Have you lost weight eating "junk food"?

purple4sure05
purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I would love to be a completely "clean eater".... But I've found that I cannot manage to stay sane and on track when I limit myself to fruits, veggies, and rice (yes yes I know there are plenty of other options aside from these :P). I've found that if I allow myself something sweet at the end of the day (or a meal every few days from restaurants that fit into my macros), I'm much more likely to eat a clean meal. Today I had some pork and veggies and fruits and was able to eat a tastykake for a dessert.

So my question is, have you had success in weight loss even when you fulfill your calories with "junk food"? Whether it be mcdonalds or chocolate cake? I'm curious to see exactly how, well, "unhealthy" a person can be as long as they stick to their macros. Mostly as a mechanism for making myself feel better about not being able to keep up with all you health freaks eating salmon and quinoa day in and day out ;)
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Replies

  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
    I have some sort of "junk food" almost daily. You have to do what works for you. For me I can't let myself feel to restricted or I will rebel and start overeating. Today it was a pizza party after school with my cheer team.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    I ate Smarties and Peanut Butter M&Ms for breakfast.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    My diary is open to the public (taking a day off of logging today), and I have lost 62 pounds eating whatever I want, just trying to stick to my macros.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Yes. I eat cookies, sugary cereals, crackers, fruit, bread, and tons of other mixtures of sugar and crap. Just make it fit your macros.
  • mz_grim
    mz_grim Posts: 58 Member
    My diary is open and im nowhere near being a clean eater feel free to take a look
  • Matt24442
    Matt24442 Posts: 324
    Leave some extra calories for mcdonalds or that chocolate shake.

    Today, I knew that I would be going out for an ice cream at dairy queen after work. I left the 4-500 calories that it cost me by eating a little bit less than I would for lunch. As long as it fits your calories for that day then youre golden.
  • KxCoyote
    KxCoyote Posts: 122 Member
    A vast majority of what I eat is 'junk food'. Between two people living on $80 foodstamps per month ( me and my mother) My mom buys cheap not health.

    Should emphasize: I've lost quite a lot, but I've been more active in the past year or so as well, with less food >.> Stress, and various medication may have played a part in that weightloss. But to me a calorie is a calorie, 'healthy' or not. but I used to drink pop all day every day, and have recently(past few months) stopped doing that and the pounds have fallen off much faster.
  • onedayatatime12
    onedayatatime12 Posts: 577 Member
    Yup! I have a cheat meal once every two weeks or so, but today I had a Mcdonald's Ice Cream cup, no sauce. I find that it keeps me from stalling my weight loss (I've been having a plateau before the past two weeks or so, and I luckily passed it last week). I think although I don't feel a craving for junk food, it keeps me sane :happy: and I don't feel like I'm being picky about my eating (as my friends tell me since I hate eating out -.-) lol
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    My diary is open to the public (taking a day off of logging today), and I have lost 62 pounds eating whatever I want, just trying to stick to my macros.

    :O Can I be you when I grow up?! I just went through your diary and you are livin my dream, girl. All you guys are giving me hope, hahaha. I love cupcakes and pita pit too much to keep up with the grilled chicken and lean cuisine grind. I'll be experimenting with making some changes here pretty soon ;P
  • christinealexis
    christinealexis Posts: 41
    I try to eat clean most days, but I always leave cals for something sweet..i love dark chocolate so i have a piece (or 2) almost everyday. It's possible as long as you don't go crazy. everything in moderation. choose one favorite snack that you can't live without and work it in.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    IIFYM

    If it fits you macros, GO FOR IT!!
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
    I dont believe in macros but i dooo believe in Overall calories and energy!..and yeah I lost 20 lbs eating lots of junk!! Its awesome
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    As long as I hit my macros and have some fruits and veggies in there, I call it a win. Today I had eggs florentine (yay for butter sauce! I mean hollandaise....) with home fries for lunch. I planned my day accordingly and came in with 4 whole calories to spare. I also drink a mocha every single day, that is non-negotiable. I have every day for a year, and my ticker still keeps moving down. I'm not eating crap all the time, but I do eat it here and there.
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    IIFYM

    If it fits you macros, GO FOR IT!!

    Still working on figuring out the whole ""macro""" part of the IIFYM mentality ;P I'm finally starting to eat a reasonable amount of protein after an unintentionally burst of vegetarianism lol.
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    I looked in your diary, you aren't eating nearly enough. It looks like you are eating half of what you should be. Increase your intake, you'll find it much easier to stick with.
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    I looked in your diary, you aren't eating nearly enough. It looks like you are eating half of what you should be. Increase your intake, you'll find it much easier to stick with.

