I was wondering, I eat a lot of unhealthy food but do a mode

isyslove
isyslove Posts: 64 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering, I eat a lot of unhealthy food but do a moderate amount of exercise. Does it balance out?

Do you guys eat veggies instead of potato chips?

Replies

  • mrspenton2009
    mrspenton2009 Posts: 84 Member
    There is a gradual change that we will go through and every now and then, we will fall off the wagon. The majority of my lunches consist of sandwiches on wheat bread which I eat with baked chips of some sort. I am not a big veggie person, but I am slowly changing my tune. I alos eat alot of fruit and instead of candy and soda (which I used to feen for, I now drink water and chew sugar free gum). The key to losing weight is to stay within your calorie range daily, exercise, and WATER WATER WATER!!!!

    Good luck hun.
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    There is no substitute for eating good vs bad food. Think of it this way....why don't you have a cigarette and run on the treadmill at the same time. Try your.best and learn from your MFP friends
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    I found when I was really overweight, I could lose and eat bad food. Calories in vs calories out. Eventually I got down to a healthy weight and that stopped so I needed to eat cleaner. It helped to reduce the garbage and then eliminate it (for most situations -- I still have my "fun" meals reguarly, but more often now that I'm maintaining), but eventually it needs to happen.
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
    Initially, you may still lose weight if your calorie intake is less than your caloric output. However, as you get closer to your ideal weight, eating the unhealthy foods will slow if not stop your weight loss if it's your primary source of calories. We all have times when chips sound better than carrots, that normal and fine. But it should be the exception, not the rule.
  • PatientBearTiger
    PatientBearTiger Posts: 475
    I was wondering, I eat a lot of unhealthy food but do a moderate amount of exercise. Does it balance out?

    Do you guys eat veggies instead of potato chips?

    Is this a serious question?? Do you live under a rock? No, junk food and moderate exercise do not "balance out." Eat well, exercise and you'll lose weight. Eat crap and don't exercise and you won't.
  • maryd523
    maryd523 Posts: 661 Member
    Unhealthy foods are usually unhealthy for many reasons...lots of sodium, chemicals, artifical sweeteners and other additives. It's not just about the calories, it's also about what it's doing to your body.
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    Input a bag of chips vs an Apple under the food button. Then make your choice. Open door #1 and death awaits you early. Open door #2 and strength, vitality and longevity awaits you. Invest in your future, invest in yourself.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    So potato chips don't count as vegetables? Man...
  • isyslove
    isyslove Posts: 64 Member
    I'm trying slowly to eat healthier but I did started exercising, instead of just eating a lot chips and gaining weight. Also, I've been eating bars as a substitute for chips and I am even going to make my more healthier chips.
  • isyslove
    isyslove Posts: 64 Member
    I need to go for door #2, and need to stop my potato chips addiction.
  • babycoconut249
    babycoconut249 Posts: 12 Member
    Man, once I really realized how hard it was to actually burn the stupid calories from junky foods, I really didn't want to eat them anymore.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
    I'm trying slowly to eat healthier but I did started exercising, instead of just eating a lot chips and gaining weight. Also, I've been eating bars as a substitute for chips and I am even going to make my more healthier chips.

    You don't look like you have a lot to lose. Eating cleaner is clearly your best path. You will likely lose a few pounds to start off, but you will likely plateau quickly and it will last a while. And unfortuantely that's when a lot of people give up.

    Treat chips like a reward (and despite what a lot of people seem to think, REWARD doesn't mean EVERY SINGLE DAY). If you eat foods like that, your body will keep craving them reguarly. If you eat healthy foods, your body will crave those.
  • millerch88
    millerch88 Posts: 56 Member
    I dont know what "a lot" of unhealthy food means, or "moderate" exercise, but I would agree with maryd523.

    It's not just about calories but also about what other nutrients and vitamins you're taking in. I usually manage to fit in an "unhealthy" choice now and again and it has definitely been a gradual transition from eating half a bag of potato chips at 11:00 at night to using vegetables and fruits as snacks. But I still indulge a bit. The other thing you'll find is that when you eat more "healthy" choices like fruits and veggies you get to eat a lot more food! One chocolate bar is usually about 250-300 calories and you'll still be hungry after eating it. For that many calories you could have 4 small apples, OR a cup of cereal/celery and carrots with 2 tbs of peanut butter OR 4 oz chicken breast, baked potato, and broccoli. All much more filling.

    Make the changes slowly and it'll happen. and you may discover some new foods that you like even more than the unhealthy ones.
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    At your age, it probably doesn't seem to matter all that much. As you age, your metabolism WILL start to slow down some, so all of your poor choices begin adding up faster and faster. Before you know it, you are in your late 30s and 150 pounds overweight and it requires A LOT more energy expenditure on your part to get rid of the excess weight. Make good choices as often as you can and they will become healthy habits. Good luck!
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    Isn't the whole idea of doing this to change our bad habits? o___________O

    A lifestyle change? :huh:
  • AZChatterB
    AZChatterB Posts: 248 Member
    Things in moderation is still a good adage to live by. If you must indulge, try for a healthier version of the food item. Remember, it's not just the number of calories, but the calorie make up. It may seem okay to have a bit of junk food if you keep the calories low, but consider the preservatives and such that will affect your arteries.

    I came across this website just last night, http://www.snackwarehouse.com/. It boasts "healthy snacks, including all-natural, organic, gluten-free, plus more that all make snacking more sensible and less guilty." I ordered the bean chips to try.

    Stay strong; it gets easier and you'll even find your taste buds changing (for the better!).
  • hbrekkaas
    hbrekkaas Posts: 268 Member
    Eat crap and stay under your calories and you should lose weight.

    Eat foods that are good for you and stay under your calories, and you'll lose weight AND feel good.

    Your choice.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    If your goal is to lose weight, that might "work" as long as your watch the input/output; if you want to be healthy, I don' see the point. LOL.
  • isyslove
    isyslove Posts: 64 Member
    Thanks for all the good advice :D
  • jamja
    jamja Posts: 190
    There is no substitute for eating good vs bad food. Think of it this way....why don't you have a cigarette and run on the treadmill at the same time. Try your.best and learn from your MFP friends
    Well said. Also keep in mind..good health goes beyond weight.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Once you start eating a variety of healthy foods you might not crave the salty and super sweet junk. Also I like what someone else said about realizing how much work it is to burn off the junk - shes right! When I'm at the gym huffing and puffing, the last thing I wanna do is eat some junk that's gonna undo all that hard work - I mean exercise is good in itself even if you're not trying to lose weight but since that is part of my goal, I don't want to let the hard work go to waste, kwim? So start a tough workout regimen, see what calories you're burning, and compare the calories burned to the calories in the junk food. When I realized it can take half an hour on the elliptical to burn off one chocolate bar, you can trust that I wasn't touching that bar again for a while :)
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