Eat what you want but stick to the calories?

You should hit your micronutrients as well (vitamins and minerals) as they help with your metabolism. So get those veggies down you!

kkorzeniowska wrote: »

I eat healthy. I just wonder what if I'll allow myslef to have for example magnum ice cream somewhere during the day between my healthy meals and snacks once it will still stick into my calories goal? I train hard at the gym, trying to do recomposition, wonder will high sugar snacks are gonna destroy my hard work?

No - it won't destroy your hard work.

If you eat to your calories and macros and micros, a small high sugar snack will do nothing except make you feel less deprived.

You can't store fat unless you are in an excess of calories - no matter what you eat.

Incorporating high sugar snacks will not hurt your goal. The sugar content has little to no influence on your body composition. I am happy to say I have personally gotten a 6-pack in the past while eating sub sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies almost every day.

Hit your macros
Hit your fiber and micronutrient goals
Keep lifting
Beast that magnum
Success

Yes, for weight loss, as long as you stick to your daily calories, you can eat whatever you want. It is possible to stick chips, ice cream, candy, etc... into your day. It's all about balancing your foods. There is no need to restrict foods. It's totally helped me with sticking to losing weight this time around.

seska422 wrote: »

Recomposition isn't the same as weight loss.

If you have medical issues, those are your primary concern. Comply with any medical requirements that you have.

For weight loss, you can eat what you like in moderation. Moderation might be a little chocolate and/or ice cream every day, pizza occasionally, etc. Try for 80% of calories from nutrient-dense foods and 20% from treats. Hit your calorie goal and try to get close on your macros.

For recomposition, your macro balance is more important because you are trying to stay the same weight but have less fat and more muscle.

True that macros are more important if we're talking body composition. But chocolate and ice cream still contain macros-primarily carbs and fat. You can recomp, bulk or cut and still eat chocolate-it's really just the amount that changes.

I think one of the problems is trying to equate bleeding edge science, that may be of concern to the 0.001% of the population who are ultra high competitors in their field with general weight loss advice for the masses.

The internet is chock full of it, as interesting as it may be for an enquiring mind, little has any baring on the majority of the population when it comes to achieving long term goals.

Barring medical conditions, the average Joe has no concern in regards to their insulin levels and how it effects their weight loss.

Eat at a calorie deficit. Do this however you see fit.

Keep it simple.

kkorzeniowska wrote: »

I just wonder is that really truth? What about the insulin levels and how it spikes after high in sugar snacks? It's one of the reasons why body stores fat. Can I really have a chocolate bar with no consequences as long as I will stick to the calories and macros?

Assuming no health issues, the answer to your final question is yes.

There seems to be misinformation or a misunderstanding as to the first bit. Your body is using and storing fat all the time. You will not store more fat than you use unless you eat more calories than you need (i.e., eat above maintenance). This idea that you can trick the system by not eating sugar or, on the other hand, that your body will store as fat energy it needs to run it it's sugar is just pseudoscience put out to confuse people into thinking it's much more complicated than it is.

Also, spiking insulin is only bad if you are insulin resistant. There are actually positive things about spiking insulin too, like building muscle and the use of insulin to do all kinds of useful functions. As for that feeling of spike and then crash, not everyone gets that and most who do can avoid it simply by being sensible in how much they eat and how they eat it. When I was fat and less active (though not anymore), eating something sugary on its own would do that to me. But if I ate it after or before exercise or with other foods (for example, a bit of dessert after a meal), it would not.

I disagree with most people here, I don't think you can just go and have whatever you want, health wise that is, weight wise.. I guess the calorie thing is right but ,I prefer quality over quantity,so if 50 grams of fat are gonna go in,they better be avocado or nuts, not hmm -random greasy stuff- I stay away from trans fats as well, but depends on what you want i guess.
I train hard,eat okish ,i will have a cheat meal but it's not gonna be a pile of sugary stuff, it's gonna be either more of what i already eat or something nice i wouldn't eat on a weekday but not something i would run away from. Like a pre made soup,for example,so much sodium yucks

Yes, technically you could get your daily caloric allowance in ice cream, candy, and Doritos and if you are at a deficit you will lose weight. But will you be healthy. I doubt it. But yes, it's actually a very simple formula. Weight loss equals less calories going in than calories being burned. I'd just rather be healthy than thin.

This is a pefect discussion. I did pretty good today. Nutrient levels high, low sodium, workef out today and then.... a piece of pre sliced new york cheesecake. Im still okay chart wise.

3dogsrunning wrote: »

Katzedernacht wrote: »

I disagree with most people here, I don't think you can just go and have whatever you want, health wise that is, weight wise.. I guess the calorie thing is right but ,I prefer quality over quantity,so if 50 grams of fat are gonna go in,they better be avocado or nuts, not hmm -random greasy stuff- I stay away from trans fats as well, but depends on what you want i guess.
I train hard,eat okish ,i will have a cheat meal but it's not gonna be a pile of sugary stuff, it's gonna be either more of what i already eat or something nice i wouldn't eat on a weekday but not something i would run away from. Like a pre made soup,for example,so much sodium yucks

No one is saying have whatever you want for health.
She asked if she could have ONE chocolate bar as long as she sticks with her calories AND macros.

+1 to this

I just don't understand how a cheat meal 1x a week makes more sense than this does. No one is saying eat crap and screw it all if under calories. We've all said eat healthfully and include "crap" as well. And FYI-I could argue that there are as many health benefits to chocolate as there is to avocado....

Katzedernacht wrote: »

I disagree with most people here, I don't think you can just go and have whatever you want, health wise that is, weight wise..

Two things:

(1) the question WAS weight wise, or specifically fat-wise. I'm sure all of us agree that nutrition matters and I find it rude that you imply that the prior posts were saying otherwise.

(2) The OP didn't say "can I lose weight eating lots of crap and ignoring nutrition." She asked about including a chocolate bar in her diet. There's a huge distinction between eating only candy (what you seem to have assumed, but which I think NO ONE is so confused that they think it's a good idea) or including candy within the context of an overall healthy diet.

Your answer seems to say that the latter is basically the same as the former from a nutrition/health perspective and of course it is not.

Just to reassure you.... Yes it's true.

I've lost 50lbs thus far using this method, as have many on this forum.

You don't need to wonder anymore

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Iron_Feline wrote: »

MarciBkonTrk wrote: »

Yes, technically you could get your daily caloric allowance in ice cream, candy, and Doritos and if you are at a deficit you will lose weight. But will you be healthy. I doubt it. But yes, it's actually a very simple formula. Weight loss equals less calories going in than calories being burned. I'd just rather be healthy than thin.

That's not what she is asking and no one is advising you get all your calories In That food only.

She's asking if she can fit in A chocolate bar into her day and still be healthy and reach her goals - to that the answer is yes.

It's not all or nothing. It's moderation.

Yep. (I should read all the prior posts before responding.) ;-)

It can't be repeated enough -some mfp users need to take a reading comprehension class :noway: