Honey Bunches of Oats

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

Was wondering if I can eat a bowl of honey bunches of oats for breakfast? Well I know I can but as for the nutrition part I'm asking... Instead of eating 1/3cup of oats if I could do honey bunches of oats...

[--->>405<<---]

it has sugar and is also one of my favorite cereals! depends what ur trying to do. i wouldnt make it something i ate every day instead of oats.. IMO oats are a better source for carbs

[Shsm]

Sure, just fit them into your macronutrients for the day. Your body doesn't think "Oh, Honey Bunches of Oats...lets send those all to fat and send the Old Fashioned Oats all to muscle." That's asinine.

[gbrice75]

Was wondering if I can eat a bowl of honey bunches of oats for breakfast? Well I know I can but as for the nutrition part I'm asking... Instead of eating 1/3cup of oats if I could do honey bunches of oats...

Minnie - honestly? They're not even in the same stratosphere. Oats are a minimally processed naturally occurring grain. The cereal is a highly processed, sugar-laden 'fake' food. If you need to have a bowl of cereal to keep your sanity, go ahead but make sure you're at least fitting it into your macros for the day. But these 2 are most definitely not interchangeable IMHO.

And this is coming from a full-blown cereal junkie.

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

it has sugar and is also one of my favorite cereals! depends what ur trying to do. i wouldnt make it something i ate every day instead of oats.. IMO oats are a better source for carbs

Just want more flavor I guess LoL I'm tryN to get fit... And lose about 25-30 lbs so if this will detour me no thank you... I just figured I'd ask cause I wasn't sure... I'm still NEW to all of this... Thanks so sticking to oats... LoL

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

Minnie - honestly? They're not even in the same stratosphere. Oats are a minimally processed naturally occurring grain. The cereal is a highly processed, sugar-laden 'fake' food. If you need to have a bowl of cereal to keep your sanity, go ahead but make sure you're at least fitting it into your macros for the day. But these 2 are most definitely not interchangeable IMHO.

And this is coming from a full-blown cereal junkie.

LoL yes G seriously.... LoL but not if its 'fake' food than no its ok... If I really wanna lose the weight and keep pushing myself than I'm goiN to suck it up and stick to oats... LoL

[--->>405<<---]

get some sugar free strawberry preserves (smuckers) and stir it into ur oats.. very good!

^^ its also very good in cottage cheese too!

[gbrice75]

LoL yes G seriously.... LoL but not if its 'fake' food than no its ok... If I really wanna lose the weight and keep pushing myself than I'm goiN to suck it up and stick to oats... LoL

lol... it's not going to be the end of the world, but I'll say this - until you really learn how to diet, and somewhat recondition the way your brain associates food with pleasure, etc. I'd probably try and keep these 'allowances' to a minimum. You'll be able to have them again, but for now, I'd try and stay sharp and focused on good, clean eating habits.

How are you eating your oats? I love em' and could eat em' every day.

get some sugar free strawberry preserves (smuckers) and stir it into ur oats.. very good!

^^ its also very good in cottage cheese too!

I second this, been doing it for years. All types of sugar-free spreads work. I've used blackberry, blueberry, apricot, etc.

[Shsm]

Minnie - honestly? They're not even in the same stratosphere. Oats are a minimally processed naturally occurring grain. The cereal is a highly processed, sugar-laden 'fake' food. If you need to have a bowl of cereal to keep your sanity, go ahead but make sure you're at least fitting it into your macros for the day. But these 2 are most definitely not interchangeable IMHO.

And this is coming from a full-blown cereal junkie.

Sorry bout that

[austinite]

that used to be my favorite cereal! With almonds! No more though

[gbrice75]

Read this article, sir.

Something you might find interesting.

1 - posting links to other sites is against board rules. Please edit your post

2 - I'm very familiar with Alan Aragon's work. I agree with some of what he preaches, but i'm not one of his 'blind followers' (not saying you are either) that just accepts everything he says as gospel.

To be honest, this topic has been beaten to death on this board and I really don't feel like rehashing it again. There was a thread a week or two ago where we got into this. Jimmyinkedup might have started it, I can't really remember. I'll try and dig it up.

[gbrice75]

^^ to elaborate briefly - I don't disagree with moderation, depending on the goal at hand. However when we're talking about somebody who is fairly new to dieting, with ambitious goals, who hasn't established 'healthy' eating patterns and behaviors yet, I wouldn't suggest they 'take it easy' early on. Even with that said, note I told the OP that it'd be ok as long as it was fit into her macro needs, however I wouldn't make it a habit. Furthermore, the OP didn't appear to be asking if it was ok to have a bowl, she appeared to be asking if one was an 'on par' substitute for the other. I don't think it is, and I doubt Alan would either.

