Calling all unhealthy eaters out there..

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paniologal
paniologal Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Sooo the more I explore the forums the more I see that so many people on MFP eat very healthy, such as veggies, fruits, low/no fat foods, no sugar foods, organic, etc, etc. all the time. Maybe have the occasional cookie. I think that's great and I commend all who can do it.

But for me, I can't eat like that. My diet consists mostly of protein items (such as chicken, turkey, pork, or beans) with lots of sugary goodness with it. Even my 'healthy' foods have a lot of sugar, such as yogurt. A typical day for me would be fiber one bar or cup of coffee in the morning, one piece of bread and either tuna or turkey w/ mayo on the top. Usually I eat yogurt with it. Dinner is always random. Anywhere from soup to enchiladas to cheese burgers or fish burgers. And I have to something sugary every night. If I don't I feel deprived. It's usually a chocolate bar, ice cream, cake, or pie. I almost never go over 300 calories for my sugary snack and most days it's under 200.

Anyone else like that? That manage to stay under their calorie limit even though it consists of some unhealthy food? I still feel I eat healthy though. :/ Anyone who wants to check out my diary can, but I have been very bad the last few days because my TOM is acting up and I crave more food than normal. lol.
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Replies

  • SwtKittN
    SwtKittN Posts: 176 Member
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    Your diary looks good to me :) It looks a lot better than mine does LOL

    Only thing I would add is abit of water, other than that looks good!
  • LilMissFoodie
    LilMissFoodie Posts: 612 Member
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    I personally think it's quite unhealthy (from a mental, social and possibly even physical perspective) to eat too clean all the time. I cook a lot - so I often have very fresh, home made lunches and dinners with loads of veggies and made with whole ingredients. But - I like to eat out so I do, I like to enjoy a dessert with my hubby so I do, I like to bake at the weekends have one piece and send the rest to work with hubby on Monday so I do!

    From my job (registered dietitian) to my travels to my social life, my world is about food and I'm not about to give that up. I have certainly maintained a healthy weight for a long time living this same lifestyle (if only it weren't for the few years of miserable comfort eating doing the ultra-long-distance relationship thing I probably still would be!).
  • paniologal
    paniologal Posts: 53 Member
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    Thanks for the replies guys :) I agree with you LilMissFoodie. If people feel like they are being deprived too much they can have mental and emotional problems. I have always grown up around comfort food, and where I come from, that's what you eat every day. Biscuits and gravy, cheeseburgers, mashed potatoes... that's just the culture I come from. I don't think I could fully get away from it.
  • Liopleurodon
    Liopleurodon Posts: 63
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    I'm not a healthy eater by inclination, although I am certainly eating more healthily than I was before I started on MFP. I suspect, though, that some of what I eat would probably give some of the more hardcore MFPers nightmares. Mostly on the sodium front - I loves me some salty stuff. I worry, though, that some people, coming here with lifelong unhealthy habits, will be overwhelmed by how high the standard has to be and think "well there's no way I'm ever going to manage *that*" - and give up. There is an acknowledgement that you don't go from zero exercise to running marathons overnight. For many people, going for a small pizza rather than a large is a real improvement, and as long as they keep moving in the direction of making improvements, they'll be fine.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I get so annoyed when I hear folks bleat on and on about healthy/clean eating... avoid anything white... blah, blah, blah! :grumble:

    Personally, while I acknowledge that the 2nd half of the 20C has been dominated by convenience food... there is nothing over-processed about white bread, white rice etc that has been eaten for aeons and dairy foods are amongst the most nutrient-rich we have available to us.

    I love food and I know that most of my fat comes from chocolate, biscuits and generally over-indulging in all the wonderful wholesome foods I have at my disposal.

    I was certainly eating too much bread and enjoying plates of pasta that would feed a small family. Moreover, the fatter I got, the less mobile I became and that didn't really help.

    I have now successfully lost 30+ lbs (13kg) just by cutting down my portion sizes, switching to lighter options of my favourite foods and actually getting off my backside and doing some daily exercise. I'm not using meal-replacement packs, cutting out carbs, eating low-fat or popping so-called dietary supplements, vitamins or protein shakes.

