Can i eat anything as long as I stay under calorie goal?!?!

1246

Replies

  • And to those that say a Big Mac has no nutritional value......wrong. It's not the best nutritional value, but it still has value.

    Carbs 46
    Fiber 3
    Protein 25
    Fat 29

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Macdonalds food is not healthy, it's not nutritional it's junk food. It's also addictive. It's better to make your own hamburger at home. Eat what you want of course, even a cardboard box would have "some" nutritional value too....
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    And to those that say a Big Mac has no nutritional value......wrong. It's not the best nutritional value, but it still has value.

    Carbs 46
    Fiber 3
    Protein 25
    Fat 29

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Macdonalds food is not healthy, it's not nutritional it's junk food. It's also addictive. It's better to make your own hamburger at home. Eat what you want of course, even a cardboard box would have "some" nutritional value too....

    Really?

    How much protein, carbs and fat are in a cardboard box.

    I suppose eating the box is one way to get extra fibre.
  • Ever since my college bio teacher told me margarine is one molecule away from being plastic, I haven't eaten it again lol

    Take organic chemistry - it will make you ok with the whole "one molecule" thing again.

    Pretty much. LoL. Hell, since salt is one molecule away from being a toxic element, it should be avoided at all costs, eh?

    Yeah, and water is 1 atom different than rocket fuel (h2o2) :)

    Troll Alert
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member

    And you can get as technical as you want. His question was can he eat anything he wants as long as its under his calorie goal...And then proceeded to list mcdonalds and cookies. If all he eats his *kitten*, his insides are going to go *kitten* as well, and he won't be very healthy.

    Obviously adding those things in every once and a while, or even once a week, are not going to be detrimental to his health. But what if his "anything" means big macs and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies all day every day? You're telling me he will still be healthy as long as he's under his calorie goal? Bullsh*t :smile:

    I'm afraid that this just isn't factually correct. I know it seems so on it's face, but there is no science to back it up. Just the opposite, really. All the data points to that if he loses weight, all of his insides will turn to gold, meaning all of his labs and vitals will improve significantly.

    plus i don't think he's going to eat nothing but mcdonalds every day. i mean, there's got to be a taco bell around his house to mix that *kitten* up sometimes.

    Hahahaha Taco Bell will *kitten* him up foreal! :tongue:

    And if it were true that him simply losing weight equals him being healthy then there would be no unhealthy thin people, and we all know that thats not the case.

    The obvious counter to this is that if simply eating clean equaled being healthy then there would be no sick clean eaters. But they get sick and die at rates very similar to the rest of us
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    You will be skinny fat

    Do I appear skinny fat to you? I eat 20/80. At best
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    Yes you can as I have done just that and I am now at my goal weight :}, but one thing I would suggest is watch the sodium in things as when you eat too much sodium you can retain water weight
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    Ever since my college bio teacher told me margarine is one molecule away from being plastic, I haven't eaten it again lol

    Take organic chemistry - it will make you ok with the whole "one molecule" thing again.

    Pretty much. LoL. Hell, since salt is one molecule away from being a toxic element, it should be avoided at all costs, eh?

    Yeah, and water is 1 atom different than rocket fuel (h2o2) :)

    Troll Alert

    Who, you?
  • Dang . . . no delete!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    I say yes, because I pretty much do/did.

    I'm on maintenance phase now, but I eat what I crave and only eat a serving size of said item.. no more.
  • Yes you can eat whatever you want. I try to keep my diet at least somewhat balanced between carbs, fat, and protien. Eating 2 Big Macs a day will definitely overload on the fat portion of the diet.


    Another problem that people typically have is they will eat a piece of cake (or something) that has 1200 calories then they will be hungry 20 minutes later. Best way to stay full longer is to eat more fiber like fruits and vegetables. You can eat quite a lot of them and still have a very low calorie count.

    I would also recommend eating small meals more often. It takes awhile for the brain to recognize that you are full, so eating many small meals will help you eat less because you just won't feel hungry.
  • It just comes down to "health" versus "weight loss"

    There are a million ways to lose weight, but they all come down to running a caloric deficit.

    There is arguably only one way to eat healthy, please feel free to debate:

    -Eat the highest quality, most humanely raised, local foods you can afford.
    -Limit processed foods and all the other obvious **** you shouldn't eat.
    -Eat nutrient dense whole foods, emphasis on vegetables and lean protein sources.
    -Vary your food sources, eat seasonal, and think about environmental impact.

