Junk food and weight loss

The question that most people ask, can you eat junk food regularly and still lose weight? The short answer is yes, but the correct answer is with difficulty.

The basic principle of weight loss is simple, you must consume less calories than your body uses to put yourself in a negative energy balance, or calories deficit as it is better known. The energy you don’t get from food will be taken from your fat and muscle stores.

The key to actually doing this is to have strategies to make being on a calorie deficit easier. One of the most common errors when trying to lose weight is not understanding a few basic weight loss principles, by following these basic guidelines you can keep fuller for longer and you will still feel great whilst in calorie deficit.

• Include protein, fat and carbohydrate in every meal.
• Consume enough protein. (Ensure 2g protein per 1kg of body weight. E.g. 60kg person = 120g protein per day. This should mainly be from food, but you can supplement with Ultra Protein)
• Eat at least 30g of fibre per day.
• Mainly consume wholesome, natural foods.
• Avoid junk and processed foods.

Whilst you could in theory eat junk food regularly and lose weight it will make the process more difficult and its also important to remember if you are making positive steps to make yourself leaner you should also be making yourself healthier.

Junk food is packed with preservatives, artificial sweeteners and it is generally high in salt and sugar as well as being low in fibre. For many reasons this will not keep you feeling full for a long time and the result will be feelings of hunger when in calorie deficit. This will inevitably lead to you eating more than you require and failing to lose weight. This is not to say that you can’t have this food, but consuming it will make it harder for you to lose weight. Junk food is also generally low in vitamins and minerals as the processing strips these from the food.

Just like anything in life, its ok to have junk food occasionally and in moderation, but you do have to be cautious that having these foods doesn’t cause you to relapse into eating this food and going off your plan.

Eating meals that are made from natural ingredients with protein, healthy fats, carbohydrate and fibre will keep you feeling fuller for longer and make it easier for you to consume the correct number of calories as it will fill you up.

Ultra Complete is perfect to have as a meal in times when for convenience you may normally reach for junk/processed food. It has a high protein content, is made from high quality natural ingredients, has just the right amount of healthy fats and slow release carbohydrates as well as being packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre. It is a great alternative for a lunch to a ‘meal deal’ from the local shop and will help keep you fuller and make sure your body gets all the nutrients you need. Ultra Complete is also available in plant-based as well as whey protein to suit your dietary needs.