Is it possible to REALLY eat what you want when losing weight?

Seriously.  Can you?  I hear a lot of people say "Oh you can eat whatever you like as long as you watch how MUCH you eat."  But is that really true?  Hypothetically (HYPOTHETICALLY), could I lose weight off of cake and brownies during a diet as long as I stayed within my calorie count even with exercise?  Would I still be able to lose fat?  The reason I ask is because I keep hearing "Oh you can eat your mothers food as long as you watch how much you eat."  My mother cooks food differently (unhealthily) than others and we laugh at the george forman grill.  Now if I ate my mothers burger (which is cooked in grease and so forth) versus eating a burger grilled on a george forman with lettus and tomatoes, and I ate the same amount of calories in both burgers,  (so maybe 2/5's of my mom's burger), could I STILL lose the same amount of weight/fat?  Even with all of that grease, butter, crisco, etc in my system? 

This is a huge concern for me because I don't like a lot of foods that are deemed healthy.  I hate chicken breasts.  I've always hated chicken breasts.  As I child I couldn't understand why I'd eat a chicken leg and not a chicken breast (because I thought chicken was chicken).  Now I know.  Seriously, if I were stranded on an island with nothing but chicken breasts (or turkey), any cold cuts (Hate subway), any kind of nuts, uncooked vegetables, tuna fish with no mayo, and smores I'd starve to death.  Seriously.  I don't eat them.  I'd rather starve.  But dieting in order to lose weight is not about starving yourself.  It's about changing the way you eat.  People meet half way by eating healthy versions of what they love.  A lot of people will give up fried fish and eat baked fish and be fine with that because it's fish all the same.  But I can't do that.  I hate fish.  I hate Pretzels.  I HATE crackers.  Some people say "Ohh I love pizza but, since I want to eat healthy, I'll have the low fat pizza.  But I still get what I want, which is pizza :)."  I hate the tomato sauce but love the cheese.  But certain cheese I do not eat.  And I don't eat plain cheese pizza.  I NEED a meat topping (Not peppers or only mushrooms).  Just like some french fries NEED ketchup.  

So basically I eat what I want (i.e burgers and fries) but I watch how much of it I eat (half a burger and a few fries).  But could it keep me from losing weight because it's so unhealthy?  Do calories really not matter when it comes to unhealthy foods?  Do I really HAVE to eat the healthy foods in order to lose weight?  Because I'll choke down a chicken salad (ugh) with ranch (UGH) if it means I reach my goal.  But I need to know if it matter or if I'm just being paranoid.  

I use to weigh 140 and now I'm down to 125 and I ate what I wanted (and exercised).  But I'm still flabby.  I still have back fat.  And I wonder if what I ate has to do why my body is in such ugly shape (even though I exercise everyday and do strength training constantly).

It's really more of a three part question:

1) Can you eat what you want and still lose weight? Technically, I'd say yes. If you're still taking in less calories than you're burning, you're still lose weight. However...

2) Can you eat what you want and still lose FAT? Without some degree of healthy eating and moderating the amount of junk you eat and instead continuing to eat fatty, greasy foods, you won't decrease your body fat. You'll still look flabby and squishy. And most importantly...

3) Can you eat what you want and still be HEALTHY? Living off of fatty, greasy foods is bad for your heart, your cholesterol, your brain, your other organs, your hair, your face, your ENTIRE body! Unfortunately (because believe me, I wish we could all live off french fries and not suffer any problems!), your body needs the nutrients, vitamins, and substance that healthier options offer in order to function AND look the best. Eating terrible foods nonstop will only severely hurt you in the future.

Sometimes to eat your mom's burgers instead of a foreman burger is fine, but it really IS about moderation and compromise. This isn't just about losing weight, it's about getting and staying healthy for the future. :-) Good luck, and congrats on your accomplishments so far.

Yes, you can eat anything you want and lose weight as long as you are eating less than you burn.

My question to you however is are you looking for a certain weight on the scale or to live a healthier life? If you don't like chicken breasts then don't eat them. There are other lean sources of protein.

