Does everyone eat healthy faithfully to lose weight?

I was wondering if everyone eats healthy faithfully to lose weight? I, myself, cheat occasionally and still lose weight consistently. I really don't believe that everyone actually eat super healthy like they say they do. I admit it, I lie to friends that I eat super healthy just to try to motivate them....but yeah I really wanna find out :) Oh yeah and one last question.........Have you guys lost a lot of weight by eating bad frequently? Honesty please, Thanks!

It's been about 4 weeks since I dropped red meat, ton of carbs, processed food, processed sugar and carbonated drinks & booz, but I do occasionally have glass of beer or red meat. Here and there. Occasionally I do crave for stuff like brownies and chocolate chip cookies but so far I haven't touched those. *drool*

Well, I did loose lots of weight having unhealthy diet some time ago but that included chain smoking & ton of coffee. I have to say my complexion was really bad and my blood sugar was out of whack. I also got terrible migrane headache often too.

I typically have one "cheat" day a week, where I don't count calories, and don't stress what I eat. This week, I'm taking a whole week.  I'm hoping to give my body a little kick start, as my weight loss has slowed dramatically (from 1.5-2.0 lbs a week to .5 a week).

I think splurging occasionally is good for you, it helps the whole restricting thing not drive you crazy.

I eat healthy 100% of the time at home.  I only buy whole foods for home, very little processed food, with exceptions for the odd box of cereal or condiment like Worchestershire Sauce, Molasses etc.  I eat real whole grains, not packaged grains, fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish (most of which I caught myself).   I don't always have that option when out of the house, which is why I try to plan my eating so I don't have to eat out much or I bring food with me.  So when it comes to parties or social gatherings where there is only processed or junk food, I eat what I like, knowing it's the exception rather than the rule, but even then I often search for the healthiest stuff and stick to that.

I do not eat healthily 100% of the time. Matter of fact, I eat horribly at least one day a week to keep myself sane. On those days, I usually consume anywhere from 2500-3000 calories. It does absolutely nothing to sabotage my weight loss... if anything, after those days, I usually show a loss on the scale (I'm guessing it's because I'm throwing my body into confusion by not eating a monotonous amount of calories). I love allowing myself a day to eat chocolate, potato chips, etc. I could not do this weight loss thing without those days!

I think the only way someone could honestly eat healthy faithfully every day if they don't have the taste for sugar or salt they way most people do.  My husband for instance - he usually passes up cake, ice cream, candy, whatever the rest of us are having and somehow just doesn't want it (and he could stand to gain weight).

I cheat usually 2-3 days a week (eating probably a MINImum of 3000 calories) because I've hit my goal weight that I want to maintain.  I just try to make sure I'm getting in some good hard workouts and still challenging my body. Even when I was in the process of losing weight I still ate maybe one little piece of chocolate a day or even had a small, measured amount of ice cream that I accounted for in my food log.  ANd then I still had probably at least one really high calorie day during the weekend.  I went into this with the thinking that it has to be something I can do for the rest of my life and I can not live without sweets forever. Plus it is true that when I do just have the occasional small serving of something like cake or ice cream, it tastes that much better because I appreciate being able to eat at least a little here and there.  Used to I could gorge and gorge on junk food and never seem to be satisfied.

I find when i cheat it makes it harder to stay consistent.

I strive for 90% healthy eating, regardless of whether or not I need to lose weight.  Usually that equates to a free Saturday night where I have an ice cream or some wine.  I used to eat whatever I wanted, but it made me feel pretty crappy, so that's my motivator.  Sure, I could eat just a big mac value meal every day, and I'd lose weight, but that's not really going to get me ahead in the overall health category.

Note that what people describe as healthy can vary.  My focus is on eliminating added sugar and artificial sweeteners.  So for instance, unlike the poster above, my definition of healthy consists of red meat, but not of yogurt sweetened with Splenda. 

Original Post by hcannon23:

I think the only way someone could honestly eat healthy faithfully every day if they don't have the taste for sugar or salt they way most people do.  

 You'd be surprised how your sugar cravings decrease after you cut added sugar/artificial sweeteners out of your diet for a few weeks.  It's incredibly hard to do, considering there's even aspartame in your Fiber One, but it's possible. 

Original Post by hcannon23:

I think the only way someone could honestly eat healthy faithfully every day if they don't have the taste for sugar or salt they way most people do.  My husband for instance - he usually passes up cake, ice cream, candy, whatever the rest of us are having and somehow just doesn't want it (and he could stand to gain weight).

