Calories-- quantity v. qualities

TeamLeela
TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so we're all here to stay accountable for our actions. I have a question about the calorie. I know its important to stay within your calorie goal, but isn't it better to do it with healthy foods? I mean, for example, 1 cup of ice cream is almost 400 calories. Four ounces of chicken breast and a half of cup of brown rice with a side of green beans are also almost 400 calories. The icecream has empty calories and will end up being hungry again before the well balanced meal with fiber that will keep you full longer. But can you still lose weight on an "icecream" diet as appose to a diet balanced with lean protein, whole grains and fruits and vegetables?

Just interested in hearing other people's ideas on the subject.
Thanks in advance.
Leela.

Replies

  • maz123
    maz123 Posts: 63
    i'm interested in hearing this one cos the ice cream would appeal to me. sweet rathere then savoury tooth here! good topic!
  • elmct57
    elmct57 Posts: 594 Member
    "empty calories"

    Limiting empty calories is important to prevent weight gain, especially in sedentary individuals. This is essential when people try to lose weight so that they have an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals and avoid malnutrition. Dietitians recommend replacing empty-calorie foods with nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables.
  • Jenks
    Jenks Posts: 349
    Well the Four ounces of chicken breast and a half of cup of brown rice with a side of green beans are going to give your body what it needs to run properly. Mathematically yes you could lose weight eating ice cream if you burn more then what you're taking in, but the Chicken/Brown Rice/Green Bean dinner is going to give your body the nutrients it needs to run more efficiently.
  • susiewusie
    susiewusie Posts: 432 Member
    I think you should eat "good " cals rather than "bad" cals for instance would be better to have salmon than donner kebab for the same cals .loads of people disagree saying a calorie is a calorie ,but it has to be better to eat well than eat junk .
  • Precious_Nissa
    Precious_Nissa Posts: 416
    ok and this is just my personal opinion.....

    i have decided on my journey to not deprive myself of things in which i like because once you deprive yourself, you find yourself binging on that day that you just needed some snacks....

    if i want icecream, i eat icecream, i just choose a healthier type of icecream such as tcby's yogurt or menchies yogurt which is half of what regular icecream is in calories.....if i want a chocolate bar, i eat a chocolate bar, i just eat it to where its no more than 150 or 200 calories....yesterday, i ate a cupcake but it was only 158 calories.....

    I find that when people deprive themselves of food that they like, they find themselves slipping here and again and they arent enjoying food and food is to be enjoyed, just not over indulged in....

    with that said...yes it is good to make healthier choices; however, theres nothing wrong and nothing to feel guilty about if you choose to eat that cookie, etc......even with hamburgers, we have learned how to cook them healthier and what type of meat to buy to make it healthier......

    anywho, some say nay and some say yay but as you see, i am still getting positive results in how i'm choosing to do mine and I am not feeling deprived from things i enjoyed to eat because i still allow myself that snack...i just dont make it a regular and I dont eat over what i should...
  • farmgirlh
    farmgirlh Posts: 240
    The quality of the food is much more important. While you could probably lose weight on icecream (I can't) your body isn't getting what it really needs. Good luck
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
    I agree with the "empty calorie" post above. However, I also believe that it's important to allow yourself some of the the treats you love in CONTROLLED portions. Just like any other addiction, your body becomes used to whatever food you give it, and you may have withdrawals if you cut out all the "bad" stuff at once... setting you up for a binge. When I want some "empty calories" - ice cream, cookies, chips, etc. - I make sure I've earned them before I'm even looking at the container. I run the extra mile, go further on the elliptical, whatever it takes to account for those extra calories.

    I know this isn't the same view everyone on MFP has, but I eat all the same foods I ate before weight loss, but I record everything and stick within my calorie goals (most of the time). I've learned to put way more of the good stuff on my plate and way less of the not-so-good stuff instead of the other way around. Weight loss would have never worked for me if I ate only fruit, veggies, lean meat, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
  • Sara1978
    Sara1978 Posts: 213 Member
    I think most people end up self-regulating this to a degree when they are watching their calories. Knowing that I have only about 1400 calories to work with in a given day, I will usually choose the food that does more for me on that lower number because if I opt for the ice cream, I'll be hungry later and will have to either let my stomach grumble or make a late-night gym run...

