Why Can You Eat Fattening Food? What's Your Secret

Hi - this is my question based on another topic here. How come YOU can eat pizza, donuts, fried chicken, a big candy bar, a big pie, etc.. etc. and I need to NOT eat that? I mean this is for the people that admit they eat this but yet in the big picture, it doesn't seem to hurt their weight loss. So what is it that you have that I dont?

for me to eat healthy, I fit it into the MFP guidelines, and yes I could "cheat" and eat something like a piece of pie, and still be within my nutition info. However, when I choose to eat that stuff, i cannot stop at a taste, i feel like it is just teasing me, the one time I did put in a bite of some tasty fattening food, I had to stop myself from have a food orgasm about it. I mean really, food can do that to a person sometimes.

also, when I did in the past try to watch what I eat, I was good if I kept a space between good food and not good food, and its better for me if i lay it aside. I may never eat another piece of delicious pizza, but thats the way it may have to be. Its like waving crack to an ex-crack addict.

So how do you do this and are still successful with your weight loss plan. I'm not as strong as you I suppose. I do have food cravings, and food addictions, and by saying that with one caveat, I do not believe I'm a victim of my food choices, however, I am realistic about myself and I know that I need to choose to not eat certain things because it does lead to bad things. All my hard work for 2 days just goes down the drain and that is maybe the worst thing, so I dont want to undo all my hard work.
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Replies

  • cathymorgan1
    cathymorgan1 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm in the same place you are. Sweet breads such as doughnuts and cinnamon rolls are my downfall. If I screw up and eat on I have to have 2-3 more. My safest option is to stay away. If you do mess up it is not the end of the world. Just pick yourself up and follow your diet the next day. No one is perfect. Good luck
  • strflt
    strflt Posts: 29 Member
    Portion control and shrugging my shoulders.

    By portion control I mean buying lots of little baggies, and by shrugging my shoulders I mean, "I had a bad day and ate six doughnuts. Guess I'll just have to stay away from doughnuts for a while."

    Not to make it sound easy, because it's not, but I couldn't live without the foods I love. Not happily, anyway. So I just pick myself back up afterwards, and if I know a feast is coming in advance, I do extra well the days leading up to it. Nothing else you can do really, but forgive yourself and admit your mortality.
  • savemama
    savemama Posts: 105 Member
    Why is it that most people can have a cocktail or two and be done, while others cannot stop?

    I mean that seriously!

    I think we all have unique bodies and minds... and we all have different biochemical responses to different foods. I think for some people, food lights up their reward centers in their brain JUST a bit more than others (for example: "food orgasm").... while others are not as affected.

    I tend to think, across the whole- we all have our vices... all have our weak spots. The unfair thing is that obesity can be seen where other issues cannot. So that sucks!

    But I really believe that some people can lose weight with the motto of "moderation"... while other people have to create black and white rules for quite a while before they can EVER (if ever) go back to trying moderation. Reminds me of any other recovery program honestly.

    For me, sweets do nothing. I enjoy dark chocolate- but not for the sweetness of it. I shrug at a bowl of ice cream. It means nothing- this is a mystery to my husband.
    SALT however.... gimme gimme gimme! I could eat a whole bag of chips without thinking.

    So again, we're made differently.
  • bmpickles
    bmpickles Posts: 18 Member
    One thing that a WW leader said that stuck with me was this: No one got here by eating a piece of peach pie. Eating the whole pie, or eating it every day is the problem.

    That about summed it up for me. There are some foods I really have a hard time eating only a serving of. Like potato chips. One chip, and before I know it, the whole bag is gone. So, I try to stay away from those. And I envy people who can eat one serving.

    And also, I agree with the idea that if I mess up, I can start over. Now. Without beating myself up. The goal is to move in a general positive direction for as much of the time as you can. Before you know it, the positive direction will be most of the time.

    Hang in there and good luck!
  • Galathea96
    Galathea96 Posts: 200 Member
    I don't stress about what I can and can't eat. I have my goal and if I achieve it yay, if not, then I shrug and decide to do better tomorrow.

