Would this person lose weight? Sure, if they consumed less calories than they burned.
Would I recommend it? No, because snickers and coke are not satiating yet are very calorie dense. That person would probably end up consuming a lot more calories due to increased hunger, which would lead to weight gain.
Is it optimal? No, because whole foods are better at keeping you full, generally have less calories, and are richer in micronutrients.
So what approach would I recommend? That the majority (~3/4 or more) of your day's calories come from whole foods, and the rest can come from whatever you want. 100% of your food should fit into your goals, however. Junk food is not "free". If you're trying to lose weight, set your appropriate calorie goal for the day and make sure 100% of your food fits within this.
If you're interested, check out [this article](http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-cle...). It has a weightlifting slant, but it's a well sourced article that goes into detail about how 10-20% of your calories can come from processed foods with no ill effects.
The paleo/primal diets are fine, but that line of reasoning behind them is not scientifically valid. If you can provide some peer-reviewed studies that prove otherwise, I'd like to see them.
It's not just a matter of gaining weight. It's also a matter of consuming things our bodies have NOT evolved to digest/use properly. I dunno about you, but I rather not consume those types of food often because they can lead to disease. There's plenty of evidence already out there that proves grains are not meant to be digested by most people.
Would this person lose weight? Sure, if they consumed less calories than they burned.
Would I recommend it? No, because snickers and coke are not satiating yet are very calorie dense. That person would probably end up consuming a lot more calories due to increased hunger, which would lead to weight gain.
Is it optimal? No, because whole foods are better at keeping you full, generally have less calories, and are richer in micronutrients.
So what approach would I recommend? That the majority (~3/4 or more) of your day's calories come from whole foods, and the rest can come from whatever you want. 100% of your food should fit into your goals, however. Junk food is not "free". If you're trying to lose weight, set your appropriate calorie goal for the day and make sure 100% of your food fits within this.
If you're interested, check out [this article](http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-cle...). It has a weightlifting slant, but it's a well sourced article that goes into detail about how 10-20% of your calories can come from processed foods with no ill effects.
The paleo/primal diets are fine, but that line of reasoning behind them is not scientifically valid. If you can provide some peer-reviewed studies that prove otherwise, I'd like to see them.