Can I eat the same, but less?
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It is certainly possible. Only through giving it a shot will you be able to tell if it is feasible. Some people are naturally moderators while others are abstainers. You'll figure out pretty quickly which one you are. Even as a moderator, you will then also have to see if eating the same foods but reducing your intake by 30% is really sustainable. You may find that it leaves you hungry and prone to binges.
I can only speak from my own experience. I sometimes will characterize my diet as "eating whatever I want", but I don't think that is 100% true and it is really more of a hybrid and there is compromise. To be sure, I still eat, from time to time, pretty much every food I ate when I was gaining weight. I don't declare any food as "bad" or off limits. I firmly believe you should still be able to enjoy everything in moderation. Hit for me, in moderation doesn't mean eating the same exact diet just smaller portions. That would leave me grumpy and hungry. It means endulging in the things I used to make a staple of my diet, but less frequently and I have incorporated other foods to fill the gaps.
That doesn't mean I am miserable and eat a whole bunch of foods I don't like. But rather I have been opening to trying new things and experimenting and discovering that I actually enjoy a bunch of things I didn't realized I enjoyed. I've learned I quite enjoy beans and avocado and tomato and mango and pineapple and a whole bunch of other foods I didn't eat much of when I was heavy but I eat a lot more of now when I lose weight.
I've also learned that not every meal has to have that specific type of feeling I get when I stuff myself with some of my favorite fat and calorie bombs like burgers and pizzas and pastas (I'm talking about restaurant style options. All those cal also be done lower calorie at home, which I do, as a compromise but it's not quite the same). That it's actually increased the enjoyment when I do eat those things, now that I eat them less. Otherwise I was desensitized to it.
This is all a long winded way of saying that your individual path will vary and as you attempt it youll know a bit more about what does and doesn't work for you. But I would be open to trying new things and diversifying your diet. To me that doesn't make it harder but makes it easier, and allows for both weight loss and enjoyment.
^^This. 100%.
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When I set out to lose weight a few years ago and found my way onto MFP, it was really the first time I had ever had to “diet” in my adult life. Meaning I had never taken a focused approach to my weight. I quickly realized that if I started cutting out foods I loved I wouldn’t stick with it. So instead, I focused on what I could add to my plan. More protein, more veggies, more exercise more sleep. All within the numbers that MFP provided for me. I found that by making sure I fit in those things, I still was able to keep things like pizza, ice cream and wine in my plan, just a little less than before.
It made losing weight and transitioning to maintenance fairly effortless for me. I never felt deprived or struggled with the plan.
I think you’re on the right track OP, the key will be logging accurately and consistently!5 -
What they all said!...... I use a smaller plate & find I make healthier choices now. I still have what I like but less of it! Oh and move more..... That helps too! 😁 I'm 53lbs down!4
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Yep, eat what you like. I often find ways to take the things I like but make 'em a bit healthier too, and prefer them to the original in many cases. Like it's no bother to cook with whole wheat or spelt for me, or to make my own pizza with a tortilla or a chapatti as a base and pop it in the over for 10 min. But I still eat plenty of scones with clotted cream, or I just had nutella on toast for breakfast. Moderation.
I feel like I've learned enough default habits in terms of nutrition and portion size that I don't think my weight will ever drift too far up. Even if I take breaks from logging a few weeks here and there, I tend to eat my maintenance calories, but I still keep an eye on things.0 -
lynn_glenmont wrote: »gatamadriz wrote: »Yes, providing you aren't living on McDonald's, etc. Cut all your portions in half on what you normally eat, and start supplementing it with fresh produce. Have some fruit in the morning, snack on celery, carrots, endive in between - you can make low-fat yogurt dips for dipping. Add in a piece of fruit at night. See if that works for you.
Why cut everything in half when the OP only needs to reduce calories by about 30%? You're recommending 550 calories worth of celery, carrots, endive, low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit?