    How does "humanely raised, local foods and environmental impact" affect weight loss? I have always been very rude to my imported veggies, and continue to drop the pounds.
  • jenferwake
    jenferwake Posts: 47 Member
    nice!! couldnt have said it any better!! =)
  • WhaddoWino
    WhaddoWino Posts: 146 Member
    I HIGHLY recommend that you listen to this radio excerpt from Dr. Rob Lustig. I think it will help answer your question fairly well:
    http://www.npr.org/2013/01/11/169144853/the-fallacies-of-fat
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    Technically yes, you can, but you're not going to be very healthy doing so.
    Not true. I eat McDonald's at least once a week and KNOW I'm healthier than a lot of vegans, paleo, clean eaters etc. who are overweight.
    Health isn't just about food. Health is encompassed by weight, essential nutrition, exercise, rest, genetics, environment, disease resistance and happiness. Delete any one of those and you can compromise your health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    While I agree with your comment. I believe she is talking about you micro nutrient intake from those types of foods.
    Maybe. But most people on here believe that eating any fast food is nothing but a detriment to weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    McDonalds goes straight to my boobs. And I don't need anymore of those! :drinker:


    I love that, now I know where I got mine from.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    And to those that say a Big Mac has no nutritional value......wrong. It's not the best nutritional value, but it still has value.

    Carbs 46
    Fiber 3
    Protein 25
    Fat 29

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Macdonalds food is not healthy, it's not nutritional it's junk food. It's also addictive. It's better to make your own hamburger at home. Eat what you want of course, even a cardboard box would have "some" nutritional value too....
    Your body breaks down food to it's simplest form and absorbs it. It can't tell if it's a burger from McDonald's or your back yard. You'd be hard pressed to prove that it doesn't work that way.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
    Ever since my college bio teacher told me margarine is one molecule away from being plastic, I haven't eaten it again lol

    Take organic chemistry - it will make you ok with the whole "one molecule" thing again.

    Pretty much. LoL. Hell, since salt is one molecule away from being a toxic element, it should be avoided at all costs, eh?

    Yeah, and water is 1 atom different than rocket fuel (h2o2) :)

    Troll Alert

    That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide#Propellant
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member


    That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide#Propellant

    YES!!!

    tumblr_lroen5OC4z1qhgr6oo1_400.gif?t=1317249718
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
    Technically, you can have 2,000 calories of dingdongs every day if that's what you want but we all know your physique would reflect it.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    Your body breaks down food to it's simplest form and absorbs it. It can't tell if it's a burger from McDonald's or your back yard. You'd be hard pressed to prove that it doesn't work that way.
    The link to the study I posted earlier proves that it DOES work that way (exactly as you described):

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/hormonal-responses-to-a-fast-food-meal-compared-with-nutritionally-comparable-meals-of-different-composition-research-review.html

    (I know posting the link is largely a waste of time because most people would rather stubbornly cling to their dogma than educate themselves)
  • cksoto
    cksoto Posts: 50 Member
    And to those that say a Big Mac has no nutritional value......wrong. It's not the best nutritional value, but it still has value.

    Carbs 46
    Fiber 3
    Protein 25
    Fat 29

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition


    Macdonalds food is not healthy, it's not nutritional it's junk food. It's also addictive. It's better to make your own hamburger at home. Eat what you want of course, even a cardboard box would have "some" nutritional value too....
    Your body breaks down food to it's simplest form and absorbs it. It can't tell if it's a burger from McDonald's or your back yard. You'd be hard pressed to prove that it doesn't work that way.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    @ninerbuff Off subject, but can I just say that I've seen you post alot as I read the forums daily and at first I thought you very abrasive, but after reading this whole thread..I'm beginning to love you, and not in that stalker kind of way but in the way that I appreciate seeing your input kinda way. Way to stick to your guns, especially in a fashion that isn't holier than thou, but just straight forward.

