Opinions on 1,300 calories of junk food vs healthy food!

At 1300 calories a day there will have to be some planning to get in appropriate nutrition to avoid health problems. Take care to get enough protein. Also with a calorie target like that, fats must be carefully watched. So right off the bat you will have to restrict all fatty foods like fries, chips, poutine, and Carl's Jr. burgers. You may be able to afford a small square of cheese or a tablespoon nuts.

With the remaining calorie allowance you may have to choose between a giant leafy salad or a cookie.

Both would work but it might turn out that the salad is more satisfying.

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This is how "junk" food gets squeezed out. In a calorie restricted diet there just may not be enough room.

I might have the salad and enjoy one French fry off my husband's plate.

Or solve a dessert dilemma as I did this weekend at a wedding. The caterer saw me lingering at the dessert table and asked if she could help. Brownie or lemon square? I explained I had to choose just one. She suggested I take half of each so I did.

It depends if eating the alleged 'junk' is an occasional thing, or a way of life. Personally, I go for the occasional junk as a treat, while eating home cooked meats and vegetables, occasionally some bread as 90% of my intake.

Yesterday was one of those 'junk' days. We had friends over for afternoon drinks and snacks on our patio. We had a couple tall drinks, lots of crackers and way too much Brie cheese. Around 1200 calories for the afternoon, but I wasn't hungry for dinner, so my total calories for the day was within range. Would I do this every day? No. A couple times a month? Yes. It keeps me on track with my diet if I can occasionally have some days where I can relax and eat higher calorie foods. Protein was low for the day, but my weekly totals will be fine as long as I'm mindful for the rest of the week.

I've been tracking for over a year, and have lost over 40 pounds so far. Being able to work in treats and 'junk' has allowed me to stay on track and lose more weight than I ever have previously, without feeling deprived and wanting to give up.

@ElleHeart22, you've got lots of opinions and questions.... You asked the question originally, what are your thoughts?

If I ate 1300 calories of cookies and Doritos I would end the day feeling like crud and even worse the next day. Is there a place for snack foods? Sure. But a whole diet of it would likely raise my blood pressure, bloat, and negatively affect my sleep.

ElleHeart22 wrote: »

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

@ElleHeart22, you've got lots of opinions and questions.... You asked the question originally, what are your thoughts?

Hmm, well to answer all the questions of what I meant by junk food, I meant for you to fill in the blank of whatever you think junk food is. Everyone has their own thoughts as far as what is junk and what is good. As far as me, I consider eating out, sweets, and empty carbs like potato chips and such to be junk food. Things that I might eat and the next day feel sluggish or be retaining a lot of water.

This makes the question hard to answer, though. I don't eat foods that make me feel bad (well, most of the time), but I wouldn't agree that "eating out" = junk food. I can eat out and get something as nutrient dense (often higher cal, but that's the point of fitting it in) as anything else I'd eat. I could have steak and vegetables, Ethiopian food (great ideas about how to cook vegetables), farm-focused cuisine with interesting combinations and seasonal ideas, so on.

Sweets, well, all sweets wouldn't be a good idea and I don't think anyone would be too interested in that, but is having 200 cals of ice cream after dinner occasionally or a square of dark chocolate or a homemade rhubarb crisp or peach pudding cake (another MFPer just sent me a recipe I'm excited to try) going to make me feel bad? No.

Pet peeve of mine is thinking of chips as "empty carbs" -- they are potatoes (which I eat quite often when not low carbing as roasted potatoes are extremely filling for me) plus oil. They ARE high cal for how filling they are, but that's more because of the oil (and the salt is what makes them hard not to overeat for me). There's one lunch place here that gives a serving of 150 cals of housemade chips and while I rarely have chips that's a nice occasional treat and has never made me feel bad. Would I make a diet of 1300 calories of chips? Of course not!

I would agree that the issue is how much so-called junk, but for me that's a backwards way of asking the question. Instead I'd focus on getting in a good diet of nutrient dense foods and then using the extra calories (to the extent there are any) for, well, extras, whether it's cheese or a bit more olive oil or some sweets or having chicken with skin and some bacon vs. just lean meat, so on. Assuming that some foods are "not junk" (so good in all amounts) and others "junk" (so best not to have) isn't an approach that works for me. I think a broader look at the diet makes more sense.

ElleHeart22 wrote: »

What's everyone's opinion here? I'm curious. A lot of people think quality doesn't matter as long as you create a deficit in your diet, others thing it really does matter. Tell me what you think!

My opinion is that it's kind of a stupid this or that comparison because nobody is really going to just eat junk food...eat a well balanced diet consisting of lots of whole, nutrient dense foods...have some "junk" once in awhile. The context of your overall diet is what matters.

Tayykisses wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

I really don't understand how anyone with half a brain can even ask that. Eating only junk food is never going to be healthy. How is that even a consideration for anyone?

There was no reason for being rude. It was a question, not an opening for you're rude remarks

she has a point though...

It's simple, really. Eat in a way that makes you feel good and helps you achieve your goals. If you care about losing/gaining/maintaining weight keep an appropriate calorie balance. If you care about nutrition eat a varied diet with plenty of nutrient rich foods. For some, eating what you define as junk makes them feel good, can fit into their calories, and can be a part of a nutritious diet. Others may have different preferences and food habits conducive to their own success. Do what helps you succeed long term, whatever that is.

Personally, I eat a lot of vegetables but I also eat sweets and fast food occasionally when I feel like it. It doesn't make me feel bad in any way and I'm desensitized to weight fluctuations, so in my case eating junk sometimes is a good thing that is conducive to my success. That's how I've always eaten and that's how I want to keep eating.