Will I gain weight if I eat bad food on a low calorie diet?
Asked by anonymous on Nov 23, 2008
in Weight Maintenance
Over the past 6 months, I lost 23 lbs by eating 1000-1200 calories a day. I eat only fruits and vegetables, lots of beef jerky, wraps-turkey, ham, roast beef etc, and I have been eating some "bad" foods like peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, and candy corns. I have cut breads, pastas, rice and all other grains out during my diet. Now, I need to maintain my weight loss, but I am afraid to eat over 1200 calories. I have been eating grains again, but I get scared that it will cause my body to gain weight. I have days when I don't know what to eat and I feel trapped, unable to come up with a healthy solution. How many calories can I eat to maintain 117 lb? I was originally 140 when I started this. I really don't know what to do.
Answer
You won’t gain weight on low quality foods if your calorie intake is not excessive. Over time, your nutritional status may be suboptimal, but don’t worry about that now. Eat 1800 calories a day to maintain 117 lb. Practice eating that amount for several months to prove that you won’t gain weight. For a better diet, choose more fat-free dairy products like milk and yogurt. Increase your grains by adding a high-fiber breakfast cereal because it’s so nutritious. Note that you eat grains now in the form of crackers and wraps; upgrade to a more nutritious cracker. For a healthy diet throughout life, learn how to cook.
Where is the Recipe Analyzer located?
The Recipe Analyzer is under the Foods tab. Use these steps to analyze a recipe: Find a recipe to analyze; note the number of servings... Read more