    Back to subject at hand, having Mc D's every once in awhile and having it fit into your calorie goals, is fine by me. I find if I deny myself foods I end up craving them til I binge on them, and then end up feeling guilty and it takes me days to recover and get back on track. Have a splurge or treat, but I would keep it at that, fast food every day for every meal wouldn't be the best for the health of your wallet! :bigsmile:
  • cksoto
    cksoto Posts: 50 Member
    Your body breaks down food to it's simplest form and absorbs it. It can't tell if it's a burger from McDonald's or your back yard. You'd be hard pressed to prove that it doesn't work that way.
    The link to the study I posted earlier proves that it DOES work that way (exactly as you described):

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/hormonal-responses-to-a-fast-food-meal-compared-with-nutritionally-comparable-meals-of-different-composition-research-review.html

    (I know posting the link is largely a waste of time because most people would rather stubbornly cling to their dogma than educate themselves)

    Way to add that passive aggressive statement at the end! :noway:
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
    I say in order to lose weight you need to fuel your body with nutrients to best help that effort. MFP is to help you create a lifestyle change. I'd say try and treat yourself to something other than food. Maybe awesome sports seats or something. Pick one or two things a week to satisfy your cravings and use the rest to fuel your body and fill it with premium instead of unleaded! : )
    Which is why for many the 80/20 approach works. Hit that macro/micro nutrient goal everyday and any leftover calories are free for whatever.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    ^^What this man said! From a purely caloric perspective, a calorie is just an amount of food that has an equal energy value to 1 large calorie. (According to Merriam-Webster, a large calorie is, "a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body." It doesn't matter where they come from. So as far as weight loss is concerned, eat up! However, the body needs more than just calories. As long as you're getting all of your vitamins, minerals, etc. from the rest of your diet, (whether at 80 or some other percent) whatever calories you have left over are free for whatever.

    You can do any number of overly-restrictive, and sometimes insane diet plans and lose weight, but if it's not sustainable for the rest of your life, then the weight will likely come roaring back. Figure out a moderate, sustainable lifestyle, lift, play (cardio), and eat in the right balance, and you'll be fine.
  • I think your all getting caught up on the first part of can i eat whatever and lose weight. The answer to this is yes so long as your under your goal. now to the real q and a..., you are not going to eat mcdonald's and obtain your desired "sexy body" without working out frequently. Sure the scale may drop but that skin aint going to tighten up in fact you will be doing the opposite. You wanna be ready for summer make sure its once in a while or your tanning time may be slackin this summer. as others have already stated homemade burgers are better so if you need burgers save you and your wallet and cook at home.
  • RandiLandCHANGED
    RandiLandCHANGED Posts: 630 Member
    I eat a lot of junk food & high protein. I'm think I'm doing alright.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member


    That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide#Propellant

    YES!!!

    tumblr_lroen5OC4z1qhgr6oo1_400.gif?t=1317249718

    STOLEN. Thanks!
  • Eating whatever you want as long as you stay under your "calorie goal" everyday is fine. But there is so much data out there that points to fast food as something that is detrimental to ones health. You could have a Big Mac once a week, sure.... but the "meat" that they use is not raised humanely, meaning the animal is subjected to terrible living conditions, which affects the animals immune system, causing the farm to pump the animal full of antibiotics and growth hormones to get it to the correct weight. These chemicals are being linked to long term health problems in humans. The more of those things you eat, the less healthy you really are. You may feel fine, but your cells are changing, they are mutating, they are causing you to either gain weight, or plaque in your arteries, or causing you cancer later on, giving you little health problems that you start to take prescriptions for, passing these little health problems onto your children.

    Basically, the more processed your food is, the worse it will be for you in the long run. Learn how to cook foods at home, try to avoid fried foods and bake them instead, eat more veggies and fruits, especially veggies (but avoid corn, it hasn't gotten such good reviews lately).

    Personally, I try. And sometimes I fail. I don't know the last time I ate fast food, the whole idea kind of freaks me out and luckily I found someone (my fiance) who feels the same. I enjoy donuts, and cake, and pizza, but I'm constantly trying to find substitutes for those things, either in whole wheat forms or making it at home so I know exactly what I'm putting in my body.

