If you could guarantee yourself to stay within your calorie range and still eat junk, you'd probably still lose weight. The only slight difference would probably be in the amount of energy used for digestion. Some good-for-you foods take longer to digest, and thus, eating those foods burns slightly more calories. I'm not sure if that slightly increased calorie burn is enough to affect weight loss, though.

Thank You!!!
 

I count calories but there have been days where I eat junk. And as long as I am within my calorie limit, I still lose weight. Now, in order to stay under my limit, the portion sizes are really small, so I don't feel as full as if I would have eaten somthing healthier. In my experience, a calorie is a calorie. But I do feel gross when I eat junk food. My body does not feel nurished. So I limit my junk intake.

it makes a big difference for me. if I eat a lot of empty carbs, I crave food all day and get real headachy and growly. If I eat some lean protein, vegetables and some fruit, I feel great and don't have mood swings, constant hunger, etc. so I end up staying with it instead of having a good carb binge at the end of the day.

What you eat makes a BIG difference.

Think about it...thin people have heart attacks, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, certain cancers, diabetes, and other ailments that can be directly constributed to their DIETS.

The goal isn't just to lose weight, but to be HEALTHY.

Your body is a machine, and food is the fuel. If you don't eat enough high quality protein, then you aren't feeding your muscles properly. If you don't eat enough fruit and vegetables, you are missing out on the nutrients that can prevent cancers, premature aging, and other wonderful properties. If you do not eat enough HEALTHY fats, your skin, organs, hair and nails, and possibly your HEART can suffer. It makes a WORLD of difference to your health.

this brings up the question: are all calories equal?

the main thing to understand is what each calorie does to the body. the effect on blood sugar, lipids, nitrogen level etc.

last year i ate the exact same calories i am doing now but i was always hungry. never felt full.

now i eat precisely every 3-3.5 hours. my calories/protein/carbs/fat are evenly divided througout the day and i try to maintain my carbs like i am a diabetic.

that's what helped me the most..staying away from high glycemic index foods. now i choose grapefruit over a banana etc.

and when i eat a higher GI food, i add in some healthy fat like peanut butter or almonds.

live/eat like a diabetic and i think you can make great changes!