As far as food preparation methods are concerned there are so many ways to prepare foods it would be a shame, in my opinion, to limit yourself to any single way of cooking things. I love chicken and will eat it boiled, baked, poached, fried, grilled and any other way I can think of preparing it.

I will still have high fat foods if that is what I want but I also realize that in the long term I want to be healthier and my short term and mid term goals need to match up with my long term.

You have to define what is important for you and work towards your goals.

I suppose I want to be thinner but healthy is good too.  Healthy is secondary though (right now).  So, in short, I do have to cut back on the greasy foods and force myself to eat rabbit food.  (sigh) Okay.  Thanks.  

Original Post by practicallypeach:

I suppose I want to be thinner but healthy is good too.  Healthy is secondary though (right now).  So, in short, I do have to cut back on the greasy foods and force myself to eat rabbit food.  (sigh) Okay.  Thanks.  

Why would health be secondary? This is your body--you're stuck with it until you die, and that's not just how it looks on the outside, but how it works on the INSIDE. Your health and how you treat your whole body can help determine whether you live healthily and comfortably to 50 or healthily and comfortably to 85.

You don't have to eat 'rabbit food'. There's lots of middling options. You just have to search around and try new things. You don't have to live off of hated chicken breast and raw veggies to be healthy and slimmer.

Just because it's secondary doesn't mean I don't acknowledge health at all.  If you had 2 children and both had to be somewhere at 6 o clock, you would probably bring the one who has a doctors appointment to the doctors first before you bring the other to soccer practice.  That is not to say that you don't care about your child's soccer practice.  But your other child's doctor appointment comes first.  That's how I feel about looks versus health.  It's great to be healthy.  It's also great to look good.  Looks come first.  Then health.  But they are both important.  Do you see?

So, yes, I'd love to live to 85.  But I really want to look good on my way there.  Sorry sweetie but I know what I like.  And what I like is unhealthy food.  Now I know that I have to eat what I hate in order to lose the weight I want.  There is nothing (and I mean nothing) out there that is healthy that I also feel is delicious.  Nothing.

Original Post by practicallypeach:

Just because it's secondary doesn't mean I don't acknowledge health at all.  If you had 2 children and both had to be somewhere at 6 o clock, you would probably bring the one who has a doctors appointment to the doctors first before you bring the other to soccer practice.  That is not to say that you don't care about your child's soccer practice.  But your other child's doctor appointment comes first.  That's how I feel about looks versus health.  It's great to be healthy.  It's also great to look good.  Looks come first.  Then health.  But they are both important.  Do you see?

So, yes, I'd love to live to 85.  But I really want to look good on my way there.  Sorry sweetie but I know what I like.  And what I like is unhealthy food.  Now I know that I have to eat what I hate in order to lose the weight I want.  There is nothing (and I mean nothing) out there that is healthy that I also feel is delicious.  Nothing.

It's ironic that you chose 'doctor's appointment' (ie, where you go to make sure you're healthy) as an example of something more important. Honestly, SWEETIE (really, was that necessary?), I think you're at the wrong website, because this website promotes a healthy way of life/lifestyle changes. It's a HEALTH website (which is why there are also forums for weight gain, maintainence, fitness, etc., not just weight loss). I hope that your choices don't come back to haunt you some day, and I really do mean that in all sincerity as in wishing you the best.

http://blog.moertel.com/articles/2007/03/26/d ebate-to-learn-learn-to-debate

practicallypeach you obviously are very passionate regarding all of your beliefs which should be commended, but please take a moment and look at the bigger picture. 

You are asking others for their opinions but when given, you are being quite rude and condescending, as if you are encouraging an argument rather than a healthy debate. 

 These are thought provoking posts you are creating, that is why people come into the thread to begin with, but will go no further unless you learn the fine art of open mindedness and debate.  Not everyone feels the same, that is what makes all of us unique.

All the best.

Yes eat whatever you like to lose weight.
With an emphasis on losing weight, weight, not fat..

