Really???
Slu13
Posts: 44 Member
So I could eat a McDonald’s and chocolate cake in one day as long as I don’t go over 1,600 cals and I’ll still loose weight? Why does slimming world say no to chocolate and takeaways if that’s the case??
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Replies
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Yes. You can.
Because they can't sell you a weight loss plan if there's no "tricks" to the plan.52 -
staceyuden wrote: »So I could eat a McDonald’s and chocolate cake in one day as long as I don’t go over 1,600 cals and I’ll still loose weight? Why does slimming world say no to chocolate and takeaways if that’s the case??
Because you're paying them, so they have to tell you something special!
For most people. it would not be a great idea to eat fast food and chocolate cake every day because they wouldn't feel full and would be either miserable or end up overeating, but if it fits your calories you will lose weight. You also want to think about your health and nutrition and that your giving your body everything it needs.
Rather than thinking of it as - I could eat McDonald's and chocolate cake all day???
Think of it as - Every once and awhile I can have McDonald's or chocolate cake, or anything else I really like! I just need to be smart about health and nutrition needs and fit in the chocolate cake where I can
But yes, eating what many would call "junk" food will not stop you from losing weight if you can maintain a calorie deficit. (And some people do manage to eat almost entirely convenience foods and still lose weight and maintain their health, it just requires making informed choices!)56 -
If you intake less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. Obviously personal adherence, satiety, body composition goals, health etc. macro and micronutrient content of the food you intake will come into play.
If I was stranded on a deserted island with no food and all I had was a case of Snickers to eat, and I ate one or two a day, you'd better believe I would lose weight and starve to death not long after.7 -
Yes, but you won’t be building a good “foundation” for your body. When we want to lose weight, we have the image of the thin, hard muscled type (most commonly anyway) but you need proper nutrition and exercise to achieve that. Eating crap foods while still maintaining a deficit will help you lose weight but you’ll be losing the muscle mass that gives that hard body type of look. You’ll also feel awful.
When I started losing weight, I wasn’t picking nutritionally good foods and I was doing only cardio. I lost on the scale, but my body was soft and flabby and I wasn’t any happier. After my second was born, I made better food choices and added hiit and weight training. I’m back to a size 10, but I’m way more firm and much happier with how I look.34 -
So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?23
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staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
because reducing fat is a fairly easy way to create a calorie deficit without actually calorie counting21 -
There's several parts.
1. You could design your weight loss around McDonald's and Chocolate cake, but that tends to put you in a situation where you will be missing out on some important vitamins/minerals. You could supplement them if you wish.
2. There are more important messages though, For example. If I have chocolate cake. I haven't "ruined my diet" Even if I've blown my daily or weekly deficit. Tomorrow I get back on the horse and soldier on.
3. Fitness matters too. As does the fact that the first 20 lbs that you get and keep off is the most important... If you're over 300 lbs that's 10% vs 20 lbs. An active "healthy 330 lb person who used to be 360 or 400 has a 75-90% lower risk of mortality than they previously had. The best time to get active and start a training program is yesterday. Today is almost as good. Tomorrow is bad, but Next week is the worst.
4. Discipline is learned and practiced. It doesn't come all at once, but it gets easier.19 -
staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
Mostly because people don't understand how weight loss works and partly because fat is higher in calories than carbs or protein. That doesn't mean you have to avoid cooking with oil, it's just one of many ways that you can inadvertently take in more calories than you burn and gain weight. If you're mindful that the oil still has calories, you can absolutely use oil in cooking. Just today I had some onions, asparagus & potatoes roasted in Olive Oil & Salt with my lunch, it was pretty damn delicious and well within my calorie range.
1g Protein = 4 calories
1g Carbs = 4 calories
1g Fat = 9 calories10 -
staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
Honestly, that's pretty old-fashioned advice. Most weight loss plans acknowledge that fat isn't the dirty word it used to be. I mean, you have to be careful with fats because they are calorie dense, but I thought the diet industry had moved on from that. Is Slimming World still low fat?6 -
there is 120 calories a tablespoon of oil. an easy way for you to lose weight is by cutting down on oil and fats to reduce your calorie intake.
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staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
Your body needs a certain amount of fat to be healthy. http://www.eufic.org/en/whats-in-food/article/facts-on-fats-dietary-fats-and-health.
Now each gram of fat you consume contains 9 calories, as opposed to 4 calories for each gram of protein or carbohydrate, so making sure that you don't go overboard on your fats, to the point where they either squeeze out your other foods or put you in a calorie surplus is important.
