You have a number of folks in the comments saying that they can eat some of this stuff in moderation and still lose weight.
I will tell you that I am not one of those folks.
So it depends. I have accepted that I cannot have a significant quantity of simple carbs at any time. If I were to eat the meal you’re describing, I would do so knowing that I would suffer a 4 to 8 day bubble in my weight loss. It isn’t the calories, it’s the carbs. If I bust my intake calorie targets, but do it with zero carb foods, even high fat ones, it doesn’t affect me much at all and fat loss continues with perhaps a small dip in the rate of loss.
I believe my body’s insulin response to a pile of simple carbs is such that if I eat a meal like that, I have elevated insulin for an extended period of time afterword. It shuts down the fat burning and I need to get back to stable, low insulin levels again before I can continue burning substantial amounts of body fat.
I think you need to experiment and see what amount, if any, of that type of food can be incorporated into your diet and under what conditions. After I’ve lost my weight and am looking at a maintenance plan, I intend to revisit my relationship with simple carbs and see if my body has become more tolerant of eating that stuff in moderation.
There’s no reason you can’t eat that if you want to.
It is, however, a reason to consider a more restricted fasting window so that you are only eating one true meal, whether it’s a 23:1 or something a little looser like a 20:4.
Obviously results are are going to vary between folks of different body types, sizes, and activity levels, but I’ve dropped a fair amount of weight while still having things I enjoy. I just don’t necessarily eat the same quantity and certainly not the same frequency of fast food as I used to, cause frankly that’s how I got to where I was before.
For instance, fiance was craving McDonalds a few weeks back so I got two little cheeseburgers and took a couple of her fries. Rather than getting say a double quarter pounder meal with a large fry.
This is why I do OMAD :) That way, it’s okay if I want to have one high-calorie meal. Now, I might not feel great the next day if what I eat is a chicken sandwich and fries — all that starch won’t keep me feeling full — but that’s a natural consequence that I can choose to accept. (I totally do this with pizza on occasion.)
You could always do OMAD just on days where you want to have that kind of treat meal.
You can eat that chicken sandwich if you want it. You can, literally, have whatever you want. You don’t need to eat 1500 calories or less every day to lose weight. You don’t need to be this strict with everything to get results.
Now, I’m not saying you can go crazy, I’m saying it’s ok to ease up on your restrictions occasionally. You’re eating at a deficit, so let’s assume you need 2000 calories to maintain your weight.
What is eating a day of maintenance calories going to do to your results? Absolutely nothing. There is no ill effects to eating a bit more and enjoying something you like. If you do this 1 day/month and, assuming you aim for a -3500 weekly caloric deficit, this is the difference between losing -4 lbs of fat/4 weeks and -3.85 lbs of fat/4 weeks.
Are you really going to regret that .15 lbs of fat you didn’t lose because you enjoyed a chicken sandwich?
Caloric restriction is necessary for fat loss, caloric perfection is not.
Edit: you can also eat the sandwich and be at 1500 calories for the day, I just wanted to emphasize that eating your maintenence calories on days you want to indulge a bit won’t have a negative long term affect.
Sorry why cant u have it?
We dont have chick fil a here but if we did i would go it looks nice! We have kfc but tbh it’s not amazing is it.
I always eat fast food when im intermittent fasting why not? My main favourite is 5 guys.
If its only 900 then u have 400 extra cals for your other meal which a soup/salad combo might be what id choose to make sure i have enough vegetables for the day.
When I crave cfa and I’m dieting, I order a filet during breakfast hours and put it on a low carb/low cal bun at home. I usually ask for sauces and a side of pickles so it is very close. I air fry some frozen fries too.
Of course you can have it!Just do this; wait until you’re back home, cut it in half. Enjoy that and then wait another 30 mins or hr. If you’re still hungry then have that second half. Splitting that way will help your satiety, make you realize that less is generally enough, and still not feel like you’re depriving yourself
I can’t do it.
Like I love some chick Fil a. It’s the best we all know this. But after I eat it I know I’m going to be hungry. I’m also not motivated to go to the gym after that. Like I know the day is not going to be a great day for the diet from the time I decided it’s chick fil a time.
That’s just me. I have no self control when it comes to certain foods.
I let a craving linger for a week before I act on it. I used to get cfa regularly, but have probably cut it back to once every 6-8 weeks.
As you do IF longer it becomes easier. Foods your crave change. And resisting cravings gets easier, but if I’ve been wanting something for a week I’m gonna get it.
Yes, long time ago. It’s shit “food” end of the day. Now I no longer want it and if end up in such a place that cannot be avoided feel repulsed by it.
> because I know what foods I should eat but these are things I just love!
You don’t really love it though. It’s low quality, not filling. Just pumped full of chemicals / salt / sugar that make you “think” you love it. Our bodies evolved to crave certain chemicals that were required but not in a normal diet - salt being one. Hence they pump it full of salt to trick your body into craving it.
I still let myself have unhealthy foods, but usually just if I’ve been craving them for a few days. Though i have never personally had a food addiction, and i dont crave fast food that much, so i’m priveleged in that way.
If i really want unhealthy food, which for me is usually pizza, i find a way to make it work with my calories, or have a day where i go over my calorie limit a bit.
Don’t eat the bun. Eat a couple of fries and throw the rest away. Or get the nuggets. And no, I haven’t accepted that there are foods I “can’t have.” I have been working on that for 2.5 years and I decided recently that if I am very strict with my 4 hour eating window and exercise portion control. For me and my lifestyle, this is more sustainable than “never.”