    (I still opt for the ice cream sometimes.) ;)

    I find it a lot easier to stick with healthy eating if I don't totally deny myself things like chocolate, alcohol and ice cream, which are really not terrible for you if eaten responsibly. The only "bad" thing I've quit cold-turkey are fast food french fries, because I find it impossible to eat those in moderation.
  • knightwriter2
    knightwriter2 Posts: 33
    Intellectually we all know that it is better for your body to be eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. But I also think that for some (including me) that we have to make small changes a little at a time. I couldn't go from where I was and be successful going cold turkey eating completely healthy. I started eating less ice cream (ha ha) and that worked for months. Along the way I've been able to make even more changes and am becoming conscious of where the calories are coming from. So yes you can lose the weight using the quantity method (I'm proof of that), but in the end it's not about the weight, it's about health...so that's where quality comes in.
  • KarenECunningham
    KarenECunningham Posts: 419 Member
    I believe that it is important to eat a balanced diet so if you are eating healthy a treat mixed in is fine. What you are asking is if it burns the same and would you lose the same amount of weight. I don't think so because from my own experience until I stopped eating refined flour and sugar I lost weight at a much slower pace. Since changing my diet I now lose weight more consistently. I think the amount of fat in food should also be considered.:flowerforyou:
  • keith0373
    keith0373 Posts: 2,154 Member
    I an not a sweets eater so my problem isn't really empty calories, it is things like nuts and cheese, which are nutritious but packed with calories. I have to be very careful to limit my portions of these things even though they are "good". My other vice is chips, which are empty, but luckily there are low calorie alternatives such as Pringles light and No fat Ruffles that are 70-80 calories for a normal sized serving. With home made french onion dip. I can have chips and dip for under 100 calories!
  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
    I want to thank everyone for the quick responses on this topic. I am certainly more aware of what I eat since starting mfp. Ice cream is my big weakness in the summer. I have found Breyer's fat free icecream and it is delicious. I also like fudgcicles. Each under 100 calories a serving. Well I know that doesn't mean I can have 2 or 3 servings. One is usually enough to satisify me. I had some 25% less sugar ice cream, wasn't that crazy about it, which is a good thing because maybe now I won't eat it all up.

    Fast food french fries are also my weakness. But I dont' avoid them altogether. I may steal a few fries from my daughter on the rare ocassions that she has fast food, but thats enough for me. When you think about how much grease is absorbed in the french fry, it makes it less desirable. These days, I prefer to bake my french fries in the oven. My friend likes to rub evoo over her baked fries to still get the greasy (but healthier) effect of the fast food fry.

    I know that fat and sugar also plays a role in weight loss. When there's an excess in sugar, it turns into fat. I do agree that things like almonds are high in fat/ calorie, but they are not considered unhealthy. I believe that its unhealthy to overindulge in anything- healthy or not.

    I cannot guarantee that I will stay away from icecream, but I will have to work it off, like someone suggested. I usually do the crime and then pay the time, so to speak. I'll eat the icecream and then workout extra instead of working out and then having the extra treat. I am less likely to eat an extra treat after a workout because I know I just left my blood, sweat and tears on the machine and I don't want to eat it back faster than I burned it off.

    Well everyone stay in the fight. Thanks for sharing what works for you. Now I just have to find a balance so it can work for me too.
  • Precious_Nissa
    Precious_Nissa Posts: 416
    Yes moderations is what matters...honestly the natural and real human craves a sweet...to some it may be icecream, to some it may be chocolate whereas to some a cup of yogurt will suffice....

    I personally do not eat much icecream, its not something I have to have, but i do treat myself 1 time a week sometimes every other week with a tcby's or menchies yogurts because it is a refreshing, low calorie and enjoyable snack....I wouldnt use it as a meal or something to feel me up but yes as a treat because we all need a treat here and there, and those who dont allow themselves treat, not being mean, but are in denial....

    now things such as mcdonalds, burgers etc...i have cut cold turkey because i honestly cant eat healthy on their menus yet....those are my triggers and weak points.....i do avoid all my trigger points because I have not learned how to eat those in proportion but I am finding substitute foods that I like that are similar and lower in calories so that I am not feeling deprived in what i am eating....I also found that the 100 calorie popcorn helps me with a crave if i'm wanting to overeat on anything....

    to each its own though, i just say dont deprive yourself to where you find yourself slipping.
  • softlyspoken68
    softlyspoken68 Posts: 78
    Basically...if it's ONLY a diet...eventually you will FALL and end of gaining it back. I choose to eat healthier, yet, i also choose to enjoy a treat from TIME to TIME in moderate proportions and never if i'm already full.
    I listen to my body and if i'm truly hungry or not.
  • Precious_Nissa
    Precious_Nissa Posts: 416
    AMEN AMEN AND AMEN
  • megamom
    megamom Posts: 920 Member
    I will take the chicken, brown rice, beans and then a skinny cow for desert. Because lifes short and I like it, LOL. Plus the skinny cow is only 150. But If the ice cream was 400 calories I would, sigh, do without.
  • iTim__
    iTim__ Posts: 6,823 Member
    I selfishly want to have more (quantity). I like big meals. And, if I eat the stuff that has fewer calories (which is usually better for me too), I can have more of it. That's not to say I wouldn't swap some rice and chicken for ice cream once in a while, but, you're talking about a small amount of ice cream. :)
  • mm3898
    mm3898 Posts: 138 Member
    I once heard a story about a woman w/ an eating disorder who only felt "safe" eating ice cream and was still losing weight. It isn't healthy for the body (your arteries would be crying if all you ate was ice cream!) but in terms of calories in vs calories out, if you ate 1200 cals of ice cream a day and nothing else, you should lose weight. BUT DON'T DO IT! LOL Best of luck! :flowerforyou:

