NO FOOD MAKES YOU FAT!
angiechimpanzee
Posts: 536 Member
No specific food, in and of itself, makes you fat.
What does?
Eating when you are stressed
Eating to avoid confronting problems
Eating to stifle your emotions (sadness, boredom, loneliness, etc.)
Eating when you are not hungry (ie when it's "time to eat", when food happens to be in front of you, when someone offers you food & you don't wanna say no, when everyone else is eating, & my least favorite, eating many times a day because it will "rev your metabolism")
Not eating when you ARE hungry (and therefore eating much more later)
Continuing to eat when you are no longer hungry (Thanksgiving dinner, anyone?)
Eating so fast that you don't realize you stopped being hungry several bites ago
Dieting & purposely restricting calories (the yo-yo effect)
Restricting certain foods (and therefore binging later)
Feeling guilty because of eating (and therefore binging later)
Being distracted while eating (and therefore not enjoying your food to its full potential & eating past the point of satisfaction)
When your relationship with food is emotional in any way, you will eventually gain weight. You will almost always choose very calorie dense foods by default because those are most likely to induce the pleasure you're looking for when you're eating for reasons besides hunger. That's why most peoples "trigger" or "binge" foods include sugary things and very fatty things.
When your relationship with food is purely physical and you eat just to fulfill your hunger, your body will return to a weight that it is most comfortable at. As long as you've been exposed to a wide range of foods (both those dubbed "healthy" and "unhealthy"), you likely will choose a reasonable balance of all types of food when you're eating only to satisfy the physical need. Think back to a time you were really, truly hungry (if you can remember how that feels). What sounded better, a plate of grilled chicken and seasoned rice, or a bag of gummy worms and an icecream bar?
People on here, and on almost all weight-loss related mediums, put so much focus on WHAT they're eating and HOW MUCH they're eating, and ignore WHY they're eating. They don't realize that WHY they're eating is directly linked to WHAT and HOW MUCH. Most of you don't need to count calories to get down to a good weight, you honestly don't. You're treating the symptoms and not the ailment itself.
What does?
Eating when you are stressed
Eating to avoid confronting problems
Eating to stifle your emotions (sadness, boredom, loneliness, etc.)
Eating when you are not hungry (ie when it's "time to eat", when food happens to be in front of you, when someone offers you food & you don't wanna say no, when everyone else is eating, & my least favorite, eating many times a day because it will "rev your metabolism")
Not eating when you ARE hungry (and therefore eating much more later)
Continuing to eat when you are no longer hungry (Thanksgiving dinner, anyone?)
Eating so fast that you don't realize you stopped being hungry several bites ago
Dieting & purposely restricting calories (the yo-yo effect)
Restricting certain foods (and therefore binging later)
Feeling guilty because of eating (and therefore binging later)
Being distracted while eating (and therefore not enjoying your food to its full potential & eating past the point of satisfaction)
When your relationship with food is emotional in any way, you will eventually gain weight. You will almost always choose very calorie dense foods by default because those are most likely to induce the pleasure you're looking for when you're eating for reasons besides hunger. That's why most peoples "trigger" or "binge" foods include sugary things and very fatty things.
When your relationship with food is purely physical and you eat just to fulfill your hunger, your body will return to a weight that it is most comfortable at. As long as you've been exposed to a wide range of foods (both those dubbed "healthy" and "unhealthy"), you likely will choose a reasonable balance of all types of food when you're eating only to satisfy the physical need. Think back to a time you were really, truly hungry (if you can remember how that feels). What sounded better, a plate of grilled chicken and seasoned rice, or a bag of gummy worms and an icecream bar?
People on here, and on almost all weight-loss related mediums, put so much focus on WHAT they're eating and HOW MUCH they're eating, and ignore WHY they're eating. They don't realize that WHY they're eating is directly linked to WHAT and HOW MUCH. Most of you don't need to count calories to get down to a good weight, you honestly don't. You're treating the symptoms and not the ailment itself.
0
Replies
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TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.0 -
TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.
Mind = BLOWN!0 -
TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.
:flowerforyou:0 -
True.0
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TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.
you mean if I expend more energy than I consume I will lose weight.........my god
you have just revolutionized the entire fitness and health industry0 -
Um...if "most people" don't need to count calories, why are you here? You know, counting calories....?0
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Thanks but no thanks, you've completely missed the point.TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.
