Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food! (my rant.)

"Normal" appears to be processed, calorie-dense food according to the examples listed here. If your goal is to simply lose weight with no regard to performance, overall health, and body composition then by all means, keep eating "normally"

If your goal is visible abs, athletic performance-related, or a fitness competition you'll need to abide by that annoying saying because good abs truly are made in the kitchen. Unless you're genetically gifted you won't get ripped eating pizza for dinner (and if you can do that, I'm jealous). You get out of your body what you put in to it.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, but there are many different ways of eating and many reasons for doing so. if you honestly, truly can't live without this magical food in your diet I'd take a good look and figure out why. Food is nourishment, oftentimes delicious, and it shouldn't be a source of struggle.

And no where in his post did he say he wanted 'visible abs, athletic performance-related, or fitness competition body." He is looking to become healthier. As a health care professional who deals with this very topic every day, the changes he is making are going to get him to that very goal. Now, if indeed he were to set the goal of what you state, he would need to make some additional changes. MANY people are in this site are not after your goals. They are trying to ward off diabetes, high blood pressure, other obesity related illnesses. The kinds of changes he is endorsing are what I ask my patients to do every day. AND IT WORKS!!

His comment about the organic lettuce people raining on parades is exactly right. Before making comments about how detrimental the continuation of eating "normal" food is, read carefully what the goals of the person who posted are. If their goals are to lose weight, get off a medication or two, be able to walk/run a 5K, then making simple changes is enough. If they want a 6 pack, have their body fat down to 7%, eat "clean," match their macros exactly, then your way of eating is appropriate.
If you can't support the former situation, then don't respond to that person.

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Some of us like healthy food. It annoys me when people call it rabbit food or that its 'weird'. I love salad I eat 2-3 a day huge ones with tons of veggies, I don't eat meat, I don't drink dairy, I love soy/almond milk, it is delicious, If you haven't had chocolate soy/almond milk you are missing out. I grew up eating tons of veggies so to me that is 'normal' to me 'normal' is NOT a mcdonalds cheeseburger. But I do have a sweet tooth, I love dark chocolate/cookies/non dairy ice cream, so no I don't always eat super healthy at all times if I want something I eat it in moderation. But in general I prefer healthy food over all greasy fatty food, I'll take a garlic hummus vegetable sandwich on wheat bread over a crappy fast food meal or processed crap anyday. It freaks me out when food has a million ingredients and I can't pronounce half of them, thats not food to me.

As much as I love pizza, my definition of normal food isn't fast food and junk. It's just getting regular, non-diet, food. When I want ice cream, I have a normal portion of ice cream (or an ice cream sandwich), not Skinny Cow. I have milk, not almond milk. I make sandwiches on whole grain bread, but not the 35 calories a slice kind. When I have a cheeseburger, it's ground beef, not turkey because turkey is way too dry, although it's ok for meatballs. I tried soyburgers... they tasted like McDonalds to me, and McDonalds is "emergency food" to me, not a satisfying meal.

I do like bagels, nachos, potato chips, and and garlic bread. And regular jive old white pasta, because I can't see enough of a difference in the macros to bother with the whole grain type. I have plenty of lean meat and veggies, too, and including the foods I enjoy hasn't had any negative effect on my progress, so I see no need to remove them. Plus, I'd have a hell of a time reaching my calories and macros without the breads and pastas I love so much.

As much as I love pizza, my definition of normal food isn't fast food and junk. It's just getting regular, non-diet, food. When I want ice cream, I have a normal portion of ice cream (or an ice cream sandwich), not Skinny Cow. I have milk, not almond milk. I make sandwiches on whole grain bread, but not the 35 calories a slice kind. When I have a cheeseburger, it's ground beef, not turkey because turkey is way too dry, although it's ok for meatballs. I tried soyburgers... they tasted like McDonalds to me, and McDonalds is "emergency food" to me, not a satisfying meal.

I do like bagels, nachos, potato chips, and and garlic bread. And regular jive old white pasta, because I can't see enough of a difference in the macros to bother with the whole grain type. I have plenty of lean meat and veggies, too, and including the foods I enjoy hasn't had any negative effect on my progress, so I see no need to remove them. Plus, I'd have a hell of a time reaching my calories and macros without the breads and pastas I love so much.

for a while, I was seeing an abundance of "what's gonna happen to my boobs" threads. new batches daily, it seemed. but, lately, I'm seeing new folks coming in and asking if they can eat so-called 'normal' food. and, of course, soon thereafter they are informed by various members that, no, all of that food is terrible and they must stock their fridge with organic lettuce grown under the sunshine reflected off a tropical rainbow.

