knowing the facts of the science of food/ weight loss tips

though i appreciate the support of the people on MFP, i wish some people had a better idea of what theyre talking about.

diet sodas and diet drinks are not bad for you. of course, pumping your body with chemicals isnt the healthiest thing but it is MUCH better than regular drinks/sodas.

Additionally, candies and gums with "no added sugars" are fine for you in small doses but sugar alcohols are not good. If you eat a whole bag of these candies you will definitely feel the effects and know what i'm talking about.
If you like eating a lot (like i do) then try vegetables with sauces, dressings etc. but monitor it.

I usually buy lean cuisine pizzas and top them with veggies to make them more calorie-dense. It is therefor more sustaining and more filling. You will use the energy more slowly and won't need to eat as often.

APPETITE vs. HUNGER-- appetite is the psychological desire to eat. Hunger is a physiological sensation often brought on by a good smell (warm apple pie), a bright/colorful drink (gatorade) or cookie with frosting, etc.

Another tip is brush your teeth after you eat! With a taste still in your mouth you are more likely to go back for seconds. Additionally, bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar and the bacteria produce acid which destroy your tooth enamel.

I just want people to know the facts and I want to learn more so if you have things to add post them.
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Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member

    I usually buy lean cuisine pizzas and top them with veggies to make them more calorie-dense. It is therefor more sustaining and more filling. You will use the energy more slowly and won't need to eat as often.

    I;m sorry but anything artificial is worse for your body than natural, look at trans-fats, not natural and horrible for you. The human body does not know what to do with all these foreign substances and can cause serious side effects. On top of that anything processed like lean cuisine's are not good for you either. If by good for you you mean low cal then yes, but low cal does not mean good for you.
  • Can i just say one thing about Lean Cuisine? Have you looked at the ingredients on the box? I honestly would never suggest these to anyone trying to drop weight. Clean eating is the only way to go and do it healthy.
  • why did you quote "lean cuisine pizzas" they dont have trans fats and arent artificial theyre just smaller portions. They have calories.
    I mean with any pizza really, and i do not eat them on a daily basis. I'm saying that you can make you foods more calorie dense to sustain energy.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    why did you quote "lean cuisine pizzas" they dont have trans fats and arent artificial theyre just smaller portions. They have calories.
    I mean with any pizza really, and i do not eat them on a daily basis. I'm saying that you can make you foods more calorie dense to sustain energy.

    If you are going to eat processed foods than what you are suggesting does make it better for you. But it is still processed food a lot of chemicals in them, homemade pizza should be the way to go or even veggie pizza from a pizza shop, as long as they make the sauce and crust on site.
  • Ezzie
    Ezzie Posts: 665 Member
    Ben Franklin said it years ago

    MODERATION IN ALL THINGS.....that and BABY STEPS.....really 'clean' eating takes a huge leap into all kinds of space.

    For me its been a long progression of little things building healthier habits one at a time:
    Counting calories
    Reading labels (scary---)
    Portion control
    Exercise ---15 minutes, 30 minutes
    more days a week.
    Making better food choices.....etc,etc,etc.

    Just trying to say that it takes time and gradual change, if Lean Cuisine is a step then so be it. Better Lean Cuisine then 3 slices of Pizza Hut with 4 beers!
    ...and I still have a long way to go.....progress not perfection.
  • yeah i know that but it's one of my "bad" foods. Yes, an organic or homemade pizza is better. But I wasn't trying to advise that people eat lean cuisine. Once in a while i do enjoy lean cuisine foods.