The idea of cutting everything in half and supplementing it with nutrient dense foods to meet the OP's calorie goal makes perfectly good sense. The fewer calories one eats, the more emphasis needs to be placed on incorporating nutrient dense foods in the diet to ensure proper nutrition for health reasons.1 -
jenninrecovery wrote: »Hi everyone. I am new around here (not to counting calories in general, but to MFP) and had a question.
Is it possible to just eat the foods I like/always ate, but just less of them? Like is there anyone who mostly stuck to the same diet, but stayed within your calories here, and still lost weight?
I calculated a few of my average days before tracking and before dieting, and I was at around 2,700-ish a day on the average day, more on a binge day. And the calories I am given here right now are 1,900, so I can see why I was gaining weight over time eating above probably what my maintenance was on a consistent basis.
But I'm trying to make this as easy as possible, since the times I failed before, I think it was more about trying to do too much, too quickly.
I imagine at a certain point I might want to start adding more healthier options, especially filling up on veggies and fiber, and making sure i get all the important nutrients from my food. But I find it to be a little overwhelming when I change both WHAT I eat AND how much at the same time. If that makes sense.
Thanks!
In order to stay full and not get hangry, I have to eat a little less carbs from foods like bread and baked goods, and a little more protein and veggies, but overall am eating pretty much the same foods, just different macro balances of them.
So, I still eat pizza, but now I have one less slice plus a big salad with cottage cheese for a little extra protein.
I still have pasta, but less, and with more protein and veggies.5 -
Yes and no. Yes because that is how I started and no because over time, what I liked/wanted changed. I have gotten a lot pickier because I don’t waste calories on something subpar. I fit what I want into my calorie allowance. Down 80lbs so far.4
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »gatamadriz wrote: »Yes, providing you aren't living on McDonald's, etc. Cut all your portions in half on what you normally eat, and start supplementing it with fresh produce. Have some fruit in the morning, snack on celery, carrots, endive in between - you can make low-fat yogurt dips for dipping. Add in a piece of fruit at night. See if that works for you.
Why cut everything in half when the OP only needs to reduce calories by about 30%? You're recommending 550 calories worth of celery, carrots, endive, low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit?
The idea of cutting everything in half and supplementing it with nutrient dense foods to meet the OP's calorie goal makes perfectly good sense. The fewer calories one eats, the more emphasis needs to be placed on incorporating nutrient dense foods in the diet to ensure proper nutrition for health reasons.
In my book, allotting 28% of your calories to fruit, energy-sparse veggies, and low-fat yogurt goes beyond "supplementing." Those are the kinds of suggestions that lead to all the threads we see from people who complain that they can't eat enough food to even get to 1200 calories.4 -
I've never restricted anything permanently and pretty much eat what I want, just cut the portions down to suit my calorie budget. I would imagine most of the successful long term maintenance folks here do the same. The only thing I do is be really careful around those foods with high calories that aren't satiating - for me this is chips, so I make sure I portion these out and never eat from the bag.
Been at maintenance for 5 years now.2 -
I've never restricted anything permanently and pretty much eat what I want, just cut the portions down to suit my calorie budget. I would imagine most of the successful long term maintenance folks here do the same. The only thing I do is be really careful around those foods with high calories that aren't satiating - for me this is chips, so I make sure I portion these out and never eat from the bag.
Been at maintenance for 5 years now.
I'm doing the same, for the weight loss phase, not maintenance. Nothing is off limits, but empty carbs like chips are a rare treat, carefully measured out. The longer I diet, the more my macro balance has shifted away from carbs, but not intentionally as part of a "plan". It just turns out that you can be more full and sated if you put those scarce calories toward foods that count, like meat and vegetables and such. That said, last night my wife and I split a bag of chocolate drizzled popcorn LOL It was one of the greatest things I've ever put in my mouth and a useful reminder that even serious dieters need a real treat now and then.
