Who eats whatever they want and drops body fat?

2

Replies

  • BCullari
    BCullari Posts: 33 Member
    Dropping body fat is a function of a clean, healthy diet like whole foods --> meats, eggs, beans, fruits and veggies...
    You are what you eat.
    Further, fat loss is enhanced by certain forms of training like HIIT cardio, weight lifting and plyometrics.
    80% of our results are from diet, so get that right first or learn to love being merely average.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,766 Member
    Yes. I'm down 35 pounds since the end of August eating what I want (though I try to make healthier choices and control portions of treats).

    As a chemist, though, I have to say that "trans fats" are a little different from the other foods on your list. They are known to cause health problems since they include C=C double bonds with a geometry that doesn't occur in nature. In fairness, very few foods contain them in any significant amount these days due to their bad reputation. (They were introduced at a time when it was thought that any unsaturated fat was better than any saturated fat. That was wrong.)
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,795 Member
    edited February 2017
    burtmccleary wrote: »
    Dropping body fat is a function of a clean, healthy diet like whole foods --> meats, eggs, beans, fruits and veggies...
    You are what you eat.
    Further, fat loss is enhanced by certain forms of training like HIIT cardio, weight lifting and plyometrics.
    80% of our results are from diet, so get that right first or learn to love being merely average.

    I love healthy foods.. but my diet is far from clean.. still dropped body fat. Also I only did weight lifting, no cardio.
    For me, I would say diet and exercise can be about equal, actually lifting for me is more important in terms of my goals and results especially if I'm close enough to goal.
    Great that all worked for you.. but wouldn't work for me or some others I'm sure.
  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
    Personally I used to log my food to see the macros, not count calories. Now I know what food contains how much protein, carbs or fat, I don't log it anymore. I eat as much as I wish. I can't stand eating less and being hungry. Overeating was never my problem. I just didn't have time to prepare meals at home. I used to eat on the go most of the time. Processed, frozen and trashy foods made me gain weight, not obsessing or binging.
    I've lost 21lbs since I started my new life style on Dec26 by eating Whole/Unprocessed Foods. Now I like what I eat. How you lose weight is an entirely personal decision to make.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    According to my Fitbit BIA scale, not perfect but I'm sure it can show a trend, I've lost 41 pounds of fat mass and 14 pounds of lean mass. I lift heavy three days a week and try, but usually don't succeed, eating a gram of protein per lb/lean mass. I also eat whatever I want as long as it fits my calorie goals. I don't eat that many whole grains or get anywhere near 5 servings of fruit and veg. I've been eating cookies and chocolate everyday for two weeks straight and indulge in a drink or two and most of a pizza every week. I don't know how much of that lean mass lost was muscle, but I'm for sure losing a lot of fat and gonna keep doing what I'm doing.
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
    I eat whatever i want and mostly however much i want. But i have a small appetite and get uncomfortably full very quickly.

    Ive never been into food, it just doesn't intetest me. The exception is when i have pms and ovulation i can be a bit of a chocolate monster.

    I mostly eat paleo as it helps with my ibs and low carb helps my hypoglycaemia. I dont like the taste and feel of fatty food and im really picky.

    This is how ive eaten most of my life. Its not a strict or planned diet. I tracked calories for a year to lose the 30lbs i gained after my mum died and i ate a lot of calorie dense convenience food ( mostly frozen pizza, bacon sandwiches and chocolate) due to being too depressed to cook or prepare home cooked food.

    This only needs to be as complicated as you want it to be. Good luck.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited February 2017
    burtmccleary wrote: »
    Dropping body fat is a function of a clean, healthy diet like whole foods --> meats, eggs, beans, fruits and veggies...
    You are what you eat.
    Further, fat loss is enhanced by certain forms of training like HIIT cardio, weight lifting and plyometrics.
    80% of our results are from diet, so get that right first or learn to love being merely average.
    Someone didn't read the thread! :)

    I got fat eating a good wholesome diet because I ate too much of it - not because of what I ate.
    All I changed to get slim was the weekly volume of food to create a calorie deficit.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Lots of good stuff in this thread.

    I am excited to say that I have adopted habits and attitudes of successful dieters/long time maintainers. My preferences have changed to some degree - what I want now, is food I like, enough to keep me satisfied and happy and energetic, not foods I "can't get enough of" and not so much that I feel stuffed and tired. I take great care of my intake, and love to plan meals, but I don't worry about "eating healthy". I have boundaries, like eating regular meals composed of real food, and I don't keep a stash of junk food, but I don't feel deprived. Instead, I look forward to my meals and find great enjoyment in eating. I have cravings that I usually choose to not give in to, but I don't feel like I'm missing out. I don't feel envy towards those who can eat more than me, or entitlement to "treat myself" or self pity that I "can't".