There are plenty of people here who have lost on high-fat, low-carb diets. This is generally because by reducing their carb intake, they make room for more fat. If you find that fat makes you feel full, that could be an option you'd want to explore. Me personally, I find that when I increase my protein and let the rest 'fall where it falls', I end up with more carbs and less fat and feel fine with it. Satiety varies person to person.5 -
You can eat whatever you want that still fits your calorie deficit goal and lose weight.
Whether you will feel full and satisfied and meet your nutritional needs with that use of your calories is another story.
I assume Slimming World is selling you a service or plan. You'd have to ask whoever told you that why they say no chocolate or takeaways but most weight loss industry types don't want to tell you it is just calories because then you would have no reason to pay them.
A quick look on Slimming World website response to Can I eat whatever I want? is "No food is banned at Slimming World, so the short answer is yes! But you'll likely find yourself naturally choosing healthy foods on your journey." From https://www.slimmingworld.com Looking more on the site it appears that they assume people do not overeat foods that are considered free foods. That may or may not be true for you.
Calorie counting is free and straight foward. The MFP app is easy to use.
If you want to pay for a slimming world or weight watchers or someone else to tell you what to do then go for it.4 -
staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
The biggest reason for those types of suggestions for weight loss is that if you 'waste' a lot of your calories on fats, fast food, etc., you're going to spend an awful lot of time being hungry and miserable (not to mention the lack of overall nutrition) if that comprises the majority of your diet every day.
2 tablespoons of oil or butter is going to be around 220 calories. 8 ounces of chicken breast is around 220 calories. 22 ounces (almost a pound and a half) of broccoli is around 220 calories. So you could have 2 tablespoons of butter, or you could have 4 ounces of chicken and 11 ounces of broccoli for the same number of calories. Guess which of those will fill you up more and leave you satisfied longer (not to mention give you far better, more rounded nutrition)?
That's not to say you can't ever have butter, or McDonalds, or chocolate cake - fit them into your calories in moderation, but include other nutritious, less calorie-dense foods so you get adequate nutrition as well as being satisfied with your diet and making it easier to stick to.
But to answer your original question - Yes, you'll lose weight if you stick to your calorie goal no matter what you eat. Weight loss is all about eating less calories than you burn. But when you take nutrition, satiety/adherence, workout performance, energy levels, etc. into consideration, it's a good idea to eat an overall balanced, well-rounded diet.12 -
staceyuden wrote: »So why do people say ‘don’t cook with oil or use butter as they are fatty’ ? Shouldn’t I be staying away from fatty foods even in my cal deflict?
Most programs that don't have you count calories will have you follow certain rules or guidelines to help you reduce calories without having to track them.. by cutting down calories dense foods (oils, butter, low fibre carbs, chocolate, cakes, cookies, fast food) this allows for that.8 -
Because you told you need to buy THEIR products and program. And it looks like you did. People always have friends that can "eat anything they want" and stay lean. Why? Because they don't eat so much.staceyuden wrote: »So I could eat a McDonald’s and chocolate cake in one day as long as I don’t go over 1,600 cals and I’ll still loose weight? Why does slimming world say no to chocolate and takeaways if that’s the case??
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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staceyuden wrote: »So I could eat a McDonald’s and chocolate cake in one day as long as I don’t go over 1,600 cals and I’ll still loose weight? Why does slimming world say no to chocolate and takeaways if that’s the case??
Because you're paying them, so they have to tell you something special!
For most people. it would not be a great idea to eat fast food and chocolate cake every day because they wouldn't feel full and would be either miserable or end up overeating, but if it fits your calories you will lose weight. You also want to think about your health and nutrition and that your giving your body everything it needs.
Rather than thinking of it as - I could eat McDonald's and chocolate cake all day???
Think of it as - Every once and awhile I can have McDonald's or chocolate cake, or anything else I really like! I just need to be smart about health and nutrition needs and fit in the chocolate cake where I can
But yes, eating what many would call "junk" food will not stop you from losing weight if you can maintain a calorie deficit. (And some people do manage to eat almost entirely convenience foods and still lose weight and maintain their health, it just requires making informed choices!)
There you go again saying calories are all that matter with no mention of nutrition and satiety...
Oh. Wait.
Just kidding OP this is perfect advice. You can eat anything you want and lose weight, and isn’t what you want is to eat nutritious foods that fill you up but still leave room for special treats like fast food and chocolate cake? That’s what I think most people want, is to have a balance and not feel so restricted that they can’t stick with their plan. It’s not realistic, In my opinion, to never eat cake or fast food again. So why cut them out completely during weight loss? Find a way to work them in, but focus on making smart choices too.26 -
Thanks everyone. I am doing ok but I seem to be going over my sugar and fat allowance but under calories. Is that ok?4
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staceyuden wrote: »Thanks everyone. I am doing ok but I seem to be going over my sugar and fat allowance but under calories. Is that ok?