    Mostly, I meant that you can top your pizza with veggies, add veggies to pasta, and make more foods calorie-dense.
  • sorry, not sure who you directed that to...lol
    I was just stating that lean cuisines are full of preservatives and really arent healthy for you, no matter what calorie or portion size. I dont mean to offend, its just that alot of people dont understand, especially if it claims low in calories.
  • I do agree with moderation, but eating clean isnt difficult and i dont believe it is a huge leap to stop eating pre-packaged foods.
  • well not all pre-packaged foods are that bad for you. of course some are and of course you should do things in moderation, but the whole idea of lean cuisine meals wasn't my main point.
  • If you feel some packaged foods are good for you, by all means...but i understood what you were saying. You seemed to be bothered that people were giving advice and not knowing what they were talking about....but in the meantime, you were suggesting lean cuisine..knowing how full of junk these pre-packaged foods are, i had to say something because there are ALOT of people under the misconception that these are actually a good food choice....i felt that since this site is made for learning and sharing, it was appropriate that i interject to let people who may not have ANY idea of what foods to eat, that these meals are not a good choice if you are serious about losing weight. I only meant to reply to do some good, not to offend.... :-)
  • Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, I suppose I wont ever lose weight then b/c I eat a Lean Cuisine for lumch everyday along with a can of green beans, and a cucumber!!! Jeez......
  • well, if i can just say that losing weight is 90% food and 10% exercise. Im sorry, i didnt mean to rain on anyones parade, but if you are serious about losing any weight, you have to CUT OUT processed food. And may i add, that a good veggie choice is fresh or frozen. Canned veggies are full of sodium. Its real easy to eat clean...you just have to want to lose the weight bad enough.
  • Well, I can say my green beans are no sodium green beans at least!! :-P I think I am doing a pretty good job...I'm satisfied with my progress, but thanks for the info!!!
  • SnakePlissken
    SnakePlissken Posts: 34 Member
    If you feel some packaged foods are good for you, by all means...but i understood what you were saying. You seemed to be bothered that people were giving advice and not knowing what they were talking about....but in the meantime, you were suggesting lean cuisine..knowing how full of junk these pre-packaged foods are, i had to say something because there are ALOT of people under the misconception that these are actually a good food choice....i felt that since this site is made for learning and sharing, it was appropriate that i interject to let people who may not have ANY idea of what foods to eat, that these meals are not a good choice if you are serious about losing weight. I only meant to reply to do some good, not to offend.... :-)
    Absolutely F&^*ng spot on.
    Kate starts a thread like she's a nutritional guru and then states that diet soda is just fine for you. She actually labels the thread, "Knowing the facts of the science of food/weight loss tips.", like she has a nutritional background and will be able to guide people on the highway of food success.
    Hey Kate. You flunked Science, and your weight loss tips are nutritionally vapid.

    The thing that's surprising about this site is that there is ZERO nutritional guidance from someone up top and that for the most part, its the blind leading the blind. I'm stunned at how much misinformation and lack of direction there is here. That anybody is successful with weight loss here is just blind luck. I mean I like the calorie counter but that the site has no real nutritional UberGenius is unconscionable. It leaves people with no baseline guidance and so they make stuff up that they think is OK.
    Idiocy like "I put raw veggies on my Lean Cuisine Pizza." "Diet soda is good for you".
    I mean maybe compared to the complete S%$^ that you usually pour into your fat countenance it is, but it is NOT a blueprint for eating..... which is fine, until you open your piehole to tell everybody else how little you know.
  • lol thats not true at all. packaged foods are not healthy but they can be good for weight loss.
  • If you feel some packaged foods are good for you, by all means...but i understood what you were saying. You seemed to be bothered that people were giving advice and not knowing what they were talking about....but in the meantime, you were suggesting lean cuisine..knowing how full of junk these pre-packaged foods are, i had to say something because there are ALOT of people under the misconception that these are actually a good food choice....i felt that since this site is made for learning and sharing, it was appropriate that i interject to let people who may not have ANY idea of what foods to eat, that these meals are not a good choice if you are serious about losing weight. I only meant to reply to do some good, not to offend.... :-)
    Absolutely F&^*ng spot on.
    Kate starts a thread like she's a nutritional guru and then states that diet soda is just fine for you. She actually labels the thread, "Knowing the facts of the science of food/weight loss tips.", like she has a nutritional background and will be able to guide people on the highway of food success.
    Hey Kate. You flunked Science, and your weight loss tips are nutritionally vapid.