    I eat fresh meat, fish, veg, dairy and enjoy treats in moderation when I've had a light day. I know that I have found a sustainable path and one that involves minimal effort yet yields maximum results.

    And I have the support of a lot of sensible MFP-buddies who also appreciate that diet ≠ deprivation and I thank them all :flowerforyou:
  • pennypain
    pennypain Posts: 8
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    I'm pretty much the same. I have a calories limit of 1300 a day, and generally always come under that, even if I'm full and feel like I've eaten a lot.
    I love yogurt, it's high in sugar, but who cares?!
    I eat fruit bars, and now instead of chocolate, I eat a weight watchers chocolate pudding. I don't feel like I'm missing out at all.
    Take tonight for example.
    I just ate KFC for dinner, (a big meal mind you), and went for a walk, and now have 146 calories left. I'm full and don't want a thing now!
    I just can't believe you can eat stuff like that occasionally (I limit it to once per week, for one meal only) and still lose weight!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Sooo the more I explore the forums the more I see that so many people on MFP eat very healthy, such as veggies, fruits, low/no fat foods, no sugar foods, organic, etc, etc. all the time. Maybe have the occasional cookie. I think that's great and I commend all who can do it.

    But for me, I can't eat like that. My diet consists mostly of protein items (such as chicken, turkey, pork, or beans) with lots of sugary goodness with it. Even my 'healthy' foods have a lot of sugar, such as yogurt. A typical day for me would be fiber one bar or cup of coffee in the morning, one piece of bread and either tuna or turkey w/ mayo on the top. Usually I eat yogurt with it. Dinner is always random. Anywhere from soup to enchiladas to cheese burgers or fish burgers. And I have to something sugary every night. If I don't I feel deprived. It's usually a chocolate bar, ice cream, cake, or pie. I almost never go over 300 calories for my sugary snack and most days it's under 200.

    Anyone else like that? That manage to stay under their calorie limit even though it consists of some unhealthy food? I still feel I eat healthy though. :/ Anyone who wants to check out my diary can, but I have been very bad the last few days because my TOM is acting up and I crave more food than normal. lol.

    i have never counted my sugar, as i eat plenty of fruit, so i imagine i would be over all of the time! and in my opinion 'low fat' food arent especially healthy - fat isnt always bad.

    at the end of the day if you are happy with your diet and you are losing the weight that you want to, then thats all that matters!
  • renee_lee88
    renee_lee88 Posts: 23 Member
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    Wow you guys are all amazing... I feel exactly the same as each of you about the food that I eat... Theres no way in hell I'm going through life not being able to eat ice cream and chocolate ever again.... Its called life for a reason and I love living it hence why im shedding the kilo's in a healthy way and still enjoying the nice foods I like... Feel free to check out my diary... at this stage I have consistantly lost 1kg a week for the past 4 weeks so at this rate I'm happier than a piggy in poo :-D
  • paperlily
    paperlily Posts: 17 Member
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    I eat relatively healthy I suppose but I realised very quickly I would have to make changes to and moderate some foods rather than exclude them completely. I love to have something sweet each day too! I am an absolute bandit for biscuits with my cups of tea so I have a limit on them, buy slightly healthier types and usually save them for the evening.

    If there is something I want to eat I kind of plan my diary around it and I am a lot happier for it because I can enjoy guilt free and don't feel deprived either. :)
  • rachey2012
    rachey2012 Posts: 37
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    i think the mistake people make is when they say to themselves oooh i must go on a diet etc... its not a diet you need its a lifestyle change.... you are not gonna get a good loss unless you change your eating habbits for the better..... im following Rosemary Conley and her eating plans and am doing really well 1200 cals a day and to be honest im not going hungry at all and then once a week _ wi night i have a night off where yes i do eat choccy or have a pizza and pudding then the next day without fail im back onto the 1200 cals... just that one night off a week stops me craving throughout the week...
  • stevwil41
    stevwil41 Posts: 608 Member
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    This is a great thread! My diary would probably finish off some of the more militant healthy eaters on any given day but it works for me. I'm way healthier than I used to be but I still have something sweet once or twice a day. I eat lighter versions of a lot of my old favorites but I'm by no means a clean eater. Gone are the days of having a cheeseburger for dinner with a side of cheeseburger with extra mayo but I still have what I like in moderation and it's proven to be a lifestyle that I can sustain. That's all that matters to me:)
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    I've always been an advocate of making sustainable changes rather than going out in the garden and grazing.