This. I have no taste for sugar, never have. I am still annoyed I put on weight at all - I guess it was all due to portion size. I always homecooked food. I did eat more friday night takeaway curries and drink a lot more, back in the day. My homecooked food was also more cheese and pasta and roasts then; now it is more japanese and healthy curries.

I think I eat healthily nearly all the time, out of choice. Though I guess I eat LESS, smaller portions, than I might by choice. Once in a while I do hit a bbq though and you know, I don't eat much meat at home (more due to expense than health)... so yeah, bbq time can be fun 

Oh, and I never gave up alcohol. I still drink a glass of wine most nights.

no way. i seriously do not think i could do it. i enjoy eating unhealthy snacks/meals too much, even if i could get rid of my sugar cravings by cutting out sugar, i would not do it. i love sugar. i don't want to not eat it! haha. i used to do the whole cheat day thing like some others that posted, my cheat days were similar 2500-3000 cals, sometimes even more but i am trying to kick my bingeing habit completely and those days were usually binges so now i am trying to stop that.

anyway my "cheating" method now is that no matter what, i have to eat reasonably well during the day. then, on my "cheat days," ill just eat my fill at dinner (Friday night for example 3 pieces of pizza). I was hungry later that night and I allowed myself some chips and salsa (rather than the piece of fruit or cheese stick that i would normally have). i ate alot, but I never felt so fill that i was sick, and i enjoyed myself. i find i have better self-control at night (which is opposite from most of the rest of the world haha) so i use that to my advantage to not go completely overboard. also if i binge early it woudl ruin my day, whereas having a big dinner doesn't really affect my exercising and other daily activities. but no i would go mentally insane if i ate healthy all the time! and i have managed to lose this way!

Haha! yeap. I'm loosing weight by reaching my daily calorie goal and eat whatever I feel like. Today was particularly bad though! I had a frappuccino at starbucks, some ben and jerry's icecream, a few McDonald fries from a friend and Domino's pizza tonight. :S but I should reach around 1400 so I'm not worried. But usually I have at least one daily treat. I eat healthy enough but won't deny myself that kinder chocolate egg or that cookie if i want it and if we have a party I'll eat smaller portions but still join in the junk food (as has been happening today). I think it's great because during all my previous attempts at loosing weight eating junk was taboo and I always ended up giving up whilst here I've had no problems keeping to it and, though I might not be loosing as much as someone who doesn't eat anything unhealthy, i am loosing weight and I don't feel isolated from my non-calorie counting friends at all.

I try to make the healthiest choice most of the time, but if I really want something less healthy and it is a special occasion, I have some, but try to have a small portion. 

But, my definition of healthy is that it is real food, and that includes measured portions of butter, cheese, red meat, and good bread.  I avoid all "diet" foods, because to me, they are manufactured food-like items, not food.  And, ironically, I usually find they are "not worth the calories", so even if they are low in calories, they don't have enough flavor or nutrition to make them worthwhile to consume.  I would rather have a slice of real, bakery, whole grain walnut bread for 150 calories than 2 slices of sandwich bread that has been extended with sawdust to make it lower calorie.  I just make an open faced sandwich so that I can have the higher calorie choice.

I try to ask myself a series of questions before I eat anything -- Am I hungry (physically)?  Is this a good choice?  How much of this is appropriate?  It is mindless eating that got me obese, that is what I am really working on, not the specific foods I eat.

And calling days that I choose to eat a few more calories "cheat days" would make me feel I was back in grammer school.  I call them "maintenance days" and try really hard to never exceed what would be a maintenance calorie count for my goal weight -- or at least my current weight!  My hope is that my "diet" will never really change, once I am at goal I will still have to ask myself the same questions or I would simply gradually put the weight back on.

Nope. Nothing is off limits. I just make better choices most of the time. Water instead of soda, whole grain pasta instead of white, etc. If I'm going to indulge in something like a burger or pizza I go for the high end stuff at nice restaurants not McDonalds or Dominos. Cakes and cookies, for sure, but a special treat from a pastry shop or a nice dessert at a restaurant not a Twinkie or an Oreo.

And I don't call anything a cheat day or a cheat meal. I call it living a reasonable life. I try and make eating a mindful process instead of a mindless one. That's how I've successfully gotten from 136 to my maintenance of 110.

Original Post by danielle860:

Original Post by hcannon23:

I think the only way someone could honestly eat healthy faithfully every day if they don't have the taste for sugar or salt they way most people do.  

 You'd be surprised how your sugar cravings decrease after you cut added sugar/artificial sweeteners out of your diet for a few weeks.  It's incredibly hard to do, considering there's even aspartame in your Fiber One, but it's possible. 

