Eating whatever I want
natashab61
Posts: 103 Member
Hey guys
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want. I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want. I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
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Replies
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People seem to focus on that one little phrase and not see the wider advice which is given over, and over, and over and over. For weight loss, as a pure numbers game, what you eat won't matter as long as you are under your calories.
However, for health, nutrition, satiety, and a myriad of other reasons it's important to eat foods that provide a nutritious cross section and keep you full.
No one advocates losing weight by living on chocolate and crisps.27 -
Ive been eating whatever i want since january. If it fits in my calories, it goes in my mouth lol. I have a thing for caramel sundaes from macdonalds.
Im down 60lbs so its working for me.13 -
Yes, you can eat whatever you want and lose weight. But that doesn't mean eat nothing but ice cream, pizza, cookies, chips, soda, fast food, etc. all day every day. Work them into your goals as you can, whether daily/weekly/monthly. I eat most of those things, but only ice cream I will have more than once a week and I make sure it fits into my calories and I've hit my fat/protein goals for the day.9
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If you actually read the posts you are referring to you would have answered your own question. For weight loss/gain all that matters is calories. For health, there are tons of other factors. Weight goals do not equal health goals. It's really that simple.10
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natashab61 wrote: »Hey guys
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want. I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
What are "good foods?" Why are they good?
Why is fruit "fine" if your body doesn't do well with the sugar?
The advice to "eat whatever you want" is taken out of context all the time. It means that it's sometimes OK to have treats and calorie-dense foods, provided that you are meeting your other nutritional goals for the day. This is the way that many of us have instituted a "lifestyle change." I've lost 50 pounds and have ice cream, baked goods, beer, pizza, cheeseburgers, etc. all the time. But I also have lots and lots of vegetables, fruit, lean meat, eggs, whole grains, again etc.
Because I eat what I want, but I pay attention to what I eat.9 -
I've lost 80 lbs by eating whatever I want. That doesn't equate to eating AS MUCH AS I want, though. I went from eating 4-8 slices of pizza to learning how to be satisfied with 2 slices and a large salad full of veggies and a light vinaigrette. Does that mean I don't still want the 4-8 slices? Of course I do sometimes, but as with most things in life, there is a balance.
I also want to eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, or chicken at times. Is that somehow bad because it's eating what I want? I don't eat things I don't want, because to me that's just a waste of calories. Eating what you don't want seems like a bigger problem to me than eating what you do want.
What are these "other problems" you refer to?5 -
Technically, you can eat whatever you want and lose or gain weight depending on number of calories -- with science finding some minor differences depending on your consumption of simple starches over whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. So in that respect, you can eat whatever you want as long as you count calories.
You cannot eat whatever you want and necessarily have the same health outcomes. A diet of fruit and ice cream, as you've found, may leave you still feeling hungry. A diet high in salt and transfats would leave you more vulnerable to heart disease, strokes, etc. A well-meaning diet of lettuce salads and poached white meat chicken would be likely to drive you to violence or at least a binge of epic proportions. It would me, anyway.
Some people harp on the "you can eat anything" bandwagon because they want to overcome the ideas of folks who feel they must eat only lettuce and chicken. Some do it because they don't want to eat a well-balanced diet, long-term health effects be damned. Many of us say it to folks who ask questions like, "Can I eat birthday cake?" Yes, you can eat the birthday cake, on occasion, in moderation and as fits your overall food consumption needs. Understand what the birthday cake and the accompanying blood sugar spike will do to your appetite and make your own choices. You might be happier eating something that makes you feel full instead. You may be happier eating birthday cake every day. Your choice.7 -
Yes, I am allowed to eat anything, but not all things are beneficial. So, I deny myself nothing, but I do discipline myself. Are you assuming if there is no denying, there must be no discipline? Ah, but there is!
I track my fiber, vitamin A, iron, potassium. These are the things that concern me based upon my situation. In order to obtain these things, I eat a lot of veggies, fish, beans, etc.