    The thing that's surprising about this site is that there is ZERO nutritional guidance from someone up top and that for the most part, its the blind leading the blind. I'm stunned at how much misinformation and lack of direction there is here. That anybody is successful with weight loss here is just blind luck. I mean I like the calorie counter but that the site has no real nutritional UberGenius is unconscionable. It leaves people with no baseline guidance and so they make stuff up that they think is OK.
    Idiocy like "I put raw veggies on my Lean Cuisine Pizza." "Diet soda is good for you".
    I mean maybe compared to the complete S%$^ that you usually pour into your fat countenance it is, but it is NOT a blueprint for eating..... which is fine, until you open your piehole to tell everybody else how little you know.

    I do actually take a class in food science and I've been studying it. I do not consider myself a "guru" and I never said everyone is a f-ing idiot. I just wanted to offer advice from what i've learned by a trained nutritionist and teacher. I am more educated than many of the people I know about nutrition but I never said I was an amazing nutritionist or anything.
    There is no need to be rude because I never told anyone to eat lean cuisine. I was advising making meals more calorie-dense. I didn't "flunk" science in fact I got an A but thank you for your disrespectful, nasty input.
    I never said diet soda is good for you, I said it's better than regular sodas. Please back down, this a website for support, information, and inspiration.
  • bebhinn
    bebhinn Posts: 198
    Sad that it had to turn to this. I didn't necessarily agree with everything she said but thats for me to believe.
    This is a site for support and even though you may not agree there is a mature way of dealing with it. Terms like "vapid" and "idiocy" and "piehole(?!!)" are not fostering support or constructive correction.

    And, for the record, I often have a Healthy Choice steamer for lunch and since the end of Oct I've brought all my numbers to normal and lost 42 lbs. They won't kill you, you just can't make them the focus of your diet. My favourite meal of the day is dinner because I home cook it.

    Now can we get back on track or let this thread die?
  • yeah it was really immature. I'm sorry if it sounded threatening to you that I was trying to give advice. I sat down with some of my notes from a class that I do pass (and do well in) and I wrote some things I found interesting.

    there is a difference between healthy in nutrition and what is good for weight loss. A lot of people seem to get that mixed up.
  • I totally disagree with you about the artificial sugar v regular sugar thing. It is annoying when people give advice without knowing what they are talking about but to be honest I think you are guilty of that too.
  • deedeehawaii
    deedeehawaii Posts: 279 Member
    I totally disagree with you about the artificial sugar v regular sugar thing. It is annoying when people give advice without knowing what they are talking about but to be honest I think you are guilty of that too.
    "Real" sugar is better for you from the perspective that is it "natural'. Artificial sweeteners are adding chemicals to your food. So, sugar is "healthier" when compared to artificial sweeteners. BUT, for calorie counting, artificial sweeteners are lower in calories.

    Personally, I eat a healthy diet, mostly homemade foods, but I do indulge in the unhealthy artificial sweeteners while dieting. It is a trade-off I am willing to make. But, I make it fully realizing that artificial sweeteners are not a good food choice. That is where I see the problem ... that people think artificial sweeteners are healthy. They are not. (But they are low calorie!)
  • "Real" sugar is better for you from the perspective that is it "natural'. Artificial sweeteners are adding chemicals to your food. So, sugar is "healthier" when compared to artificial sweeteners. BUT, for calorie counting, artificial sweeteners are lower in calories.

    I'm fully aware of that deedeehawaii, but I would never sacrifice my health in order to lose weight. More importantly I would never advise anybody else to do so.
  • deedeehawaii
    deedeehawaii Posts: 279 Member
    "Real" sugar is better for you from the perspective that is it "natural'. Artificial sweeteners are adding chemicals to your food. So, sugar is "healthier" when compared to artificial sweeteners. BUT, for calorie counting, artificial sweeteners are lower in calories.

