[delsey2007]

does it matter WHAT i eat, if i keep my fat intake down and my calories down?

[fiberlover]

Well, yes as far as nutrients go.
You could eat 1400 calories a day in 100 calorie snack packs and that would be low fat/low cal - but that would not be healthy.

While it is a matter of calories in/calories out - your body will function much better when you get the nutrients you need.
Good diets have moderate amounts of good carbs (whole grain stuff), protein and fat. You need all 3.

Are you following a specific plan?

[delsey2007]

No, I am not following any specific plan because I don't have the money to buy certain things. I'm just kinda going off of what I usually eat, adding some healthy substitutes, and counting calories. That's about it.

[mandalinn82]

On a purely formula level - yes, this is how our bodies work. However, many, many nutritional deficiencies can mess with that, making our metabolisms slow down and stop burning efficiently. So this can make a difference in how many calories your body burns to keep you going, which can effect how much weight you lose. Eating a balanced diet can help you maintain your metabolism, which will allow you to burn the most calories you possibly can in a day, leading to greater losses.

Also, to complicate matters, most people find it impossible to stick to a plan of eating junk food, even with the calorie control. The reason? Protein and fiber (found in healthy stuff, like grains and veggies and lean meats and dairy) help to keep you full longer, while refined carbs (white flour, white sugar, white rice, corn syrup, etc) actually make you hungrier, faster, due to hormone changes. So eating a diet of healthy foods will help you stick to your plan more easily and for longer, which leads to better results over the long run.

My personal experience - I could never stick with a plan that was "junk food" based, even when doing my most diligent calorie counting. I'd always give up because I was so hungry! Only when I started eating whole, healthy foods did I get a good, consistent weight loss.

[PhotoChick]

Yup. What the above posters have said.

In theory, it's calories in vs. calories out. In theory you could eat 1500 cals worth of Ben & Jerry's every day and still lose weight.

In practice, you'd get really sick from lack of nutrition, have no energy, probably have horrible cravings, and eventually binge on something.

It's best to get a solid balance of proteins, veggies, and complex carbs. But you don't have to achieve that 100% immediately. It can be something you work towards.

.