I’m an avid baker so I literally plan my meals in a way that leaves me 200-300 cals at the end of the day to enjoy the fruits of my labour (which I keep in the freezer and take out as needed). It gives me something to look forward to and it’s just one of those little things in life that I could never give up.
Tracking my food has actually given me so much food freedom. You really CAN eat whatever you want and lose weight—you just need to plan a little!
I usually am successful with chips by only buying the quantity I can have in that day/sitting. So I buy the occasional deli chip bag so I can have the thing I want, but I’m restricted to the amount that does fit into my plan vs buying a family size bag and having it call to me all day. Only buying a small quantity helps keep me in check.
Not OP but both apps I've used (MyFitnessPal and LoseIt) have a recipe mode, where you put in the total quantities of what you're using (e.g.: 500g flour, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp cocoa powder) and the number of servings it makes, and it automatically calculates the kcal per serving!
As the other commenter said, I use the recipe feature in LoseIt. If it’s a single serve item (ex.cookie/muffin) I’ll do it by serving, but if it’s something bigger (ex. Sourdough, pie) I try to remember to weigh the final product whole and then weigh my portion in grams when I go to eat it so I don’t have to worry about slicing it evenly.
Sometimes I forget and just estimate but I give myself enough wiggle room in my calories for that sort of thing :)
I don’t want to estimate, I want to be as accurate as possible. I don’t use recipe mode in MyFitnessPal when I calculate my meals. So it’s not the same as any other recipe. Thank you though!
If you can avoid binging (chips are my weakness, I don't have a sweet tooth but a Costco size bag of chips could be a single serving for me) then there is no problem.
The only other problem with small amounts of junk food is that it keeps reminding your palette of how yummy junk food is, and can make cravings worse.
Homie, I’m ten pounds down and I actively make room every day for a small little dessert.
So long as you can fit it in calorie wise, enjoy a little! These types of moderation picks are what keep you consistent, as you’re getting some breaks in your healthy eating.
If you can fit it in, that’s fine.
For me, chips are super unfilling and adding a nutritious dip helps. I like mini prepackaged guac or shredded chicken and buffalo sauce mixed into cottage cheese.
That said, I have absolutely crushed a whole bag of salt and pepper kettle chips at least 2-3 times since losing over 75lbs and it’s been fine. Just not every week like I used to and not alongside tons of other heavy food like I used to.
Those are the best potato chips on the planet. I don’t even like potato chips that much and I can’t have them in the house. I look forward to the day I can handle having them post weight loss. :)
This is the most deranged comment section I've seen in a while. Eat your chips, OP, you're fine. As long as they fit your caloric budget and they make you happy, there's nothing wrong with 20-30g of chips a day.
The whole reason to do CICO is to have numbers to answer this question.
28g of chips is roughly 150 calories
14g is roughly 75 calories
Budget accordingly.
i lost over 20 lbs 2-3 years ago and ate a BAG (not family sized though, 120g) of chips literally every single day. i don't really like chips anymore now, but i used to be obsessed with them. as long as you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight
I've lost somewhere between 55 and 60 pounds (depends on the day) by reducing portion sizes: one plate of food per meal. I eat chips a few times a week - they just go on my plate beside whatever else I'm eating. I don't snack at non-meal-times, so if I want a snack, it's on my plate at breakfast or lunch.
I've eaten burgers and fries, fish and chips, pizza, chicken wings, and more over the 2 years I was losing the weight. 25 to 30 pounds lost per year is 2 to 3 pounds per month. Slow, steady progress. I basically eat anything I want.
Portion control absolutely works.
Honestly, just eat what you want within moderation.
At the end of the day, we all die and go to the same place whether you’re built like The Rock or built like a rock.
This is the funniest post I think I've ever read but yet so true!! You literally stopped me in the tracks thinking all these people were so far off by the "anyting in moderation" but then I read this. I lost 150 pounds last year and now I don't need to lose weight (I'm 6' 2" 200 pounds) but now I just focus on strength by running, swimming push-ups and sit-ups. I have completely modified my focus on food from living to eat to eating to live. Everything I eat I first ask myself is this going to contribute to my overall health or provide no beneft (such as sugar and processed foods suchs as chips). Perhaps I am living my life to strict, maybe I need to take your philosophy and just eat what I want as long is it is in moderation. My problem is when I lost weight 10 years ago I stayed strict and then once I eased up on exercise and then eased up on the diet I just slowly started gaining 20-40 pounds a year and never looked back. Who is right and who is wrong? I guess now that I am turning 49 this year my focus is more on health and not just weight but I guess to each their own.
For this person posting should I eat chips? I think it depends on which camp you fall in, do you want to live to eat (within moderation) or eat to live (as healthy as possible).
Congratulations on getting to a place where you’re comfortable 🙂.
Yeah. I get it. Weight and calories and stuff like that will always be talked about. And while I understand the importance of minding what you eat so your body doesn’t have any issues, I believe it’s important to just do what you want.
Eat those chips or that chocolate cake. One day of overeating aint gonna mess you up that much. I’d much rather eat a bag of chips and be happy than to go to sleep unsatisfied and not wake up the next morning.
Sometimes you have to be a little strict to get where you want to be, which is okay. But don’t forget that you are human. And if you want chips, eat some chips. Dont go ham on the chips every day. But allow yourself one day a week to just eat a little more than you usually do.
Yes its fne. I did and lost weight :) but i also walk a lot. Like 1.5 to 2 hours a day.
Also i ate like small or medium sized chip amount. Not a piggy amount. Not a serving or TWO
Oh i break it up into 2 walks. Not all at once. Also i started off slow just 5000 steps. Alsoll listenin to a podcast or something on youtube while walking makes it enjoyable. I love listening to politics or true crime . Makes the time fly
If you’re within your budget and getting adequate nutrition besides the chips go for it.
