Stupid legit question

Say my calorie deficit is 1500..does it matter what i eat? Like say I eat 1500 calories of chips vs 1500 calories of fruits vegetables and whole grains..of course nutrition wise I it is different but what about weight gain?

Replies

  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
    calories are calories. . so as far as numbers it doesn't matter. . .but that being said i'd be starving and wouldn't be able to stick to it.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    I think you are confused; a calorie deficit is the difference between your calorie intake and expenditure. If you are eating 1500 calories that is your intake.

    But that aside; no it does not really matter but you'll feel bad sooner or later if you don't eat sensibly.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    For weight loss, no.

    For nutrition and satiety, yes.

    This.

    Chose a combination of nutritious foods that keep you satiated as well as treats such as chips. Perfectly fine.
  • tinuz
    tinuz Posts: 1,123 Member
    http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    this dude (proffesor at Kansas Univerity) ate only twinkies and doritos for some weeks.... lost weight but his health took a nasty beating.
  • p8yn02016
    p8yn02016 Posts: 12 Member
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I think you are confused; a calorie deficit is the difference between your calorie intake and expenditure. If you are eating 1500 calories that is your intake.

    But that aside; no it does not really matter but you'll feel bad sooner or later if you don't eat sensibly.

    this
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    For weight loss, no.

    For nutrition and satiety, yes.

    Best and most direct answer ever.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited October 2016
    Say my calorie deficit is 1500..does it matter what i eat? Like say I eat 1500 calories of chips vs 1500 calories of fruits vegetables and whole grains..of course nutrition wise I it is different but what about weight gain?

    There is no such thing as a stupid legit question, and there are no stupid questions only legit ones. :)

    Seriously, the answer is no as to weight loss.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,142 Member
    It doesn't matter for weight loss, but it does matter for nutrition and satiety. I could stop by the bakery across from my office every morning and have a donut and fit it into my goal if I wanted to. I don't want to though because I would be starving all morning if I did that so I just have a donut occasionally on a weekend. I do drink my coffee with sugar and half and half. It is worth the calories to me. For me personally I try to make sure I get plenty of protein because that keeps me full but other than that I just eat things I like and fit them into my goal. If you like chips you can work a reasonable amount into your goal. But you probably don't want to eat nothing but chips all day or you will be hungry and miserable. IMO
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I think you are confused; a calorie deficit is the difference between your calorie intake and expenditure. If you are eating 1500 calories that is your intake.

    But that aside; no it does not really matter but you'll feel bad sooner or later if you don't eat sensibly.

    And, this too.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    calories are calories.. but different foods make you feel full and give you energy. Others don't .. you learn real quick which are which when sticking to a deficit calorie count.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Say my calorie deficit is 1500..does it matter what i eat? Like say I eat 1500 calories of chips vs 1500 calories of fruits vegetables and whole grains..of course nutrition wise I it is different but what about weight gain?

    Try eating 1500 calories of chips per day and see how long you last on that. If you can stick to it, you'd lose weight. I couldn't. I need protein and fiber to feel full, and variety to be satisfied.

    Occasionally I will work a donut into my day but only if I've done extra exercise because donuts are not the least bit filling for me so they are empty calories.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Why the (I assume) hypothetical false dilemma OP? Why is it one "junk" food (chips) compared to a variety of "healthy" foods like fruits, vegetables and grains (although you are still missing proteins and fats in that scenario).

    As others have said, calories are what counts for weight loss, but I don't think either of your scenarios is particularly realistic. If you are working within a 1500 calorie goal for weight loss, you can eat so many different foods including the fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, dairy, AND some chips if it fits within your goal for the day. Doesn't that sound preferable to eating nothing but chips, or eating no chips at all?

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    I suppose there is a possible difference in terms of more loss of muscle on a bad diet, which will reduce metabolism a bit. It won't be that big a difference.

    The other factors you mention, like lethargy, are definitely valid and could make it harder to lose weight, by making you less active. Hunger is also a problem, and nutrition generally, as others have said.

    But really what we're looking at is a kind of thought experiment - in theory, can I lose weight eating only doritos? In theory, yes. But it would be difficult and miserable and nobody would actually recommend it.

    The conversation is still useful, though, because the extreme example illustrates an important fact - that losing weight is justa matter of quantity of food, you don't have to change your whole diet or eat special "diet foods" to be successful. It's an important message when our media is saturated with the idea that you do.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you at 1500 calories of chips I'd imagine you're going to feel like crap...

    I will never understand the hypothetical extremes of these kinds of questions....both scenarios are completely unrealistic...and in either case, you're missing protein and healthy fats...

    Eat a well balanced diet...you can include things like chips in a balanced and nutritious diet...hit your calorie targets and win...it's really pretty friggin' simple...stop complicated that which is not complicated.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    If you at 1500 calories of chips I'd imagine you're going to feel like crap...

    I will never understand the hypothetical extremes of these kinds of questions....both scenarios are completely unrealistic...and in either case, you're missing protein and healthy fats...

    Eat a well balanced diet...you can include things like chips in a balanced and nutritious diet...hit your calorie targets and win...it's really pretty friggin' simple...stop complicated that which is not complicated.

    Yep. I don't understand the extreme hypotheticals and why the one side always gets only a singular junk food (Chips) while the opposite side gets a wide variety of choices.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?