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »gatamadriz wrote: »Yes, providing you aren't living on McDonald's, etc. Cut all your portions in half on what you normally eat, and start supplementing it with fresh produce. Have some fruit in the morning, snack on celery, carrots, endive in between - you can make low-fat yogurt dips for dipping. Add in a piece of fruit at night. See if that works for you.
Why cut everything in half when the OP only needs to reduce calories by about 30%? You're recommending 550 calories worth of celery, carrots, endive, low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit?
The idea of cutting everything in half and supplementing it with nutrient dense foods to meet the OP's calorie goal makes perfectly good sense. The fewer calories one eats, the more emphasis needs to be placed on incorporating nutrient dense foods in the diet to ensure proper nutrition for health reasons.
In my book, allotting 28% of your calories to fruit, energy-sparse veggies, and low-fat yogurt goes beyond "supplementing." Those are the kinds of suggestions that lead to all the threads we see from people who complain that they can't eat enough food to even get to 1200 calories.
Read my post again. In no place do I suggest allocating 28% of one's calories to the items you mention, I said nutrient dense foods. I'll copy it below for easy reference:
The idea of cutting everything in half and supplementing it with nutrient dense foods to meet the OP's calorie goal makes perfectly good sense. The fewer calories one eats, the more emphasis needs to be placed on incorporating nutrient dense foods in the diet to ensure proper nutrition for health reasons.
Absence special circumstances, any Registered Dietitian will tell you what I posted is directionally correct.0 -
If you are eating 2100, have a maintenance of 2000, and eat 1500 to lose, cutting cals in half would be 1050 cals, leaving you with 450 to add to make up your 1500. 450 is 30% of 1050, and I assume this is what Lynn was getting at.
Personally, I approached it somewhat differently. I looked at my diet, determined it was mostly healthy and nutrient dense but I was getting too many cals from added fats like olive oil and cheese, larger servings of starchy carbs than I needed (mostly because I eyeball these poorly and eat what's on my plate), and snacking between meals on some days because food was there or, sometimes, emotional eating. I also was going out to eat 1-2x/week and using that as an excuse to overeat (although the meals were basically healthy in that they were protein and veg based, mostly).
So I made some selected changes that left me feeling like I was eating the same but less (and which mostly meant I was eating more mindfully and being more selective and not wasting cals on foods I did not care about). I stopped snacking. I increased protein and veg at breakfast, I reduced added fat, and I limited portions of starchy carbs. I added a bit more lean meat (I ate more meat when I first started losing than I had been before), and if needed to fill out a plate I added more veg, although it wasn't a major change since I was already eating lots of veg. I watched my portions and ate more mindfully at restaurants and I also increased activity over time.
I don't know the percentage changes, but it reduced cals plenty without me feeling like I was eating different foods or less.3 -
I've never restricted anything permanently and pretty much eat what I want, just cut the portions down to suit my calorie budget. I would imagine most of the successful long term maintenance folks here do the same. The only thing I do is be really careful around those foods with high calories that aren't satiating - for me this is chips, so I make sure I portion these out and never eat from the bag.
Been at maintenance for 5 years now.
I'm doing the same, for the weight loss phase, not maintenance. Nothing is off limits, but empty carbs like chips are a rare treat, carefully measured out. The longer I diet, the more my macro balance has shifted away from carbs, but not intentionally as part of a "plan". It just turns out that you can be more full and sated if you put those scarce calories toward foods that count, like meat and vegetables and such. That said, last night my wife and I split a bag of chocolate drizzled popcorn LOL It was one of the greatest things I've ever put in my mouth and a useful reminder that even serious dieters need a real treat now and then.
That popcorn is amazing. 🥰0 -
It’s just math. You can absolutely eat the foods you currently eatC just less of them so they fit in your calorie goal.
Case in point- I pulled a muscle in my back 2 weeks ago and couldn’t exercise for about a week and a half. I stayed within my calories and lost weight. It’s just math.3
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