A person can artificially reduce the amount of calories they eat for a certain amount of time, ignoring all the factors I stated. But what happens when the diets over, when you stop counting calories? Or even when you just take a break from counting? All the pounds come back because you're still eating for the wrong reasons. No one can count calories forever. This is why 90%+ of diets fail.0 -
I stopped counting a month and a half ago and have lost 8 pounds effortlessly since doing so. I only came back to spread some wisdom.Um...if "most people" don't need to count calories, why are you here? You know, counting calories....?0 -
I stopped counting a month and a half ago and have lost 8 pounds effortlessly since doing so. I only came back to spread some wisdom.Um...if "most people" don't need to count calories, why are you here? You know, counting calories....?
IN for....wisdom.0 -
I stopped counting a month and a half ago and have lost 8 pounds effortlessly since doing so. I only came back to spread some wisdom.Um...if "most people" don't need to count calories, why are you here? You know, counting calories....?
IN for....wisdom.
we might be here a while0 -
I stopped counting a month and a half ago and have lost 8 pounds effortlessly since doing so. I only came back to spread some wisdom.Um...if "most people" don't need to count calories, why are you here? You know, counting calories....?
IN for....wisdom.
we might be here a while
*Plays final Jeopardy theme music*0 -
Lol I definitely understand why I'm getting these types of reactions. Because I used to be addicted to myfitnesspal & similar calorie counting sites. I thought there was no possible way on earth I'd be able to reach a good weight unless I was keeping an eye on my calories.
Until I got totally sick of the "doing well for a few months, then screwing up & gaining it back" process, which I know a LOT of us go through. I know I'm not alone on that.
I realized at one point that I was sick of counting calories. Totally sick of it. And that there had to be SOME way to keep my weight at a reasonable amount without obsessing over numbers. Then I found the way.
You don't have to agree with me, you really don't. But so many people in the world (who don't count calories or even care about them) are proof, and now I'm proof of it to. Counting calories is unnecessary if you learn to eat when you're hungry, only when you're hungry, and stop when you're not. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is.0 -
Lol I definitely understand why I'm getting these types of reactions. Because I used to be addicted to myfitnesspal & similar calorie counting sites. I thought there was no possible way on earth I'd be able to reach a good weight unless I was keeping an eye on my calories.
Until I got totally sick of the "doing well for a few months, then screwing up & gaining it back" process, which I know a LOT of us go through. I know I'm not alone on that.
I realized at one point that I was sick of counting calories. Totally sick of it. And that there had to be SOME way to keep my weight at a reasonable amount without obsessing over numbers. Then I found the way.
You don't have to agree with me, you really don't. But so many people in the world (who don't count calories or even care about them) are proof, and now I'm proof of it to. Counting calories is unnecessary if you learn to eat when you're hungry, only when you're hungry, and stop when you're not. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is.
so you mean, eat a caloric deficit even if you are pretending not to count the calories. got it0 -
wisdom? That you, Oz?0
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:yawn:
NEXT!0 -
I will always have to count calories. It just sneaks up so damn quick if I don't. Could I stop doing it for a year? Sure, but why would I? There's no finish line to fitness. Only harder goals. If I'm too lazy to count, I'd probably be too lazy to care about my health. Which was me before MFP.
...and it's not like MFP even requires mad counting skillz. Just throw it in the tracker and I'm done. No fuss, no muss.
(WTF is muss anyway?? :laugh: )0 -
I eat when I'm not hungry all the time. If I only ate when I was, I would starve to death. But what do I know.0
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I think it's a misconception that most overweight people are emotional eaters. It's easy to take in more than we need due to easy access to high calorie food and lots of it, and because storing energy as fat and not lose that until we MUST is what we're evolved to do.0
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So much truth here, esp for women. Great thread!0
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I totally get what the OP is saying i.e. just listening to your body, and eating when you are genuinely hungry, and stopping when full. Choosing the right type of foods, etc. And staying active.
However, not many of us are there yet, MFP keeps us accountable to what we are putting in our mouths. And maybe, one day, we'd know our body well enough to do away with counting calories. After all, MFP is not all about counting calories, but learning about which foods is good for you, and having a supportive community.
Counting calories does seem quite unfeasible to keep up with in the future, but this works for me now, and I shall stick to it
Thanks OP, for not demonizing food at all, and actually listing some good points about how excess of food, guilt etc, makes us fat and not food on its own 0 -
If you ate 100 calories over your TDEE everyday for 6 years....BAM! Over 60 lbs. overweight. Does anyone know how easy it is to trip, fall, and land face first into a 100 calorie dark cherry yoplait greek yogurt?