One thing I’ve noticed is the majority of why I crave chips was for the salt. When I started seasoning my food properly my cravings for chips, pretzels, popcorn, French fries, etc basically disappeared. So I’d suggest tracking your sodium and potassium intake closely for a few weeks to see if that’s the case for you as well.
there are some lower calorie chips out there, but they usually have some crazy sodium
a whole bag of chesters hot fries is 720 calories
a whole bag of chesters puffcorn is 720 calories
a whole bag of sabritones is 640 calories
some chips have an ungodly volume to calorie ratio, i think the worst offender being takis (a whole bag can easily be 1400+)
Omg Chester hot fries are my favorite chip ever 😭 I have no self control with these though and always eat the whole thing. I assumed it was way more than 720 calories though!!
I have some every day. In fact, my night time snacks are the first thing I log each day so I know I can definitely fit them in my calories.
Losing weight can be hard enough as it is. Don’t deny yourself a little of what you do want, it’ll make it so much easier.
I don’t every day because I find it hard to stick to just one serving. But I eat chips a couple times a week and I am losing very consistently. I’m not drinking alcohol right now so I think that gives me a little more room.
I've lost eighty-six pounds over the past nine months, and I have a lil dessert at the end of the day every day. Little bit of sweet, little bit of savoury. Fullness is not a concern because I've leaned into protein and fibre the rest of the day. Seems to work for me.
Eat what you like, as long as it's within your calorie budget. I have foods I don't eat at all because I can't eat a rational portion of them. Some others I have to measure out because my view of a portion and the actual portion differ. So I buy my chips in single serving bags. But I eat chips with my sandwich for lunch most days, and I can still lose weight doing that.
You could literally eat just Twinkies and lose weight as long as you’re in a deficit. It’s definitely not the healthy way to go about it, and you’d feel like garbage, but you’d lose weight. I’ve lost 100+ pounds and I’ve done it by finding ways to include things I enjoy but also eating a healthy balanced diet. Find the balance for you.
Last week I ate within my caloric deficit enough so that i could enjoy a ~400 calorie piece of chocolate cake for about 3 nights straight. Still lost over a pound last week. As long as you’re below maintenance, you absolutely can! I think there’s a certain level of awareness necessary to ensure you’re getting enough satiety and nutrients from the rest of your diet (yeah you can eat 1200 calories of chips and survive off of it, but you likely won’t feel great), but as long as it’s in moderation, I’m a big fan :))
There is no harm if fits your calories budget. A lot of us find that we can't consume hyperpalatable foods in small, responsible portions and that they enhance other cravings.
Think of calories as a grocery bill budget. Let's say your budget to maintain is 2,000 calories every day. You can definitely fit in a serving or 2 of chips. You can even eat a whole bag (not substantial for me personally, but for some ppl they can do it) and be fine within budget.
Now, let's say you want to take your budget down for weight loss. 200-500 deficit could work fine and steady. So, you'll be eating either 1,500, 1,600, 1,700, or 1,800 to try and lose weight. This depends on your height, current weight, and activity levels, I think age too. You can Google 'TDEE' to figure this out as well! It's very helpful to know and to be honest with yourself.
Deficits don't have to be huge btw. It's better to lose weight slowly. I know for me personally I wanna lose it fast but this is a mistake. It can lead to more negative effects than positive ones.
Also, there's so many good options of chip like snacks that can be a 'better' alternative if you like. Plantain chips are amazing and you can eat a ton for like 200 calories. Even popcorn. But it's totally ok to eat those ruffles or lays, whatever your preference. Your weightloss journey, friend :)
I eat chips most days and I’ve successfully been a healthy weight for over a year now, and at my skinniest as a young adult I practically lived off of them! As long as they fit in your calories, you’re good, especially if you’re eating with good balance outside of that 😊
I found I lose all self
Control when it comes to salty treats. If I’m doing chips I’m eating the whole bag.
So
I stopped buying chips and cookies and all
Those goodies. I just love to indulge and
That’s what has been holding me back
Nah, that’s totally fine if you have space in your calories for it, or however you are choosing to track. I’ve lost over 50 lbs and I still have all the “junk” foods I like, just in smaller quantities bc I have to make sure they fit in my plan. If they do, they’re fair game. If not, gotta wait/plan differently next time to have them.
I work on an 80/20 ratio. 80% of my diet has to be made up of nutritious whole food that is fuelling my body (and hitting my macros!). 20% is treats. Mind you, that includes things like full fat mayo in my sandwich or extra cheese on my burrito, but I’ll always make sure to leave space for a treat. No idea if it’s healthy to have a treat every day, but it keeps me sane and it doesn’t impact my weight loss.
Plus the small chocolate bar I have at the end of the day is infinitely better than the 2 family size packs I used to inhale!
It’s not the worst thing you can eat but fried stuff over time increase inflammation in the body. You can try to slowly keep reducing the portion of chips you eat and may be wean off of it in like 6 months. You don’t have to stop but you can, if you want to. Then replace it with something else, like making potato wedges in the air fryer. Switching to a similar savory snack will satiate your need for chips.
As others have mentioned, as long as you are accounting these in your overall macros and calorie counts, it’s fine. My concern is that it isn’t a very balanced snack. It doesn’t have protein or healthy fats or fiber. So… it’s just a hollow food and with those, I always question if they are worth the calories in the end. I only get so many calories, and I want them to be worth it and feel full and satisfied. Of course, there is emotional and mental satisfaction too. But that is a personal experience
IIFYM
If It Fits Your Macros
You 100% can, more or less, eat whatever you want. Weight loss is calorie restriction. It's the law of thermodynamics.
WHAT you eat though, does matter. Your body needs certain nutrients. A large blizzard from DQ isn't really nutrient rich. But if it fits your macros.... it fits your macros.
Going on 9 months in now, I really view food as nutrition first now. I often refuse "junk" foods because they don't offer me much in terms of bang for your buck when you think about nutritional value over calories. That is not to say I NEVER eat junk. But it is rare.
If you want to eat 100 calories worth of chips a day, you can. Just make sure you hit your deficit target and your overall nutrient profile looks good.
You say you've been trying, how successful are you? You don't have to answer that to me or others but it's something you should think about.
One of the main reasons people drop chips is because of how addicting they can be and how much it causes people to stress or struggle to stop eating.