    With this approach I rarely get the feeling that I have to have more than one or two pieces of whatever sweet/cake/cookie/chocolate that I want to eat. I also don't believe in overrestriction. I'm quite short, 5'2 on a good day, and I can still eat between 1500-1800 calories a day and not gain. Quite the opposite, I'm still losing inches off my waist. So I just do what I'm doing since it's working.
  • mrsriisky
    mrsriisky Posts: 129 Member
    Why is it that most people can have a cocktail or two and be done, while others cannot stop?

    I mean that seriously!

    I think we all have unique bodies and minds... and we all have different biochemical responses to different foods. I think for some people, food lights up their reward centers in their brain JUST a bit more than others (for example: "food orgasm").... while others are not as affected.

    I tend to think, across the whole- we all have our vices... all have our weak spots. The unfair thing is that obesity can be seen where other issues cannot. So that sucks!

    But I really believe that some people can lose weight with the motto of "moderation"... while other people have to create black and white rules for quite a while before they can EVER (if ever) go back to trying moderation. Reminds me of any other recovery program honestly.

    For me, sweets do nothing. I enjoy dark chocolate- but not for the sweetness of it. I shrug at a bowl of ice cream. It means nothing- this is a mystery to my husband.
    SALT however.... gimme gimme gimme! I could eat a whole bag of chips without thinking.

    So again, we're made differently.

    I like this response. I am lucky enough not to have too many trigger foods, and be able to what I wish in moderation- I do know, that eating healthier foods makes me feel better, and fuels my workouts, so I tend to stick to them for the most part. However, if I have some delicious french cheese in the house, look out! That is my vice that can't quit.
  • BigBrunette
    BigBrunette Posts: 1,543 Member
    There's no magic to being able to eat fast food and still lose weight. You just have to make room for it in your calorie goal. You can do that by eating a smaller portion of it, by cutting back the calories in your other meals that day, and/or by exercising away some of the calories. It's simple, but it's not easy. I've been doing it for three months and I'm still learning. It works for me. It's not for everyone. Good luck to you!
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    One good thing i learned that helped me is if i do eat too many nutrients that make me go over my plan, I used to say well i will mess around one day and then go back to eating healthy.. but the next day i wanted to eat more bad food. so i lost that focus in my mind which helps me eat with control rather than abandon. I then lost my motivation and then didn't care and ate whatever i wanted.

    I guess we are all made differently. This time Im trying to not go on a diet but on an eating plan for the rest of my life, that is what i think will last. I did try Dr Fuhrman's eating plan, but he emphasizes something i cannnot do without driving myself crazy - its the thing he wants you to eat not when you feel hungry but some other kind of thing that i cannot grasp. I tried it but its too hard,, i dont want to feel like im starving, even if it is "good" for losing weight. So i took the best of that way of eating and applied it to me where i can live with it. Like if a bowl of cereal is going to keep me from eating a pie, then I will choose the cereal even though on some diets it is not recommended.

    I ate out a few times last week and it did make my weight go up about 4 pounds, possibly due to salt that i did not know was in there (check Jersey Mike's subs - the giant one has 5,000 mg of sodium,, the rest of the subs have average 1700 to 2500 sodium sheesh!! but it tasted healthy. I had some curry and some other foods, and i was a bit upset that I screwed up, but then i decided, if I go back to eating like i was, that 4 pounds will come off in a few days only, so i didn't let that mess my focus up totallly, i just began again.. but the good news is that i didn't choose to eat a whole deep dish pizza like i could before. sheesh i used to eat a lot of food at a time. i guess there is a part of me that does not want to dare open the Pandoras box, for if i do, it will unleash all my things i crave that are not a good food choice for me.
  • An acquaintance of mine and i talked about exactly that topic last weekend. She said that she can not eat any sweet food or snack food, because if she has a bit she will have it all, but when she does not buy it she does not even really miss it.

    For me it is the other way around. i need a bit of chocolate or some fries or such nearly every day, but I have no problem to stop eating after a bit.

    So, I fear that is what I comes down to. I do not react the same to food as you do. I like food and I have eaten far to much in the past, but it does not trigger me. I don't think this means that I have better self control than you, though. How do you react when somebody says:"oh come on, let's go out and eat?" or "do you want the last of my chips or I have to throw them away?" things like those, social situations are MY trigger. I have serious problems saying "no" to other people in those situations. And problems with not finishing my plate at a restaurant, too. Feels like such a waste of good food, so I continue eating even if at home I would stop by that point...
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    For me it was about being too restrictive. If I were to try and set up a 1000 calorie daily deficit I'd feel so restricted I'd just binge on whatever. Once I set up a more realistic deficit for me - about 300 calories daily - I was able to eat everything in moderation. I have lost all my weight eating roughly 2100 calories daily. I am very active, but that's still a lot of food and I didn't feel deprived. My weight loss may have been slower, but I've been successful.