[Shsm]

With all due respect, I'm just trying to help her as much as you are. I'm sure she'll just fall into the categorized lifter that makes themselves miserable choking down food they despise during the week and binging every weekend thus prohibiting fat loss and in turn gaining weight. It's fine though, she'll come to her senses eventually.

[gbrice75]

With all due respect, I'm just trying to help her as much as you are.

It's fine bro, I wasn't coming down on you.

I'm sure she'll just fall into the categorized lifter that makes themselves miserable choking down food they despise during the week and binging every weekend thus prohibiting fat loss and in turn gaining weight. It's fine though, she'll come to her senses eventually.

Nice attitude ... are you trying to help her here too? Way to be positive for a new dieter.

Nobody is suggesting choking down food they despise. There's plenty of wholesome, nutrient dense food that people enjoy. I'm not just talking about dieting to lose weight/fat. I'm talking about reconditioning our brains with the way we approach food... what's responsible for making most people fat to begin with. Eating sugar cereals this early in her game wouldn't be a step towards that goal.

[Shsm]

Not trying to have an attitude with you, man. I'm just trying to express my point that moderation is key. Despite the fact that she is new to dieting a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats every other day or half of a cup of low fat icecream surely won't affect her progress that much as long as she fits her macros and maintains discipline. I wasn't trying to say Honey Bunches of Oats were superior to oats.

[gbrice75]

Not trying to have an attitude with you, man. I'm just trying to express my point that moderation is key. Despite the fact that she is new to dieting a bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats every other day or half of a cup of low fat icecream surely won't affect her progress that much as long as she fits her macros and maintains discipline. I wasn't trying to say Honey Bunches of Oats were superior to oats.

For the most part, I agree with you. We both gave her the same advice - fit it into your macros. I just went on to share my thoughts as, again, I took her question to be 'can I substitute oats with Honey Bunches Of Oats for breakfast', not 'is it ok to have a bowl of cereal once in a while'. 2 very different things IMO.

Again, I'm less concerned with how it would affect her progress (it likely wouldn't) and more concerned with unhealthy eating patterns, how people relate to food, etc.

Timing here is actually perfect, because I was just chatting with one of my mentors (he'll remain unnamed unless he wants to be credited here) on his board and something similar came up. Although the following is regarding the question 'should you cheat on your diet?' - I believe it still has some relevance to this topic:

1. Cheat meals are not 'necessary'. Psychologically, the gratuitous act of rewarding 'good eating' with 'bad food' creates a negative relationship with food. Further, as it takes 21 days to create a new behavioural pattern in humans, side-stepping a fixed eating plan once/twice per week, and thus breaking the behavioural pattern of adherance, negatively affects the process. Cheating begets Cheating.

[Shsm]

For the most part, I agree with you. We both gave her the same advice - fit it into your macros. I just went on to share my thoughts as, again, I took her question to be 'can I substitute oats with Honey Bunches Of Oats for breakfast', not 'is it ok to have a bowl of cereal once in a while'. 2 very different things IMO.

Again, I'm less concerned with how it would affect her progress (it likely wouldn't) and more concerned with unhealthy eating patterns, how people relate to food, etc.

Timing here is actually perfect, because I was just chatting with one of my mentors (he'll remain unnamed unless he wants to be credited here) on his board and something similar came up. Although the following is regarding the question 'should you cheat on your diet?' - I believe it still has some relevance to this topic:

1. Cheat meals are not 'necessary'. Psychologically, the gratuitous act of rewarding 'good eating' with 'bad food' creates a negative relationship with food. Further, as it takes 21 days to create a new behavioural pattern in humans, side-stepping a fixed eating plan once/twice per week, and thus breaking the behavioural pattern of adherance, negatively affects the process. Cheating begets Cheating.

Cheat meals were another topic I was going to bring up. I did it, you did it, Phil Health does it, we all do it. Unless she has the mental fortitude of a Navy SEAL when it comes to dieting (which is extremely unnecessary for her goals I'm sure, which are probably just to look good or health and longevity), she is bound to cheat.

