how important is caloric intake in comparison to calories from fat?

[sfasato]

Hi,

I was wondering...with dieting, how important is caloric intake in comparison to calories from fat? I work out several times a week usually, and walk a lot, but I definitely have a sweat tooth, and I'm still working through some bad habits I developed a while back. (I grew up being very thin, but developed anorexia early on in high school, and went in the other direction after I recovered. I never actually became fat, but binge eating has been a consistent problem since then.) I know that realistically speaking, I won't be able to completely give up the foods that I crave most, so I've been keeping my calories within a reasonable limit but then having days where I'll act stupid and have for instance an entire pint of ben&jerrys ice cream, or something like that. I'll think of it as a binge which curbs the need to screw things up in terms of calories also, but lately I've worried that I'll still gain weight even if I handle things that way. I'd really appreciate some advice on that cause I'm in the closet about that stuff.
Oh, and also...sweetener. Sorry to ask two questions at once but is it very bad for you in terms of losing/maintaining your weight? I have this awful suspicion that it might be but its easier to make the right choices if you have confirmation from an outside source.

[Barb135]

I can probably answer both of your questions with one answer.  Sugar is empty calories and I'm sure your Ben & Jerry's has plenty of sugar, along with the fat and yes, over a period of time, you will most likely still gain weight.  

There are ways to allow for the things you enjoy on a regular basis, which could eliminate the need to binge.  If you would like for us to help you with this, we'd be happy to.

[tigerlilly5909]

They say calories are calories but empty calories do not nourish you and leave you craving more, leading you to over eat. I have found that the more I stay away from that stuff the easier it is to keep the cravings under control. I also binge eat and have been trying to get it under control. When I have a bad day I try to start the next off right. It's a delicate balance as you know.

On the artificial sweetener front it's really not very good for you but they say if you limit it to 2 per day and it helps keep your weight under control then fine. Just remember the 2 per day also includes stuff like diet yogurt not just drinks. I try to limit mine but don't do very well. Some people also say artificial sweetener causes cravings for more sweets but I found I do O.K..

[Barb135]

Try Stevia in place of the artificial sweeteners.  Stevia is a natural sweetener; comes from the sweet leaf plant.  It used to be only sold in health food stores, but can now be found in many grocery stores - some sell the brand "Truvia".  Stevia can be used in any recipe for which you'd use sugar; and it doesn't cause the cravings like sugar.  Most stevia also has inulin fiber, so is another plus.

Agave nectar is another good choice for sweetening things.