    Now, at maintenance, I can eat as much as 2800 calories daily and I'll maintain my weight. So if I want a doughnut I can certainly fit one in and since I'm eating so much food I don't feel deprived enough to want more than one.

    Go for the smaller deficit. For real. For long-term success.
  • operation_cute
    operation_cute Posts: 588 Member
    you can eat it too, you just have to fit it into your total calories, sometimes Ill have pizza for dinner, at 250 per slice I can have 2-3 slices for the calories I leave myself for dinner. The key is in moderation :) You can eat everything you love just moderate what you eat... I don't eat pizza everyday and when I do its because I preplanned it into my day... Also if you do some form of exercise it helps fit these kinds of foods in too. Losing weight isn't about eating nothing but salads, but eating food in good quatities :) Good luck!

    edit: something that helps me is to treat my total calories like a budget, for example I have 1400 calories to "spend" each day, its up to me how I choose to spend them :) You can do the same thing.
  • nic_ci
    nic_ci Posts: 110 Member
    Portion control and exercise...I exercise so I can drink more...to each their own!!!
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Some people also have higher calorie targets. Makes things fit A LOT easier. Today I'm going into dinner with near 1400 to spare, for example. I can eat pretty much whatever I want.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member

    I think we all have unique bodies and minds... and we all have different biochemical responses to different foods. I think for some people, food lights up their reward centers in their brain JUST a bit more than others (for example: "food orgasm").... while others are not as affected.

    The above explains it.
    Food doesn't over excite me. It is yummy, I eat my piece, and am done.

    So if I want a doughnut and can fit it into my nutrient goals, I buy half a dozen, I eat my one doughnut, and the other 5 I bought for my kids don't call to me.

    Some things I find harder to resist, like honey-sesame almonds. I weigh out my serving and firmly seal and contain the bag to make it hard to get back into. Thankfully, my laziness beats my taste bud's desire most days.
  • mimilea03
    mimilea03 Posts: 3 Member
    Hey nonnymousse1 -

    Believe it or not, you are not that different from everyone else. Food has always been my downfall; I can workout, no problem. But I love to cook and eat really good food. I can make organic, raw, clean food into a calorie-packed meal that can ruin my week.

    I think the difference between "us" and "them" is dedication and willpower. It's not that we lack the education to know what's good for you and what's not. I think it's the lack of power. Food is our addiction right now; but it's because we have let it control our lives for such a long time. It's like a bad habit... and it takes time to break it. Everyone deals with food differently; many stay away all together; for me, however, this causes me to binge. If I am truly craving something, lets say, chocolate... I will have maybe a square of Godiva or a Hershey kiss - then I'll tell myself that I will not have more because it's just a craving and my body doesn't actually need that chocolate to operate. It's purely for my mind, not body. Or, I substitute: I buy the coco almonds and organic granola with chocolate and it suffices my cravings very well. At one point in time I feel like I was more like you; right now I'm in transition of being like you (or the old me) and being like "them". I agree with the other comment about "portion control and shrugging my shoulders". Using baggies, as the other person suggested, is a great idea - I work for home health and at a hospital and if I don't pack my lunch and snacks prior, I will eat whatever my mind is craving rather than giving my body what it's needing. So, I portion out almonds or other nuts/seeds, carrots, apples, etc that will allow me not to binge on something I know I'll regret. Shrugging your shoulders is a great tactic... and I'll follow that up with a cliche comment: one day of eating poorly will not make you fat just like one day of eating right will not make you skinny. I think the best thing you can do if you binge or "accidentally" eat 5 donuts (because I know the feeling... you say "just one" and before you know it you have eaten 4 more and it's not until AFTER you ate them that your mind processes the fact that you told yourself JUST THAT MORNING that you were going to be GOOD today) is to not let yourself done even more and continue to eat bad and justify it by saying, "I've ruined my day now, guess I should just eat whatever for the rest of the day and start again tomorrow." That's not good. The key is consistency. If you tell yourself, "I was bad, but it's OK... next time I will do better" then you are accepting your fault but not giving up. Eventually, it will get easier and your will power to keep eating right and keep putting down the donuts (or whatever) will get easier as well. It's not going to happen overnight! It's literally taken me 10 years to get to this point... and I'm the best shape I've been in 10 years. Another cliche statement: people don't realize that even slow progress... is progress! The people who have been successful are not successful because they haven't fought for what they wanted like you or me... they succeeded because they finally figured out what works for them and stuck with it. Eventually, those new lifestyle changes become habits... good ones.