Sure, there are plenty of great wholesome foods one could incorporate into their diet, but then there is reality. Not everyone has time in their schedule to set apart a couple of hours to prepare all of this wholesome, good tasting food. I don't, and I'm sure she works just like most which would be an indicator she probably doesn't either. That means I have to choke down chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli, oats, etc just because they are so easy and fast to prepare. This is what causes us to incorporate "cheat meals". We get so tired of eating the same shit every single day and say enough is enough and give in. What is the point when you could achieve the same results whilst incorporating foods that are easy to prepare or you can buy prepared, and fit them into your macros and enjoy them and enjoy life? I'm sure everyone would opt for this option.

[bikeral]

Hey Minnie

How long have you been dieting?
What were you eating for breakfast before you started dieting?
Have you calculated your daily required macros to reach your goals?
Does the bowl of Honey Bunches of oats fit into your daily calories/macros?

As a rule of thumb when cutting or attempting to lose weight I avoid all simple carbs which includes sugar, bread, pasta etc. However I did not get to this stage over-night. First step I stopped drinking any calories and stuck with water. Next step I replaced things like burgers and pizza for lunch with a turkey sandwich or similar. What I am trying to say is that you don't need to go from eating high sugar, high fat foods to eating a strict diet. At first just replacing really bad choices with better choices makes an easier transition. As you progress you will continue to make changes and get stricter with diet. That is why I ask how long you have been dieting and what you used to have for breakfast.

So back to your question

Can you substitute a cup of Honey Bunches of Oats for a cup of plain oatmeal?... Not the same calories and macros, so no.
Can you eat a cup of Honey bunches of Oats for breakfast? I would not recommend it due to the sugar content but if you used to eat Fruit loops which has 13grams of sugar then I guess if it fits in you calories/macros it is better.

Some other suggestions

Sugar free jam added to oats tastes pretty good like 405 said. I also like chocolate protein powder in my oats.

Hope this helps.

[Myers]

I'm cutting atm aswell,i allowed myself 1 cheat meal in a 3 weeks,after i ate it i felt like sh.t like i went against myself and my beliefs + i felt very tired that day..so i decided that i will never again do a single cheat meal while i'm cutting, and i felt a lot better(had a bit of sanity problems,but they went off after some time). The key to me was,every time i want to eat something bad(chocolate cake,pizza etc..) i imagine how it looks,i imagine the taste of it,and i lose the need for it after that. That kinda worked for me,u can try it out might work out for ya too. GL

[gbrice75]

Cheat meals were another topic I was going to bring up. I did it, you did it, Phil Health does it, we all do it. Unless she has the mental fortitude of a Navy SEAL when it comes to dieting (which is extremely unnecessary for her goals I'm sure, which are probably just to look good or health and longevity), she is bound to cheat.

Sure, there are plenty of great wholesome foods one could incorporate into their diet, but then there is reality. Not everyone has time in their schedule to set apart a couple of hours to prepare all of this wholesome, good tasting food. I don't, and I'm sure she works just like most which would be an indicator she probably doesn't either. That means I have to choke down chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli, oats, etc just because they are so easy and fast to prepare. This is what causes us to incorporate "cheat meals". We get so tired of eating the same shit every single day and say enough is enough and give in. What is the point when you could achieve the same results whilst incorporating foods that are easy to prepare or you can buy prepared, and fit them into your macros and enjoy them and enjoy life? I'm sure everyone would opt for this option.

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not a 'clean food' nazi. A few years ago I was. I was a slave to the kitchen, eating the same old bland chicken breasts, etc. When I wasn't eating food, I was busy thinking about it, planning meals, etc. I agree 100% that dieting doesn't have to be awful. It shouldn't be. Having said that, I don't agree with the minimalist approach either, which is what I feel Alan Aragon and many (most) of his 'followers' adhere to.

I feel like we're going in circles at this point. I've pointed out that we both more or less gave her the same advice - eat the cereal but make sure you fit it into your macros, so i'm honestly not sure what you're going on about. My issue wasn't about the cereal but more over the fact you threw Alan Aragon at me as if I've never heard of him which is insulting for one, and secondly, I tend to get annoyed when people cite him as the be all end all with regard to nutrition.

[Shsm]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not a 'clean food' nazi. A few years ago I was. I was a slave to the kitchen, eating the same old bland chicken breasts, etc. When I wasn't eating food, I was busy thinking about it, planning meals, etc. I agree 100% that dieting doesn't have to be awful. It shouldn't be. Having said that, I don't agree with the minimalist approach either, which is what I feel Alan Aragon and many (most) of his 'followers' adhere to.

