1400 cal, can we eat what we want?

[blondiex]

Hello everyone! I started this diet today, and I was under my calorie limit for the day I just have a quick question though, can we eat whatever we like as long as it's under 1400 calories or??

Any help would really be appreciated

[Claireep]

The non scientific answer is yes. I have found for myself it is all about portion control even with treats. I would be careful not to eat under your allowance as this can make your body hold on to fat as it thinks you are starving. As the weeks go on I would try and increase the good/healthy foods to make your allowance go further. Longer term we all need to be eating well and giving our bodies what they need. Hope that helps

[MrSpigit in reply to Claireep]

Absolutely. Eat whatever you like keeping within 1300-1500kCal range. 1 calorie is the same in terms of weight loss/gain (not health!) wherever it comes from. Portion control is the winner here.

Eating 1400kCal of the 'wrong' foods (basically anything containing sugar) will still allow you to lose weight at the same rate as 'good' foods, but it'll make you feel generally rubbish and hungry all the time. Plus it'll do all kinds of serious nasty to your body medium/long term.

Do yourself a favour and properly research calories in drinks - people ALWAYS WILDLY underestimate them. Eg. Just 1 large (500ml) glass of water with a splash of cordial is a whopping 60-120kCal!!! Have 6 - 8 glasses of those and that doesn't leave much allowance for food.......

[Koomie]

I would have to disagree with Claireep I'm afraid and say no you can't. If you take for example a 100kcal apple vs a 100kcal piece of chocolate. Yes same calories, but don't forget the fat, and that which saturates. Therefore which one is more beneficial for you, and will lead to weight loss?

That being said though, you should always allow yourself some sort of treat within reason, after all this is all a lifestyle change and not a diet......who can imagine a treatless life!!

I'd just say eat wisely. If you think something is bad for you, more than likely it is so avoid it, and look for its healthier alternative.

[Fliss13]

I found that if I make sure I have my 5 a day planned in I automatically eat healthier as there aren't many calories left in the budget for junk food.

[FrenchiePash in reply to Fliss13]

I found that too I love my 5

[FrenchiePash]

This is tricky. I would say, prioritise healthy food but if your mouth when hungry (not really your head) want some chocolate, have some. And by counting calories I found that we savour more the food. Apparently for weight matter, a calorie is a calorie. But health wise, prioritise healthy food but also a bit of Fat is good for you but not sugar so much...but a little treat does more good than harm to my knowledge Xx

[andrewleeone]

Cut out the carbs - in every form - as much as you can. Carbs give us a spike in our insulin then we feel lousy as the insulin removes the sugar from our bloodstream (Into Fat) at this point we start craving and go for . . .more sugar.

Are you focussing on what you might be loosing in terms of feel good foods? You've got to turn this around to focus on what you are bringing into your life in term of health, fitness, longevity, being a positive role model for others. Feel good foods are full of fat and sugar and they are the LAST things we need to eat. They are cheap, attractive, and bad for humans.

You deserve better! And you don't need to stress about it.

You'll find that when you eat well, 1400 cals will feel ample, filling, satisfying, and above all EASY!

[Zest Healthy BMI in reply to andrewleeone]

Hi Andrew,

Just to say that I would be cautious about cutting out carbohydrates 'in every form' as they are, in my opinion, a healthy part of a balanced diet, and there is an article here about some healthy carbs:

authoritynutrition.com/12-h...

Lowcal

[OlsBean]

Most definitely yes, how much a person notices a benefit is very much dependent on their current situation.

If you are reasonably fit, perhaps younger and only need to lose a few kilograms then it's probably achievable with calorie restriction alone, however if you are Obese and/or older starting showing underlying metabolic disorders then you really will benefit from dietary change, at this stage it's simpler to look at Obesity as a symptom of the metabolic disease and in order to alleviate the symptom you need to cure the disease, and in order to cure metabolic disease, dietary change is needed.

Whatever your situation and needs please remember a couple of important points, firstly it's not about losing weight, it's about losing Fat and eating the right foods can help with this, secondly it's not just about losing Fat, it's more importantly about maintaining that loss and if you don't change the types of foods you regularly eat it's more likely you'll regain (and some) in the future.

Good Luck.

[Emma-x-]

Hello blondiex interesting question!

I personally think that everything is ok in moderation, I have still lost over a stone and haven't really deprived myself of anything, I just love crisp!

Try and stick to your five a day though

Good luck!

[emsylee]

I find if I use up my calories on calorie-dense things like chocolate and sweets, I get really hungry afterwards and want to eat more. Whereas if I use up the 1400 calories on wholegrains, fruit and veg, and proteins like chicken, fish or eggs, I feel satisfied and don't get cravings to snack afterwards. I think it'd be hard to stick to the 1400 limit without filling up on healthy foods.

[elliebath Maintainer in reply to emsylee]

You're quite right! I have slowly lost my excess 2 stone by calorie counting. For the first six months I ate pretty healthily, hardly any sugar or alcohol. I slowly reintroduced these foods so that I could eat more 'normally' on holidays and socially. Now I am maintainng my healthy size (bmi 22.5 ) but my taste buds do tend to crave certain foods again eg chocolate, biscuits so Im constantly on my guard not to overdo them..... it was actually easier in the first few months when I cut them out !

[Jo4950]

It's good idea to eat food that is good for you, as you can often eat more than if you are eating rubbish. The more good food you eat the better off you will be and it will help your health as well.

But saying that it is ok to have a bit of what you fancy as long as you keep it to the occasional treat.

[Annde70]

While in theory you can but to maintain a healthy diet you need to make sure you eat a balanced diet. Have a look at the eatwell plate to see how best to achieve a good eating plan

nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pu...

To achieve a good weight loss it is always a good idea to drink plenty of water too

[blondiex]

Thanks everyone for your advice and help! I'm trying to slowly cut out bad foods and introduce more fruit and veg.