You ARE what you wat, if you eat crap all day - you'll look like crap, and feel like crap :)
If you eat the good stuff - you'll look good, and feel good.

Good luck ;)

Original Post by practicallypeach:

 There is nothing (and I mean nothing) out there that is healthy that I also feel is delicious.  Nothing.

 Well, then, with all due respect, you need to look around a bit more and develop more of an imagination.  If you put a little effort into it, you'll find different ways of preparing things to make them more delicious and healthy.  There are a lot of great suggestions here for foods, recipes, and techniques. 

However, if you're not, that's your choice, but I'm not sure you're going to get what you think you're going to get out of this website.  Not to mention that it seems contradictory to say that you want to change something (how you look), but are hard and fast about not changing a basic attitude towards food.

I wish you the best, and I hope you get some great ideas from CC.

Sorry sweetie but I know what I like. And what I like is unhealthy food. Now I know that I have to eat what I hate in order to lose the weight I want. There is nothing (and I mean nothing) out there that is healthy that I also feel is delicious. Nothing.

Here's the thing: If you eat only the healthy stuff for the purpose of losing weight, not because you genuinely like said healthy food, or because you're trying to make a conscious effort to eat better so that you physically feel better later on in your life, once you've lost the weight, you're going to gain it all back.

Why? It's quite simple: you changed your eating habits for a short-term goal of weight loss. What are you going to do when you get down to your goal weight? Are you going to continue to eat the food you hate to eat once you've reached it? I highly doubt it.

I also highly doubt that there isn't a healthy food on this planet that you could enjoy and find delicious. I don't like most fruits/vegetables. I also like a lot of bad-for-you foods. You know what I do? I eat the good foods I like, I eat a lot of whole grains (whole grains are tasty, yo), I experiment with cereals--I often look for healthier options than my Cinnamon Toast Crunch (Kashi Go Lean is most excellent--190 calories for A CUP = awesome deliciousness). I still have the bad-for-you foods every once in a while. I fit them into my calories for the day/week.

The fact of the matter is, if you're unwilling to change much of what you eat, or if you're going to go full-on out and eat foods you dislike, you're not going to stick to this diet--because that's all you're really doing: dieting. You're not changing your lifestyle at all. Find a happy medium  between the foods you really, really like, and expand your horizons and experiment with fruits, veggies, whole grains, etc, and find some new, healthy foods that you like, instead of relying on old favorites. I'm sure you'd find some healthy food that you would actually enjoy, and not feel like you're being forced to eat rabbit food. Once you've found that happy medium, you can continue to tweak it, and really change your lifestyle.

And that will ultimately lead to a healthier, smaller body. =)

I suppose, healthybmi.  I do see that I have rushed to a lot of conclusions and haven't been as open minded to advice.  Especially when asking OTHERS to help me.  I guess I'm sorry all.  I don't mean to be the way I am.  I guess I'm looking for a quick fix with little or no change.  And when I don't get that 'instant satisfaction' I belittle the advice.  That's not right of me.  I'll be better in the future all.  I promise.

I think you'll be able to grow to love healthy foods. I'm speaking from experience here, I used to HATE broccoli, seriously, it made me almost throw up when I tried to swallow it, and before I changed my eating habits a morsel of lettuce had never passed my lips, even on a sandwich or burger, I'd have to pull it off. Now after about 8 months of healthy eating I can happily eat these foods plain, even without sauce or dressing. Somehow by eating them you just get used to it, maybe it's because you're thinking "Wow all of this and only 30 calories!" or maybe you feel better after eating them because of the things they do better for your body nutritionally. I don't know how it works but I'm sure if you keep trying with the fruit and veg you'll grow to like it (or at least tolerate it).

As for chicken and other meats, have you ever tried meat substitutes like Quorn or tofu? You can get really great tasting meat free sausages, burgers, bacon etc. that are as low in calories as a chicken breast would be so even if you cook them in grease or whatever they wouldn't be as high calorie as "the real thing" maybe you can meet halfway in the middle with the foods you like if you just keep searching for alternatives.