I feel like we're going in circles at this point. I've pointed out that we both more or less gave her the same advice - eat the cereal but make sure you fit it into your macros, so i'm honestly not sure what you're going on about. My issue wasn't about the cereal but more over the fact you threw Alan Aragon at me as if I've never heard of him which is insulting for one, and secondly, I tend to get annoyed when people cite him as the be all end all with regard to nutrition.

Fitting the cereal into her macros and having them in moderation is probably the only conclusion we can come to here.

I can assure you I wasn't trying to offend you. I simply brought up that article as it contained everything I was going to bring to the table regarding the "clean" vs. "dirty" foods debate.

[--->>405<<---]

in the beginning establishing a good commitment to your diet and proper food choices is very important IMO.. the IIFYM approach is lackadaisical IMO and inferior. i believe it can be applied on occasion for variety but should not be utilized as a rule.

[gbrice75]

To get back on topic - the OP seemed to be wondering (at least the way I read it) whether or not a cereal such as Honey Bunches Of Oats is interchangeable/on par with oats - and I will maintain that IMO, it is not - for all the reasons stated previously.

A snickers bar is basically carbs and fat. So are oats and fish oil. Are they on par?

[gbrice75]

in the beginning establishing a good commitment to your diet and proper food choices is very important IMO.. the IIFYM approach is lackadaisical IMO and inferior. i believe it can be applied on occasion for variety but should not be utilized as a rule.

^^ THIS is all I was getting at. Thank you 405 for articulating what I could not. Forgive me, I'm on day 1 of my spring cut and i'm foggy as hell, lol. It's all that damn bland chicken breast and plain brown rice.

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

get some sugar free strawberry preserves (smuckers) and stir it into ur oats.. very good!

^^ its also very good in cottage cheese too!

That's a good idea thanks!! I will have to start doin this!!

[GirlyGymRat]

That's a good idea thanks!! I will have to start doin this!!

I like 405's suggestion. I dunno about the cereal. I am a pretty simple person and if I still have the same food in the pantry then I tend to eat what I like. Just too tempting in the beginning. I had to remove Peanut butter. Couldn't keep out of it. After 2 years I am able to have a small jar of almond butter but I don't keep one year round. I am weak and don't want to fall back into bad habits.

[FONZY007]

Minnie - honestly? They're not even in the same stratosphere. Oats are a minimally processed naturally occurring grain. The cereal is a highly processed, sugar-laden 'fake' food. If you need to have a bowl of cereal to keep your sanity, go ahead but make sure you're at least fitting it into your macros for the day. But these 2 are most definitely not interchangeable IMHO.

And this is coming from a full-blown cereal junkie.

She knows they both are not the same, she put it on the grocery list so I was like really!! Lol

So I said throw the question up on the forum for feedback..

For a cheat here and there probably ok, but like GGR stated if they are there too look at she might eat more than just a cheat..

For example I love chips, haven't ate any in awhile. I open my pantry and there are 3 bags up there..

[gbrice75]

She knows they both are not the same, she put it on the grocery list so I was like really!! Lol

So I said throw the question up on the forum for feedback..

And look what you started... bahahahaha!!

For a cheat here and there probably ok, but like GGR stated if they are there too look at she might eat more than just a cheat..

For example I love chips, haven't ate any in awhile. I open my pantry and there are 3 bags up there..

This was exactly what I was getting at. I don't think a bowl of cereal would hurt her progress, physically. Psychologically however, for a person trying to break bad habits and form new good ones, it's another story.

Once people are seasoned dieters and feel they have control over themselves, that's when I think switching to more of an IIFYM type plan is ok. Definitely not in the beginning.

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

She knows they both are not the same, she put it on the grocery list so I was like really!! Lol

So I said throw the question up on the forum for feedback..

For a cheat here and there probably ok, but like GGR stated if they are there too look at she might eat more than just a cheat..

For example I love chips, haven't ate any in awhile. I open my pantry and there are 3 bags up there..

Next time I wnt listen to you since u got everyone goiN on this LoL... JK!! But it's good to know for my own self about all these things!!

[gbrice75]

Next time I wnt listen to you since u got everyone goiN on this LoL... JK!! But it's good to know for my own self about all these things!!

Yep, ask any time. Debating is how we all learn more.

[MiNNiE_MOUSE]

Yep, ask any time. Debating is how we all learn more.

LoL ok Thanks