looking for opinions

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ragingwoman
ragingwoman Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
ppl always say u can eat whatever u want as long as u dont indulge.....my question is i want to eat whatever i want like i used to (fettucinne alfredo,chocolate/speghetti/etc) all the things health sites and health fanatics tell u that r no good for u..... is this still ok to eat whatever i want? as long as i dont eat alot of it? or should i really invest in changing my diet for a lifetime......

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  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
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    Portion control will allow you to eat whatever you want.
  • FreshStart89
    FreshStart89 Posts: 297 Member
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    my opinion ( i might get bashed for) is eat what ever you want BUT stay within your calories! if you want pasta for dinner have egg whites and a light toast for bfast and a salad with fat free ranch for lunch. then you can indulge at dinner :)
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
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    To start with just log what you eat and try to stay below your own calorie target. If you had a target of 2000 calories you *could* eat 2000 worth of chocolate a day and not gain weight but you'll find that 2000 calories of chocolate is not much food.

    2000 calories of vegetables is like 100 times bigger.

    Those sites tell people not to eat those foods because they assume people don't count calories and excluding those foods is most likely to get people to eat at their maintenance calorie level.
  • samantha64118
    samantha64118 Posts: 71
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    I'm not a nutrition expert, but for the most part you can have the pasta, chocolate, etc but in very *small* amounts. Your body needs more fruits and veggies than anything, loading up on starches and carbs will keep you from losing weight. Also look into healthy alternatives. Instead of chocolate bar, have a chocolate protein shake. Being healthy is all about making lifestyle changes, so you do have to change the way you eat but it's also important not to deprive yourself. Hope this helps, and good luck!
  • jaynewould
    jaynewould Posts: 33
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    You can definitely eat whatever you like in small enough portions that you stay within your calorie allowance. However, you will find rather quickly that 1500 calories of fettucine alfredo and chocolate is a dismal amount of food :P And then you'll start noticing that if you swap the cream in your alfredo sauce for evaporated low-fat milk, then you can have MORE fettucine! Especially if you ditch the sugary breakfast cereal, and have an egg on wholegrain toast instead! Or some yoghurt and fruit.

    I try to think of it like a game. You have all these calories, and you need to balance the calories with your need to feel full, and satisfied, and have enough energy to live your life (hard to do on one block of chocolate a day and nothing else). SO yeah, eat what you want, but after a while - especially after you start to see losses - "what you want" will probably start to change. Baby steps :P Good luck!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    ppl always say u can eat whatever u want as long as u dont indulge.....my question is i want to eat whatever i want like i used to (fettucinne alfredo,chocolate/speghetti/etc) all the things health sites and health fanatics tell u that r no good for u..... is this still ok to eat whatever i want? as long as i dont eat alot of it? or should i really invest in changing my diet for a lifetime......
    All food should be permissible but in moderation. And balance your macros the way MFP suggests unless you have a valid reason to change it to reach a fitness goal.

    But yes, eat the good, fun and fabulous foods!:love:

    Don't let the fitness nut killjoys make this look like some kind of miserable drudgery.
    Life is to be lived.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
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    Yes, all those things you mention are still possible. In simple turns moderation is key. Here's how I do it. 1g protein and .4g fat per lb of body weight. After those goals are met, whatever calories are left over you fill with whatever you want. It takes you planning out your day ahead of time so you don't miss your protein / fat goals. Most of the things you say you miss are carbs.
  • PoochPottery
    PoochPottery Posts: 205
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    You would not be living if you could not eat what you want. It is all about balance! You are only able to eat so many calories per week in order to maintain your weight so it really does not matter what you eat. Having said that you also need to maintain your health. So, personally I like to eat clean most of the time and have a few cheat meals on the weekends. Good wine, high quality dessert. Make it count. I don't blow my cheat days on crap if you know what I mean.
  • 33lbsless
    33lbsless Posts: 42
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    As a nutrition major I would tell you to go for it- as long as you are within your daily calorie budget. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Some people have a misunderstanding of this and think you should only eat protein all day; what they don't know is that your body has a limited capacity for storing protein and excess turns to fat anyways. The difference is that carbs and fat are stored as fat before protein is stored as fat, but they are also the first used in exercise; and I digress.

    MORAL HERE: YES eat your favorite foods but watch your PORTION SIZES c:
  • ragingwoman
    ragingwoman Posts: 5
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    wow guys! i just posted this and got a bunch of responses!! so much appreciated for everyones opinions!! <3

    (lol giggling) 2000 calories of chocolate lol!!!

    evaporated milk? ill have to try that.....i hope it doesnt taste much different....


    its been very hard to change over to a different eating lifestyle since coming to america i swear they put something inthe food that makes ppl gain weight. i appreciate everyone taking the time to respond to my post so quickly and will def be reviewing this post and everyones comments as motivation to staying on track!

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