    I've lost 50 pounds and kept them off for 28 months - today :D
    I have a healthy body fat % and feel great.
  • FoxyMars25
    FoxyMars25 Posts: 112 Member
    I don't really eat what I want...my boss just called the office and is bringing in Panera for Breakfast and asked everyone what they wanted and I had to decline (although I love Panera) because I have to stick with my breakfast I brought in that is carefully measured out so I know the exact calories in it. I do love healthy foods (now) but I didn't get fat eating healthy foods, I love nachos, pizza, tacos, I will eat the bumper of a car if it has melted cheese all over it. And wine, I can go through 3-4 bottles a week if I didn't care about the calories. I have found that calories add up fast and I like volume so I choose things that are low in calories so I can eat more of it. I have a desk job and although I workout every.single.day. I still do not burn very many calories so I don't get to eat what I want. I *had* lost 65 pounds but have gained about 20 back (due to pizza, more wine, etc creeping back into my diet) so I really have to buckle down because I am SOOOO angry at myself for gaining some of that weight back. I do like what I eat for the most part, I don't eat things I don't like, but sometimes I would rather have a burger and fries for dinner rather than a salad (with only lemon as the dressing) and grilled chicken.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,321 Member
    I eat whatever I want for the most part. What I want though is to get enough protein and fats for my weight and then fill the rest in. This includes a lot whole foods and foods generally regarded as healthy, but also includes pizza, cake, cookies, Tootsie pops and whatever else I feel like eating. Eating clean and all that crap is not needed to get to low body fat, I promise. Calories are king and training regimen is queen. Everything else is peasantry.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    burtmccleary wrote: »
    Dropping body fat is a function of a clean, healthy diet like whole foods --> meats, eggs, beans, fruits and veggies...
    You are what you eat.
    Further, fat loss is enhanced by certain forms of training like HIIT cardio, weight lifting and plyometrics.
    80% of our results are from diet, so get that right first or learn to love being merely average.

    I don't eat 'clean' and I'm in excellent health and have lost around 50lbs (went from size 14 jeans, down to size 4s). I'm also one of the very few people who are successfully maintaining weight loss long term, so I'm hardly 'average' ;)

    You don't even wash your food? ;)

    Only if it falls on the floor :D
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    Calorie counting and portion control enabled me to lose over 100 lbs - I didnt even exercise due to mobility issues.
    I have eaten pretty much anything I want - my nightly snack is special K cracker chips and a mug of tea, just in the right portion to fit into my calorie budget. I havent eliminated much, but cut down on a lot of stuff because its just not worth the calorie bomb to me. Like fast food - not great food, but will do in a pinch.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    sunfastrose wrote: »
    My story: a little over 15 years ago I lost 50 pounds using weight watchers. I spent the 10 years after that loss being incredibly strict with myself about what I ate; not eating disordered, but definitely self punishing in some ways. About 5 years ago I got sick of it and decided to open up my diet, especially since I started doing heavy duty running. The pendulum swung a bit more to the other side and I put on 5 pounds. About a year ago I started getting serious about those 5 pounds, and took them off. I currently maintain 2 pounds below my original goal weight from 15 years ago, and I eat what I want. See attached picture of candy counter/cupboard. Current challenge is to cut back on buying the candy; not for health reasons, but because I overbuy and don't get to eat it all.

    dzgr7pnicpp7.jpg

    That's awesome! I have a similar cabinet, but it's not quite as impressive! :smiley:
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I'm going to differ slightly from the main theme of this thread.

    I've definitely cut things out of my diet. Realistically, I had to. No more pop. Too many calories so it no longer fit. I don't go to the big, juicy burger joints anymore (think Red Robins Banzai burger at ~900 calories, loved those things). And I eat more veggies now than I did 6 months ago. I've got a calorie limit and I need to eat within it so fitting the big calorie bombs just doesn't work anymore. Still did try a Bacon Big Mac a couple weeks back, and fit it in. But I don't do that 3 times a week like I used to.

    Down 70 lbs since Sept, so I'm not changing a thing. :)

    As to the attitude, yeah it sucks sometimes. If it gets real bad, I plan to take a week or two and eat at maintenance, still logging.
  • Kimblesnbits13
    Kimblesnbits13 Posts: 369 Member
    lightenup2016 wrote: »
    sunfastrose wrote: »
    My story: a little over 15 years ago I lost 50 pounds using weight watchers. I spent the 10 years after that loss being incredibly strict with myself about what I ate; not eating disordered, but definitely self punishing in some ways. About 5 years ago I got sick of it and decided to open up my diet, especially since I started doing heavy duty running. The pendulum swung a bit more to the other side and I put on 5 pounds. About a year ago I started getting serious about those 5 pounds, and took them off. I currently maintain 2 pounds below my original goal weight from 15 years ago, and I eat what I want. See attached picture of candy counter/cupboard. Current challenge is to cut back on buying the candy; not for health reasons, but because I overbuy and don't get to eat it all.

    dzgr7pnicpp7.jpg

    That's awesome! I have a similar cabinet, but it's not quite as impressive! :smiley:

    Im a candy hoarder too! I wanna try everything but since I can't ever fit in "everything" it just gathers and gathers and I never finish it! Lol! On a more serious note though, I pretty much eat things I like but the one caveat (sp?) is the quantity...like yesterday I had a huuuuge maple buttermilk bar donut which is super dense and heavy. I kinda had to sacrifice the rest of the day with my eating. Definitely didn't hit my protein but stayed under my calories so I'll take that. Or if I get a huge burger or pizza, the rest of the day is light eating. Most of my weekends look like that.