    This was longer than I thought it be. Hope it helps.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Well I'm not you and you aren't me. I had a brownie earlier; 3 bites and I was done. I had a bbq chicken salad from panera (510 calories) I ate til I was full, about two thirds, and tossed the rest. I can weigh out a serving of chips or ice cream and call it good.

    That's just who I am, but that's not who everyone is.


    Also I have an 1800 calorie goal. Wiggle room abounds.
  • Turnaround2012
    Turnaround2012 Posts: 362 Member
    This is a really interesting topic.
    I like every kind of junk food known to man. But since, I have really following a "TDEE approach"I am losing weight by eating at least 1800-2000 calories per day. (I eat a little more on heavy lifting days).

    Some days are easier than others. When I keep thinking about a certain food (like Pizza). I "budget" for it. I make sure that I have 1300 calories left for dinner and then I plan to get 4 slices of pizza. Also, before that I make sure that I snack really healthy before I eat the pizza (apples, egg whites etc.). This way I am not hungry like a starving dog.

    You know what is funny.. after all that "planning" and gyrations. When I eat the pizza I think to myself. Yeah, this is good, but I will not die if I don't do this again for another month.

    I am eating to fuel my life, not living to eat :-)

    Hope this helps!
  • mimilea03
    mimilea03 Posts: 3 Member
    To get over those days when I do bad and then one bad day becomes 2 months (been there)... I try to realize what I'm doing before I let it get that far. Sometimes motivation can't always be your driver... sometimes it has to be just pure willpower, which is harder, I know... but you HAVE to do it if it's important to you.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Firstly - fattening food is all food. You can get fat if you eat too much of anything. Well except lettuce :laugh: It is the amount, and frequency of poor choices that derail.

    Calorie dense foods like cakes, deep fried anything etc are easy to over eat because they is not as satisfying. It is aso easy to think "Oh well I've blown it now" and eat the whole box/whatever.

    It comes down to portion control, control, and counting everything.

    Just incorporate the occasional meal that you desire, but plan for it. If you want deep fried battered pizza (or what ever) weigh/measure it, eat it, log it. Rest of the day eat lots of vegies and healthy choices to balance it out. This is a lifestyle change & choices are forever - it is not a diet that means you can get to your goal weight and then go back to eating poorly all the time.

    You might find that after a while of eating healthy choices, reducing intake of fat, salt, sugar etc that you find these fast foods you crave make you feel sick when you do eat them. I have found that any way. I eat whatever I want, log it, and try to balance the day/week with better choices.

    Pizza doesn't have to be unhealthy - make your own with lower fat cheese, lots of tomatoes, shredded chicken rather than bacon/cured meats.

    However I must admit that if I have a jar of Nutella / Nutino (chocolate hazelnut spread) in the house I just eat it by the spoonful and find it very hard to stop - so have decided to not buy it until I get to my goal weight, then I will be OK to have it in maintenance.

    Make sure you get some exercise. Especially if you eat something that you feel you shouldn't - helps erase the guilt! Good luck, read the success stories if you feel discouraged. We all manage differently but the common thread is consistency, eating enough (to target), exercise, and logging .

    Edited to add: There is a thought /theory that eating things laden with sugar / salt / fat increases your desire for these foods and I think it could be true - so the more you eat of these calorie dense foods the more you eat! I notice you mention sodium - I find for me that is a killer - if I eat out my weight goes up - so if I am going to eat out/eat something with high sodium I try and drink lots of water to balance it out.
  • Mine is a mindset - yes I can still have pizza, ice cream, and wine... but I also know when too much is just that - TOO MUCH. I can say no, I know my limit.