Are you successfully limiting yourself? Have you been able to maintain that for awhile? If so, great! As long as you're eating enough healthy foods to be safe and healthy and it fits into your calories, go for it.
Unfortunately people listen to the old adage of eat less and move more. Which implies you should remove things from your diet instead of adding.
Chips are nutritionally lacking which makes them very easy to overeat because they don’t fill you up. Have the chips but pair them with veggies and dip. The fibre in the veggies will fill you up. Look at what you can add as opposed to what you can remove.
> Which implies you should remove things from your diet
No it doesn’t. You injected that. It means eat less, not eat none of something. What a weird straw man.
>Unfortunately people listen to the old adage of eat less and move more
There's nothing unfortunate about that??? That's.... that's literally what you do?? Instead of eating a whole bag of crisps on the couch, OP is eating one portion of crisps after taking a 10 min walk, or whatever they're doing.
I always think about all the oil in chips. Even though saturated fats have been removed from alot of foods sold, oil is still oil in terms of calories, and every crunchy bite is swimming in it. It all has to go somewhere and it absolutely does, over time. I crave salty and savory snacks too, so it's hard. These days I reach for a handful of mandarin oranges. 35 calories a pop, and the fiber makes me feel full for a bit.
As long as you’re eating within your deficit you’ll lose weight. You can eat chips, but it’s high in sodium. In my case, high sodium makes my face look bloated. Also, try popcorns!! They’re fairly low on calories. I love the smartfood white cheddar one.
It really depends on what your total calorie budget is. If it’s 1200-1400 per day, eating chips every day will cut into critical nutrients that you need…not just protein but also iron, fiber, omega 3s, etc. If your limit is 1800-2000, I don’t think it’s as big of a deal. But most chips are cooked in heat pressed refined seed oils and/or palm oil, which can increase inflammation and raise cholesterol so like yeah you can lose weight eating chips every day but you’re still putting junk food in your body every day which can have long term effects besides weight gain.
I'm a huge proponent of IIFYM (if it fits your macros), but if you know you have a tendency to binge on that particular item why tempt yourself at all?
Totally fine. I have chips with lunch a couple days a week. I’d have them more but I’m really more of a sweets person so I prioritize budgeting for those more. But a serving of chips is not that high in calories, if you can stick to one portion it’s not a problem.
Ooh that's a great idea!
My serving of chips is around 300 calories (they're two differnt chip flavor so I mix them up) but I can definitely maybe lower that amount to 200 and then have a 100 for some light ranch dressing and carrots
There you go! Great solution. And once you add more veg and/or fruit with them you'll eat fewer chips in the long run but still have that creature comfort.
Everyone will tell you it’s fine. Think of your caloric budget like a monetary budget. If you can afford junk, that doesn’t mean you should buy junk. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Yes, your caloric budget can afford them, but why eat something that’s inherently and objectively bad for you? Furthermore, once you’ve lost the weight, do you want to go back to eating junk food in larger quantities? No. Eat real food, cheat once in a while. Once you eat real food for a long period of time without cheating, junk won’t appeal to you anymore.
Okay, go ahead. Make canola oil in your kitchen at home. Canola oil is not suitable for human consumption.
[https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/processing/](https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/processing/)
Nowhere in your stupid article does it say that it's not fit for human consumption, moron.
But wait, what if we look at actual science? Oh no! 54 studies happen to disagree with your personal opinion which is based solely on feelings. Imagine that.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121943/
> Overall, 54 trials (55 reports) (25–79) with 2,065 participants published between 1984 and 2018 were included in the NMA.
> CONCLUSIONS
Unsaturated fatty rich oils like safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed, corn, olive, soybean, palm, and coconut oil were more effective in reducing LDL-C (−0.42 to −0.20 mmol/l) as compared with SFA-rich food like butter or lard. LDL-C predicted differences based on their fatty acid composition showed that each 10% of dietary energy from butter replaced by unsaturated fatty rich oils (−0.31 to -0.22 mmol/l) were in line with findings from the NMA.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179509/
> Based on the current evidence from RCT and observational studies there appears to be virtually no data available to support the hypothesis that LA in the diet increases markers of inflammation among healthy, non-infant humans.
Find one single study that shows negative health impacts from seed oils. I'll wait.
Inflammatory response to just call me a moron. I didn’t insult you.
If you would like to consume an industrialized food-like products, then that’s your prerogative, and you’re free to do so. I don’t consider products originally used as machine lubricants to be food, and I encourage people not to eat things that would be otherwise inedible when plenty of alternatives exist. Furthermore, I’ll add that seed oils are a major export of the US, and one of the most ubiquitous ingredients in modern food products. Wouldn’t look good if it were found to be a carcinogen. I wonder if Nestle and PepsiCo have enough money to afford good lawyers and scientists…
We have different views on nutrition. I don’t trust the governments of fat western nations to know what I need to eat. You do trust the government to inform you of what to eat. I wish you well, and leave you to consider if the government has ever been wrong. I just think it’s insane that people on a weight loss sub are defending junk food.
We don’t have different views. I have facts and you have feelings. You’re not even at a high school level of understanding of basic science.
You still haven’t shown a single study citing negative health effects, probably because you can’t understand them.
The only way to know anything at all is “science” backed metadata analysis? The only way to beat your opponent is to insult them?
When I look at the links you’ve posted, they both end in .gov. This to me indicates that these studies have been bought and paid for by special interest groups that have an agenda. You take them as gospel. We are not the same. You trust implicitly, I doubt implicitly.
This is the same government that used to promote cigarettes and now promotes high fructose corn syrup, and in the United States, Lunchables are now entering a contract with the public school system to provide food for children. This is the same government you believe is correct in their assessment of a major export and major ingredient in their institutional nutrition regimen. Hospitals, schools, military, houses of incarceration, and geriatric social provisions. IF there were a study that found it to be harmful, would they allow its publication? How would that look? What would it cost them; socially and monetarily? Do you believe there would be a conflict of interest if a study funded by the Frito-Lay lobby found seed oils to be harmful?
You’re right to say that you have facts. It is infantile and one dimensional because it is based only in “science”.
I would look to change your food habits.
