Which is more important- staying in calorie range or what yo

Yes. When I lost 75 lbs (prior to having my daughter) I did eat like that because it's what I knew, I just counted calories. Alcohol, cake, candy - I ate all of it. TBH I still prefer white bread and have ice cream or chocolate almost daily, but overall I am eating a lot more healthy than I used to.

Once in a while it's not a big deal, but in general, eating more carbs or fats than your body can use for energy at one time will result in the excess being stored as fat. So you do want to stay within the limits set for your carbs and fats in addition to your calories. Going over on protein isn't a big deal since it's good for your muscles, helps you stay fuller and doesn't get broken down into fat.

Essentially, staying within calorie goals will help you lose weight (no matter what type of foods you eat). If you eat something less healthy every once in a while, you will be fine. It's not realistic to eat steamed veggies and fish or chicken every day so you should make sure you incorporate "regular" food in your week. It will keep you from feeling deprived and make it easier to move to maintenance mode.

That being said, and based on another blog that I read recently, if you eat "crap" all the time your body will not be as fit looking as you might want. Periodic additions of normal foods should be fine. Just take note of how your body reacts to those foods and avoid them if they make you feel bloated or "out of sorts" afterwards. :bigsmile:

Yes but still eating crap with sat fat will give you cholesterol and eating sugary things will eventually give you some sugar related disease. Basically eating like that and staying under your calories will help you lose weight but isn't good for your body in the long run.

Sarah, I agree with your approach. I still eat the things i want, just alot less of it.

Okay here is a question for the veterans of losing weight out there. Would you still lose weight if you ate stuff like white bread, pastas, sugars, candy, etc.. if you stayed within your calorie range, or even just not gain anymore weight? I don't eat like that, but I am just wondering if I am ever having one of THOSE days where I really don't feel like eating tilapia and broccoli haha

Thanks!!

I don't really consider myself a veteran, but I have had a little experience with this sort of thing:

I started myfitnesspal in December. I logged in everything I ate and always stayed within the 1200 calorie range. I also exercised. My diet mostly consisted of sugary carbs, low fat snacks and healthy nut butters. Not too bad, but I gained weight, even though I was eating 1200 calories.

Starting in January, I no longer snacked, ate a balanced diet of protein, high fiber/low sugar carbs, a moderate amount of healthy fats, and I began to lose weight. I was still eating 1200 calories a day, but WHAT I ate really made a difference.

In the end, it's about calories in vs calories out. If you're eating within the range, you will continue to lose weight.

The problem comes in when you eat your 1200 calories in 2 candy bars or whatnot, and then you feel hungry for the rest of the day. 2 things can then happen, your body will start to tell you it feels hungry and you'll start wanting to eat lots of things. Assuming you don't give in to any cravings, you'll still lose weight, but it won't be fun!

Also if you "feel hungry" you will likely become more sedentary, moving less, lowering your body temperature. Since keeping yourself warm (maintaining your 98.6 body temperature) is your body's #1 use of calories, it could be that by being hungry you actually end up burning less calories in a day and therefore your "range" is less.

While these are important things to keep in mind over a long term weight loss, just because you eat all your calories on a day, or even eat over slightly doesn't mean you're going to gain weight! It takes a 3,500 calorie excess to gain a lb. So, on the days you can't stand "tilapia and broccoli" -- it isn't going to undo your hard work, unless you go over your built in deficit in your MFP calculator by 500 calories a day (built in for 1lb a week weight loss), AND another 3500.

In short, stay in your calorie range, and you'll still lose weight. Eating foods that leave you feeling hungry may cause behaviors that cause you to burn less calories or eat more food, but unless you eat more than built into your deficit (500 a day for 1lb/week weight loss) then you'll still keep losing.

In my case for weight loss it did not matter what I ate, just how much. Calories in/out is what counts.

I lost about 40lbs without changing my diet... I just walked a lot. But then I lowered the amount of food I ate and ate healthier and lost an additional 30lbs.

It's all about counting calories... As long as you don't eat more than you should, you will still lose weight.

Not a veteran, still a work in progress. As others have said, maintaining a calorie deficit--regardless of what you eat--will result in weight loss. However, your body composition will be leaner (less fat covering your muscles) if you eat foods that are lower in fat and sugar. Your overall health will benefit if you eat foods that are well balanced in nutrients and with as few chemical additives as possible. But you do not have to have a healthy diet to lose weight.

Nicely summarised.

In short:

losing weight = calorie deficit.

losing weight + looking good wearing clothes = calorie deficit + good diet.

losing weight + looking good without clothes = calorie deficit + good diet + resistance / strength training.

People like to make this complicated. It isn't.

I struggle with portion control. That is why I do best when I don't even start to tempt myself with those foods! I havent reached that level of self control to have one piece of chocolate, or 1 serving of chips. I guess thats why weight weight management is a lifestyle change and not something that happens overnight! But it makes me feel better to know that if I can work those things in on days where I'm not feeling so great, it won't ruin my efforts completely.

Eat "forced" portion sizes, i.e. a lunch box size bag of chips, or baked vs fried versions of chips, fries, chicken, etc. and most of all, remember that you are human and if you have a bad day, just get back up, and hit reset tomorrow.

All I know is if I go into complete denial of the things I love I am more likely to binge. Everything in moderation. I also love veggies so that helps.