I woke up this morning and had two frozen hash brown patties. Not the best breakfast choice, I know. But I was wondering. Does it matter where your calories are coming from as long as you stay under your calorie limit? Can you really get away with eating crap sometimes if it's within your caloric range?

I think it's okay to eat, ummm .... crap every now and then. The bottom line is calories in vs. calories out. But for other reasons it is best to stick with nutritious foods that fuel your body and are filled with and protein and fiber that will keep you full longer and won't bring on cravings.

Bottom line is, I wouldn't worry one iota about the hash browns. Work it into your day and that's that. No harm done. We ALL do that occasionaly. Only sometimes it's A LOT worse then hash browns.

My non-educated opinion: If "sometimes" is really "sometimes", like less than once a week, I would think it would be OK. The problem arises when you have the junk in your caloric range but then become hungry soon after because the junk can't sustain you. So you eat more. And then by the end of the day you are over your calories.

Thanks for the input. And congratulations on the weight loss, ladies!

I'm sure that in terms of sheer weight loss it makes absolutely no difference where your calories come from, but health wise a mix of foods with an emphasis on whole foods and lower fat and sugar products will be beneficial. I am still eating chocolate nearly every day as I find I can't stick to my plan without it, I am literally addicted. But I just calorie count it in, have a small bar and make good choices for the rest of my food. No doubt I'd be better off without it but my theory is if one small chocolate bar a day keeps me on plan and so from eating all the rest of the rubbish that I would normally eat I'm better off having the chocolate.

I think it does come down to calories for weight loss... HOWEVER,

you can't do that forever. Those hashbrowns will NOT fill you up like an bowl of high fiber cereal and a piece of fruit with equal calories.

Just chalk it up to experience and lesson learned.

This is not to say that you can never have hashbrowns. Maybe next time make it just one hashbrown with a white egg omlet. Or maybe some homemade hash browns from left over potatoes?

I found the first month was difficult because I was experimenting a lot as to what "calorie worthy"

I think at least once a day I have something that is not calorie worthy but is still yummy and is in MODERATION. That is what keeps me on plan

Good Luck... and this was an excellent question!!

No question is dumb when you are on a quest for knowledge and information! I agree with the input you have received so far. It is definitely far better to make calories count in regards to sustaining you, as has already been mentioned. I find that if I just make sure I don't bring anything into the house that will wreck my ship, then I'm far better off and have fewer days of eating things not on plan. Good luck to you! You can do it!

Thanks Lillibeth! I still have trouble believing I can still have something I love in small amounts and continue to lose weight.

YES, you can get away with eating crap. People think you can't, and so they try so hard to completely cut things out of their diet, and that just doesn't last. If things are "forbidden," then you'll think you've killed your diet just because you consumed a particular food, which you probably could've counted into your calories and moved on. I've eaten lots of crap in the process of losing 80 pounds. Should I eat completely healthy foods all the time? Of course I should. I should also clean my house every day. I stick to what I know will work for me in the long-term. I try not to eat stuff that my body won't be able to use as fuel, but as long as I'm under my calorie limit I always lose weight. If that changes, then I'll change my mind about it.

Thanks Charbar. I agree, I'm sao much more filled up for hours when I have my FiberOne cereal. Now I'm afraid of getting hungry again soon.

Thanks RitzyFriutz

LisaMarie, I feel a lot better knowing I can still eat my favorite stuff occasionally

just advice.. (b/c I've done exactly what you have done.) You will get hungry before lunch. So before you are starving - eat something. If you don't have something - (filling!) you WILL binge at lunch.. (and if you are like me, for the rest of the day)

Right now eat a piece of fruit - in an hour have something small that is filling for you - yogurt? some cheese? - something with protein. Then have what you were going to have for lunch.

Don't worry about the calories today - if you go over a little - say 200 or so - it's okay. It's better then being starving at lunch and saying... "ah forgot it... I'm going to ... (fill in your favourite fast food joint)"

make sense?

^^ It does, completely. Gonna get me an apple right now!

One day every so often to have something like that is not going to affect your long term losses ~ just be sure to count it and move on.

I think the folks that eat the non-nutrional junk all day for each meal (even though they're keeping within their calorie limits) will suffer in the long run. Your body can not operate on that efficiently. I know I just feel better eating the heatlhy options vs. the pre packaged junk.

You're making wise moves just coming here and being accountable for eating it! BRAVO!!

Great question, not a dumb question, and it took me a long time to realize that yes, we can have our cake (occasionally) and eat it too!