I have children-ages 8 & 12. We make trips to get ice cream. We order pizza. I eat these. I am a baker. I love working with yeast bread. We make pretzels, pizza crusts, rolls. I'd never give up that wonderful hobby. We also tap our own Maple trees. Can you imagine me giving up maple syrup? No, no, no. So, I have to balance these things. I make sure my calories are below my target. I also make sure I'm getting enough iron, potassium, vitamin a, & fiber.
Balance7 -
I've been having a much healthier relationship with food since I started recognizing that a treat is not a cheat. I'm an emotional eater with some mild anxiety issues. For me, my big problem was demonizing food I liked, weakening, and then starting a vicious cycle. The issue was never the 90-calorie chocolate cookie. It was the guilt and negative self-talk about blowing my diet that got me going back for more to numb the pain... which hit even harder as soon as my plate was empty... which led to me going back for thirds. I mean, the day was already blown, so why not?
The minute I started being real with myself and admitting that I wanted the cookie, I could start looking at how to eat it and stay within my calories for the day. And now? If I want a cookie, it's 90 calories, I log it, I eat it, and skip all the guilt. And no, that doesn't mean that my 1380 calorie budget is comprised of 15.3 cookies. A treat isn't a cheat... but that doesn't make it a dietary staple.
I eat what I want within my calories and most of the time, I want to hit my macros and micros. If I want a couple of indulgences each week as well? So what?6 -
This debate will go on and on and on and on. I personally agree with you. You may be able to lose weight still eating 1500 calories of twinkies a day as long as you dont go over, but you obviously don't get the same nutrients from it. I wouldn't beat yourself up for eating an ice cream, but i wouldn't have it make up all of your daily calories either. I agree with you it matters.0
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danigirl1011 wrote: »This debate will go on and on and on and on. I personally agree with you. You may be able to lose weight still eating 1500 calories of twinkies a day as long as you dont go over, but you obviously don't get the same nutrients from it. I wouldn't beat yourself up for eating an ice cream, but i wouldn't have it make up all of your daily calories either. I agree with you it matters.
Everyone agrees that it matters. That's what everyone is saying. There's no debate. No one is telling people to eat nothing but ice cream and twinkies to lose weight. Of course it matters.
The point is, people who say "I keep seeing this said over and over, but what about nutrition?" are missing the point of the posts, which say (generally in response to a question of "omg, I ate pizza, will I still lose weight??") - yes, you will still lose weight if you are under your calories. Which is the truth.16 -
danigirl1011 wrote: »This debate will go on and on and on and on. I personally agree with you. You may be able to lose weight still eating 1500 calories of twinkies a day as long as you dont go over, but you obviously don't get the same nutrients from it. I wouldn't beat yourself up for eating an ice cream, but i wouldn't have it make up all of your daily calories either. I agree with you it matters.
Can you point to a post where someone said nutrition didn't matter?
As has been pointed out repeatedly already here, saying you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight does not mean that nutrition is unimportant or that a person should eat a diet of nothing but twinkles, or fruit and ice cream. It presumes that people are sensible enough to want to eat a diet that includes actual foods, mostly nutrient dense foods, and that there's no reason to NOT eat fruit, or ice cream, or twinkies or pizza or wine or whatever pleases you IF you have room in your calories and IF you've eaten other nutrient dense foods.
I'm not even sure, OP, is the fruit and ice cream all you ate today? No protein, no grains, no vegetables? No "meals"? Or are you just asking if those foods negate the other "good" things you are? I'm still unclear why the carbs from fruit are problematic and what these perceived "other problemsl are.... but I don't think the Twinkie diet straw man argument is a helpful one since I don't know of anyone actually suggesting that someone eat that way, nor do I know anyone who only wants to eat a single food for the totality of their calories.7 -
natashab61 wrote: »Hey guys
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want.
That's not really what is said. Perhaps you misunderstood. Instead, what is said is an answer to the question: "can I eat some less nutrient dense or stereotypically "bad" or "junk" foods and still lose weight?" The answer, of course, is yes, if they fit in your calories and you don't overeat. If you disagree, I'd like to know why.
