low cal vs unprocessed

Itchula

I've given up a lot of processed foods and I've been trying to cook for myself more. (I cook once or twice a week, then freeze food or just eat the same thing all week). I weigh and measure my food, but as I try to find a variety to keep me interested, I'm running into a bit of an issue. For example, in order to make Skinny Taste Cheeseburger Casserole, I had to use low-fat cheese... but the ingredient list is way longer than regular ol'cheese. To make mashed cauliflower low-cal, the South Beach recipe uses fat free half-and-half. FAT FREE CREAM?? That has to be BOMBARDED with bad stuff. I don't want to trade HEALTH for low-calorie, but I also don't want to be a fat-*kitten*. Has anyone else struggled with the same issue?

Lyadeia

You could always make your recipes with the full fat dairy products (for example) and just have a smaller portion of it.

Recipes are awesome because they are a guide...but you can always modify them to suit your personal needs and preferences. I would personally prefer to be healthy than do low calorie all the time, especially since I stopped robbing myself of the calories I truly need. Most of us are trained to think that VLCDs are the only way to lose weight, but I am losing weight right now eating 1800 calories on average day whereas just a month ago, I was struggling to lose weight with 1500 calories.

JesterMFP

The great thing about calorie counting is that you can make your own rules. You don't have to follow a rigid diet or other people's recipes to the letter. Use recipes for ideas, and as a guide, but you can be as flexible as you like. If you want to only eat unprocessed foods then you can, and just keep an eye on the calories. Use the full fat cheese, and adjust the rest of your day's food to make room for it. Or use a little less than the recipe calls for.

By the way, you can get low fat cream cheese that doesn't have added ingredients, it's made from skimmed milk, but you may not want that either. Fat free cream, I'm not that familiar with it but I'd imagine it's the same - it's had the fat removed, doesn't necessarily have things added. Not saying that you should eat low fat things or processed things, but "processed" can mean a lot of different things, and not all forms of processing are necessarily going to make the food bad for you. Just a thought.

Anyway, my point is that lots of people on MFP eat relatively "clean" or unprocessed, and have success with losing/managing their weight. You might just need to be a bit more creative/flexible with recipes. Or accept that dairy has fat in it, so you either have the calories, have the low fat version, or avoid it altogether.

Itchula

I LOOOVE CHEESE!! lol I can do skim -- I just meant in general, a lot of "diet" versions of foods are low cal but full of chemicals. I guess I just always thought: the longer the ingredient list, the worse something is for you. You guys have a point on portions... I have a hard time being hungry. My BMR was over 2000, but I tried to eat 1200-1400 and failed. I popped up to 1600 with a teeny weeny cheat day (or two) and lost. My BMR is about 1670 now, so I have to drop my calories to maybe 1500. It's getting tougher~

rhye

I'm cooking for myself as well as for my 18-month-old child and he needs the fat and the low-processed food whereas I need low fat, and he will always want to eat what I am eating! I have been doing very small portions of very "real" foods I would never have eaten before-- things like whole milk and cream and non-fat-free cheeses. Surprisingly, the calorie difference between, for instance, whole and skim milk is tiny. That is not where the bulk of my calories are coming from-- I have a weakness for restaurant food and that is my real issue, and I've found some cream or cheese or whole milk at home is offset by the fact that I am also eating far more fruits and veggies than chips/cookies, again to stay away from processed foods for the little one. Plus, oh my god full fat full sugar yogurt is soooo much better than artificial sweetener skim yogurt. And it turns out I like cheese, who knew? I end up eating yogurt instead of ice cream because this yogurt is amazing.

SteelySunshine

Fat isn't the enemy that we think it is anyway. I would go with less processing, but a smaller serving. If you need a lot of volume like me then have a soup or stew it's very low calorie and or a salad with a bit of an oil based dressing.

RunFarLiveHappy

I vote full fat/calories on 99% of things... A.) they taste better B.) they have less additives, sodium, etc C.) I plan out my days calories so I make sure it fits my macros D.) they taste better ????????

Edited because my 1% is milk, I don't like 2%-whole milk to drink alone. That's just me though!

JesterMFP

I LOOOVE CHEESE!! lol I can do skim -- I just meant in general, a lot of "diet" versions of foods are low cal but full of chemicals. I guess I just always thought: the longer the ingredient list, the worse something is for you. You guys have a point on portions... I have a hard time being hungry. My BMR was over 2000, but I tried to eat 1200-1400 and failed. I popped up to 1600 with a teeny weeny cheat day (or two) and lost. My BMR is about 1670 now, so I have to drop my calories to maybe 1500. It's getting tougher~

You don't need to eat less than your BMR, you need to eat less than your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) which is a bigger number than your BMR. If your BMR is 1670, then eating around that number would be better for you than dropping much lower.

spamantha57

I consider what's IN food much more than I consider what the calories are. I have olive oil almost every day which is high in calories, & egg whites almost every day which are low in calories but both are good for you.
I am known for my passionate love of cheese, and am lucky that my favorite cheese is mozzarella, which is naturally low in calories. Trader Joe's has a good reduced fat version though that I get often. But if not for that exact type of cheese, I just get the regular good stuff.
I also find if you do allow yourself the good stuff (of things like cheese or chocolate etc. if you plan on eating it) you won't get as big of craving as if you tried to restrict yourself. Most of the time it just ends up not working out.

Itchula

That is true. I try to eat what will fill me up more, but if I want something sweet or salty, I go for it (just portioned). I also find that planning my day out in advance is a huge help in keeping my portion sizes in check. I went off the wagon around my birthday, but I'm back in it. I need to up my exercise for sure!

Itchula

.

pinktoesjb

bump, I'll be back later for this when I have time to read through properly! Short answer is that low fat dairy often just means higher sugar and not that much lower calorie. I have seriously cut my processed foods recently and lost almost three kilos in the first two weeks still eating full fat dairy. And I feel great, ditch the chemicals!!!!!!

Rarity2013

The great thing about calorie counting is that you can make your own rules. You don't have to follow a rigid diet or other people's recipes to the letter. Use recipes for ideas, and as a guide, but you can be as flexible as you like. If you want to only eat unprocessed foods then you can, and just keep an eye on the calories. Use the full fat cheese, and adjust the rest of your day's food to make room for it. Or use a little less than the recipe calls for.

This person is my new hero.

I came to the conclusion that trying to cut out my favourite recipes was what prevented me from losing weight- just too hard to stick to. I still make pasta in cream sauces (albeit using reduced fat cream wherever possible) and just adjust my calorie intake accordingly. I find I now eat a smaller portion and enjoy it all the more knowing it's fitting in with my diet.

XXXMinnieXXX

I eat full fat cheeses and yogurts. Just have to be careful with portion control. A lot of low fat things are loaded with sugars, I'd rather have the fat! Mozarella is lower calories and works for a lot of recipes!

Zara

ilovedeadlifts

i typically lean towards unprocessed when given the choice, but that's if you have health in mind.


if health isnt a major concern and you just want to lose weight, then low cal.