Does it matter a lot what you eat?

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Eaving1
Eaving1 Posts: 40
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so since childhood, I've always been a horribly fussy eater. I don't eat salad because it doesn't taste like food, the only vegetables I eat are potato, sweet potato, peas and corn, and carrot if it's raw but I love fruit of all kinds. Basically, 'clean eating' seems to be a lot of vegetables and other things that don't taste good and aren't at all satisfying. So I guess what I'm getting at is, does it really matter if you eat moderately unhealthy food if you don't go over your budget? And I don't mean eating chips, Macca's, pizza etc, just things like spaghetti and toasted sandwiches. I don't see a point in eating something if you're just going to have to eat something else to feel like you ate at all.

Replies

  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
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    No, as long as you're hitting your macros, you're fine for the most part.
  • Eaving1
    Eaving1 Posts: 40
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    No, as long as you're hitting your macros, you're fine for the most part.

    I have no idea what a macro is lol
  • SarahWrittenThin
    SarahWrittenThin Posts: 595 Member
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    I think as long as you stay within your calories, get a good amount of protein and the right level of carbs it doesn't really matter what you eat. I ate pizza with sausage and bacon tonight and I'm within my range. I don't track sodium (which was probably over due to said pizza) or sugar because I feel like unless I have a medical issue to warrant tracking it I will always be over due to fruit or natural sugars. I mainly watch my calories and try to keep a semi-close eye on protein and carbs and fiber.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
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    No, as long as you're hitting your macros, you're fine for the most part.

    I have no idea what a macro is lol
    This is a great read and will walk you through setting your macros, among other things. :flowerforyou:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • laursoar
    laursoar Posts: 131 Member
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    Ultimately, no. As others have said, it does matter if your fats, proteins, and carbs fall into the right proportions. For example, if you're eating a lot more carbs instead of getting the right amount of protein, you're more apt to burn muscle than fat and most likely will feel hungry more frequently. There are plenty of creative ways to fill those things up though and stay in your calorie range as well.

    On the other hand, there's also ways to eat veggies without tasting them. If you put spinach in a smoothie with banana, powdered peanut butter, coconut milk, and vanilla extract, you only taste banana and peanut butter. You can do a lot of smoothie combos with things like avocados and green leafy vegetables.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    It matters only when cutting calories. Vegetables have a lot of nutrition for their calorie counts. Maybe try juicing to get your palate used to the taste without the texture.

    Humans are such evolutionary marvels because we can eat such a huge variety of foods. It takes about 20-30 "tastes" of a new food before your palate will recognize it as food. You said you like carrots, expand that to similar vegetables with a sweet taste like squash or sweet bell pepper. Beets may be to your liking because they are sweet like carrots and have a smooth texture like fruit.

    You just have to keep trying new foods. My husband was sworn to never eat veggies. Tonight I served him broccoli soup and he went back for seconds.

    Being picky is voluntary. Just like you have to train your muscles, you also have to train your taste buds to enjoy a wide variety of foods.
  • joshualandin
    joshualandin Posts: 20
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    For losing weight? It kinda matters, but ultimately you can eat whatever and still lose. Whole food are processed by the body differently than refined, plus simple sugars affect your blood glucose in ways that influence weight loss. Yet as you adjust your intake to your body's needs, the affects of less healthy foods are minimized during your weight loss. Of course, the less fat you have to lose, the more important your diet becomes.

    For health and longevity, what you eat makes a difference. Research some peer review articles on nutrition and health to get an idea if what is being discovered. Here are a few starter articles to check out:

    Modern nutrition in health and diseases.
    ME Shils, M Shike - 2006

    Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases
    J Who, FAOE Consultation - WHO technical report series, 2003

    Interrelationships of food, nutrition, diet and health: the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges White Paper. WR Bidlack - Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 1996
  • elsdonward
    elsdonward Posts: 81 Member
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    No - I suppose that you can eat other foods to fill you up. Eventually though your body will suffer because you need enzymes and these are found in whole foods. If you think of it as choices - only have the filler food when you are out and about with people. At home make yourself eat those good choices that you talked about - si it does matter because of your future health. I used to drink a lot of diet coke - but now no more - and I look and feel better
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    I've been losing on spaghetti and toasted sammiches!

    I think it does help to explore new foods and train the palate, though. You may discover your tastes in food changes over time. But if that just ain't happening then explore a variety of ways you can eat the veggies you do like.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Try new recipes, there's a ton healthy recipes out there that taste good.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
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    I eat a mostly whole foods, 'clean' diet now, but during active weight loss I ate SAD (standard American diet), with a calorie deficit and lost the weight. Weight loss is about calories period.
  • czechwolf52
    czechwolf52 Posts: 194 Member
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    Nope, it's doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you stay under your calorie limit. This past week I have had a candy bar, doughnut, chicken strips, fries, and a milkshake and have still lost weight, in fact this has been my biggest drop so far. Just focus on finding out which foods fill you up and which ones don't. I need to have a good amount of protein in order to stay satisfied for more than two hours.

    But I too am a very picky eater. Earlier this year I hated salad, but I sat down one day and just made myself eat a little bit of lettuce and it really wasn't that bad. Then I discovered the grilled chicken salad from McDonalds which I really like. This past year I have slowly been expanding my palate, and discovering some food isn't as horrible as I thought it would be.
  • unFATuated
    unFATuated Posts: 204 Member
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    It does and it doesn't. Vegetables have a lot of vitamins and nutrients in them, and fibre and a bunch of other benefits and they don't have to come in the form of salad if you can't stomach it. There are plenty of delicious ways to prepare them and get them into your food. Maybe that's something you can experiment with down the track.

    However, for weight loss it's calories in < calories out - you don't have to eat anything you don't want to want to or don't like. In fact, I think a change in eating habits is far more sustainable when you can eat as close as possible to your 'normal' while still reducing your calorie intake. I am mildly fussy and find 'clean eating' quite boring and so I rarely last longer than a week or so doing that. But let me make a plan where I can fit in my favourite foods, or healthier versions of them at least, and I could do it forever. When I discovered that I didn't have to 'eat clean' to lose weight I was over the moon!

    Personally I don't like eggs or fish, even though they are really nutritious foods I don't like to eat them, so I don't. I ensure I get omega 3s and protein from other sources and it's all good.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    Okay so since childhood, I've always been a horribly fussy eater. I don't eat salad because it doesn't taste like food, the only vegetables I eat are potato, sweet potato, peas and corn, and carrot if it's raw but I love fruit of all kinds. Basically, 'clean eating' seems to be a lot of vegetables and other things that don't taste good and aren't at all satisfying. So I guess what I'm getting at is, does it really matter if you eat moderately unhealthy food if you don't go over your budget? And I don't mean eating chips, Macca's, pizza etc, just things like spaghetti and toasted sandwiches. I don't see a point in eating something if you're just going to have to eat something else to feel like you ate at all.

    you can google the Twinkie diet and see that it really is calories in / calories out for weight loss, having said that it's more difficult eating a small calorie allowance with processed food, because it is less in volume for the same amount of calories. As for being a fussy eater, that is simply your choice.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    It matters a great deal if you want to be healthy.

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