Eating!

_monicagarner
_monicagarner Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hiiiii! Okay so i know some of you reading this might think, "you're soooo stupid", (it's happened before on a post i posted hahaha) But some are more experienced than others and have more knowledge than i do so i've come here for help :smile:

So i always read about weight loss and nutrition and after reading many articles throughout the year, i keep thinking of this. Some weight loss articles are saying "Don't eat unhealthy, clean up your appetite" and others say "It doesn't matter what you eat as long aren't eating too many calories."

So for an example, say person A with a diet of pizza, fast food, candy, processed food, etc. verse person B that had a diet with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean meats both counted their daily needed calories and burnt 500 calories from exercise a day. Would both lose weight or would person A lose it more slowly due to their horrible diet?

Why i am asking this is I LOVE CHOCOLATE!!! I would marry chocolate if i could :heart: :heart: :heart: I limit myself on my chocolate intake about once a week but some days i eat a little too much (still not over my calories of course but ALOT of my calories are chocolate :sad: :smile: ) And i always feel really bad after eating it thinking that i have just lost ALL my progress.. Also, i know this isn't too good, but i have 2 pieces of Orowheat white bread about 4 days a week.

SO, point being said, does weight loss speed also depend on the foods you eat or is it just the calorie deficit and amount of calories burnt?

Please don't judge, i'm only human :smile:

Btw, you guys are all really awesome for making a life change and for having an account here, i just love people that make a difference in their life to better themselves instead of hating themselves for something that they can change :smile: :flowerforyou:

THAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNKS :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:

Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Portion adjustments vs lifestyle change.

    Up to you. Both work. :)

    Losing weight is done by taking in fewer calories than you use. That can be done so many ways!!

    If you start eating healthier, replacing bad habits with good ones, and you do a little exercising...over time you build on this - you get into routines of healthy eating and exercise. You change your whole way of living.

    Lifestyle changes make you healthier. Some say they have a better record with weight loss.

    But portion adjustments work and you can eat anything you want!
  • sunflowersunset
    sunflowersunset Posts: 32
    When I first started losing weight, I ate anything I wanted, just as long as I stayed within my limit (calories). I also did not exercise. Point said, I lose 89 pounds in 6 months. It does not matter what you are eating, if you eat the right amount, you WILL lose weight. If you want to lose weight AND become healthier, then yes, eat things that are better for you. If you love chocolate and want to become healthier as well as lose weight, eat chocolate in moderation. I know from experience that depriving yourself will only lead to cravings, which could lead to binge eating or sabotage. Everyone is different though.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    A couple good reads you might be interested in

    http://body-improvements.com/2013/05/24/undiet-your-diet/

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ihad/view/the-myth-of-good-and-bad-foods-by-eric-helms-588801
  • AmandaLY17
    AmandaLY17 Posts: 184 Member
    You will have both sides of the argument chiming in here Im sure. I've decided to go with the argument of calories out exceeds calories in and you'll lose weight. Eating good for you is important and always good for you. Eating poorly will result in lowered willpower, lack of energy and quite possibly skin problems. Eating well and having chocolate every day doesnt constitute eating poorly.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I can only speak as an example of person A. As long as both people are in a calorie deficit (barring any medical issues but since you didn't mention any, I'm assuming they are ok), they should lose weight at roughly the same speed.

    As for you, there's nothing wrong with white bread and chocolate. Unless you have some sort of medical condition or you choke to death while eating them, they're fine. Save your sanity. Have them and enjoy.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I eat a lot of veggies and fruit and lean meat and whole grain. I also eat a little piece of dark chocolate every single day. Sure, in the past two years of doing this, I eat fewer hamburgers, fewer French fries, fewer high calorie restaurant meals. That that does not mean that I don't work in foods that meet my emotional needs. . . sweet treats, wine, etc.

