Does some unhealthy food kill your progress ?

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becess96
becess96 Posts: 57 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm no expert so please don't judge me. I see some bodybuilders (natty or not, none of my business) that say that when they try to lose weight they eat like no bread, only brown rice and no pasta or things like that, and no junk food at all etc.. but then, some others say "calories it's all that matters, it doesn't matter if you eat 2000 calories of sugar or salad, you will still lose weight if you eat those 2000 calories". What's your opinion ? I used to eat unhealthy because I was trying to bulk for football and now I'm trying to live healthier so I cut completely any kind of soda and I only drink water, I eat fruits and veggies everyday, but sometimes I eat something unhealthy like today I ate some white bread, it was only 160 calories which is not a lot, but I feel like I cheated on my diet because some people don't recommend it. If I eat once in a while something less healthy like white pasta, white bread, or white rice or even some sugar, will I kill my progress ? (by eating those things I mean eating like a meal that's about let's say 300 calories, not eating only that food all day obviously)

Replies

  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
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    no.
  • Doodles111
    Doodles111 Posts: 8 Member
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    It's only bread. by you saying you were killing your progress i thought you were going to say you ate a whole ole pizza or something. Give yourself a break!
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    Before the whole weight loss only (it's just calories!) vs. weight loss AND nutrition (WHAT you're eating matters!) debate: you need a better relationship with food. If 160 calories of white bread is making you feel guilty, you need to rethink how you view food. It's fuel, not unclean items that will get you banished from your homeland.
  • Screwedntattooed
    Screwedntattooed Posts: 238 Member
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    No single food will kill your progress, eating more than you burn does...
  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    edited October 2014
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    There's no such thing as good foods and bad foods.

    Does it fit your allotment for the day? Great. Are you getting the vitamins and nutrients you need? Go ahead, eat that entire loaf of bread then.

    Food is what your body needs to function. It's the hardest issue to overcome because unlike other addictions where you can just stop, you HAVE to eat, and that means making sure you have an ok relationship with food. You shouldn't ever feel guilty about eating.

    ETA: I struggle with the guilt thing too, so I know it's easier said than done. But recognizing that it's an issue is the first step to moving past it.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    Does eating one salad make you healthy?
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    This journey should be a lifestyle change for us.
    No food is "bad". Unless you intend to never eat that food again, it should be part of your journey here. The basic idea is to learn to enjoy all the foods you like while keeping at a healthy weight. Concentrate on learning what a portion size is and learning about high-calorie foods that may need to be restricted (maybe not) but not eliminated.
    You need to eat and you should enjoy your food.
    It's easier said than done but try not to feel guilty for eating anything. Try to keep to your calorie limit for the day (or week....sometimes it is easier to average the calories over the week).
  • lisiloulah
    lisiloulah Posts: 125 Member
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    For weight loss a calorie is a calorie, but obviously unhealthy foods, even when eaten in moderation, won't give you all of the nutrients you need; so ideally what you need to aim for is mostly healthy food, with the occasional treat in moderation. How this combination works in reality is up to each individual.
  • paniolo5
    paniolo5 Posts: 186 Member
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    In my totally unprofessional opinion, there is no reason to ban any foods from your diet. Moderation is key! I've lost almost 50 pounds and have not completely cut anything out of my diet. As long as it fits in your caloric intake, you should be able to have what you want. The moderation part is that you should stay within your overall daily calories and obviously you don't want to eat 1200 calories of candy & call it a day. I am able to fit in treats - or "bad" food as some refer to sugar/white bread/pizza/etc - but your overall day should be relatively healthy, e.g. more nutritious foods such as vegetables, fiber-rich, etc. Chocolate & pizza are my personal weaknesses, so I enjoy about 1/2 oz of dark chocolate daily (56 calories of Trader Joe's dark chocolate with almonds!); I have pizza almost once a week but I only eat 2-3 smaller pieces to satisfy the craving. It's a splurge, but I also eat it on one of my 4-per-week workout days so I have the extra calories. After years of yo-yo dieting, the all-or-nothing approach didn't last; this has finally worked for me. I found when I banned foods, that is what my brain decided it had to have. Basically the same with exercise - when I worked out 6-7 days a week, I burned out after a few months & quit, got off track nutritionally & regained my weight. This time, I'm going at it differently and it's working! I'm in better shape than I've been in 30 years. With the myriad of opinions on this site, you really just have to find what works for you. Good luck!
  • wilsoncl6
    wilsoncl6 Posts: 1,288 Member
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    As long as your within your caloric burn range, you're OK. White bread is not going to kill it unless you bust that range, but even then one event is not going to make you plump up. I don't like the idea of food cheats or the term diet. People just need to have a healthier relationship with food and eat what you know your body needs and still try out some things that it doesn't every once in a while. You'll never get where you want to be in your health if you feel that you need to abstain forever from everything that people say is "bad". Just be aware of your calorie intake and adjust it to stay within your guidelines and you'll be fine. A piece of white bread, really? There are more important things to stress about. Don't waste your energy thinking about it.
  • caitconquersweight
    caitconquersweight Posts: 316 Member
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    God no. Eating "unhealthy" food now and then won't hurt you. That's called life. Nobody is expecting you to eat 100% healthy every single day for the rest of your life. There are parties, dates, hangouts, and holidays to look forward to. You can enjoy these times and have fun.

    What matters and what counts is going right back to the healthy eating afterward though. It's a *lifestyle change*, not a diet. Bread isn't going to throw you off. I've lost 50 pounds this year. Do you think I've abstained from junk food and crap this whole time? HAHAHAHAHA no.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Nope. Nothing is "good" or "bad". You need to learn moderation. A calorie is a calorie.
    Theissue with white bread is that it's essentially devoid of nutrition, and can spike your blood sugar. Does that make it bad? Nope. Do I still have it? Sometimes, yes.

    Don't demonize foods for yourself; enjoy them!

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