In terms of weight loss, yes. But make sure your nutrition overall is adequate.1 -
staceyuden wrote: »Thanks everyone. I am doing ok but I seem to be going over my sugar and fat allowance but under calories. Is that ok?
To add to @anvilhead's answer - Sugar is a carb. You're already tracking carbs. Unless you have a medical reason to track your sugar, it isn't necessary. I switched my sugar tracker out to fiber.10 -
How many threads are you going to start, asking the same question?9
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Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?14
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staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Welcome to the internet.9 -
staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Asking the same question different ways won't change the answer.
We're very sorry you didn't like the answer, but
If you stay within your deficit and log accurately. YOU WILL LOSE WEIGHT!!!22 -
staceyuden wrote: »Thanks everyone. I am doing ok but I seem to be going over my sugar and fat allowance but under calories. Is that ok?
Eating those things over their goals, but within your calorie goal, won't hurt weight loss.
If eating those things over their goals means your protein is lots under goal every day, or you aren't eating enough fruits and veggies for micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and fiber, then increasing those would be a good thing to gradually work on improving for best health. It's not a huge immediate crisis, and it won't hurt weight loss (within calories) but getting enough protein will help you preserve your existing muscles as you lose fat.
For weight loss, it's calories that matter. Nutritionally, for best health, it's good to get enough protein, fat, and veggies/fruits most days.8 -
Take some time to read the stickied Most Helpful Forum posts in each section.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10260499/i-like-old-posts-and-i-cannot-lie/p1
This is a great collection. If you still have questions - people will be happy to answer them, but starting redundant threads with slight variations on the same basic question is frowned upon as the answers are basically the same.
Calories are what matter for weight loss.
Nutrition is of course important, that goes without saying, right?
Satiety helps you feel satisfied while eating at a deficit.
Enjoyment is important for long term adherence.
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staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Or do you mean the answer you want?20 -
TavistockToad wrote: »staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Or do you mean the answer you want?
Oh look! Another person being cheeky!17 -
staceyuden wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Or do you mean the answer you want?
Oh look! Another person being cheeky!
Reality doesn't change just because you will it to. You have to accept physics and gravity.16 -
staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
A calorie is a unit of energy. You need XXXX amount of energy to maintain the status quo...your body requires a ton of energy to just keep you alive and everything functioning properly. You "burn" more energy going about your day to day and then more with exercise. If you consume more energy than your body requires on a consistent basis, that energy is stored for later use as body fat...body fat is just stored energy.
When you consume less energy than your body requires, that deficiency has to be reconciled so you burn body fat to make up the difference...it's basically your backup generator.
Eating certain foods and cutting back on others can make it easier to maintain a consistent energy deficit required to lose body fat. Certain foods, fat, etc don't make you fat...excess calories make you fat. The reason various diet plans have you cut out this or that or stop eating at X time of day, etc is because they're not calorie counting and if you're not calorie counting, chances are you're going to have to adhere to some rules to get you in a calorie deficit.
You lose weight (fat) when you are consuming less energy than you are expending. It's really that simple...but yeah, I know...it can't possibly be...but it is.10 -
staceyuden wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »staceyuden wrote: »Hmm. Until I get the answers I need really. I work in the NHS as a mental health nurse which means night shifts, long hours, unhealthy food and no sleep. My weight has crept on and while I help everyone else I haven’t helped myself. So don’t shoot me down or try to make me feel worse by your comments. I literally looking for helpful people with helpful advice. Don’t click on the thread?
Or do you mean the answer you want?
Oh look! Another person being cheeky!
You've gotten really great answers so far. Do you still have questions?
Weight loss is simple - consume fewer calories than you burn.
That doesn't mean it is easy - putting it into practice and sticking with it is far more challenging. Lots of different things can impact our ability to start and stick with a healthy, sustainable, nutritious plan that we enjoy and that yields results.
Companies like Slimming World, and really a lot of different people/programs that want to profit off of weight loss try to convince the public that everything is hard EXCEPT their solution. They want you to not have to think about the fundamental principle behind weight loss, which is CICO, because if people realized how simple it is, there's really nothing to profit off of. So they convince you that things are off limits, that you have to eat a certain way, that you should blame certain foods for making your fat in the first place - when in actuality, what makes us fat is just too many calories and those can come from any source. And truth be told, for companies like Slimming World, it's actually better for long term business for them if people do find things hard, and keep coming back. My theory is that's why they don't teach you how to calculate calories, how to figure out the macros/nutrition for yourself - they want to make it so that you are blind to the "why" of weight loss and just have to subscribe to their plan in order to succeed.
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