What Happens If You Go On An Unhealthy Diet?

ainokea8
ainokea8 Posts: 95
in Food and Nutrition
The key to losing weight is really with calorie deficit right?
So technically you can eat whatever you want so long as you don't go over X amount of calories per day.
But what happens if you are eating fatty foods? Would your belly fat remain unchanged, even if you are eating less calories on average?

Given that you are also doing cardio on the side of course.

Replies

  • jackpotclown
    jackpotclown Posts: 3,275 Member
    I'll save you some time, you should read this.....as SideSteel had put this out yesterday....and your answer should be in the middle of myth #1
    http://evidencemag.com/calories-count/
    \m/
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    No, it won't remain unchanged.

    And you don't need cardio to create a caloric deficit and/or burn fat either.
  • Justifier
    Justifier Posts: 336 Member
    If all you care about is the number on the scale, you can eat whatever you want as long as you have a deficit. However, you will probably be hungry, lethargic, sick, and will lose a lot of muscle. The link below shows an example of how eating a deficit, no matter what it is, will result in a loss.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/
  • nobo
    nobo Posts: 13 Member
    I think the key is finding the right balance of foods that work for your body. Foods that satisfy you and give you enough energy withought giving you a lot of extra calories and fat. If you're just eating fatty foods, you would probably exceed your calorie goal/limit before you felt satisfied. You can lose fat while consuming fatty foods, yes. But if that's all you're eating, you're probably not maximizing the energy you're getting from them.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    Weight loss is calories in vs calories out. Whatever that food up is made of has nothing to do with your weight. You may miss out on some vitamins and minerals, and maybe be slightly more bloated, but you would still lose weight.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    You can eat whatever you want and as long as it is less calories than maintenance, you will lose weight. People debate whether or not that is a good idea. I suspect you won't be too healthy if you lose weight on skittles and coke, but you can still lose the weight.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    The key to losing weight is really with calorie deficit right?
    So technically you can eat whatever you want so long as you don't go over X amount of calories per day.
    But what happens if you are eating fatty foods? Would your belly fat remain unchanged, even if you are eating less calories on average?

    Given that you are also doing cardio on the side of course.

    I've lost almost 60lbs and did so by continuing to eat the foods I liked. That meant fast food, deep fried foods, frozen dinners, chips, cookies, donuts etc etc. I also did No exercise while I was actively losing weight. Towards the end of my weight loss I had blood work done and everything came back great, including no longer having a glucose number in the pre-diabetic range. I lost weight eating the foods I was familiar with and did this whole thing in a way that was sustainable for me, long term. I'm now in maintenance and I'm healthy, happy and rocking size 2 jeans :)

    Losing weight is about calories. period.

    Eta: I also never felt run down, lethargic or sick. I was eating the same way I had eaten my whole life, just less of it. It's also the way I continue to eat, now in maintenance, and I will be part of the 5% that actually succeed at long term weight loss, because I did'nt make drastic changes I couldn't live with for the next 40+ years.

    Eat the foods you enjoy, watch your portion sizes and stay within your calorie alotments. That's it :)
  • CMoeDee
    CMoeDee Posts: 102 Member
    Yeah, you can lose weight on a twizzlers and slim jims diet if you want, but you eat healthy foods for the long term health effects.

    Even if you're a skinny person, you can still get diabetes, even if you're a runner you can still have heart disease. "Healthy food" also generally (but not always) has a lower calorie density, so you don't end up in the position of "I had a McRib and a large fry, and, uh, that's all I get for today." --I have done this - sad times.

    ETA: But you gotta know your goals - if you're just about the weight loss right now, and hate carrots or whatever, stick with what works.

    Good luck!
  • ainokea8
    ainokea8 Posts: 95
    The key to losing weight is really with calorie deficit right?
    So technically you can eat whatever you want so long as you don't go over X amount of calories per day.
    But what happens if you are eating fatty foods? Would your belly fat remain unchanged, even if you are eating less calories on average?

    Given that you are also doing cardio on the side of course.

    I've lost almost 60lbs and did so by continuing to eat the foods I like. That means fast food, deep fried foods, frozen dinners, chips, cookies, donuts etc etc. I also did No exercise while I was a actively losing weight. Towards the end of my weight loss I had blood work done and everything came back great, including no longer having a glucose number in the pre-diabetic range. I lost weight eating the foods I was familiar with and did this whole thing in a way that was sustainable for me, long term. I'm now in maintenance and I'm healthy, happy and rocking size 2 jeans :)

    Losing weight is about calories. period.

    Congratulations! :) So pretty much all you did was restrict calories? No exercise?
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    The key to losing weight is really with calorie deficit right?
    So technically you can eat whatever you want so long as you don't go over X amount of calories per day.
    But what happens if you are eating fatty foods? Would your belly fat remain unchanged, even if you are eating less calories on average?

    Given that you are also doing cardio on the side of course.

    I've lost almost 60lbs and did so by continuing to eat the foods I like. That means fast food, deep fried foods, frozen dinners, chips, cookies, donuts etc etc. I also did No exercise while I was a actively losing weight. Towards the end of my weight loss I had blood work done and everything came back great, including no longer having a glucose number in the pre-diabetic range. I lost weight eating the foods I was familiar with and did this whole thing in a way that was sustainable for me, long term. I'm now in maintenance and I'm healthy, happy and rocking size 2 jeans :)

    Losing weight is about calories. period.

    Congratulations! :) So pretty much all you did was restrict calories? No exercise?

    Yep :) I did JUDDD, which is a calorie restricted IF plan. I did not restrict my food choices and I did not start exercising until after I transitioned into maintenance.

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