How do YOU do it?

Do you eat whatever, and I mean whatever, (chips, soda, crackers, cake, full fat coffee creamer, etc) just a deficit and have succesuflly lost weight?
Or sticking more to healthy, unproccessed, lof fat.. or what not?

Just wondering.

I lost over 50lbs eating what I liked, which included fast food, 'processed' foods, along with salads, fruit, whole grains etc. I just counted calories and watched portion sizes. No exercise at the time either. After I transitioned into maintenance I got sucked into the whole 'clean' eating movement and tried that for 3 months. It was an epic fail for me and I had some negative side effects from it. So now I'm back to eating the foods I enjoy in moderation and I'm happy, healthy, and look decent in a swimsuit (not bad for a mom of three kids I think ).

I pretty much eat what I want within reason. I do my best to stay away from those "bad" things, but If I must have it, I log it and move on!

Lifestyle change ............I've lost weight many times.....and gained it back. For the long haul (rest of my life) ....I need to make permanent changes. I won't cut out sugar ....forever, I won't eat low fat......forever.

So....I basically eat what I want. However, my choices have changed (gradually). I've found that many processed foods just don't give me a lot of bang for my calorie buck.

Example ....white bread is lower in fiber & protein than whole wheat. Fiber & protein fill me up .....I need that when my overall calories are reduced.

Also, I now focus on getting veggies every single day......low calorie & high fiber.....win-win!

I have little treats everyday, but I attempt to consume healthier stuff on a daily basis.

same. i used to be really restrictive, also because i have minor food allergies. but i cut out processed foods almost 100% a few months ago and i am now starting to eat healthy 80-90% of the time and then ill treat myself to something. i couldnt eat chips/soda/burgers everyday though i would go overboard.

I don't find it possible to eat a lot of "junk" (defined as chips, cookies, fastfood, etc...), stay within my daily calorie allotment AND not be hungry. Let's face it, those things are very high calorie and tend to be carb heavy as well. For me, I couldn't get through the day, I'd blow through my calories by 5pm. It just makes my life easier to avoid the aforementioned "junk" and stick to lean meats, fruits, vegetables, grains, etc... But... That's me... Good luck!

I eat what I want

Yes.

Yes, I eat whatever, whenever.

BUT... over time I'm finding out what foods really are wasteful in terms of calories and satisfaction. I've shifted my breakfasts from pancakes/french toast/ bagels to generally more proteins... eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, Greek yogurt, even steak on occasion. Still, sometimes I decide I want a big-*kitten* stack of flapjacks with butter and syrup and a side of home fries... so I'll work it into the day's budget.

I no longer get a daily mocha, but after a long cold hike, it is the perfect thing.

Same thing with snacks... I still eat candy bars from time-to-time, but I've generally shifted towards fruits.... or even protein bars. I get the Premier Protein Crisp Bars from Costco... end up costing the same-ish per unit as a snickers or three musketeers, and they are more satisfying for roughly the same amount of calories.

One "junk food" that I oddly have increased is ice cream. I've probably eaten more ice cream in the past year than ever before in my life. I eat both "good" ice cream/ gelatto, and I also always have "crappy" ice cream sandwiches in the freezer. They are a great pre-portioned snack that is great for satisfying cravings.

I eat what I like, inside my macro and calorie goals. It is a plain reality that fitting inside those goals means cutting back on both "processed" and unprocessed foods.

I love this post. I had the same question myself. I restrict myself so much that I fall off all the time when I eat something that I love. I have learned that life is too short and I should enjoy all the foods I love. I cook just about every night, so that helps me to eat whole clean foods. I eat anything that I want as long as I am cooking it. I splurge on pizza, pastas, mexican and any other calorie rich foods when I am in the mood for them. Most of the time I just get in the kitchen and make my fave foods.

I have just learned that it is important for me to eat all of my calories back. So this time I am doing that and hoping to lose weight and see results.

I'm very new to this, I've only been at it a month but I've been eating pretty much whatever. Sometimes it's healthy, sometimes not so healthy. I would like to eat healthy because I find that I feel good when I do but that won't stop me from enjoying a bag of cnips, or a cookie every now and then.

Do you eat whatever, and I mean whatever, (chips, soda, crackers, cake, full fat coffee creamer, etc) just a deficit and have succesuflly lost weight?
Or sticking more to healthy, unproccessed, lof fat.. or what not?

Just wondering.

I eat what I want when I want and just stick to a calorie deficit. I lost 34 pounds this way.

I'm proof that you can eat whatever you want and lose 70 pounds of weight as long as you're at a deficit.

The only kicker is that you must METICULOUS count calories, as I have done. This is especially true if you're new to this and don't have a good feel for calories or knowing how to properly estimate them. Don't underestimate calories or overestimate exercise (if you exercise, get a heart rate monitor which monitors your gross calories burned). Very calorie-dense foods are easy to underestimate! Get a digital scale. When measuring a serving, weigh it to be safe. Volume can be inaccurate.

As others have said, eat right to lose weight. Exercise for fitness, not mainly to lose weight (although it does give you extra calories in your budget).

Though it sounds unhealthy, TV dinners and precounted fast food (like a chicken sandwich) make it easier. For instance, a Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich is 540 calories. Each time you get one, it may be more or less, but if you eat it fairly often it's going to average out. It's not perfect, but it works.

As long as I meet my caloric budget for the day, I eat whatever I want. It does take planning and forethought. Some people do a weekly quota for more flexibility, but I try to make sure I meet it daily. Some days will be better than others, and it's okay to go over a bit occasionally. I view MyFitnessPal as less of a diet and more of a way of life...this is for the long-term. It shouldn't be super perfect one day vs. binging the next. Be moderate...it's a marathon.

What's great about calorie counting and not paying as much attention to carbs/proteins/fats is that it gives you CONTROL and CHOICE at the same time. But, of course, lots of carbs for instance may make you HUNGRIER, so it's good not to eat a lot of carbs for reasons like that, not necessarily specifically anti-carb reasons.

I eat whatever I want, just not all the time. I try to stick to my macros as closely as possible, which keeps me from feeling hungry and binging. Funny thing is, ever since I became more conscious about my eating, what I WANT to eat has started to change. I actually crave veggies now. Go figure.

Do you eat whatever, and I mean whatever, (chips, soda, crackers, cake, full fat coffee creamer, etc) just a deficit and have succesuflly lost weight?
Or sticking more to healthy, unproccessed, lof fat.. or what not?

Just wondering.

I keep it healthy for the most part but allow myself a treat everyday. I usually save 100-200 calories for something sinfully delicious. This is a lifestyle for me, not a diet, I try not to categorize foods as 'good' or 'bad'. I keep everything in moderation, nothing is off limits. Full fat coffee creamer heck yea....but NOT 5 cups of calorie laden coffee a day, I'll stick with one cup prepared the way I love it...I keep it in moderation. My soda of choice is diet, one can a day.

Find your calorie goal and stick to it. Reward yourself in moderation!