Eating unhealthy foods during maintance?

Just like losing weight, maintaining weight is about calories in vs calories out. Eating cake won't make you gain weight. Eating over your caloric maintenance levels will cause you to gain weight. "Healthy" vs "unhealthy" isn't the issue. You can continue to eat "clean" or "healthy", but gain weight because you are taking in more calories than you burn. Your body doesn't store fat because of the type of food you eat, and you didn't lose weight because you were eating a "clean" or "healthy" diet.

I follow flexible dieting and eat according to my macro, micro and fiber goals. If I wan't pizza or chipotle, ice cream or pop tarts I eat it, but it fits my goals. Mindless snacking and not tracking your food intake is where you will run into trouble, and this usually occurs when you restrict your diet and avoid certain foods. Once you hit your "goal" weight, that's where people tend to slack. I suggest sticking to your calorie, macro and micro goals and making room for the foods you enjoy. You want to create a lifestyle that you can continue for the long term.

I've seen this several times in various threads and just do not agree. I don't think you can make a one size fits all answer. Personally, if I eat a excessive amount of carbs, it makes a big difference in whether I maintain my weight as opposed to eating a higher percentage of protein.

And what I could do in my 20's and 30's is much different than what happens now. I have to be so much more disciplined. Sad, but true.

I don't really differentiate between "healthy" and "unhealthy" foods, or "good" and "bad" foods. I eat the same foods now as I did while I was losing, and they include the kinds of foods yo might call unhealthy. Obviously, some foods are more nutritious than others, and I try to eat larger amounts of those, and some foods will fill you up better than others, for the same amount of calories, so it helps to have balance.

I aim to get plenty of protein and fibre, and make sure I'm getting a wide range of micronutrients. That means that I eat a lot of vegetables, eggs, lean meat, fish, Greek yoghurt, seeds and nuts. I eat plenty of whole grain bread and white pasta (don't really like wholewheat pasta) because getting enough carbs helps fuel my running, and helps me manage my mood. When those priorities are sorted out, I also have plenty of chocolate, cheese, biscuits, ice cream, red wine etc, as much as I can fit into my calories once my other nutritional needs have been met. I don't consider those foods "junk" or "crap", I'm just mindful that I'm eating them more for enjoyment than nutrition, and that I have to be more careful with foods that are more calorie dense. I'm not saying I never get the balance wrong - it's a work in progress, but most of the time, I manage to focus on meeting the nutritional goals first.

I think it's tricky if you cut out a whole load of foods during the weight loss phase, because it can be difficult to reintroduce things then without completely going back to your old habits. That's one reason I didn't cut anything out to start with.

They call it JUNK food for a reason. While you can allow for it in your calories, and still maintain your weight, or even weight loss, you are depriving your body of something that would do it a whole lot more good.
Also, it causes a blood sugar HIGH, followed by a perceived low, which potentially makes you feel hungry. When you finally break that cycle, why go back.
I used to leave a few calories for a bit of chocolate every night, then I thought, why am I doing this, I don't need it.
Not that I never have a splurge, like a meal out with the family. I blew 2500 calories last Saturday, but hey it was my Silver wedding:-)
I am not a smoker, and I don't miss cigarettes. I am not a junk food eater, and I don't miss junk food.
I am 47 years old by the way, and I feel 10 years younger than I did 6 months ago, when I broke the junk food cycle, and I have way more energy, and I don't bloat up all day.

TavistockToad wrote: »

IIFYM!!!!!!