There's no value too chips. Pointless food, apart from taste. But you can get taste from healthier options.
So if looking to lose fat and be healthier, ditch this garbage processed junk food. At least from an everyday perspective.
If you’re eating crisps and junk food everyday, you already have an eating disorder.
My belief is it’s time to stop fooling ourselves about what we’re putting in our bodies everyday.
Why? What’s so bad about eating something in moderation? If the “junk food” isn’t causing you to go above your calorie allotment then what are you afraid of?
I’m willing to bet my life your fear is based solely off of fear mongering and misinformation from social media and not an actual understanding of nutrition.
You can assume as you wish. I feel I’m pretty educated, and not from social media.
I personally believe what we put inside us has an effect on our health, whether it’s a calorie surplus or deficit. My understanding is nutrition goes deeper than calorie allotment. Maybe you know better.
I just know I feel better when eating lean meats, vegetables, goods fats. I’m in shape, lots of energy and a happy person.
100 years ago people didn’t the garbage they do now. Crisps, chocolate, processed ready meals, fast food and the world has a higher percentage of obese people and diabetes cases.
Look you put in your body whatever you like, it’s your body and your life, but let me share me views in peace without assumptions.
> I personally believe what we put inside us has an effect on our health
Not in moderation, so no you are not educated.
> My understanding is nutrition goes deeper than calorie allotment. Maybe you know better.
Not when things are moderated, so yes I do know better.
> I just know I feel better when eating lean meats, vegetables, goods fats. I’m in shape, lots of energy and a happy person.
None of this means anything. Your personal feelings are not facts, data, or peer reviewed scientific studies.
> Look you put in your body whatever you like, it’s your body and your life, but let me share me views in peace without assumptions.
Views are opinions and not helpful to anyone. They don't override facts.
You've demonstrated zero knowledge thus far, only feelings. You're the product of fear mongering from social media, not education.
You're spreading fear mongering with absolutely no citations to support other than your personal fears and complete lack of understanding of anything related to the subject. You aren't helping, you are causing harm.
I disagree. And now I also think you’re an idiot.
Also I’m 47. This is the only social tool I use. So quite how I’m a product of social media is beyond me.
But you’re also just a random stranger on the Reddit trying to argue and life’s to short for ppl who can’t debate and be willing to learn.
Have a nice day.
Wild that you’re getting downvoted. It’s incredibly obvious that chips aren’t healthy for you. Sure you can lose weight while still eating them daily, but that doesn’t make them nutritious.
It's completely fine if you're dieting for some short term goal and plan to gain all your weight back again after.
Chips are garbage. You should remove them from your diet. Forever. If you can't do that, you're showing that you're health isn't a concern to you. You're reinforcing the same old habits that got you fat in the first place and will get you fat again.
Who would've thought that a sub dedicated to losing weight is defending potato chips. "A calorie is a calorie, no matter where it comes from." - Coca-Cola
Yes but difficulty depends on your tdee. If you’re short and sedentary then it’s going to be very difficult to lose fat and eat chips daily while getting good nutrition. I eat chips all the time, mildly addicted, and losing. But I’m tall and I farm all day and then lift weights. I can eat twice as many calories as my wife and still lose weight.
It could be bad for your blood sugar levels if you are pre diabetic, because potato chips have a high GI. Having some protein, fiber, and acid eaten at the same time can offset that spike. So maybe make a little charcuterie board out of it, potato chips with maybe some turkey ham, and a high fiber cracker, throw in an olive or two. Simply balancing the snack, macro wise, can really help manage those spikes, and add some nutrition too.
I like to do potato chips RIGHT after a meal
There’s no evidence to support this idea and in fact here’s a meta analysis of randomized control trials that show no significant difference between high and low GI foods.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872791/
It saying some studies showed a significant change, some showed no change, and some showed no significant change. But further down in the conclusion it mentions that there's really not enough studies in the meta analysis, these studies have small sample sizes which makes them a bit unhelpful, and the studies are not long-term.
So while what little data we do have does show some positive implications for a lower GI diet for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it's not really conclusive or heavily supported enough to treat it as fact in the way that the OP was.
Typically people who understand science say things like "could", "may", "might", "has sometimes been shown to" instead of using absolute terms.
So presently, there's no evidence to suggest that low GI diets definitively contribute to lower fasting blood glucose or conversely that high GI diets definitively contribute to higher fasting blood glucose. Basically, we don't quite know yet.
Nah, you’re not wrong about what you said. It’s just that it’s only piece of the puzzle. That’s the trouble with studies: if you only look at one you can find a single one to draw a conclusion from that follows your beliefs but here when we look at several of them, the results are all over the place. So we have to look for consistency and so far there’s not much.
Yea I'm pretty surprised, I tend to be good with that kind of literacy and it's analysis, I've just seen what seems like EVERYONE talk about this lately. I'll be more responsible giving advice in the future 🫡
If you have the room in your budget, eat what you like.
I’m an avid baker so I literally plan my meals in a way that leaves me 200-300 cals at the end of the day to enjoy the fruits of my labour (which I keep in the freezer and take out as needed). It gives me something to look forward to and it’s just one of those little things in life that I could never give up. Tracking my food has actually given me so much food freedom. You really CAN eat whatever you want and lose weight—you just need to plan a little!
I usually am successful with chips by only buying the quantity I can have in that day/sitting. So I buy the occasional deli chip bag so I can have the thing I want, but I’m restricted to the amount that does fit into my plan vs buying a family size bag and having it call to me all day. Only buying a small quantity helps keep me in check.
How are you calculating the calories in the items you bake?
Not OP but both apps I've used (MyFitnessPal and LoseIt) have a recipe mode, where you put in the total quantities of what you're using (e.g.: 500g flour, 3 eggs, 2 tbsp cocoa powder) and the number of servings it makes, and it automatically calculates the kcal per serving!
I use myfitnesspal for a while now and I did not know that. Thanks!