    Well no - this is the answer isn't it - balance. Eating junk food everyday will not be very beneficial but then neither will a diet of cabbage. Mix em up and treat yourself once or twice a week and its gravy day

    What are you arguing? It's literally the same thing as what Wino just said. Have a balanced diet and incorporate some treats. It won't hurt results.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?

    I wasn't sure if I was more annoyed by the Broscience or the lack of punctuation.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    tinuz wrote: »
    http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    this dude (proffesor at Kansas Univerity) ate only twinkies and doritos for some weeks.... lost weight but his health took a nasty beating.

    Actually... no - his health didn't take a beating. His bloodwork improved:
    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    And while this article doesn't include the hard data, you can find it online. He also saw improvements in his blood pressure and very little change in glucose levels.

    I'm not advocating a junk food lifestyle. But... getting rid of excess body weight probably makes the largest and most immediate impact on those health markers.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Why the (I assume) hypothetical false dilemma OP? Why is it one "junk" food (chips) compared to a variety of "healthy" foods like fruits, vegetables and grains (although you are still missing proteins and fats in that scenario).

    I had the same question, and I am genuinely curious. We get variations on this question all the time, and they tend to pose the same hypothetical with diets (like all potato chips) that no one would ever eat.

    If the real concern is will I lose as much if I eat 1500 calories with some potato chips at lunch and maybe some chocolate after dinner as part of that, and with a meal occasionally being delivery pizza as if I cut out everything I have heard is "bad," will I lose as much, the answer, of course, is yes.

    Now, if satiety is a problem, changing up food choices can help with that.

    For good nutrition (which is also important, for health), it's less about not eating "bad" foods as getting in what you need, and as WinoGelato notes, part of that is protein and healthy fats (and variety and what is sustainable and enjoyable for you too).

    I also think that people spend way too much time debating the merits of one perfectly healthy diet vs another or one macro ratio vs. another when it doesn't matter that much and other things, like exercise, will probably make a bigger difference in health (assuming other things, like calories, are dialed in).
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    edited October 2016
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?

    Well no - this is the answer isn't it - balance. Eating junk food everyday will not be very beneficial but then neither will a diet of cabbage. Mix em up and treat yourself once or twice a week and its gravy day

    What are you arguing? It's literally the same thing as what Wino just said. Have a balanced diet and incorporate some treats. It won't hurt results.

    Wasn't arguing - agreeing with Winogelato that the answer is indeed balance

    There's a first time for everything! ;)

    c328a221cec63e2c3db1239d2f00bdb86ce177000ab52eff25cfb290073f1117.jpg
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?

    Well no - this is the answer isn't it - balance. Eating junk food everyday will not be very beneficial but then neither will a diet of cabbage. Mix em up and treat yourself once or twice a week and its gravy day

    What are you arguing? It's literally the same thing as what Wino just said. Have a balanced diet and incorporate some treats. It won't hurt results.

    Wasn't arguing - agreeing with Winogelato that the answer is indeed balance

    There's a first time for everything! ;)

    c328a221cec63e2c3db1239d2f00bdb86ce177000ab52eff25cfb290073f1117.jpg

    :laugh:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    Jakep2323 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    It definitely does matter I don't know why people say it doesn't yes calories are calories but bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat. Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Lot of Broscience here... why can't a person eat a diet of primarily nutrient dense foods and still enjoy chips or cookies or whatever in moderation? What "bad foods" are you referring to?

    Well no - this is the answer isn't it - balance. Eating junk food everyday will not be very beneficial but then neither will a diet of cabbage. Mix em up and treat yourself once or twice a week and its gravy day

    What are you arguing? It's literally the same thing as what Wino just said. Have a balanced diet and incorporate some treats. It won't hurt results.

    Wasn't arguing - agreeing with Winogelato that the answer is indeed balance

    Really.. interesting.. The way it was written, it came off as a disagreement, lol.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    p8yn02016 wrote: »
    bad food also has bad fats sugars salt which will make you feel lethargic and won't benefit muscle gain which in turn will reduce body fat.

    Not necessarily. I happen to agree that one should avoid transfats (which aren't in that much anymore, I don't think), and I tend to prefer certain fat sources to others, but chips won't necessarily have whatever you consider "bad fats" and also once we get past transfats there's no general agreement on what fats to avoid (if any). In any case, having some in your diet isn't going to make you lethargic.

    You can easily find chips without sugar, but really sugar tends to benefit workouts.

    Salt doesn't matter much for most people, especially if one does intense workouts and sweats and so on, and also if you get a reasonable amount of potassium (which has to do with having a good overall diet).

    Also, you aren't going to get gainz unless you actually work for them, and OP didn't mention that. Eating a bad diet (which is different from a diet with some chips included) and working a progressive strength training program is going to pay off more than eating the world's cleanest diet (however you define that) and being sedentary.

    Especially if the bad diet is bad because no veg, but has plenty of protein.
    Always try and get ur calorie goal from healthy whole foods you may need to eat more to get to your calorie goal but your body will benefit a lot more from that type of food.

    Why? I had some protein powder this morning (in a smoothie with greek yogurt, some goat's milk kefir, frozen strawberries, spaghetti squash, and green pepper -- may sound weird, but delicious). That has some "bad fats" (dairy has sat fat), various processed foods (yogurt, kefir, protein powder, even the frozen strawberries), and was high in sugar (no added salt, though, whew!), and I feel great and will be full until lunch easily. Sure, I more often than not get my protein from whole foods, but if I enjoy this as an occasional breakfast why would I be better off skipping the protein powder and yogurt and forcing myself to eat some chicken instead?