Does it matter where the calories are from?

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marshars1
marshars1 Posts: 56 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am eating 1500 cals a day and today had costa coffee n muffin for around 550 cals. I am feeling guilty though i will be eating low cal dinner. Do u think this attitude will stall the weighloss or is it just the cal matters.
Pls no harsh comments !

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Nope it does not matter. Nutrition wise maybe. I hope that wasn't too harsh! LOL
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
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    That question will garner a variety of responses based on the different philosophies you find here on mfp. I personally fall in to the "usually no" camp, because it really is a complex question. There are all sorts of considerations for macros and chemistry. For the purpose of your one day scenario though, don't worry about it as long as you stay in your calorie range for the day.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2016
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    IIFYM is popular here - if it fits your macros.

    You can eat 100% crap and lose weight. However, meeting protein goals helps you keep more lean muscle. Fat and fiber are filling, so you won't be hungry right away.

    Not eating crap (most of the time) gives you more nutrition. You need good nutrition to stay healthy. Try to find a balance between "good for you" and "treats."
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
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    Calories are really the number one priority.

    My concern would be that a coffee and a muffin would in no way, shape or form constitute a meal for me, and I would be more likely to go looking for more food later. But maybe it works for you. *shrug*
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    You'll be fine.

    Don't make a habit of it though as you need to ensure suitable nutrition which may not be possible given how much of your total calorie intake is devoted to the coffee and cake.
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,245 Member
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    One meal like that is not going to derail your progress. Yes, as others have said, you can lose weight eating "whatever" as long as it's at a deficit. However, you might want to learn as much as you can about nutrition and make the most educated choices you can to improve your overall health along with losing weight.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    I agree with the others here - yes calories are all that matter when it comes to weight loss and you shouldn't feel guilty for eating a muffin for breakfast. You should eat a variety of foods though, including fruits and veggies and getting adequate protein and fat. I eat my veggies, hit my macros, and fit treats into my day just about every day.

    Personally, a muffin and coffee wouldn't keep me full for long. However, coffee, half the muffin, and a hardboiled egg would've suited me just fine.
  • Fit_Happens_2021
    Fit_Happens_2021 Posts: 303 Member
    edited March 2016
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    It isn't a problem when it is occasional, if it was every day then of course it might be. I came to mfp with very little understanding of nutrition or how to lose weight in a healthy way a couple of years ago. I only focused on calories and staying under my goal for the day regardless of what I ate.

    So for example, if I wanted to drink wine that night I would eat very little all day so that I could snack on chips and drink wine that evening, not a problem if it were only occasional, but I did it wayyy too often. I did lose weight and hit my target, but when I went for my annual labs my A1C result showed me as being in the pre diabetes range even though I only weighed 116lbs. I was shocked and decided to learn more.

    Now although I am currently 10lbs over my weight goal I am no longer pre diabetic and I am more healthy than I was when I was at my slimmest.
    So in short, no it is ok just don't make it a daily thing like I did! lol
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    TeaBea wrote: »
    IIFYM is popular here - if it fits your macros.

    You can eat 100% crap and lose weight. However, meeting protein goals helps you keep more lean muscle. Fat and fiber are filling, so you won't be hungry right away.

    Not eating crap (most of the time) gives you more nutrition. You need good nutrition to stay healthy. Try to find a balance between "good for you" and "treats."

    Nicely put.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Amanda_Brit_Expat wrote: »
    It isn't a problem when it is occasional, if it was every day then of course it might be. I came to mfp with very little understanding of nutrition or how to lose weight in a healthy way a couple of years ago. I only focused on calories and staying under my goal for the day regardless of what I ate.

    So for example, if I wanted to drink wine that night I would eat very little all day so that I could snack on chips and drink wine that evening, not a problem if it were only occasional, but I did it wayyy too often. I did lose weight and hit my target, but when I went for my annual labs my A1C result showed me as being in the pre diabetes range. I was shocked and decided to learn more.

    Now although I am currently 10lbs over my weight goal I am no longer pre diabetic and I am more healthy than I was when I was at my slimmest.
    So in short, no it is ok just don't make it a daily thing like I did! lol

    A great reminder.
  • erikfarrar
    erikfarrar Posts: 35 Member
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    It depends on your goals. As far as energy is concerned (and eventually weight loss): no, not really.

    If your struggle is to get to a certain calorie goal -- focus on the calories first. And then fine-tune from there.

    As others have mentioned, there are plenty of other, more nutritionally-dense foods you can choose for 550 calories. Having a more macronutrient-balanced meal, including fibrous foods, and including more complex carbs and healthier fats than would be in a muffin will benefit you in so many ways: body composition, satiety (feeling full), and better-regulated blood glucose levels.

    In general, all of these things combine to actually making you have fewer urges to eat and feeling less hungry, which in turn will help you consume fewer calories anyway. Sometimes it takes a while to learn how to shape your diet though, so in the meantime, take baby steps and focus on calorie content.

    I might add that 1500 calories is pretty low. I don't know about your body type/composition or your MFP goals, but make sure you're not starving yourself. The best diet is one you can stick to, so don't make it too miserable. ;)

    Good luck!
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
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    For me - yes, because I am stupid enough to be vegan and if I aim to reach my ideal protein level, the carbs and fats will surely follow, so I aim to reach my protein level and adjust the Cs and Fs accordingly.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    In terms of just calories, no, you're fine. In terms of nutrition, there are better choices, but having a muffin from time to time isn't a big deal. As long as your daily calories add up to at or below you calorie limit for the day, you can split them up however you want to. And you don't have to split them up the same way each day.
  • silvilunazul
    silvilunazul Posts: 59 Member
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    As others said, calories in/calories out is the core formula of weight loss. That said, the problem with so-called junk food is that it's usually very dense in calories, meaning that a little amount of food, which probably won't fill you up, can take up a great portion of your calorie allowance, or even all of it! Nothing wrong with a muffin once in a while, but in my case what has happened is that whenever I think about eating a cookie, muffin, chocolate, etc., and look up the calories, it just doesn't seem worth it. I can have a salmon fillet with vegetables for the same caloric amount and I will be much more satisfied. If I chose the muffin it's almost for sure that I will be hungry later and eat a full meal. A pattern of such choices can surely lead to weight gain.
  • marshars1
    marshars1 Posts: 56 Member
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    Thanks alot for the replies :)
    In past i have always followed restricted group diets n when i loose thn i eat bad stuff n gain it all back. Infact binge because it feels i am out of prison so cutting back all bad stuff n healthy in at once is quite daunting hence this qs.
    I agree after puting in the calories of muffin in mfp i am not going to touch it again lol
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Calories are all that matter for weight loss, but weight loss is not all that matters. Nutrition matters too. Good nutrition ususlly helps you lose weight because healthful foods help you have more energy, fewer cravings, so youre less likely to overeat. "Attitude" as you mentioned doesn't affect weight loss directly, but again, it can affect your eating habits, which in turn affects weight loss. Everything is related, so the most successful losers usually practice well balanced habits of calorie control, nutrition, and fitness. The journey for most is about health, not just the scales.
  • skorsk
    skorsk Posts: 32 Member
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    You could eat twinkies all day long as long as u stay under calories required for your weight loss. You would lose weight. Ud probably feel like crap but ud lose weight.

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