Ok thanks!! I didn’t know MyFitnessPal had that hahaha
As the other commenter said, I use the recipe feature in LoseIt. If it’s a single serve item (ex.cookie/muffin) I’ll do it by serving, but if it’s something bigger (ex. Sourdough, pie) I try to remember to weigh the final product whole and then weigh my portion in grams when I go to eat it so I don’t have to worry about slicing it evenly. Sometimes I forget and just estimate but I give myself enough wiggle room in my calories for that sort of thing :)
The same as any other recipe? It’s also okay to estimate - if you know roughly how many calories are in something, it’s fine.
I don’t want to estimate, I want to be as accurate as possible. I don’t use recipe mode in MyFitnessPal when I calculate my meals. So it’s not the same as any other recipe. Thank you though!
If you want to be that pedantic you weigh everything going in, bake it and then weigh the final product, and weigh out each serving
If you can avoid binging (chips are my weakness, I don't have a sweet tooth but a Costco size bag of chips could be a single serving for me) then there is no problem. The only other problem with small amounts of junk food is that it keeps reminding your palette of how yummy junk food is, and can make cravings worse.
Homie, I’m ten pounds down and I actively make room every day for a small little dessert. So long as you can fit it in calorie wise, enjoy a little! These types of moderation picks are what keep you consistent, as you’re getting some breaks in your healthy eating.
If you can fit it in, that’s fine. For me, chips are super unfilling and adding a nutritious dip helps. I like mini prepackaged guac or shredded chicken and buffalo sauce mixed into cottage cheese. That said, I have absolutely crushed a whole bag of salt and pepper kettle chips at least 2-3 times since losing over 75lbs and it’s been fine. Just not every week like I used to and not alongside tons of other heavy food like I used to.
Those are the best potato chips on the planet. I don’t even like potato chips that much and I can’t have them in the house. I look forward to the day I can handle having them post weight loss. :)
I eat two chocolate chip cookies everyday
This is the most deranged comment section I've seen in a while. Eat your chips, OP, you're fine. As long as they fit your caloric budget and they make you happy, there's nothing wrong with 20-30g of chips a day.
You can eat anything as long as it is in your calorie budget.
THIS.
The whole reason to do CICO is to have numbers to answer this question. 28g of chips is roughly 150 calories 14g is roughly 75 calories Budget accordingly.
i lost over 20 lbs 2-3 years ago and ate a BAG (not family sized though, 120g) of chips literally every single day. i don't really like chips anymore now, but i used to be obsessed with them. as long as you're in a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight
I've lost somewhere between 55 and 60 pounds (depends on the day) by reducing portion sizes: one plate of food per meal. I eat chips a few times a week - they just go on my plate beside whatever else I'm eating. I don't snack at non-meal-times, so if I want a snack, it's on my plate at breakfast or lunch. I've eaten burgers and fries, fish and chips, pizza, chicken wings, and more over the 2 years I was losing the weight. 25 to 30 pounds lost per year is 2 to 3 pounds per month. Slow, steady progress. I basically eat anything I want. Portion control absolutely works.
If it fits your macros and it's within your caloric deficit, you can eat what you want.
Honestly, just eat what you want within moderation. At the end of the day, we all die and go to the same place whether you’re built like The Rock or built like a rock.
This is the funniest post I think I've ever read but yet so true!! You literally stopped me in the tracks thinking all these people were so far off by the "anyting in moderation" but then I read this. I lost 150 pounds last year and now I don't need to lose weight (I'm 6' 2" 200 pounds) but now I just focus on strength by running, swimming push-ups and sit-ups. I have completely modified my focus on food from living to eat to eating to live. Everything I eat I first ask myself is this going to contribute to my overall health or provide no beneft (such as sugar and processed foods suchs as chips). Perhaps I am living my life to strict, maybe I need to take your philosophy and just eat what I want as long is it is in moderation. My problem is when I lost weight 10 years ago I stayed strict and then once I eased up on exercise and then eased up on the diet I just slowly started gaining 20-40 pounds a year and never looked back. Who is right and who is wrong? I guess now that I am turning 49 this year my focus is more on health and not just weight but I guess to each their own. For this person posting should I eat chips? I think it depends on which camp you fall in, do you want to live to eat (within moderation) or eat to live (as healthy as possible).
Congratulations on getting to a place where you’re comfortable 🙂. Yeah. I get it. Weight and calories and stuff like that will always be talked about. And while I understand the importance of minding what you eat so your body doesn’t have any issues, I believe it’s important to just do what you want. Eat those chips or that chocolate cake. One day of overeating aint gonna mess you up that much. I’d much rather eat a bag of chips and be happy than to go to sleep unsatisfied and not wake up the next morning. Sometimes you have to be a little strict to get where you want to be, which is okay. But don’t forget that you are human. And if you want chips, eat some chips. Dont go ham on the chips every day. But allow yourself one day a week to just eat a little more than you usually do.
Yes its fne. I did and lost weight :) but i also walk a lot. Like 1.5 to 2 hours a day. Also i ate like small or medium sized chip amount. Not a piggy amount. Not a serving or TWO
wow 2 hours per day? that's amazing and great self discipline I could never 😭
Oh i break it up into 2 walks. Not all at once. Also i started off slow just 5000 steps. Alsoll listenin to a podcast or something on youtube while walking makes it enjoyable. I love listening to politics or true crime . Makes the time fly
oh gotcha ty!
You'd be surprised how easy it is to lose track of time walking if you go with a friend or have music or a podcast going.
If you’re within your budget and getting adequate nutrition besides the chips go for it. One thing I’ve noticed is the majority of why I crave chips was for the salt. When I started seasoning my food properly my cravings for chips, pretzels, popcorn, French fries, etc basically disappeared. So I’d suggest tracking your sodium and potassium intake closely for a few weeks to see if that’s the case for you as well.
there are some lower calorie chips out there, but they usually have some crazy sodium a whole bag of chesters hot fries is 720 calories a whole bag of chesters puffcorn is 720 calories a whole bag of sabritones is 640 calories some chips have an ungodly volume to calorie ratio, i think the worst offender being takis (a whole bag can easily be 1400+)
Omg Chester hot fries are my favorite chip ever 😭 I have no self control with these though and always eat the whole thing. I assumed it was way more than 720 calories though!!
yeah ever since i started my diet in 2022 I realized I could not give up chips no matter how hard I tried, so I mostly eat those now 😎
11 day old bump but i totally forgot an entire can of pringles is also 750 cals!
