Bad foods 'in moderation' IIFYM

I don't know. I eat a 1/4 cup or a spoonful of ice cream almost every day and have no problem with that. And can eat half a cookie or 3 chips fine.

I eat foods like that because I like that taste. And sometimes I choose to eat them. The first bite is always the best. I enjoy it and move on.

Often I find that if I eat too much of them they don't taste good and I don't FEEL good. Because they aren't very healthy and my body responds to the too much fat the way it's supposed to. But a little? No problem.

That's the whole idea between the style of cuisine that's made of many tiny little tastes.

You are not "deprived" unless you want to be. Your body doesnt need that crap and if you abstain for a short time, you will lose the cravings for whatever it is you think you just have to have.

But I get enjoyment out of the occasional "goodie," whether that goodie is chocolate, ice cream, wine or jello shots. If I'm otherwise eating healthy, why not?

I think of it as entertainment for my tastebuds. :laugh: I don't want everything I watch on tv to be serious educational programming... sometimes I want to watch Wipeout. I don't only read Shakespeare... sometimes I want to read a comic book. I don't listen to only classical music... sometimes I want to listen to the Spice Girls. (Yeah, I said that.) I don't only want to do work-work and housework... sometimes I want to play video games or dance.

Why should how I eat be any different? You know what they say about all work and no play...

What a great post. Love your way of thinking

"You can have anything as long as it's in moderation"

"You can eat anything as long as you meet your micronutrient and macronutrient goals"

Seriously?

Imagine sitting in front of the TV watching your favorite program and you are allowed to have 12 pieces of potato chips and 3 cookies.... You eat the food and tell yourself it's enough, but you are sitting there with all the residue of the chips and cookies in your mouth and while looking back in the kitchen you see the box of cookies looking right back at you.

Doing this is gonna have you hungry in 45 minutes...

Sure there are people who can do this, but I never understood eating bad foods 'in moderation.' It's like telling an alcoholic to just have one drink at night and telling him he will be OK when in reality, most alcoholics won't be able to do it.

Totally agree.

Mathematically, sure. But human nature isn't a math formula.

For me, the idea of logging everything is just part of having an overall healthy lifestyle, and that does include the occasional treat. If you're on some sort of quick fix diet, then fair enough, you want to avoid anything 'bad', but if you want to eat healthily for life, then so long as you log it and remain within your calorie and fat goals, then there's no problem with that scoop of ice-cream at the beach, or that slice of cake at a party.

I went to a 3rd birthday party yesterday and had a slice of cake. I was still within my calorie goals for the day, so it's not a big deal. I don't go to parties every day!

In the UK, you can buy little treat size chocolate bars, or Cadburys dairy milk have a small bar with about 110 calories in it. Sometimes when I do the shopping I buy one, so maybe have one about once a fortnight. I prefer not to keep stuff like that in the cupboards at home, although I do have the willpower to ignore it.

I eat pizza too! :laugh: - just once or so a week...

What! Pizza!! But that's a BAD food!! That it Matt!! You're going to be as big as a house!! lol

LOL!

TBH the reality is the actual carb type on consumes really won't change the way someone looks if the carb level remains the same as otherwise it would with a supposedly cleaner source. Its keeping macro's balanced which is the hard bit.

Heck you could easily get ripped on chicken/beef/fish and haribo's with peanut butter and other nuts if you can keep the carbs at a level your body needs.

I'm working with a registered dietician. Her take on it is that what I'm doing is forever, so it has to be sustainable. And in order for it to be sustainable, she's trying hard to drum the concept of "bad food" out of my head.

If you're comfortable with never having goodies ever again, good for you and I'll confess to being more than a little jealous. I can deprive myself for a bit, but forever? Not going to happen. I will fall off the wagon and I will fall HARD.

So the only things I completely abstain from are things I have a tendency to binge on... which has turned out to be less of a problem than expected because I've learned that my sweet tooth is just as satisfied by Thing A (which I enjoy but not so much that I'm likely to overindulge) as by Thing B (which I'll scarf down until it's gone). If I'm craving a trigger food, it's still okay to have as long as I can strictly portion control it (did you know you can buy individual Lindor truffles at some craft stores?).

Sounds like you are working with a great dietician. This is totally the take that I believe in!

I will eat 'bad food' sometimes even if it does NOT fit my macros - though it always fits my calories. Usually when I get to after dinner and I have 400 calories to kill :P Happens sometimes but I'm really just starting on this road and it's going to take time to find the 'right' balance. I lose weight and I have a lot to lose so the whole 'body composition' thing does not really matter at this point. Likely by the time it does I will have become more comfortable with it all and be able to hit the macros too. I do try

As far as it goes whether or not you can eat small quantities of 'bad' food will depend on the individual. The reason I am fat is not because I binge or because I eat sweets. It is because I eat too much thus I can control my portion sizes without a problem and having a little bit of something does not cause me immediately to go 'on a bender' Some people have a different relationship with food and can NOT just have a little bit - at least not when they are just starting out.

No one thing will work for everyone. In my case I have no problem with it.

I eat 80/20. 80% healthy, and 20% other bits here and there. For example, I eat amazing all day, workout, burn a good 300 - 800+ and I WILL have the chocolate (serving size of course). If I restrict foods, I'll binge. Some people won't. Whatever works for your life.

You mean people have to learn to find something they'll stick with, fits into their lives, and works for them?

I'm not sure how newsorthy that is.

I think people make a mistaken in thinking that when some folks say it's all about macronutrients and moderation that there's an implied assumption that it's going to be behaviorally easy for everyone. There isn't that implied assumption.

"You can have anything as long as it's in moderation"

"You can eat anything as long as you meet your micronutrient and macronutrient goals"

Seriously?

Imagine sitting in front of the TV watching your favorite program and you are allowed to have 12 pieces of potato chips and 3 cookies.... You eat the food and tell yourself it's enough, but you are sitting there with all the residue of the chips and cookies in your mouth and while looking back in the kitchen you see the box of cookies looking right back at you.

Doing this is gonna have you hungry in 45 minutes...

Sure there are people who can do this, but I never understood eating bad foods 'in moderation.' It's like telling an alcoholic to just have one drink at night and telling him he will be OK when in reality, most alcoholics won't be able to do it.

If you are unable to control yourself, then you shouldn't do that. But not everyone trying to lose or maintain weight has a food addiction or is an emotional or binge eater.

Just like not everyone who has ever been drunk is an alcoholic.