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KIMBER155
KIMBER155 Posts: 1 Member
in Getting Started
I’ve been doing this for 5 days but getting a little confused. I can have 1300 calories per day but is there such thing as good or bad calories? If I stay under what they set me can I eat what I want? Let’s say I wanted to eat a burger ( I don’t ) but if I did would that be classed as bad even if I stayed under the calories?

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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    KIMBER155 wrote: »
    I’ve been doing this for 5 days but getting a little confused. I can have 1300 calories per day but is there such thing as good or bad calories? NOPE!

    If I stay under what they set me can I eat what I want? YEP!

    Let’s say I wanted to eat a burger ( I don’t ) but if I did would that be classed as bad even if I stayed under the calories? You can eat a burger, or a brownie, or... fill in the blank. Stick to your calorie target most of the time, and you'll lose weight.

  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
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    As long as you stay within your calorie goal or at least below maintenance, you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. People will often see an upward blip on the scale if they have a meal/day with higher sodium or start a new exercise regimen but there are no good or bad foods for weight loss.
  • elothen
    elothen Posts: 155 Member
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    Although I agree with Quik and Puff there's a delineation between losing weight and feeling good. Additionally if at some point you get into rigorous exercise or a sport then that grilled chicken and rice will serve you much better than the McDouble and Small Fry. There's also quite a bit of debate/uncertainty concerning Diet and Lo-Cal food offerings. The truth is we don't (despite what some people say) KNOW the exact effect they have on our bodies.

    So, for the sake of weight loss alone, all calories are created equal. As far as actual health and what you'll be able to do once you're at your target weight, all calories are not created equal.

    Make sense?
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
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    If you are new to this then - congratulations on making a start. The direct answer to your question is yes, eat what you want as long as you stay within your calorie goal. You are asking the correct question - don't let losing weight be harder than it needs to be. I lost 80 pounds in the past year eating the foods I like - just less of them.
    Weigh your food on a food scale if possible, log your meals honestly, and eat back any exercise calories. Keep a happy heart and soon the pounds will slowly go away.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    garystrickland357 wrote: »
    If you are new to this then - congratulations on making a start. The direct answer to your question is yes, eat what you want as long as you stay within your calorie goal. You are asking the correct question - don't let losing weight be harder than it needs to be. I lost 80 pounds in the past year eating the foods I like - just less of them.
    Weigh your food on a food scale if possible, log your meals honestly, and eat back any exercise calories. Keep a happy heart and soon the pounds will slowly go away.

    To expand on this a little:

    As you continue to log, you're going to find foods that weren't worth the calories. Either they weren't that tasty, or they didn't keep you full for long, or whatever. As you make these determinations, you'll probably replace those foods with ones that are worth the calories.

    Most of us who are saying "Yes, you can eat a burger!" aren't eating only burgers. I categorize my eating as 80% "healthy" and 20% "treats". I had chicken and steamed zucchini for lunch (and it was delicious). I'm not eating only burgers and brownies. ;)

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