    I'm fully aware of that deedeehawaii, but I would never sacrifice my health in order to lose weight. More importantly I would never advise anybody else to do so.

    You are obviously a saint. I am a devil who uses artificial sweeteners. (And I'm not sure if you were accusing me of recommending artificial sweeteners ..... I specifically said they were unhealthy.)
  • No no! I wasn't accusing you of that at all. And it's totally your right to eat and drink what you like. I just hate that a lot of people here are spreading false information all the time! Annoying!
  • joann
    joann Posts: 624 Member
    Wowwwww... We are all here for the same reason, we dont have to be rude to people. If you dont agree with someone just say it nicely, you dont have to beat people up. Diet soda is better for you than regular soda..if you must drink it and Lean Cuisine pizza is better for you than Pizza Hut ...that is all she is saying...take a chill pill people..............
  • deedeehawaii
    deedeehawaii Posts: 279 Member
    Wowwwww... We are all here for the same reason, we dont have to be rude to people. If you dont agree with someone just say it nicely, you dont have to beat people up.
    I just blogged about that. I found myself getting annoyed at "non-facts" that are popping up, and that annoyance discolored my positive thoughts. Here's to everyone finding the path that works for them towards weight loss, and gaining healthy habits along the way. :flowerforyou:
  • If you feel some packaged foods are good for you, by all means...but i understood what you were saying. You seemed to be bothered that people were giving advice and not knowing what they were talking about....but in the meantime, you were suggesting lean cuisine..knowing how full of junk these pre-packaged foods are, i had to say something because there are ALOT of people under the misconception that these are actually a good food choice....i felt that since this site is made for learning and sharing, it was appropriate that i interject to let people who may not have ANY idea of what foods to eat, that these meals are not a good choice if you are serious about losing weight. I only meant to reply to do some good, not to offend.... :-)
    Absolutely F&^*ng spot on.
    Kate starts a thread like she's a nutritional guru and then states that diet soda is just fine for you. She actually labels the thread, "Knowing the facts of the science of food/weight loss tips.", like she has a nutritional background and will be able to guide people on the highway of food success.
    Hey Kate. You flunked Science, and your weight loss tips are nutritionally vapid.

    The thing that's surprising about this site is that there is ZERO nutritional guidance from someone up top and that for the most part, its the blind leading the blind. I'm stunned at how much misinformation and lack of direction there is here. That anybody is successful with weight loss here is just blind luck. I mean I like the calorie counter but that the site has no real nutritional UberGenius is unconscionable. It leaves people with no baseline guidance and so they make stuff up that they think is OK.
    Idiocy like "I put raw veggies on my Lean Cuisine Pizza." "Diet soda is good for you".
    I mean maybe compared to the complete S%$^ that you usually pour into your fat countenance it is, but it is NOT a blueprint for eating..... which is fine, until you open your piehole to tell everybody else how little you know.

    Lol Snake, that cheered me up and made me smile! It's nice to see someone using a wide and varied vocabulary and feeling able to express their views. I have to agree for the most part that processed, pre-packaged foods are made of rubbish, don't really taste that nice and don't do you much good - a friend of mine has been on every diet going and ate all the special diet foods and when I looked at them, most of them had more calories in than healthy home made stuff. One low fat sauce had more fat in than the regular one I bought! But I guess if your only goal is to lose weight rather than make total lifestyle changes or to eat more healthily, then I guess it's whatever works for you!
  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 1,607 Member
    packaged foods are not healthy but they can be good for weight loss.
    Yes, they are great for portion control, but you are correct, not exactly 'healthy' so try to eat less of them and eat more whole foods.
  • truedecember
    truedecember Posts: 151 Member
    Okay sorry to randomly jump in here, but I can't help it. I am currently studying dietetics at UW-Madison, and while I don't know all of the answers I just feel like I need to say something! First of all, it is nearly impossible to eat the perfect diet all of the time. The key, like people have said, is to eat things in MODERATION. You could argue chemicals/artificial sweeteners vs. real sugar/fat ALL DAY and not get anywhere because the solid research JUST ISN'T THERE. Does it hurt to eat a Lean Cuisine every once in a while? No. I don't know a single person in my major who hasn't occasionally been crunched for time and popped one in the microwave. Ultimately, you should strive to achieve balance. Of course eating "clean" foods is optimal, but sometimes it just isn't feasible with the lifestyles of most people. So eating some processed food every once in a while will not kill you, and it won't stall weight loss. Another thing that bothered me is the use of "calorie-dense." I know this is a picky comment, but no, you are NOT adding vegetables to a pizza to make it more calorie-dense, you are adding vegetables to make it more NUTRIENT-dense. Use of this terminology alone shows that you don't know all the answers.