that really bothers me. people join this site, often, after years of failed attempts. many are frustrated ... discouraged. so much so that it probably wouldn't take much for them to just throw it in and give up. and you know what just might be that push? the organic rainbow lettuce brigade.

you know what, that food is certainly nutritious. no one is really going to argue that point. and is nutritious food better for your body than not-so-nutritious food? well, yeah. but here's the thing, ORLBs. that's an extreme change many -- if not most -- people can't make. and, yes, I said can't -- not won't. it isn't always as simple as just throwing away all the food you've got and restocking with fresh produce and tofu burgers. the first obstacle is cost. the second is ease/feasibility. and that's not even figuring in the fact that many -- if not most, again -- don't like to eat that food!

I get the concept that food is fuel. sometimes you have to eat things you may not like. but I'm not going to make it long by making that kind of food my only kind of food. that's no way to live, dreading your next meal. and most people won't. that's why diets fail. and that's why MFP works. because a calorie is a calorie.

Yes. You CAN eat 'normal' food. I'll eat pizza. I'll eat chocolate. I eat pasta and bread and even, now and then, a cookie or some candy. I lost 3.5 pounds this past week. I've lost more than 17 pounds in less than two months. and it's because I'm learning to keep my food portions under control. I keep under my calorie limit. I plan ahead if I know I'm going to have a larger meal or a higher-calorie treat that day. and if it just happens without planning and I decide to take that treat? that means a longer stint at the gym to burn those extra calories off.

the ORLBs will now start sputtering, 'but that's not healthy!' and to that, I'd like to ask if being obese is healthy. I think ... no. so. let's move to basic food math:

eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = weight loss;
weight loss = a healthier me;
therefore, eating less of most the food I like, keeping calories under my limit = a healthier me.

shedding that extra weight automatically makes you healthier, no matter what it is you are eating. there's simply no way around that fact. now, that isn't to say that you shouldn't make smart decisions. that isn't to say that you shouldn't work to find 'healthy' foods that you like, working them into your daily life. but, like weight loss, that's a process. it doesn't need to happen overnight.

focus on what works. turn yourself into a better you. and do it in a way that will allow it to be a life change. and if, for you, that means 'normal' food? do it, and do it without any of the guilt you've been programmed or pressured to feel.quote]

As much as I love pizza, my definition of normal food isn't fast food and junk. It's just getting regular, non-diet, food. When I want ice cream, I have a normal portion of ice cream (or an ice cream sandwich), not Skinny Cow. I have milk, not almond milk. I make sandwiches on whole grain bread, but not the 35 calories a slice kind. When I have a cheeseburger, it's ground beef, not turkey because turkey is way too dry, although it's ok for meatballs. I tried soyburgers... they tasted like McDonalds to me, and McDonalds is "emergency food" to me, not a satisfying meal.

I do like bagels, nachos, potato chips, and and garlic bread. And regular jive old white pasta, because I can't see enough of a difference in the macros to bother with the whole grain type. I have plenty of lean meat and veggies, too, and including the foods I enjoy hasn't had any negative effect on my progress, so I see no need to remove them. Plus, I'd have a hell of a time reaching my calories and macros without the breads and pastas I love so much.

This is exactly what I'm trying to tell my mother. Eat it, just don't eat it ALL at once. I eat normal, non diet foods. I just happen to be a veggie lover and enjoy lower cal things. If I'm going to eat a cheeseburger, it's gonna be a nice lovely greasy one and I will account for it. I do love a good turkey burger, you just have to add to it to keep it yummy. So you can do it either way, just figure out what works for you. Half of the stuff some people eat on here, I have NO clue what it is and it's supposed to be "healthy".:laugh:

LOVE THIS! I have lost 60 lbs since April..The only thing I have changed in regards to my eating habits is I eat 1 serving instead of the entire dish! I will sometimes eat lean cuisine meals, smart ones, things like that too. While I know it isn't the BEST choice...it works for me!

I am a firm believer that it IS all about portion control! (of course, I have added excersise too) but in the beginning, just cutting down on my calorie intake, I was dropping weight

Now, I am going to go enjoy my snack for the night...crackers and some cheese!

Losing weight does not equate to good health. Just sayin'.

As much as I would LOVE to look like you..dropping from almost 300 where I am now..I'll take it in baby steps. THanks for your unsolicited input though!..oh..Just sayin...

unsolicited input ?

You posted on a forum, a forum by its nature is about soliciting input.

i totally agree. i'm SO sick of the "abs are made in the kitchen" people.

that's my most hated saying on this entire site.