    But I do understand where you come from, because my mother CANNOT say no. One Oreo turns into 5, turns into the box. I can easily have the serving size (3 or 4), and be done and put it away.

    For example - I know my boyfriend and I are going to dinner tonight. I have been doing so well the past few weeks and I finally broke my plateau about 3 weeks ago... I can enjoy dinner tonight - YES I will be over, but how often do I really just get to go and enjoy and not worry so much? Will I do this every night? NO. This is a once in a while thing. Last time I did this was 6 weeks ago, so I think I'm pretty safe (I will still log it though, because it's a habit).

    The more restrictive you become with your diet, the harder it will be in the end. I know so many people who go "I can't have beer, I can't have cake, I can't have________ (fill in the blank). If it's because you cannot control it, or it's a trigger, then ok, I understand. But don't say "oh, I'm on a diet, I can't have _______", BECAUSE YOU CAN IN MODERATION!

    My maintenance is 1800, but I'm currently at 1450. I'm only losing about .5 a week, which is fine by me. I'm in no rush, as this is a lifestyle change, not a "diet".
  • Lmns218
    Lmns218 Posts: 155
    What works for me is that I set my goal toward the high end....I didn't try to be so aggressive as to want to lose two pounds a week....so aiming for a slower weight loss put me at a calorie amount that I can fit a few slices of pizza, donut, chicken wings, etc. Not everyday, but I try not to deprive myself. if I really want something, I work it into my calorie goal. If I eat all my fruits, veggies, and protein etc., for a day, if I feel like it I will incorporate a treat. Like today. My son wanted ice cream so we went to Dairy Queen. instead of getting the Peanut Buster Parfait or Banana Split like I would in the past, I got a kiddie cone. If I really can't pass up fast food, instead of getting a value meal, get a happy meal instead. most of those kids meals come with fruit nowadays anyway!!!! Also, don't keep snacks in your house. if you want a donut, or any kind of snacks, and may have to take a drive to get it...it may deter you from getting in your car/walking to get it. You might not think it's worth the trouble. Or, try to get the mini size of a candy bar...or just buying the amount you want to eat (one donut instead of a dozen), eat that amount, and call it a day, if you binge, dust yourself off andd get back up. Tomorrow is a new day!!!! :)
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member

    I think we all have unique bodies and minds... and we all have different biochemical responses to different foods. I think for some people, food lights up their reward centers in their brain JUST a bit more than others (for example: "food orgasm").... while others are not as affected.

    The above explains it.
    Food doesn't over excite me. It is yummy, I eat my piece, and am done.

    So if I want a doughnut and can fit it into my nutrient goals, I buy half a dozen, I eat my one doughnut, and the other 5 I bought for my kids don't call to me.

    Some things I find harder to resist, like honey-sesame almonds. I weigh out my serving and firmly seal and contain the bag to make it hard to get back into. Thankfully, my laziness beats my taste bud's desire most days.

    This is me. I keep my chocolate bars in the freezer, because I hate cold chocolate. When I want some, I break a serving off, let it sit to room temp, then eat it. If I'm tempted to have more, I have to get more out and let it thaw first. I usually too lazy to do that, and the thought of putting a cold, crunchy, wax-like piece of frozen chocolate gravel in my mouth turns me off to the idea completely. :)
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    An acquaintance of mine and i talked about exactly that topic last weekend. She said that she can not eat any sweet food or snack food, because if she has a bit she will have it all, but when she does not buy it she does not even really miss it.

    For me it is the other way around. i need a bit of chocolate or some fries or such nearly every day, but I have no problem to stop eating after a bit.

    So, I fear that is what I comes down to. I do not react the same to food as you do. I like food and I have eaten far to much in the past, but it does not trigger me. I don't think this means that I have better self control than you, though. How do you react when somebody says:"oh come on, let's go out and eat?" or "do you want the last of my chips or I have to throw them away?" things like those, social situations are MY trigger. I have serious problems saying "no" to other people in those situations. And problems with not finishing my plate at a restaurant, too. Feels like such a waste of good food, so I continue eating even if at home I would stop by that point...