    I'm not usually a very forward person but I felt like some of those things needed to be said. I am NOT an expert (yet! give me a couple years!) so I'm not going to sit here and preach about what is right or wrong. And honestly, that's not what these boards should be about. These boards are GREAT for exchanging new ideas, and it's up to you to take the information with a grain of salt, because nobody here in an expert and as far as I know most people don't claim to be!
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    If you have the goal of eliminating unhealthy additives from your diet, that pretty much cuts out all packaged foods.

    Check labels and see if there are:

    MSG
    Enriched anything
    High Fructose Corn Syrup
    GMO anything (although not required to be labeled)
    Artifical flavors
    Artifical colors
    Added sugar (in any form)
    Artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Saccharin, etc.)
    Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils
    Sodium Nitrite
    Bisphenol-A
    PCB's

    My experience has been that if you stop buying products with these things in them (all proven to be detrimental to our health), then you eliminate many processed foods. There are a few brands that try to be healthy, Kashi is one and Amy's Organic is another. But the best bet is to eat whole foods in their natural state. Once you get used to it, it doesn't really take any longer to prepare, particularly if you do so in advance. The benefits are worth it.
  • AwMyLoLo
    AwMyLoLo Posts: 1,571 Member
    though i appreciate the support of the people on MFP, i wish some people had a better idea of what theyre talking about.

    diet sodas and diet drinks are not bad for you. of course, pumping your body with chemicals isnt the healthiest thing but it is MUCH better than regular drinks/sodas.

    Additionally, candies and gums with "no added sugars" are fine for you in small doses but sugar alcohols are not good. If you eat a whole bag of these candies you will definitely feel the effects and know what i'm talking about.
    If you like eating a lot (like i do) then try vegetables with sauces, dressings etc. but monitor it.

    I usually buy lean cuisine pizzas and top them with veggies to make them more calorie-dense. It is therefor more sustaining and more filling. You will use the energy more slowly and won't need to eat as often.

    APPETITE vs. HUNGER-- appetite is the psychological desire to eat. Hunger is a physiological sensation often brought on by a good smell (warm apple pie), a bright/colorful drink (gatorade) or cookie with frosting, etc.

    Another tip is brush your teeth after you eat! With a taste still in your mouth you are more likely to go back for seconds. Additionally, bacteria in your mouth thrive on sugar and the bacteria produce acid which destroy your tooth enamel.

    I just want people to know the facts and I want to learn more so if you have things to add post them.

    I've skipped over clicking on this thread several times because I feel I have a pretty good handle on what I'm doing. I expected to see here an informationally valid point, but have to say that for a thread titled "knowing the facts of the science of food / weight loss tips", it was lacking everything it was described to be. For you to be irritated because "people don't know what they are talking about" is kinda like the pot calling the kettle black.

    I think if you look closer, there are many members on this website that are extremely knowledgeable and provide actual facts (as opposed to what you have listed here). Facts that are based on research that these people have taken the time to do and share with us. And even then, it's up to each one of us to decide what we feel is "right" for us.

    I completely agree with Stormyweather, by the way. This is probably why your post rubbed me the wrong way.
This discussion has been closed.