireable fat. People who lose weight while eating junk food could be losing muscle, which weighs more than fat. So, initially the weight on the scale will drop. However, in the end, with less muscle to burn calories, continually eating junk food will make a person gain the weight back. Conversely, if you are eating healthy (and within you calorie limits) and the scale isn't dropping, it might be an indicator that you are building muscle. This is a good thing and eventually should help the undesireable fat drop off. A great way to see how you are doing and get a real sense of what is happening in and to your body is to do a hydrostatic underwater body fat test. It is the only 100% accurate measurement of body fat/ lean muscle mass.
Why would junk food result in loss of muscle mass if all other factors are equal?0
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