"WHOLE" food VS "BAD" food

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tiaamato
tiaamato Posts: 30
in Food and Nutrition
my daily goals are as follows:

calories 1700
carbs 170
fat 57
protein 128
sugar 24

so what is the difference in reaching these goals with fast food than with "whole" foods? if it all totals the same numbers at the end of the day, does it really matter? if u say yes, please explain y.
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  • Loulady
    Loulady Posts: 511 Member
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  • kinsellae
    kinsellae Posts: 167 Member
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    I eat crappy food on the weekends and when I do I don't usually meet my protein goal always go over on fats and rarely- if ever get all the vitamins or fiber that I'd like to. I'm sure that even if I met my macro goals I would still miss out on the nutrients.
  • CantarellaMiyani
    CantarellaMiyani Posts: 91 Member
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    Generally speaking, calories are calories. However.

    Fast food is more likely to contain chemicals that stimulate appetite, preservatives that retard weight loss, sodium that increases water retention. The "pink slime" that was causing such a ruckus recently, which was/is used as filler for fast food burgers, and treated with ammonia. Hell, Taco Bell ground beef has sand in it.

    It's less about the calories themselves being "better," and more about me knowing what's going into my body. Taking care of my liver at the same time I'm counting my intake.
  • arenkel
    arenkel Posts: 77
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    Well, would you rather have a Big Mac and fries or 3 meals and 2 snacks? Honestly, for me, that's what it comes down to. I need to eat every 3 hours, so I choose not to eat the so-called "bad" foods, simply because I'll go way over if I do. "Whole" foods, the ones closer to nature, tend to allow you to eat more, especially if you fill up on veggies.
  • arenkel
    arenkel Posts: 77
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    Yes. Hahaha.

    I know I may be feeding a troll, but I couldn't help myself! :)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    my daily goals are as follows:

    calories 1700
    carbs 170
    fat 57
    protein 128
    sugar 24

    so what is the difference in reaching these goals with fast food than with "whole" foods? if it all totals the same numbers at the end of the day, does it really matter? if u say yes, please explain y.

    Micronutrients, although I wouldn't expect significant differences in body comp
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
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  • tiaamato
    tiaamato Posts: 30
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    so pretty much i would still lose weight eating crappy foods (within my daily limits) but i might no "feel" as great if i were eating veggies and all that? like maybe if i ate crappy food, i wouldn't wanna do my workout in the evening as where if i ate "whole foods" i would feel energized? is that the difference?
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
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    so pretty much i would still lose weight eating crappy foods (within my daily limits) but i might no "feel" as great if i were eating veggies and all that? like maybe if i ate crappy food, i wouldn't wanna do my workout in the evening as where if i ate "whole foods" i would feel energized? is that the difference?

    Pretty close.

    Plus "whole" foods tend to be more filling. Junk foods can leave you being hungry later. Depends on the person.

    Having some junk food isnt bad, but filling up your whole diet of it sure can be. Need those vitamins!
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    You could do this. It would take a little figuring out as you piece together meals to meet your macro goals. You would likely have to alter the food from it's original form since a good portion of "fast food" is proportionately higher in fat / carbs than protein. ie, removing a bun or breading on chicken nuggets.
  • lruff1987
    lruff1987 Posts: 263 Member
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    It's all about feeding your body with healthy ingredients. Yes, you can eat 1700 calories of crap and stay within your range. But think about what your body does with food. We feed ourselves to give our bodies energy, to give our bodies nutrients, to keep it functioning in a healthy manner, to have a healthy complexion, etc. So if all we're giving our bodies is fast food, where are the nutrients, minerals, and vitamins that we need?? Eventually that fast food will manifest itself in one way or another. : /
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    few things
    1) You're not getting the micronutrients. Like the calories might be spot on, along with carbs and proteins if you get the right junk food but the nutrition (vitamins etc) might not be there

    2) This is me. Anytime I try to eat only junk food for the day (chips, cookies etc) I have severe headache and feel like crap if I try to stay within my calorie limit. I have to basically eat anywhere from twice to three times as much junk food to fill me up compared to regular home-cooked meals.

    I'm not saying you shouldn't be eating bad food. I have been toying with my foods and have been keeping aside a coupe of hundred calories just for bad foods to satisfy my cravings (experiment still under progress).

    Anyways, whichever way you go, good luck
  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
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    Kind of like that. I have found that I like to have more food....as in volume....which makes me feel fuller and more satisfied longer.

    If I eat a double cheeseburger (440 calories) or a Big Mac (540 calories) that is pretty much my meal and I don't get full and I'm not very satisfied.

    If I have my "tostada meal" night I get: 2 corn tostadas (don't really fit on a plate together), 4 oz of 99/1 ground turkey with my own taco seasoning to control sodium, 2 Tbsp salsa, 1/2 C lettuce shreds, 1/2 cup black beans (I mash these like refried beans), and 1/2 of an avocado. They are pretty big when you split all of these between the 2 tostadas and come in UNDER 500 calories!!! Plus it's more "whole" foods with some processed in there too (I'm not making my own tostada shells).

    Yes, I do get the "bad" food sometimes as a treat but then I'm hungry sooner and usually have less calories to have a snack with. You also are not getting the best nutrients with the junk food and you may not be as healthy inside because of it even if you are losing weight. Good luck....you'll find a balance!!
  • Namaste1983
    Namaste1983 Posts: 603 Member
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    I'M HERE FOR THE GIFS
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    I think there is one other thing, that might not matter too much but you actually burn more calories trying to digest wole foods than processed foods, so they have fewer calories ultimately. Also, I find if I eat whole foods I am much less hungry at 1400 cals than if I eat junk food.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,562 Member
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    IMO the micronutrients (which has been mentioned) and the calorie density of foods you decide to eat. You can eat more volume of food that's less calorie dense.
    That said, I eat 80/20 and it's worked well for me for over 28 years.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • tiaamato
    tiaamato Posts: 30
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    perfect! I completely understand now. especially when lruff1987 said that u can stay within your range but it will effect your body in other ways.

    as far as the "wouldn't u rather have a huge filling healthy meal than a small crappy one?".....my concern with eating healthy all the time was that i was not reaching even 1200 calories at the end of the day (when i need 1700) and i wasn't hungry.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    perfect! I completely understand now. especially when lruff1987 said that u can stay within your range but it will effect your body in other ways.

    as far as the "wouldn't u rather have a huge filling healthy meal than a small crappy one?".....my concern with eating healthy all the time was that i was not reaching even 1200 calories at the end of the day (when i need 1700) and i wasn't hungry.

    Like ninerbuff suggested, try 80% "clean" and 20% "dirty". Implement some nut butters for quick and easy calories. I also used to make a home mixture of nuts with roasted almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans and use honey as the glue for them all. It was like 90 calories per tbsp
  • tiaamato
    tiaamato Posts: 30
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    I ate crappy today to see what the difference would be. looks like i get WAY to much sodium compared to my healthy eating
  • chuisle
    chuisle Posts: 1,052 Member
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    The answers on here are pretty right on. This article is good too:

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

    It's also hard to hit sugar, sodium, fiber, iron, etc. with processed foods.

    Here it is for me in a nutshell:

    1. I feel better

    2. It is better for my health. I get much closer to the recommended daily micronutrients, which are actually proven to have health benefits.

    3. I *might* look better for (people argue clean eating helps achieve a better body composition).

    4. It is probably better for my health to avoid the chemicals in processed foods.

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