a calorie is a calorie...or is it?

you'd lose more eating 1200 calories veg than 1200 of say lard.
you get less fat with the healthier one. fats and saturates are more important when losing weight.

well, all healthy would be best. but you really need to mix it up and see what works for you. if you get burnt out on veggies and binge on junk, it's not going to help. i try to make sure i have something a little less healthy everyday (like my ranch dressing) just so i can keep my cravings under control.

try leaving 100 cals open for a yummy snack, by limiting how much but still having it, the healthy stuff will be easier to deal with and help keep you on track.

Uh uh, careful with preaching avoiding fats... fats are essential! And to the original poster: I don't think it makes a difference in weight loss, but it does in how your body works. A well balanced diet with tons of veggies will make you feel better, have more energy than a diet of junk food.
That being said, some junnk here and there is not going to kill anyone. Just don't make a daily habit... no reason for it.

I think that healthy fats are important, there is a HUGE difference between the fat in a cheese burger and the fat in an avocado...

Plus a cheese burger from a fast food restaurant will definitely have a lot more calories than say a turkey sandwich on whole wheat, not to mention all the extra chemicals and preservatives.

'L',

A calorie is a calorie!

The difference with eating more junk food (my absolute favorite food group!) is that you tend to end up eating more of it than you would healthy food because the portion sizes would have to be smaller to stay at 1200 daily caloric intake.

But something to consider is other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. If junk food is a large percentage of your food intake you could be leaning toward hurting your body with a health problem other rather than a weight problem.

One last thing to consider is that unless you are eating all the food groups you can miss out on essential nutrients and weight loss could stall because your body is missing something important like protein...

I am sure you will hear other ideas - my opinion is based on my bachelors degree in health science education a dietician might be able to give more insight

Good luck to you!
:happy:

A calorie is a calorie!

The difference with eating more junk food (my absolute favorite food group!) is that you tend to end up eating more of it than you would healthy food because the portion sizes would have to be smaller to stay at 1200 daily caloric intake.

But something to consider is other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. If junk food is a large percentage of your food intake you could be leaning toward hurting your body with a health problem other rather than a weight problem.

One last thing to consider is that unless you are eating all the food groups you can miss out on essential nutrients and weight loss could stall because your body is missing something important like protein...

I am sure you will hear other ideas - my opinion is based on my bachelors degree in health science education a dietician might be able to give more insight

Good luck to you!
:happy:

This right here made my day.

I had a topic posted about this earlier, because I had someone telling me that I shouldn't have eaten a piece of cake because it wasnt healthy, though it was in my calorie goal. I know it's not healthy, Im not delusional! but seeing as how I get the same results weather I eat fast food all the time or lean meats and fruits and veggies, I dont really mind. Just look at the people who go on the Mcdonalds diet! (they lose weight by eating nothing but Mcdonalds! BUT it's all portioned controlled, and they pick the "healthier" options on the menu) The only difference is how you feel after eating such foods.

Fruits and veggies = more awake and energetic
Fast food and cake = Sluggish and sleepy

I do have fast food occasionally, maybe once a week at this point, and I barely touch sweet things. We try to get the 100 calorie packs and fat free yogurts instead for the regular sweet things. Eliminating anything non-diet, drink wise, is also good and leaves you a lot of extra calories in the long run (the drink thing Im slowly learning, still cant beat a regular Mt. Dew in my opinion)

I guess what Im saying, a calorie's a calorie no matter what, to me at least

Weight Watchers has made a whole company out of "eat whatever you want - as long as it fits the 'calories' (points)" - and I lost 93 pounds on that program 10 years ago... eating absolutely anything I wanted.

I was less health-conscious than I am now and I lost that weight in 9 months. Every Saturday morning after my meeting I stopped at McDonalds and ate a Steak Egg & Cheese Bagel. Every Saturday.

Yes, I put the weight back on because of many factors... one being laziness... the others are my business... but it worked and it works for others so I say, mostly, a calorie is a calorie.

A calorie is a calorie!

The difference with eating more junk food (my absolute favorite food group!) is that you tend to end up eating more of it than you would healthy food because the portion sizes would have to be smaller to stay at 1200 daily caloric intake.

But something to consider is other health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol. If junk food is a large percentage of your food intake you could be leaning toward hurting your body with a health problem other rather than a weight problem.

One last thing to consider is that unless you are eating all the food groups you can miss out on essential nutrients and weight loss could stall because your body is missing something important like protein...

I am sure you will hear other ideas - my opinion is based on my bachelors degree in health science education a dietician might be able to give more insight

Good luck to you!
:happy:

This is my opinion, too, based on lots and lots of reading and living with a dietician. The weight loss would be the same with 1200 calories of "good" food vs 1200 calories of "bad" food, but the nutrients you are getting, the health of your organs/bones/muscles/skin etc would be different.

Also, what is considered "good" food or "bad" food might change in 2 years as more scientific studies are done... remember the 80’s, when fat was considered the worst thing ever and everyone ate "low fat" things that were much higher in sugar to make up for it? Or when eggs were the devil's work and should be avoided at all costs? So, try to make healthy choices based on the science you have now, but don't lump food into "this should be allowed" and "this should never be eaten ever".

For weight loss? Maybe for some people, though in my personal experience not really.

For health, wellness, energy, longevity, etc.? Absolutely not.

I wasn't saying that it was the right way to lose weight. Of course I want to be healthy too. I was just answering the OP's question because it doesn't make a difference in regards to losing weight.