  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    edited February 2017
    I eat a lot of healthy, lower calorie foods so I can have room for the really tasty stuff with more calories. Like chocolate and cheeseburgers.

    I gave up full sugar Pepsi because it just wasn't going to fit in the quantities I like, and I stopped the several times a week drive thru habit I had built up, and visiting the cafe in my office for breakfast burritos and sodas and extra snacks.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    lilawolf wrote: »
    I eat anything I want as well just not EVERYTHING lol. I look at my calories as a weekly thing. I keep Monday-Thurs very low so that I can have 1 or 2 high days. Last week, I average 1617 net calories per day even though Saturday was 3000 calories of ice cream, whiskey, cider, pizza etc. I do keep an eye on my macros, mostly protein, but that seems to settle out naturally with what I want to eat.

    I lost 30+ pounds this way, 1.1lb/week doing just this. Maintained for well over a year too without logging after. Life happened (divorce, promotion, nearly 6/12 months traveling, moving multiple times etc) and I'm back looking to lose 14lbs doing the same thing.

    So basically the plan didn't work because the poster gained back half of what she lost. I'm not hating on anyone at all, just making a point that although she said the plan worked, it didn't really. Gaining back half of what I lost would not be success. Gaining back 14 pounds would not be success for me. I would need a different plan. Life always happens, so we need a plan that we can follow for life!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,055 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Yes and no...I find weight management to be much easier with a diet rich in whole food nutrition. I have indulgences, but I generally have rules for these kinds of things...like Friday night is pizza night...that's it...I don't have pizza any other time of the week...I eat desert a couple of times per week (and it's usually something pretty small), etc. I would also add that I don't log or count calories so lots of whole foods makes things easier on me. I'm also kind of a nutrition nerd and a food snob...

    Also, I'd steer clear of partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) regardless of your weight management objectives.

    63cf1a99875575976ee10e8bb8464c97.jpg
  • GuessIgottalog
    GuessIgottalog Posts: 65 Member
    Very interested that so many people eat whatever they want, just at a calorie deficit! I was so worried that to get any fat loss since im already healthy bmi that I would have to cut out processed food. bread. dairy. fattier meats. etc etc etc....big sigh of relief!!! Thanks!!
  • emmarrgh
    emmarrgh Posts: 44 Member
    I don't have to adhere to a specific diet, or cut foods out of my diet, and can lose weight eating "whatever" as long as it fits my calories. The MINDSET of eating less + moving more is still a giant hurdle for me though. I lose 10lbs, or 20lbs, then I feel great and forget about logging and gain it all back. Plus 5-10 more. So while it's as simple as "if it fits your calories" (I mostly ignore macros), it's still mentally tough.

    And I do find that cutting portions enough to lose weight means either ONE slice of pizza, and ONE chicken wing, and then sitting there fuming and starving while my son and hubby eat the rest lol OR I can make a flatbread (380 cals) and top it with diced tomatoes, spinach, cheese, roasted zucchini, bell pepper, etc... And eat the WHOLE THING and be stuffed and happy. It's not always the easiest choice, and sometimes I do choose 3 slices of pizza and 8 chicken wings, but I'm getting better at not letting them derail my whole week/month.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Do I always eat what I want? No. I'd be big as a house if I did.

    But I don't eat nothing but salads and boiled chicken if that's what you are asking. I eat a well balanced diet of foods I enjoy.
  • ercarroll311
    ercarroll311 Posts: 295 Member
    You'll definitely lose fat if you eat a calorie deficit, no matter what you're eating. You'll lose muscle too. I did this for 60 lbs.

    I then focused on my macros (fat/carbs/protein) and nutrition, as well as lifting, and went from being skinny to being fit (having a lower body fat percentage, defined stomach, etc). Part of what happens to your muscle depends on what you're doing for your workouts as well.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    For me there is a difference between eating whatever I want on a daily basis, and not banning food. Do I eat WHATEVER I want? No. Not really. But I'll get me a bacon cheeseburger and fries once in awhile. If I just ate whatever I wanted the portions would be so small. I would have trouble adhering to a calorie deficit.

    Could I still lose fat though? Yeah.

    Same here.

    I only eat foods I like, that much is very true. I don't pay much attention to my micronutrients (though I do take a multi to be safe) and when I'm consistent with my intake, I do lose weight.

    Eating only what I wanted would result in little more than cheeseburgers, pizza, oreos, and tequila... and I'd have a hard time sticking to my calorie goal because the quantity/volume of food would be so low.
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