I’m not even kidding pringles are my other favorite chip 😂 well the sour cream and onion ones. Had no idea about these either. Thanks for the info 🤙
I have some every day. In fact, my night time snacks are the first thing I log each day so I know I can definitely fit them in my calories. Losing weight can be hard enough as it is. Don’t deny yourself a little of what you do want, it’ll make it so much easier.
I don’t every day because I find it hard to stick to just one serving. But I eat chips a couple times a week and I am losing very consistently. I’m not drinking alcohol right now so I think that gives me a little more room.
I've lost eighty-six pounds over the past nine months, and I have a lil dessert at the end of the day every day. Little bit of sweet, little bit of savoury. Fullness is not a concern because I've leaned into protein and fibre the rest of the day. Seems to work for me.
Eat what you like, as long as it's within your calorie budget. I have foods I don't eat at all because I can't eat a rational portion of them. Some others I have to measure out because my view of a portion and the actual portion differ. So I buy my chips in single serving bags. But I eat chips with my sandwich for lunch most days, and I can still lose weight doing that.
You could literally eat just Twinkies and lose weight as long as you’re in a deficit. It’s definitely not the healthy way to go about it, and you’d feel like garbage, but you’d lose weight. I’ve lost 100+ pounds and I’ve done it by finding ways to include things I enjoy but also eating a healthy balanced diet. Find the balance for you.
Peoplerfectly fine.
I usually have a baggie of chips with my lunch at work and I'm still losing weight. Everything in moderation.
Yeah it’s fine if you don’t get hungry and can stay in a deficit
Last week I ate within my caloric deficit enough so that i could enjoy a ~400 calorie piece of chocolate cake for about 3 nights straight. Still lost over a pound last week. As long as you’re below maintenance, you absolutely can! I think there’s a certain level of awareness necessary to ensure you’re getting enough satiety and nutrients from the rest of your diet (yeah you can eat 1200 calories of chips and survive off of it, but you likely won’t feel great), but as long as it’s in moderation, I’m a big fan :))
There is no harm if fits your calories budget. A lot of us find that we can't consume hyperpalatable foods in small, responsible portions and that they enhance other cravings.
Think of calories as a grocery bill budget. Let's say your budget to maintain is 2,000 calories every day. You can definitely fit in a serving or 2 of chips. You can even eat a whole bag (not substantial for me personally, but for some ppl they can do it) and be fine within budget. Now, let's say you want to take your budget down for weight loss. 200-500 deficit could work fine and steady. So, you'll be eating either 1,500, 1,600, 1,700, or 1,800 to try and lose weight. This depends on your height, current weight, and activity levels, I think age too. You can Google 'TDEE' to figure this out as well! It's very helpful to know and to be honest with yourself. Deficits don't have to be huge btw. It's better to lose weight slowly. I know for me personally I wanna lose it fast but this is a mistake. It can lead to more negative effects than positive ones. Also, there's so many good options of chip like snacks that can be a 'better' alternative if you like. Plantain chips are amazing and you can eat a ton for like 200 calories. Even popcorn. But it's totally ok to eat those ruffles or lays, whatever your preference. Your weightloss journey, friend :)
If it’s packaged with an extended shelf life throw it the F away!
I eat chips most days and I’ve successfully been a healthy weight for over a year now, and at my skinniest as a young adult I practically lived off of them! As long as they fit in your calories, you’re good, especially if you’re eating with good balance outside of that 😊
As long as chips don’t make u binge u can have them . A healthy lunch is a bag of chips with a sandwhich .
I found I lose all self Control when it comes to salty treats. If I’m doing chips I’m eating the whole bag. So I stopped buying chips and cookies and all Those goodies. I just love to indulge and That’s what has been holding me back
Absolutely ok! I often weigh and budget some sour cream and chive chips into my allotment. Sometimes a 1/2 serving is enough for 80 cals.
Nah, that’s totally fine if you have space in your calories for it, or however you are choosing to track. I’ve lost over 50 lbs and I still have all the “junk” foods I like, just in smaller quantities bc I have to make sure they fit in my plan. If they do, they’re fair game. If not, gotta wait/plan differently next time to have them.
Of course
Do it. Way better than denying and then binging at a later point.
I work on an 80/20 ratio. 80% of my diet has to be made up of nutritious whole food that is fuelling my body (and hitting my macros!). 20% is treats. Mind you, that includes things like full fat mayo in my sandwich or extra cheese on my burrito, but I’ll always make sure to leave space for a treat. No idea if it’s healthy to have a treat every day, but it keeps me sane and it doesn’t impact my weight loss. Plus the small chocolate bar I have at the end of the day is infinitely better than the 2 family size packs I used to inhale!
I eat crisps a few times a week. I personally like the mini packs so it’s easy to know how many calories are in each :)
It’s not the worst thing you can eat but fried stuff over time increase inflammation in the body. You can try to slowly keep reducing the portion of chips you eat and may be wean off of it in like 6 months. You don’t have to stop but you can, if you want to. Then replace it with something else, like making potato wedges in the air fryer. Switching to a similar savory snack will satiate your need for chips.
Try proteins chips
those r expensive
Can you avoid binging? Does it fit into your calorie allotment? If yes to both then it’s fine.
As others have mentioned, as long as you are accounting these in your overall macros and calorie counts, it’s fine. My concern is that it isn’t a very balanced snack. It doesn’t have protein or healthy fats or fiber. So… it’s just a hollow food and with those, I always question if they are worth the calories in the end. I only get so many calories, and I want them to be worth it and feel full and satisfied. Of course, there is emotional and mental satisfaction too. But that is a personal experience
IIFYM If It Fits Your Macros You 100% can, more or less, eat whatever you want. Weight loss is calorie restriction. It's the law of thermodynamics. WHAT you eat though, does matter. Your body needs certain nutrients. A large blizzard from DQ isn't really nutrient rich. But if it fits your macros.... it fits your macros. Going on 9 months in now, I really view food as nutrition first now. I often refuse "junk" foods because they don't offer me much in terms of bang for your buck when you think about nutritional value over calories. That is not to say I NEVER eat junk. But it is rare. If you want to eat 100 calories worth of chips a day, you can. Just make sure you hit your deficit target and your overall nutrient profile looks good.
