Does it really matter?

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lisasp4
lisasp4 Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Discussions have been had all day at work and I'd like your opinions.

Does it matter what food you eat as long as you stay within your calorie goal?

1200 calories of cake vs 1200 calories of vegetables

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  • Alassonde
    Alassonde Posts: 228 Member
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    You'll be a lot hungrier with 1200 calories of cake....
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    It matters for weight loss. For satiety and nutrition, no. One can get fat on vegetables.

    happy_buddha1.jpg
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    For weight loss, no, for health, yes.

    A calorie is a calorie is a calorie.

    ~Lyssa
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Look at the nutrition profile and ingredient list of ensure. It's a rich, sweet drink. But it works perfectly fine on a restricted diet. I Iost ten pounds on Ensure alone (liquid diet) over two weeks (medically supervised). (Don't do it unless you have to! Yuck).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    these types of comparisons are completely nonsensical...nobody is going to do either of those things and either one would also result in significant nutrient deficiencies.

    should you eat your veggies? of course...but you also need protein and dietary fat for proper nutrition. can cake or cookies or other things that would be considered "junk" foods be incorporated into a health and balanced diet? of course they can.
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
    edited December 2015
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    For pure weight loss, It does not matter what foods you eat. Some days I have only pop and take out, some days I only drink water and keep to veggies and protein. I lose weight at the same rate as long as I stay under my calorie goal. As the above poster said, you will probably go hungry on 1200 cals of sugar compared to veggies with fiber. It all depends if you are a volume eater or if you can be satisfied with calorie/fat/sugar dense food, just less of it. Most people need a balance of both for long term maintenance and health.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited December 2015
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    lisasp4 wrote: »
    Discussions have been had all day at work and I'd like your opinions.

    Does it matter what food you eat as long as you stay within your calorie goal?

    1200 calories of cake vs 1200 calories of vegetables

    Not being a jerk, and I don't mind the question at all, but there are about 100 threads with the same question if you search and want to read some discussions.

    Anyway, my answer:

    Does it matter what you eat as long as you stay within your calorie goal? If you mean over a period of time and not just one day, of course it does -- for health and how good you feel and, for most people, how easily you can continue to stick to an appropriate calorie goal.

    Does it matter for weight loss? Not much if at all. There may be some differences in terms of fat loss vs. muscle loss (neither cake nor vegetables have adequate protein, probably), there may be differences in how many of the calories you actually take in (meat and some higher fiber foods seem to overstate calories, as do nuts, based on some recent reevaluation of how to estimate calories), and for most it will affect how energetic and active you are (calories out). Also, as others have said, I would be hungry and unhappy trying to survive on 1200 calories of cake and hungry and dissatisfied trying to survive on 1200 calories of non-starchy veg (as it would be hard to get anywhere near 1200).

    Also, I personally like to eat more than 1200.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    Calories are the only thing that matters for weight loss.

    You will be much healthier getting fruits and veggies in your diet (vitamins and minerals are important, no surprise here). You will also feel less hungry eating low-calorie but high volume foods like veggies, fruits, lean meats, etc.

    But no, you could theoretically eat nothing but twinkies. So long as it is calories in and calories out you will lose weight.


    There is absolutely nothing special or secret or extra-weightlossy about "healthy" foods. You do not lose extra weight based on the perceived healthiness of food either.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Oh, to add to the last post: I said "of course it does" based on the example given, cake vs. vegetables (neither of which is a good diet).

    Does it really matter what you, even for nutrition, eat so long as you have an overall healthy diet that is calorie appropriate with adequate protein, a decent mix of foods, adequate micronutrients (likely from vegetables), fiber, some so-called "healthy fats," so on. No, it doesn't. Unfortunately, a lot of people over-stress about it, when it's mostly just personal preference.
  • BWFit16
    BWFit16 Posts: 22 Member
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    As it has been said time and time again, a calorie is a calorie no matter what source it comes from. I personally do not agree with this mindset at it introduces bad habits. When it comes down to it, weight is also just a number. Body composition is much more important IMO which is where the components of your diet come into play.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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    I completely agree with the very first comment :)

    Sure, you can technically eat whatever you like within your allowance. If you choose to spend 1200 calories on cake and chocolate - go for it! But you'll be pretty hungry! I personally like to make sure I'm getting a good amount of protein (to fill me up if anything!). But ultimately yes - it's all about calories.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Google the Twinkie diet. You can lose weight on a calorie restriction comprised of just about anything... However, I wouldn't want the hair, skin, pancreas, etc of the Twinkie eater twenty years on!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    If I wanted to cycle a long way I would go with cake.
    If I wanted awesome farts then I would choose the vegetable option.
  • marsh5224
    marsh5224 Posts: 34 Member
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    For me and my experiment of one, it does matter. I am 46 and 5'1 and eat 1200 calories daily. The weeks I eat lean meats, vegetables and stay away from the sweets, I lose. When I eat anything but stay in my calorie range, I don't. I also do not lose weight without exercise unless I go below 1200 calories,
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    Gustaaf85 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    If I wanted to cycle a long way I would go with cake.
    If I wanted awesome farts then I would choose the vegetable option.
    bahahahaha, we have a winner here

    Agreed. Broccoli and cabbage farts ftw.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    lisasp4 wrote: »
    Discussions have been had all day at work and I'd like your opinions.

    Does it matter what food you eat as long as you stay within your calorie goal?

    1200 calories of cake vs 1200 calories of vegetables

    Doesn't matter for weight loss.
    Does matter for nutrition and feeling full.

    I wouldn't want to go either route as both are missing out in something. The cake plan will be missing lots of nutrients and I would start hating the sight of cake. The all vegetable plan probably isn't going to get you enough protein and fats and you would have to eat huge amounts to get to 1200 calories. Not very efficient.

    Just stick to your calorie goal and don't do weird diets where you only eat one kind of food.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    lisasp4 wrote: »
    Discussions have been had all day at work and I'd like your opinions.

    Does it matter what food you eat as long as you stay within your calorie goal?

    1200 calories of cake vs 1200 calories of vegetables

    I would say that what you eat can make a small difference in weight loss. When someone finds a woe that works for them it may be easier to cut calories or increase CO a bit.

    For health? I would say it definitely matters.

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