    I posted a thread about that just a few days ago actually! It was a problem, but I'm working on it :) I'm upping my calories by about 100 calories a week so that it has time to adjust. I'm excited to actually eat again haha.
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    My sister has/does
  • jessicae1aine
    jessicae1aine Posts: 885
    I've lost about 20 pounds in the last 6 weeks. I've been eating McDonald's at least a couple times a week (because you can't beat a 40% discount!), and I also get a free sub at work every day. I still eat pizza some days. I still eat ice cream, more often than the pizza. I'm not changing WHAT I'm eating, just how much I'm eating, and it's totally working for me.
  • jessicae1aine
    jessicae1aine Posts: 885
    I dont believe in macros but i dooo believe in Overall calories and energy!..and yeah I lost 20 lbs eating lots of junk!! Its awesome

    Exactly. I'm right here with this guy.
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
    foodfight.gif

    Hhhahaha! MFP Food fight.
  • tryskinni
    tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
    I'm going to go against the norm here. Just because you CAN lose weight on junk food doesn't mean you should. I'm all for balance and one should enjoy once in a while but if you're losing weight by eating 1200 calories worth of Snickers bars, this will only lead to being skinny with heart disease.

    I try to live by the 80/20 rule. A minimum of 80% of the time I eat clean. Weekends, i have about one cheat meal a day. Not saying I'm perfect but if I do have some mac & cheese, I'm washing it down with spinach & kale.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    I lost weight fitting in small amounts of junk food into my daily calorie allotment. The majority of my diet is pretty healthy, but I gotta live. Tomorrow I've decided to eat some ice cream.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Yep I do and still losing.
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    The short answer: yes.

    But why do people (not necessarily you, OP, but lots of people on MFP) think this has to be such an all-or-nothing thing? It's not like it's a required choice of either McDonalds all day every day, or salads and chicken breasts and nothing else. There is lots of room for variety. I eat some junk, like probably a small piece of chocolate every day. I eat out occasionally, but not every day. I eat pasta but not every day, because I have difficulty with portion control. I eat lots of vegetables and I love a good salad, but I'm not subsisting on just those things, or on "salmon and quinoa" either (although both of those are delicious). You have to figure out for yourself a good balance between healthier foods and foods that may have less nutritional value (aka junk food).
  • Otterluv
    Otterluv Posts: 9,083 Member
    I looked in your diary, you aren't eating nearly enough. It looks like you are eating half of what you should be. Increase your intake, you'll find it much easier to stick with.

    I posted a thread about that just a few days ago actually! It was a problem, but I'm working on it :) I'm upping my calories by about 100 calories a week so that it has time to adjust. I'm excited to actually eat again haha.

    Glad to hear it! :flowerforyou:
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    I'm going to go against the norm here. Just because you CAN lose weight on junk food doesn't mean you should. I'm all for balance and one should enjoy once in a while but if you're losing weight by eating 1200 calories worth of Snickers bars, this will only lead to being skinny with heart disease.

    I try to live by the 80/20 rule. A minimum of 80% of the time I eat clean. Weekends, i have about one cheat meal a day. Not saying I'm perfect but if I do have some mac & cheese, I'm washing it down with spinach & kale.

    I see where you're coming from. I'm planning on adding foods like pita pit, panera, and chipotle on the occasion that I'm out, and an occasional dessert. Not mcdonalds and Arby's lol :3 I'll eat clean most of the time for health reasons, but if I have an off week, I want the reassurance that calories in/calories out is all that matters in respect to my weight, you feel me? :P
  • purple4sure05
    purple4sure05 Posts: 287 Member
    I've lost about 20 pounds in the last 6 weeks. I've been eating McDonald's at least a couple times a week (because you can't beat a 40% discount!), and I also get a free sub at work every day. I still eat pizza some days. I still eat ice cream, more often than the pizza. I'm not changing WHAT I'm eating, just how much I'm eating, and it's totally working for me.

    Literally getting giddy over all of these success stories. I don't have to be grumpy and hungry ever again! hahaha.
  • tryskinni
    tryskinni Posts: 50 Member
    Sounds like you're heading in the right direction. I'd be miserable without my weekend brunch out :-)
  • Alohathin
    Alohathin Posts: 360 Member
    9 pounds from goal, and there is nothing I have cut out of my diet completely. I just don't eat it nearly as frequently, and never supersize my fast food orders. Personally, I try not to do it more than once a week at most, otherwise I start craving it, and that leads to bad things.

    Find the balance where you are not craving that food. Often enough to avoid it causing you to fall off the wagon when you finally do have some, and seldom enough that it doesn't set off an out of control sweet tooth.
  • craigmandu
    craigmandu Posts: 976 Member
    The truth is the vast majority of people eat some type of junk food on a daily basis and have absolutely no issue with it. I wouldn't suggest your entire diet be that way....but if that's what you want, go for it. As long as you are in your calorie levels it's all good :smokin:

    ETA: I had 4 pieces of pizza hut tonight...I opted for a "relatively" healthier chicken and peppers thin crust...but it was still pretty damn delicious!

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