Good luck with your health and weight loss :)

Yep, it's like anything else. Habits can be changed, and you can learn to genuinely like things you didn't like before.

The problem with trying to count calories while eating only unhealthy food is that your portions wind up so small that it simply isn't feasible to continue. You get so hungry that you wind up eating everything in sight. It's important to have healthy "filler" foods along with your treats. You may never love them with the same intensity that you love junk food, but it is possible to like them pretty well. You may also find that after a time eating healthier foods, some of the junk food that you used to love starts tasting greasy, artificial, and/or oversweet.

If there is absolutely nothing healthy that you like (not a single fruit or vegetable, no eggs, lean protein, whole grains?) then yes, you need to expand your food horizons and get some new habits started. I recommend watching the BBC show Eataholics, which deals with people who only eat bizarre combinations of unhealthy foods and literally gag at anything else, as they learn to retrain themselves. Part of it involves psychotherapy to find out where that rigidity comes from (usually childhood issues).

When I started on this healthy eating journey, I could never have imagined myself eating, much less enjoying, some of the foods I crave now.  I can hardly get through a day without a huge bowl of raw spinach as a salad.  I actually mix whey protein powder in my oatmeal with a little flax oil now.  Tasty! 

Greasy foods are very statisfying until they clog your arteries.  I've already had one artery unblocked, the surgery was hellacious! 

I find that adding spices (not salt) to chicken & turkey makes them more palatable.  I add about 3 ounces of turkey or chicken breast to my spinach salad each day.   Along with some cucumbers, tomatoes and a bit of olive oil.  Pumpkin seeds or walnuts add some healthy fat and crunch.

Without changing my eating habits, I don't see any way I could have lost nearly 27 pounds so far.  Sure, I could count calories in burgers, fries and shakes and lose weight.  However, I would not have the new found energy level I'm now enjoying.

Good luck to you!

One of my favorite methods for getting through a meal is to go half and half with the "healthy" food and the "preferred" food. Of course I have learned to like many lower calorie/veggie filled dishes since joining this site and making my own lifestyle change, but sometimes a satisfying home cooked meal is not possible.

The half and half method is basically filling up on something low calorie first, and then finishing your meal with a smaller portion of your favorite food. Satisfaction is guaranteed, because by the time you are finished your favorite food portion, you will be very full. =)

For example-- for lunch today we were at a pizza shop. I got a arge salad with broccoli, onions, tomato, etc, and I used dressing very sparingly. Then I got 1 slice of cheese pizza. This was much better than the 2-3 slices of pizza I could normally eat!

Good luck and don't be afraid to try new things.

See feanor that doesn't work with me because my body "makes room" for what I really want, no matter what I ate before hand.  So if I had a salad, my body would unconsciously make room for the 2 slices of pizza I originally planned on eating.  So, I end up eating more calories.  2 slices of pizza plus my salad.  But I get what your saying.

I like different cereals so thats a good start.  I like raisin bran crunch (which is healthy).  I eat it every day for regularity in the bathroom but I do enjoy the taste as well.  I suppose I can try new things.  The reason I'm feeling pessimistic about healthy foods is because I've tried this all before when I was in high school.  I tried eating green foods.  I tried to get on the ranch (salad dressing) train.  I tried to eat lean meats.  I ended up picking at everything.  Then getting what I really wanted.  So I just don't see how it'll be any different now.  I don't even have my own place.  I live on campus.  So it's not like I have a kitchen where I can experiment with new foods.  And It's not like I buy groceries right now.  My mother does (I'm living with my parents during summer break).  And she's not going to buy anything like, say, salad fixings if she has no intention of eating it.  I don't even like wraps.  So I can't even go to McDonald's or Wendy's and try their healthy meals (Did any of you see Wendy's' New ice cream strawberry shake thing?  OOHHHH it looks yummy).