I've never been an emotional eater. I've always been a hungry eater. That's my problem. I'm hangry all the time.0 -
:yawn:
NEXT!
Why so rude? Jealous?0 -
If i only ate when i was hungry, id be really fat, cause im hungry a lot. Thats how i got here in the first place. I love food and eating it.0
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Thanks but no thanks, you've completely missed the point.TL;DR:
What does?
Calories eaten > calories utilized.
A person can artificially reduce the amount of calories they eat for a certain amount of time, ignoring all the factors I stated. But what happens when the diets over, when you stop counting calories? Or even when you just take a break from counting? All the pounds come back because you're still eating for the wrong reasons. No one can count calories forever. This is why 90%+ of diets fail.
Knowing the why doesn't change the fact that you need to eat less than you use in order to lose weight. The how doesn't change.0 -
I will always have to count calories. It just sneaks up so damn quick if I don't. Could I stop doing it for a year? Sure, but why would I? There's no finish line to fitness. Only harder goals. If I'm too lazy to count, I'd probably be too lazy to care about my health. Which was me before MFP.
...and it's not like MFP even requires mad counting skillz. Just throw it in the tracker and I'm done. No fuss, no muss.
(WTF is muss anyway?? :laugh: )
Yup, I am tracking to ensure I keep track of health,,,if a device or website helps me stay healthy..why not. ????0 -
Lol I definitely understand why I'm getting these types of reactions. Because I used to be addicted to myfitnesspal & similar calorie counting sites. I thought there was no possible way on earth I'd be able to reach a good weight unless I was keeping an eye on my calories.
Until I got totally sick of the "doing well for a few months, then screwing up & gaining it back" process, which I know a LOT of us go through. I know I'm not alone on that.
I realized at one point that I was sick of counting calories. Totally sick of it. And that there had to be SOME way to keep my weight at a reasonable amount without obsessing over numbers. Then I found the way.
You don't have to agree with me, you really don't. But so many people in the world (who don't count calories or even care about them) are proof, and now I'm proof of it to. Counting calories is unnecessary if you learn to eat when you're hungry, only when you're hungry, and stop when you're not. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is.
so you mean, eat a caloric deficit even if you are pretending not to count the calories. got it
How is it "pretending not to count calories".....if she's ACTUALLY not, ya know, counting calories?
I don't think you do get it.0 -
Lol I definitely understand why I'm getting these types of reactions. Because I used to be addicted to myfitnesspal & similar calorie counting sites. I thought there was no possible way on earth I'd be able to reach a good weight unless I was keeping an eye on my calories.
Until I got totally sick of the "doing well for a few months, then screwing up & gaining it back" process, which I know a LOT of us go through. I know I'm not alone on that.
I realized at one point that I was sick of counting calories. Totally sick of it. And that there had to be SOME way to keep my weight at a reasonable amount without obsessing over numbers. Then I found the way.
You don't have to agree with me, you really don't. But so many people in the world (who don't count calories or even care about them) are proof, and now I'm proof of it to. Counting calories is unnecessary if you learn to eat when you're hungry, only when you're hungry, and stop when you're not. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is.
I smell a troll0 -
But here's the thing, no one has to eat nothing but high calorie food just because it's easily accessible. Just as easily as I can drive to the grocery store and buy a bag of fruit, I can drive to the gas station and buy a pack of candy. It all comes down to what the individual wants to eat/is familiar with eating. That's why I said you must expose yourself to a wide range of foods. You must be open to eating everything, from veggies & lean meat to ribs & white bread. If you're on either extreme of the spectrum, either only eating junk food or only eating food you deem as "healthy", there can be physical/psychological consequences.I think it's a misconception that most overweight people are emotional eaters. It's easy to take in more than we need due to easy access to high calorie food and lots of it, and because storing energy as fat and not lose that until we MUST is what we're evolved to do.0 -
really millions of americans eat at mcdonalds and are obese
food makes u fat
along with not exercising0 -
If you ate 100 calories over your TDEE everyday for 6 years....BAM! Over 60 lbs. overweight...
That's interesting. I'm naturally a slim person I guess. It took me decades just to get to the top of my healthy BMI and I never paid attention to calories in all that time. It was just a slow creep up over time. So I guess that means I was probably eating like 20 calories over TDEE each day? Dang my body is good at self-regulating! It did finally catch up, though. I was getting borderline.0
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