    Maggie
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    Okay, so we're all here to stay accountable for our actions. I have a question about the calorie. I know its important to stay within your calorie goal, but isn't it better to do it with healthy foods? I mean, for example, 1 cup of ice cream is almost 400 calories. Four ounces of chicken breast and a half of cup of brown rice with a side of green beans are also almost 400 calories. The icecream has empty calories and will end up being hungry again before the well balanced meal with fiber that will keep you full longer. But can you still lose weight on an "icecream" diet as appose to a diet balanced with lean protein, whole grains and fruits and vegetables?

    Just interested in hearing other people's ideas on the subject.
    Thanks in advance.
    Leela.

    I fully agree with what you say, the following is just my opinion, but I am going to say it anyway :laugh:

    Yes, you could still lose weight however, at what cost.

    You see, those empty calories, as you so rightly stated, will not keep you full for very long and it is all very well being hungry for a day or two, but there is not many people around who could tolerate being ravenous for weeks or even months on end. They would, most highly, end up bingeing on other food and then wonder why their weight was gaining.

    Personally and this comes from somebody who adores sweet stuff, I would much prefer the chicken and rice to icecream any day. I wouldn't have said that over six weeks ago mind, but watching the calories and ensuring that I eat protein that will keep me full for a few hours and enable me to avoid picking at snacks, has helped me enormously to fight the awful cravings that I used to get for sweet stuff.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 22,247 Member
    I selfishly want to have more (quantity). I like big meals. And, if I eat the stuff that has fewer calories (which is usually better for me too), I can have more of it. That's not to say I wouldn't swap some rice and chicken for ice cream once in a while, but, you're talking about a small amount of ice cream. :)
    This is pretty much the way I look at it too. I typically fill in my food diary for the entire day first thing in the morning. Then if I think I might want some kind of a treat, I have to go in and take away my healthier, more filling food to make room for it. Who wants to do that? :-) 95 percent of the time, I'll pass on the treat. It's a pretty effective way of keeping myself on track. I do already build in a small amount of dark chocolate and a glass of wine each day, but if I want a second glass of wine, I have to be willing to give something up for it. Sometimes I am, but not usually.
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    No fat Ruffles that are 70-80 calories for a normal sized serving. With home made french onion dip. I can have chips and dip for under 100 calories!

    Just curious... do you experience any of the side effects from eating those chips?!
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    :huh:
  • david1956
    david1956 Posts: 190 Member
    To me it's like... what do I believe humans have evolved to eat? Chocolate, icecream and potato chips? Or fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish etc etc?

    I don't mean that in a religious "let's all beat ourselves up over an icecream we just ate" way... but I think we are so adjusted to a really wacky modern way of eating that we're failing to see what's pretty obvious.
  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
    bump, really enjoy reading everyone's opinions on this matter.
  • Troutman
    Troutman Posts: 28
    Yes you will lose weight. Cut 3,500 calories & you have one pound. Go for it. Once in a while I will eat only candy & ice cream for the day. I feel like crap by the end of the day. I will usually lose weight, because I have the calories I'm suppose to have.
  • keith0373
    keith0373 Posts: 2,154 Member
    Not as long as I limit my servings to 1 or 2. I have never tried more.
  • sblim
    sblim Posts: 99
    I think that dieting or eating healthy is 100% mental and different for everyone. I know tons of people that would eat twice as much low cal ice cream as they would justify it as healthier. In the end you must eat the nutrients your body needs and stay within your cal range and if you can do this and still eat the bad foods without derailing yourself that's great. If you find yourself binging it is probably because you aren't eating correctly.
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    I eat as healthfully as possible and yes, that includes the snacks that I love. If I want to have a bit of ice cream, then I will have it (and it will be the full fat, high calorie, real kind-think Haagan Dazs Five or Talenti gelato). I just make room for it with a little extra exercise or cutting back on something else. As long as it's in my calorie range for the day and I truly crave it then I will eat it. I eat pretty 'cleanly' and am a vegetarian so most of my foods are nutritionally dense and pretty low in calories so I still get the full feeling with not so much quantity without denying myself some treats at least 2-3 days a week. Life is about living and life without treats isn't worth living at all.
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