    The nicer you are to your body and the environment that helps fuel your body, the better we will all be. I honestly believe that.:smile:
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Let me clarify something. I am studying to become a Registered Dietician now, so I am not giving advice with no background, just to make sure I don't seem naggy. Yes, it is okay to eat what you love. I enjoy food and have a lot of trouble controlling my diet, so I understand what it is like to crave certain types of food. Yes, you can eat McDonalds or even live on McDonalds and still lose weight. However, I have to disagree with the previous poster in a way. You will NOT be as healthy as if you ate fresh foods and kept all other parts of your lifestyle the same. Meaning, if you work out 1 hr a day, keep your health the same (drink/don't drink, etc) and were to decide between McDonalds & cookies everyday OR fresh fruits, vegetables & pasta, you would find a difference on your overall health and possibly, not surely, but possibly your life span. Many chain/fast food restaurants contain GMO's and unhealthy additives. Small choices in your diet can affect it more than you know. For example, eating margarine everyday will have different impacts than eating butter everyday. Some argue that this depends most on the trans fats (whichever has less is better) because some fats are worse than others. Some other people will argue that even if butter has more trans fat, it is better because it doesn't contain the unnatural ingredients found in a lot of margarine, which can be hard on the digestive track since they are not as natural. While McDonalds won't likely cause you to stay overweight if you eat your calories, it may have other negative effects on the body, even if you exercise routinely, because the additives and processing it goes through at not healthy either. I would say eat it, but don't eat it all the time and make sure to keep some fresh foods, like fruit & vegetables, in your diet. If you cut your favorite foods out completely, all at once, it may be difficult to stick to your new diet/lifestyle. If you ever decide to drop the less healthy foods, try to do so a little at a time.

    Ever since my college bio teacher told me margarine is one molecule away from being plastic, I haven't eaten it again lol
    I prefer butter. lol I used to eat margarine, but the ingredients are very odd in some cases (most cases!)
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Let me clarify something. I am studying to become a Registered Dietician now, so I am not giving advice with no background
    ...
    Many chain/fast food restaurants contain GMO's and unhealthy additives.
    ...
    it may have other negative effects on the body, even if you exercise routinely, because the additives and processing it goes through at not healthy either.

    Is this information you are getting at school? Or pre-existing opinions? Or something you read on the web or in a "documentary"?

    It seems like it would be a bit odd if this sort of thing is being taught to registered dietitians (who should (IMO) be focusing on science more than opinions - at least during their studies).

    (Oh, and there is no 'c' in 'dietitian' - not trying to be rude)
    My spelling sucks, sorry. I take courses in food, not learning to spell. & Yes it is being taught. Nice presumption though, thinking I would state that I am studying nutrition and not post anything I was taught. That makes no logical sense. Knowing what is in our food is part of nutrition. It will be my job to tell people what is good for their body and what is not. I'm sure it is your job to decide my curriculum though. :] I take biology and my biology teacher also talked to us about the butter & margarine part of it. I switched to butter. If you want to pretend those additives and unnatural ingredients don't affect you, fine, but I am giving my view from what I have learned since starting my courses in biology, nutrition, food science, etc.

    "The most significant area of comparison is the different chemical structures of the component fatty acids of the two. Butter is basically a natural product, and its fatty acids are structurally similar to the fatty acids in our bodies. The heat and chemicals used to transform vegetable oils into margarine change fatty acids into unnatural forms that may be most unhealthy to eat."
    - Dr. Thomas S. Lee
  • bcf7683
    bcf7683 Posts: 1,653 Member
    Technically yes, you can, but you're not going to be very healthy doing so.
    Not true. I eat McDonald's at least once a week and KNOW I'm healthier than a lot of vegans, paleo, clean eaters etc. who are overweight.
    Health isn't just about food. Health is encompassed by weight, essential nutrition, exercise, rest, genetics, environment, disease resistance and happiness. Delete any one of those and you can compromise your health.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    While I agree with your comment. I believe she is talking about you micro nutrient intake from those types of foods.
    Maybe. But most people on here believe that eating any fast food is nothing but a detriment to weight loss.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    McDonalds goes straight to my boobs. And I don't need anymore of those! :drinker:

    Then maybe I should be on the Big-Mac-A-Day plan....
  • Verity1111
    Verity1111 Posts: 3,309 Member
    Ever since my college bio teacher told me margarine is one molecule away from being plastic, I haven't eaten it again lol

    Take organic chemistry - it will make you ok with the whole "one molecule" thing again.
    While this is true, since one molecule can make a huge difference, biology still says our bodies do not process a lot of unnatural ingredients the way we would those we are biologically accustomed to processing. One molecule, however, can change the way the others react to one another, thereby changing the substance entirely.