The question that is also sometimes asked (or answered even if it is not) is "can I eat some less nutrient dense or stereotypically "bad" or "junk" foods and still have a healthy diet?" Again, the answer is yes -- if you make sure that you ALSO eat enough nutrient dense foods to fit your needs (and eating the right mix of them is helpful -- that broccoli is nutrient dense does not mean just broccoli would be a good diet, of course -- and if you don't overeat so that you are not a healthy weight.
Again, if you disagree, I'd like to know why.
I'd also add that I tend to assume that if people are sensible adults, what they WANT to eat will be influenced by how they feel and what's good for them, so I never assume -- and find it offensive to assume -- that someone will WANT to eat a nutritionally poor diet. What I want to eat is a healthy diet that I enjoy, so yes, eating what I want within my calories works for me and I don't see any absence of micronutrients when doing that.I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
See above. Why do you disagree?I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
So maybe you'd feel better not eating so much fruit. I would take that into account in choosing what I want to eat, but obviously fruit is usually considered a healthful, nutrient dense food, which is why focusing on "eating only good foods" is not a particularly educated approach to nutrition (only fruit would not be a balanced diet, even if you consider fruit "good" or "virtuous").3 -
Just to clarify I ate some watermelon and 1 ice cream for my lunch. Lol. I ate eggs and all the good nutritious things this morning. I am eating chicken and veggies for dinner. I was just curious.0
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Alatariel75 wrote: »danigirl1011 wrote: »This debate will go on and on and on and on. I personally agree with you. You may be able to lose weight still eating 1500 calories of twinkies a day as long as you dont go over, but you obviously don't get the same nutrients from it. I wouldn't beat yourself up for eating an ice cream, but i wouldn't have it make up all of your daily calories either. I agree with you it matters.
Everyone agrees that it matters. That's what everyone is saying. There's no debate. No one is telling people to eat nothing but ice cream and twinkies to lose weight. Of course it matters.
The point is, people who say "I keep seeing this said over and over, but what about nutrition?" are missing the point of the posts, which say (generally in response to a question of "omg, I ate pizza, will I still lose weight??") - yes, you will still lose weight if you are under your calories. Which is the truth.
So. Much. This.
It is actually rude to pretend as if people are saying that nutrition does not matter, when that is not what is said.7 -
natashab61 wrote: »Just to clarify I ate some watermelon and 1 ice cream for my lunch. Lol. I ate eggs and all the good nutritious things this morning. I am eating chicken and veggies for dinner. I was just curious.
And so do you think that eating the fruit and ice cream negates the benefits of the other foods? I'm curious why you think this is problematic? You mentioned "other issues with eating whatever you want", what are those other issues?
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Other problems mean clogged arteries,High BP etc.0
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And do you think that eating a balanced and varied diet that also includes some ice cream is going to lead to clogged arteries and high blood pressure?natashab61 wrote: »Other problems mean clogged arteries,High BP etc.
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natashab61 wrote: »Other problems mean clogged arteries,High BP etc.
I have an entire drawer of candy in my kitchen - just for me! I eat measured portions every day. I have very low blood pressure (low enough that I come close to passing out when I stand up). I am a healthy weight and am maintaining there; have been for 15+ years. I run miles per week - have even run a marathon. My blood work at the doctor has been excellent.
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WinoGelato wrote: »
And do you think that eating a balanced and varied diet that also includes some ice cream is going to lead to clogged arteries and high blood pressure?natashab61 wrote: »Other problems mean clogged arteries,High BP etc.
No not necessarily. I just don't like to have too many fruits in my diet or sugars because it is in everything and I want to be healthy. Also I lovveeeee sugar. So when I have binged in the past it is all sugary things. Which kinda scares me lol0 -
Well, I'm seeing my doctor in another three months but when I saw him in March, I'd dropped 45 lbs, my BP had gone from 130/90 to 125/85, and the only thing that still seemed to be a bit of an issue was hemoglobin at the borderline-low end of normal. (For the last two months, I've started tracking iron intake on my diary page and hitting it or going slightly over 6 days out of 7. I wasn't getting the RDA before. We'll see what it looks like come September.)
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natashab61 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »
And do you think that eating a balanced and varied diet that also includes some ice cream is going to lead to clogged arteries and high blood pressure?natashab61 wrote: »Other problems mean clogged arteries,High BP etc.