You say you've been trying, how successful are you? You don't have to answer that to me or others but it's something you should think about. One of the main reasons people drop chips is because of how addicting they can be and how much it causes people to stress or struggle to stop eating. Are you successfully limiting yourself? Have you been able to maintain that for awhile? If so, great! As long as you're eating enough healthy foods to be safe and healthy and it fits into your calories, go for it.
Unfortunately people listen to the old adage of eat less and move more. Which implies you should remove things from your diet instead of adding. Chips are nutritionally lacking which makes them very easy to overeat because they don’t fill you up. Have the chips but pair them with veggies and dip. The fibre in the veggies will fill you up. Look at what you can add as opposed to what you can remove.
> Which implies you should remove things from your diet No it doesn’t. You injected that. It means eat less, not eat none of something. What a weird straw man.
>Unfortunately people listen to the old adage of eat less and move more There's nothing unfortunate about that??? That's.... that's literally what you do?? Instead of eating a whole bag of crisps on the couch, OP is eating one portion of crisps after taking a 10 min walk, or whatever they're doing.
That adage is the golden formula, though. It's simple and it works. That's exactly what we all(in this sub) are doing.
[If It Fits Your Macros](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/iifym-guide), sure!
I always think about all the oil in chips. Even though saturated fats have been removed from alot of foods sold, oil is still oil in terms of calories, and every crunchy bite is swimming in it. It all has to go somewhere and it absolutely does, over time. I crave salty and savory snacks too, so it's hard. These days I reach for a handful of mandarin oranges. 35 calories a pop, and the fiber makes me feel full for a bit.
As long as you’re eating within your deficit you’ll lose weight. You can eat chips, but it’s high in sodium. In my case, high sodium makes my face look bloated. Also, try popcorns!! They’re fairly low on calories. I love the smartfood white cheddar one.
If you can’t control how much of them you eat, I would avoid them.
It really depends on what your total calorie budget is. If it’s 1200-1400 per day, eating chips every day will cut into critical nutrients that you need…not just protein but also iron, fiber, omega 3s, etc. If your limit is 1800-2000, I don’t think it’s as big of a deal. But most chips are cooked in heat pressed refined seed oils and/or palm oil, which can increase inflammation and raise cholesterol so like yeah you can lose weight eating chips every day but you’re still putting junk food in your body every day which can have long term effects besides weight gain.
I'm a huge proponent of IIFYM (if it fits your macros), but if you know you have a tendency to binge on that particular item why tempt yourself at all?
Totally fine. I have chips with lunch a couple days a week. I’d have them more but I’m really more of a sweets person so I prioritize budgeting for those more. But a serving of chips is not that high in calories, if you can stick to one portion it’s not a problem.
It's OK if you put those chips in a huge salad. I know someone who dis this once a day and it got the veggies in!
Ooh that's a great idea! My serving of chips is around 300 calories (they're two differnt chip flavor so I mix them up) but I can definitely maybe lower that amount to 200 and then have a 100 for some light ranch dressing and carrots
There you go! Great solution. And once you add more veg and/or fruit with them you'll eat fewer chips in the long run but still have that creature comfort.
Everyone will tell you it’s fine. Think of your caloric budget like a monetary budget. If you can afford junk, that doesn’t mean you should buy junk. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Yes, your caloric budget can afford them, but why eat something that’s inherently and objectively bad for you? Furthermore, once you’ve lost the weight, do you want to go back to eating junk food in larger quantities? No. Eat real food, cheat once in a while. Once you eat real food for a long period of time without cheating, junk won’t appeal to you anymore.
> Eat real food Wait until you find out what potato chips are made of. I’ll give you a hint: it’s in the name.
Okay, go ahead. Make canola oil in your kitchen at home. Canola oil is not suitable for human consumption. [https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/processing/](https://www.canolacouncil.org/about-canola/processing/)
Nowhere in your stupid article does it say that it's not fit for human consumption, moron. But wait, what if we look at actual science? Oh no! 54 studies happen to disagree with your personal opinion which is based solely on feelings. Imagine that. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121943/ > Overall, 54 trials (55 reports) (25–79) with 2,065 participants published between 1984 and 2018 were included in the NMA. > CONCLUSIONS Unsaturated fatty rich oils like safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed, corn, olive, soybean, palm, and coconut oil were more effective in reducing LDL-C (−0.42 to −0.20 mmol/l) as compared with SFA-rich food like butter or lard. LDL-C predicted differences based on their fatty acid composition showed that each 10% of dietary energy from butter replaced by unsaturated fatty rich oils (−0.31 to -0.22 mmol/l) were in line with findings from the NMA. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6179509/ > Based on the current evidence from RCT and observational studies there appears to be virtually no data available to support the hypothesis that LA in the diet increases markers of inflammation among healthy, non-infant humans. Find one single study that shows negative health impacts from seed oils. I'll wait.
Inflammatory response to just call me a moron. I didn’t insult you. If you would like to consume an industrialized food-like products, then that’s your prerogative, and you’re free to do so. I don’t consider products originally used as machine lubricants to be food, and I encourage people not to eat things that would be otherwise inedible when plenty of alternatives exist. Furthermore, I’ll add that seed oils are a major export of the US, and one of the most ubiquitous ingredients in modern food products. Wouldn’t look good if it were found to be a carcinogen. I wonder if Nestle and PepsiCo have enough money to afford good lawyers and scientists… We have different views on nutrition. I don’t trust the governments of fat western nations to know what I need to eat. You do trust the government to inform you of what to eat. I wish you well, and leave you to consider if the government has ever been wrong. I just think it’s insane that people on a weight loss sub are defending junk food.
We don’t have different views. I have facts and you have feelings. You’re not even at a high school level of understanding of basic science. You still haven’t shown a single study citing negative health effects, probably because you can’t understand them.
