Food choices

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rjel78
rjel78 Posts: 102 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I belong to a few weight loss pages on Facebook and view the posts on here and I don't know what to eat. All I ever see is no peanut butter, no carbs, no fast food, no diet soft drinks, no sugar, no bread, no processed foods, no cereal and no pasta. My question is, what's food are left? Obviously there are choices but it seems like if you cut these out then your choices are limited. What foods do I need to lose weight and any suggestions on what to have on my grocery lists that do not have any of the above listed in them?

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  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Except for medical reasons, you don't have to cut any of those foods out. Eat what you want that fits into your goals.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    IIFYM. If It Fits Your Macros, eat it if you want it. It means eat the food you love, but stay within your goals and you can lose weight without having to eat the stupid crap the idiots on Facebook tell you to eat. 90% of everything on Facebook is fake. Hell, over half of the diet sites out there are full of crap. Eat at a caloric deficit. That's all it takes.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited February 2017
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    You really can eat whatever you want, just hit your calorie goal. Of course it will be easier to hit your calorie goal if you eat more low cal foods and moderate the higher calorie stuff. And obviously, you want to make sure you eat a nutritionally complete diet for health reasons (enough veggies, protein, and fat). But for weight loss, eating less calories than you burn is what makes it happen.

    I found focusing on what I want & need to eat more of, is way easier than trying to figure out what to cut back. I build my meals around lean proteins and veggies. I do better with moderate carbs, so I always try to include a whole grain or potatoes. And then I fit in whatever else I want in the correct portions so I stay at my calorie goal. So sometimes I have ice cream after dinner. Sometimes I have Taco Bell for lunch. Sometimes I have pizza and a beer with friends. I just don't do it every day, and I don't overdo it :tongue:. And I log everything so I know I'm on track.

    All that stuff on FB is trying to convince you it is super difficult and confusing so eventually you will pay for someone to help you figure it out. It's the slow-con advertising posing as "health news". Just accurately and consistently log, and over time you will figure out what foods work for you and in what quantities.

    Hope that helps. Good luck!
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
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    I lost 50lbs eating whatever the heck I wanted-just in the correct calorie amounts. Now I'm in maintenance and still eating everything I like (eating onion rings right now lol).

    To lose weight you just need to be hitting the correct calorie deficit for your weight goals. It doesn't matter what foods those calories are made of though. Focus on eating a varied and balanced diet, which includes the foods you like :)
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
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    I lost 60 pounds over 2015 and have been maintaining since then.

    I had to cut out breads and other starches like that because they trigger my appetite, but I've been slowly reintroduced get them over the past few months. Also I had to cold turkey sugar. But that's just me. Whole grain carbs last longer and I can more control my consumption of them. I have to stay away from salt because. Really retain water when my salt intake is higher. That played havoc with my weighing and feeling of success while I was losing.....

    I found steel cut oats, 0% Greek yogurt, lots of vegetables like green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, peas, asparagus, filled me up. Apples, grapes. Strawberries , blueberries, raspberries, either fresh or frozen.

    You just need to eat sensibly, and move more. CICO.

    I made a vow to never eat anything I don't truly love now just for the sake of eating and have stuck by that. Sometimes it drives my husband crazy because I seem picky now. And yes. I. Am. I'd rather be selective than fat.


  • AZCycle
    AZCycle Posts: 9 Member
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    Like everyone said: It's about calories in and calories out. If you stay in a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight. That said, there is a big difference in 300 calories of Cheetos and 300 calories of a healthy food (3 medium apples is 300 calories). You'll be able to eat a lot MORE good, healthy food that keeps your hunger away.

    But I certainly enjoy a nightly "splurge" of some junk food. I just eat really well during the day and usually have a ton of calories left over to enjoy a bit AND still have a calorie deficit.
  • eok902
    eok902 Posts: 56 Member
    edited February 2017
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    There's another recent thread (currently a few threads along from this one) in this section called Must Haves on your Grocery List that gives an idea of what some MFPers eat regularly. I can't find a way to link to it from the app but it should be high up in this section or do a search for the thread title.

    [Edited for spelling]
  • __TMac__
    __TMac__ Posts: 1,665 Member
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    I agree that, at the end of the day, the calories are all that matters. MFP will tell you that number.

    I do find it easier to meet my calorie target by eating fewer carbs (they make me hungry) and exercising a bunch (to earn more calories). But everyone is different. What works for me is irrelevant to what will work for you.

    So start with your current eating habits and do some experimenting on yourself. You'll know you've hit on it when it's something you can do for the rest of your life. It shouldn't feel dramatic or self-sacrificing.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    I'm currently drinking a beer in the bath. It fits my calories and I have a lot left for dinner. My diary is open if you need ideas.

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