No not necessarily. I just don't like to have too many fruits in my diet or sugars because it is in everything and I want to be healthy. Also I lovveeeee sugar. So when I have binged in the past it is all sugary things. Which kinda scares me lol
If you have binge eating disorder or difficulty moderating certain foods then of course, the comments "you can eat whatever you want" should be taken with that in consideration. It doesn't negate the fact that in the context of an otherwise balanced diet, that it is possible for others to eat foods with natural and added sugar in moderation and still lose weight and be healthy.5 -
natashab61 wrote: »Just to clarify I ate some watermelon and 1 ice cream for my lunch. Lol. I ate eggs and all the good nutritious things this morning. I am eating chicken and veggies for dinner. I was just curious.
I actually think my body does fine with carbs from fruit (I'm kind of low carb, but I eat plenty of fruit when it's in season, like now). However, I would not do well with a lunch of watermelon and ice cream -- I'd be hungry. I could ignore it and make it to dinner if I really wanted that for lunch, but it wouldn't be a good idea for me, and thus eating a meal without anything else is not something I would normally WANT to do. Might I on a rare occasion? Sure, and I don't think that would hurt me or mean I did not have adequate nutrition or would end up with high BP or clogged arteries.2 -
I eat whatever I want within my calorie goals and have lost 80 of the 100 pounds toward my goal. I balance the foods I want with foods that help me feel satisfied, but never deprive myself of something I really want. Seems to work for me.1
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natashab61 wrote: »Hey guys
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want. I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
You can absolutely eat whatever you want and lose weight if you are in a deficit. You may make yourself good and sick eating only garbage. But you would be thinner.Personally I don't reccomend it myself. But that's up to you
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natashab61 wrote: »Hey guys
I have read over and over on this forum that hey if it fits your calories you are good to eat whatever you want. I don't buy into this. I know micronutrients are important which you get from the good foods. I also feel like there is other problems associated with eat whatever you want mentality. Why do you believe it and what is your evidence?
I am asking because I ate a ton of fruit today and an ice cream. I know fruit is fine but my body doesn't do good with carbs from fruits. Anyway I'd love to hear from you all.
What does this mean?0 -
I can only answer for myself, but I eat what agrees with my stomach, gives me solid energy for workouts (and life), and what tasted good. For me that means eating fresh berries 7 days per week and often several times per day. It also means eating a lot of dairy and lean meats. I avoid red meats, pork, soy, whey, and white flour.
However, I save room in my calories everyday for a brownie with milk or Turkey Hill Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream.
Will any of this help me lose weight? No. Will it impede my weight loss? No. It's just what I like and what makes my body and mind feel strong and energetic. People are telling you "it's all Math" because the weight loss IS.
But living on 1200 calories in Doritos or Lucky Charms is likely to make your health, energy, mind, and body function like crap. And THAT could impede your weight loss. But that doesn't change the Math of weight loss.1 -
I eat whatever I want but I also happen to really love healthy, whole foods. I mostly eat healthy (to me) foods and I do believe they provide superior nutrition however that being said I don't cry about sugar or the occasional nutritionally empty addition. I think if you want to get most of your calories from pop tarts and Kraft dinner that's your business but I will include those foods less frequently because I believe they are nutritionally inferior. It's about balance not about perfection imo0
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I do it based strictly on calories in/calories out because that is the only thing that works for me. Each person has to individually find what works for them. I get annoyed when people think they have found the holy grail of weight loss because there isn't one, there is no one size fits all weight loss plan. I fully admit that my main goal is weight loss, so basing it strictly on calories serves that purpose.2
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I eat whatever i want, but i also choose foods that fit my macros/micros. so, i won't have ice cream for dessert if I've overshot my carbs and came in low in protein that day, I'd instead choose to have protein pudding. Did i have an "unnutritious" first half of the day, then i make sure the rest of the day is filled with healthier options.
Just because i eat what i want doesn't mean my days are filled with chips and mcdonalds, nor are they filled with seaweed, wheatgerm and plain chicken breast and brussel sprouts for every meal
There's a happy medium between the two extremes. 5
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