    I will never be able to be "healthy". I'm going for "healthier". That way I can keep this up indefinitely. I still have chocolate every day, crisps, soda, chicken legs (WITH skin! :D ), etc. Just in moderate portions now, and get 7-900 cal burn 6 days a week. I've never felt stronger, fitter, or healthier!

    This is something that im sure puts a lot of people off even trying to lose weight. The fact they think they have to cut out everything nice, and just eat rabbit food for the next X months.!
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
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    I find that the longer I've been doing this (I've been logging consistently on MFP since the beginning of July), the cleaner I eat since I just feel better about myself. I still eat chocolate and ice cream, but in much more moderation than I used to. I honestly just feel better if I eat more whole and natural foods. I still get cravings and I still indulge in them at times, but my taste buds have definitely changed and there's a noticeable difference about how I feel when I do indulge in "unhealthy" foods. I ate pizza yesterday for lunch after not eating it for 3 months and was then sick all afternoon and evening. I probably won't be doing that again for a while... Everyone is different and everyone's body deals differently with certain foods. If you can eat all the sugary goodness you want while remaining within your caloric goals and not feel sick afterward, then go for it!
  • Lauren5280
    Lauren5280 Posts: 67 Member
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    I am "guilty" of eating the 'not clean' foods as well. I like to eat out and if I know it is a time that I am likely to eat out (on the weekends) then I make damn sure I work out that day. I try to "eat right" all week and splurge on the weekends. I almost always stay under my calorie goal for the day and I am consistently losing weight. Even during the week I still eat white bread, white rice, etc. I am not much in the way of having a sweet tooth but if I find I want an extra snack I go for it. I drink wine, that's probably the biggest rule I break and guess what... still losing weight! I actually saw someone post that he'd NEVER seen anyone lose weight while consuming alcohol. I just sat and shook my head. Whatever! Enjoy life a little I say!
  • Lauren5280
    Lauren5280 Posts: 67 Member
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    I am "guilty" of eating the 'not clean' foods as well. I like to eat out and if I know it is a time that I am likely to eat out (on the weekends) then I make damn sure I work out that day. I try to "eat right" all week and splurge on the weekends. I almost always stay under my calorie goal for the day and I am consistently losing weight. Even during the week I still eat white bread, white rice, etc. I am not much in the way of having a sweet tooth but if I find I want an extra snack I go for it. I drink wine, that's probably the biggest rule I break and guess what... still losing weight! I actually saw someone post that he'd NEVER seen anyone lose weight while consuming alcohol. I just sat and shook my head. Whatever! Enjoy life a little I say!

    Oh yeah, and I have learned to watch my portion sizes. I have learned that I do not need to eat a ton of whatever it is that I'm eating :)
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Yeah, I try to eat healthy-ish when it's possible but often have treats, and often rely on convenience foods which are probably not great for me...
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    my plan is to have very few treats until i reach my goal weight. then i will start having treats and cheat days. i've been cheating for the last 10 years and i figure i can give it up for about a year. i'm 4 months in and have lost about a 1/3 of the pounds i want to lose and i dont feel like im being denied anything. i had tapas last night and the was the first cheat i've had in weeks.
  • justaxletdown
    justaxletdown Posts: 76
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    Yeah, I definitely have treats throughout the week. It's not like it's a big treat, but big enough to satisfy my craving. I tried cutting them out when I first started but when I did the 'cheat day' I ended up binging, so not the best for me. Like today! My boss just made new "sweet potato cookies" -- I can't not try that out :-p
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
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    By the look of your diary, I'd say you're really not a very unhealthy eater! Add some more fruits and vegetables and you're good to go :D
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    By "clean eaters" standards, I'm a junkoholic!

    Love pizza, pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, pretzels... I'm a carb burning machine!

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