    yep i have a small problem with friends asking me to go out with them, i have to say no, but i feel like im always sounding like a party pooper. Thats when I went to Jersey Mikes, thinking i could get something.. when i got home, yay it is listed on MFP and i was shocked at the sodium in it, which holds onto water weight and causes me a weight gain. i then thought wow, i put my friend's needs first before mine and i shouldn't do that.

    also i was just reading all your answers wow thank you! so you dont have a "secret" you just know how to handle food. I wish i were like the guy above who said food is just food - he eats it and thats it. food doesn't seem to be like crack to a crack addict ,,,, but im pretty much trying to choose healthy food, and not making it like a deprivation diet, and the suggestion about going slower and not being so strict can make it last longer, because it has to work for each one of us. I would not follow some diets that are perfectly fine for you because i couldn't deal with it, like the "cabbage soup diet" lol.
  • IrishHarpy1
    IrishHarpy1 Posts: 399 Member
    Some of us who seem to be able to eat just about "anything" also have our trigger foods, and while I don't deprive myself of most of the things I love, there are a few things that I know I can't be trusted with. For me, it's salty/crunchy snacks -- get an open bag of Doritos or crunchy Cheetos in front of me, and I'll practically inhale it. If I get an overwhelming craving for a treat like that, then I'll get a single-serving bag and be done with it... the "family size" bags aren't allowed in the house. Smaller portion sizes were (and still are) the key to me losing and then successfully maintaining my weight.

    I used to be the same way with pizza, but since I instituted my "Ten Minute Rule" I've been OK -- I have my two slices, then if I think I'm still hungry (notice "think") I'll wait ten minutes. If I am *truly* hungry after waiting then I'll grab another slice, but by that time I'm usually fine. Have you tried anything like that? It might help...
  • LuseLeaf
    LuseLeaf Posts: 3 Member
    I think it has to do with age and metabolism. I could eat that way at 20 and lose weight, but at 54 I'd gain weight with one bite. Since I know there could be a problem with overdoing sweets and other temptations I plan them into my week. For instance my DH and I plan to get one really GOOD doughnut each on Sunday mornings. It helps.
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    I just ate 4 cups of icecream. I count my macros.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    Some of us who seem to be able to eat just about "anything" also have our trigger foods, and while I don't deprive myself of most of the things I love, there are a few things that I know I can't be trusted with. For me, it's salty/crunchy snacks -- get an open bag of Doritos or crunchy Cheetos in front of me, and I'll practically inhale it. If I get an overwhelming craving for a treat like that, then I'll get a single-serving bag and be done with it... the "family size" bags aren't allowed in the house. Smaller portion sizes were (and still are) the key to me losing and then successfully maintaining my weight.

    I used to be the same way with pizza, but since I instituted my "Ten Minute Rule" I've been OK -- I have my two slices, then if I think I'm still hungry (notice "think") I'll wait ten minutes. If I am *truly* hungry after waiting then I'll grab another slice, but by that time I'm usually fine. Have you tried anything like that? It might help...

    Yeah i cant be trusted around certain food too, for now, but soon it shall pass as my tastes change. I do try to not answer that hungry feeling in my stomach, like i used to, i think that may be my body digesting food and making me think im hungry. Pizza is still crack to me so i choose to leave it off, but i might make some homemade pizza ,, that ought to work.
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
    Portion control and exercise...I exercise so I can drink more...to each their own!!!

    This. While for me sometimes it's harder to stop, I also stop eating when I'm full regardless of my overall calorie deficit for the day. I run and most of my runner friend's philosophy is "I run so I can eat (or drink)".
  • cspong
    cspong Posts: 260 Member
    For me it was about being too restrictive. If I were to try and set up a 1000 calorie daily deficit I'd feel so restricted I'd just binge on whatever. Once I set up a more realistic deficit for me - about 300 calories daily - I was able to eat everything in moderation. I have lost all my weight eating roughly 2100 calories daily. I am very active, but that's still a lot of food and I didn't feel deprived. My weight loss may have been slower, but I've been successful.

    Now, at maintenance, I can eat as much as 2800 calories daily and I'll maintain my weight. So if I want a doughnut I can certainly fit one in and since I'm eating so much food I don't feel deprived enough to want more than one.

    Go for the smaller deficit. For real. For long-term success.

    Wise words. Couldn't have said it better.
  • CrystalDreams
    CrystalDreams Posts: 418 Member
    work out for hours every day.