    "Lifestyle change" to me means getting superb nutrition plus enjoying my food.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I kinda skipped over everything and am wondering why one would think chocolate was bad for you???? lol No but seriously both A and B would lose weight based on their caloric intake and if they were in a deficit to do so, now on a nutritional level for overall health then you would have to go with B but there is nothing wrong with doing option B and still fitting in some of Option A's food choices... It is all about balance in my mind and enjoying the foods you are eating.... Best of Luck
  • HellaCarriefornia
    HellaCarriefornia Posts: 102 Member
    In my personal experience, I found eating whatever I want - just adjusting portion sizes to fit within my calories - works much better for me than when I was trying to be "perfect." Don't get me wrong, I eat plenty of "healthy" things, veggies, fruits, lean meats, etc. But I found that not depriving myself keeps my cravings in check.

    Before, I would tell myself I couldn't eat something and suddenly, I wanted a bucket load of it and I couldn't stop. Then I decided that this wasn't a diet, but rather a way of changing my eating habits for life. I didn't want to live a life without chocolate or desserts or whatever. This has helped me relax and I don't feel the need to binge on foods I had previously labelled "forbidden."

    To answer what I think this was one of your questions: no, doing this did not stall my weight loss. In fact, I started losing more and more consistently than ever. (But it doesn't have to do with the food per se, just that I relaxed about food more and didn't feel the need to binge.)

    Chocolate and white bread are delicious. If there is no medical reason for you to avoid them and if you can enjoy them within your calorie range, then go for it! And stop feeling guilty about it. That doesn't do you any good. Good luck!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    For one thing, you're doing the same thing that most people do...compare two extreme examples that generally don't resemble anything close to reality. There aren't too many healthy and fit people subsisting on nothing but "junk" food. Conversely, not too many people eat 100% whole, natural food diets either.

    Most people I know, including myself who are healthy and fit eat a varied diet that is rich in nutrition but also include numerous "bad" foods in moderation. Having a couple slices of pizza on a Friday night doesn't negate the fact that I rocked the **** out of my nutrition all week...having some ice cream for desert doesn't negate the 8 servings of vegetables I ate earlier in the day, etc ,etc, etc.

    It's called moderation...and understanding basic, fundamental nutrition. So long as you are hitting your nutritional requirements, having some chocolate doesn't negate that. Also, where weight loss is concerned, yes...calories are the most important aspect...it's all about energy balance. What you eat has everything to do with nutrition...certain nutritional deficiencies can impact weight loss and cause a host of other issues...but by and large, weight loss is all about calories (energy) balance.
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    Both Person A and Person B would lose weight at about the same rate, it's really primarily just calories.

    Making "healthier" choices is really a matter of overall health and wellbeing. Getting proper nutrition fuels your body better, so that person MIGHT have more energy and better digestion, for example.

    But that being said, a person can have an overall healthy diet and still indulge in moderate portions of allegedly "unhealthy" foods from time to time. It's more a question of not getting a large proportion of your daily calories from nutritionally empty foods. Having a "healthy diet" means getting most of your calories from nutritionally dense foods.
  • LessHeavyVeggie
    LessHeavyVeggie Posts: 208 Member
    In my personal experience, I found eating whatever I want - just adjusting portion sizes to fit within my calories - works much better for me than when I was trying to be "perfect." Don't get me wrong, I eat plenty of "healthy" things, veggies, fruits, lean meats, etc. But I found that not depriving myself keeps my cravings in check.

    Before, I would tell myself I couldn't eat something and suddenly, I wanted a bucket load of it and I couldn't stop. Then I decided that this wasn't a diet, but rather a way of changing my eating habits for life. I didn't want to live a life without chocolate or desserts or whatever. This has helped me relax and I don't feel the need to binge on foods I had previously labelled "forbidden."

    ^^ Exactly the same for me.

    Basically the calorie amount is all that matters for weight loss, but of course nutrition is important for general health.

    I found that by starting by eating the same things in amounts that fit into my goal, I've gradually changed how I eat because the calorie allowance means I need to have smaller portions of the high calorie stuff and can fill up on low calorie things like veggies. - pasta with some veggies has morphed into veggies with some pasta... I've also introduced new things to my diet as I've been exploring recipes etc that will fit in, but again this has happened gradually.

    Oh, and I went for a curry and the pub last night and have just had a small chocolate bar which both fit into my allowance :-)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I make room in my caloric allotment, every single day for some kind of sweet and or treat. I have made a lifestyle change of watching my calories and exercising, not giving up things I like to eat.

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