Quick question though.  Is canned fruit good for you?  You know those tiny one-person cans of peaches or mixed fruits in syrup?  Are those healthy?  Cause I do like those and they ARE fruit.

i see your getting a billion answers so i am going to make my 2cents quick.

i eat what i want, within reason, if i want a whopper, if i really truly want a whopper, i will have a whopper, but i will go for an extra walk that day, or spend an extra 20 min working out. i try to eat healthy and i have grown to like healthy things over the last year or so, i love me a big salad with blue cheese crumbles and heaps of cottage cheese. and i treat myself sometimes, just make up for it in the end, and i dont eat crappy food very often, i had a whopper and fries last thursday, i probably wont go to BK again for a month. i also really like soup, and i like making my own soup, which makes it easier to make it healthy. i also used to never eat fruit, there was never fruit in my house, now i always have a fridge full of apples and oranges and i always have an apple in my purse. (unless i've eaten it)

canned fruit, it is packaged in corn syrup (i think HFCS) and that is packed with sugars and nasty preservatives. i dont know if its any better for you but i like the fruits in jello. you can get single servings of those now. 

Hey

 

Not all canned fruit is in corn syrup.  You can get canned fruit in natural fruit juices, with no added sugar, and they are just as tasty as the sugary ones.

 

Also, I like a lot of unhealthy foods, but I do the half and half kind of thing.  If I want a steak for dinner, I have a steak, but I have it with homemade fat free soup, or grilled flat mushrooms or something instead of fries or somehting like that.  I eat fruit for breakfast (canned fruit is fine for this as long as its no added sugar), sushi or something light and healthy at lunch, and this means I have enough calories left for dinner to have a little of what I like. I also don't often eat chicken breast - theres nothing wrong with having chicken legs with the skin if you don't have too much and theres little fat in the rest of the meal.  Try to bake instead of frying.  Also its worth trying exotic fruits - I don't like apples and bananas, but I do like satsumas, cherries and blueberries so I eat plenty of these.

 

Hope thats a help!

Let me start by saying WOW what a thread! I can completely understand you wanting to eat what you like..who doesn't?? I love all the "bad for you" foods as well. I would say go ahead ..I eat what I like and I eat what I love..life is way too short! What I do though is make sure to get plenty of exercise in the form of cardio for heart health and weights to keep up the muscle. I do eat the good for you foods..but I choose ones that I don't have to "choke" down. Try to go through each "healthy" food group and think of things that may appeal to you, write them down andf do a little research you just may find you like more healthy options than you think. I don't love salads..but I do like them and I add healthy options to make it tastier..like some low fat feta cheese and some cranberries...heart healthy and delicious! If you like fruit..you can certainly go the can route but truly anything packaged in a can is usually so far gone as far as healthy so if you like it..go buy fresh or even frozen..take the time after the visit to the store and cut it up and put it in a tupperware so it is readily available. I like to add some lowfat or fat free whipped cream to it to make it more of a treat. I am like you as far as all or nothing and to be honest it has worked against me time and time again!! I have been on a diet rollar coaster for about 10 years now..and I am tired of it! This time around I am watching portion control and incorporating some healthier eating choices and exercise to change my shape to something that I am more happy with. All in all it is about how you feel , I feel better when I look better and once I got really going I found that I make better food choices because I am starting to see those results and thats motivation enough for me! Please try to do the same so that you don't cause yourself problems down the road. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.. and best of luck on your journey to weight loss.

I'll be honest with you, if you're looking for a quick fix this is NOT the place. If you're willing to work HARD to achieve your goals, then we can all help you. There is no quick fix. You can't expect to lose all the weight you want doing exactly what you've been doing which isn't allowing you to lose weight. You can't do that any more than you can instantly finish college. You have to work to achieve your end.

That being said, I'm struggling with my weight really hard right now and I think it has something to do with not eating as well as I should be. I've been eating more fruits and vegetables, less fat and carbs, exercising... but I've still been eating pizza and ice cream and the weight isn't coming off. Like you, I don't like many things that are considered "healthy", but you just have to buckle down and eat them anyway. You get used to it.

Good luck.