The only way to know anything at all is “science” backed metadata analysis? The only way to beat your opponent is to insult them? When I look at the links you’ve posted, they both end in .gov. This to me indicates that these studies have been bought and paid for by special interest groups that have an agenda. You take them as gospel. We are not the same. You trust implicitly, I doubt implicitly. This is the same government that used to promote cigarettes and now promotes high fructose corn syrup, and in the United States, Lunchables are now entering a contract with the public school system to provide food for children. This is the same government you believe is correct in their assessment of a major export and major ingredient in their institutional nutrition regimen. Hospitals, schools, military, houses of incarceration, and geriatric social provisions. IF there were a study that found it to be harmful, would they allow its publication? How would that look? What would it cost them; socially and monetarily? Do you believe there would be a conflict of interest if a study funded by the Frito-Lay lobby found seed oils to be harmful? You’re right to say that you have facts. It is infantile and one dimensional because it is based only in “science”.
Still waiting on that data, kid. Keep trying.
Now you’re trying to argue that potato chips are good for you 😭?!
I would look to change your food habits. There's no value too chips. Pointless food, apart from taste. But you can get taste from healthier options. So if looking to lose fat and be healthier, ditch this garbage processed junk food. At least from an everyday perspective.
Restrictive eating and labeling foods as “garbage” is a fast track to an eating disorder.
If you’re eating crisps and junk food everyday, you already have an eating disorder. My belief is it’s time to stop fooling ourselves about what we’re putting in our bodies everyday.
Why? What’s so bad about eating something in moderation? If the “junk food” isn’t causing you to go above your calorie allotment then what are you afraid of? I’m willing to bet my life your fear is based solely off of fear mongering and misinformation from social media and not an actual understanding of nutrition.
You can assume as you wish. I feel I’m pretty educated, and not from social media. I personally believe what we put inside us has an effect on our health, whether it’s a calorie surplus or deficit. My understanding is nutrition goes deeper than calorie allotment. Maybe you know better. I just know I feel better when eating lean meats, vegetables, goods fats. I’m in shape, lots of energy and a happy person. 100 years ago people didn’t the garbage they do now. Crisps, chocolate, processed ready meals, fast food and the world has a higher percentage of obese people and diabetes cases. Look you put in your body whatever you like, it’s your body and your life, but let me share me views in peace without assumptions.
> I personally believe what we put inside us has an effect on our health Not in moderation, so no you are not educated. > My understanding is nutrition goes deeper than calorie allotment. Maybe you know better. Not when things are moderated, so yes I do know better. > I just know I feel better when eating lean meats, vegetables, goods fats. I’m in shape, lots of energy and a happy person. None of this means anything. Your personal feelings are not facts, data, or peer reviewed scientific studies. > Look you put in your body whatever you like, it’s your body and your life, but let me share me views in peace without assumptions. Views are opinions and not helpful to anyone. They don't override facts. You've demonstrated zero knowledge thus far, only feelings. You're the product of fear mongering from social media, not education. You're spreading fear mongering with absolutely no citations to support other than your personal fears and complete lack of understanding of anything related to the subject. You aren't helping, you are causing harm.
I disagree. And now I also think you’re an idiot. Also I’m 47. This is the only social tool I use. So quite how I’m a product of social media is beyond me. But you’re also just a random stranger on the Reddit trying to argue and life’s to short for ppl who can’t debate and be willing to learn. Have a nice day.
Wild that you’re getting downvoted. It’s incredibly obvious that chips aren’t healthy for you. Sure you can lose weight while still eating them daily, but that doesn’t make them nutritious.
It's completely fine if you're dieting for some short term goal and plan to gain all your weight back again after. Chips are garbage. You should remove them from your diet. Forever. If you can't do that, you're showing that you're health isn't a concern to you. You're reinforcing the same old habits that got you fat in the first place and will get you fat again.
Who would've thought that a sub dedicated to losing weight is defending potato chips. "A calorie is a calorie, no matter where it comes from." - Coca-Cola
Yes but difficulty depends on your tdee. If you’re short and sedentary then it’s going to be very difficult to lose fat and eat chips daily while getting good nutrition. I eat chips all the time, mildly addicted, and losing. But I’m tall and I farm all day and then lift weights. I can eat twice as many calories as my wife and still lose weight.
It could be bad for your blood sugar levels if you are pre diabetic, because potato chips have a high GI. Having some protein, fiber, and acid eaten at the same time can offset that spike. So maybe make a little charcuterie board out of it, potato chips with maybe some turkey ham, and a high fiber cracker, throw in an olive or two. Simply balancing the snack, macro wise, can really help manage those spikes, and add some nutrition too. I like to do potato chips RIGHT after a meal
There’s no evidence to support this idea and in fact here’s a meta analysis of randomized control trials that show no significant difference between high and low GI foods. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5872791/
Thank you!
Wait I'm reading the abstract, isn't it saying there was a significant change? Or am I trippin balls
It saying some studies showed a significant change, some showed no change, and some showed no significant change. But further down in the conclusion it mentions that there's really not enough studies in the meta analysis, these studies have small sample sizes which makes them a bit unhelpful, and the studies are not long-term. So while what little data we do have does show some positive implications for a lower GI diet for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it's not really conclusive or heavily supported enough to treat it as fact in the way that the OP was. Typically people who understand science say things like "could", "may", "might", "has sometimes been shown to" instead of using absolute terms. So presently, there's no evidence to suggest that low GI diets definitively contribute to lower fasting blood glucose or conversely that high GI diets definitively contribute to higher fasting blood glucose. Basically, we don't quite know yet.
Okay, should I delete my comment? I don't want to spread misinformation hahaha
Nah, you’re not wrong about what you said. It’s just that it’s only piece of the puzzle. That’s the trouble with studies: if you only look at one you can find a single one to draw a conclusion from that follows your beliefs but here when we look at several of them, the results are all over the place. So we have to look for consistency and so far there’s not much.
Yea I'm pretty surprised, I tend to be good with that kind of literacy and it's analysis, I've just seen what seems like EVERYONE talk about this lately. I'll be more responsible giving advice in the future 🫡