 I didn't know that about the fiber one.
but i did cut out most refined sugars and it is true i crave them less!

I do honestly try and keep things balanced.  

We are all human arent we and I have bad days - probably 2-3 days a week I ease up.  My high cal days (probably 2000-2500, but can go up to 3000) are almost always midweek and saturday.  

So after a high cal day, I compensate (generally monday is a low low cal day 12-1300) and on weekends I do more runs/circuits etc anyway.

My body seems to balance itself and it's cravings out, it (or my brain tells it it cant have the same every day!)

Trying to incorporate a daily treat of some kind is a good idea and I've heard GI Jane say it before but it's really needs to feel more like a manageable change you think you could live with for the rest of your life rather than denying and or depriving yourself.

I'm sure if I was really hard on myself I could see greater changes in a shorter time, with less cheat days, but it's good to be human too!  And there are probably loads of stats out there about those who lose it quickest, also gain it right straight back!

I had a few blocks of chocolate last night, as my bf had some and I was gasping, but I had 100-200 cals spare, so it wasnt too bad but today I know I cant have any, so my treat later will be slices of pineapple instead.

I know it's so damn hard though, and some days i just want to switch off too!!!

HECK NO!

that would drive me crazy!  yesterday I had a half a snickerdoodle, and a smatterig of pudding as well.  If you don't have mini-treats, you'll go crazy.  I still stayed within 1600 calores--granted, I took a four mile walk for all that to work out. 

Today I plan on having a grilled cheese sandwich, sans butter or mayo of course, but still, it's not like cheese is the best for you :D

Thanks everyone! I really feel better now that just about everyone cheat here and there. You guys don't know how much I appreciate the replies :)

 I love to eat things. I've boasted before that I don't eat mayonaise, but that's only because I can't stand the sight of it...I'm a chees-o-holic and never eat low-fat cheese (too processed, tastes awful, and you really don't need it to enjoy cheese). I pretty much never eat low-fat anything...unless it's yogurt or maybe ice cream. I'm not really comfortable with all the stuff in the Ingredients label that I can't pronounce, it has nothing to do with it being better for weight loss (believe me, I've had people go off countless times about how not eating too many processed foods won't make  you lose weight, like I was advertising that it would or something...nah, just a personal thing. Processed stuff grosses me out )

It all depends on what you mean...healthy, I try to eat as much as I can (though I get WAY too much sugar during the day and way too many carbs. It's because I like sweets too much, whether they're actually kinda low calorie or not. I count in there and never go over my calorie count, but my sugar count seriously does suffer. There's never a day when the percent doesn't go over 100. And, being a vegetarian, it's hard for me to make most of my calories come from proteins and not carbs...so I guess you could say I'm totally not a low-carb person. I struggle to not go over every day.) But if you mean low-fat, diet-like...well no xD Can't say I do that very much at all. I just keep my portions in check so I don't eat too much, but I'm so not a fan of the diet versions of stuff, except maybe Soda. 

I am trying not to put food into "good" or "bad" categories as personally that messes with my brain.

If I do eat something that has higher fat or calories, I log it. When I see how much it takes away from my caloric intake for the day I usually will decide to eat less of it or an alternative.

I am also not trying to "diet" as that is what has gotten me in trouble before. You can go off a diet.

I don't want to deny myself and I don't want to make food my enemy.

I have been losing weight but slowly as I have taken up weight lifting. I figure it took me x amount of time to gain this weight, how about I try to change a few things in the same amount of time and see what the result is?

In short :P, eat what you want but just be honest about it, log it and don't beat yourself up about it.

I pretty much eat WHAT I want; I just watch the QUANTITY to make sure I stay around 1200 calories a day.  I still enjoy chicken, pork tenderloin, shrimp, stuffed baked potatoes, pizza, chile, soups, some of the frozen low cal entrees, melons, bananas, grapes, an occasional salad of iceberg lettuce (the only kind I like), tomatoes, and cucumbers, a slice of 45 calorie toast with a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, a bacon and tomato sandwich on 45 calorie toast, etc., etc.  I also drink V8 juice since the only cooked vegetables I can tolerate are corn and potatoes.  All other cooked vegetables make me physically gag, very embarrassing.  I suppose some might consider this not terribly "healthy," but I'm staying within the guidelines for fat, protein, carbs, sugar, and fiber.  I used to drink a lot of Coke and Pepsi, but have traded that for Crystal Light, especially the peach tea flavor.  I've lost 27 pounds since May 23rd, so I'm happy.