Two weeks into the New Year, the resolution to go on a diet weighs heavy on our minds. After a gluttonous holiday season, many of us have joined gyms and started healthy meal plans to drop the pounds. "Cheat days" seem weeks away, but what if every day could be a cheat day? Can we lose weight without giving up junk food?

In the video, "Lose Weight Eating Nothing But Junk Food?" PictureFit recirculates a story that made headlines in 2010 of a nutrition professor losing weight on the "Twinkie Diet." Mark Haub of Kansas State University ate either twinkies, nutty bars, or powdered donuts every three hours instead of meals. He also munched on Doritos, sugary cereals, and Oreos too. The result? He lost 27 pound in two months.

Haub limited himself to fewer than 1,800 calories a day; a man of his size usually consumes about 2,600 calories daily. He decided to count his calories, and consume significantly fewer calories than he burned. His body mass index went from 28.8, considered overweight, to 24.9, which is normal, and now weighs 174 pounds. His "bad" cholesterol, or LDL, dropped 20 percent; "good" cholesterol, or HDL increased by 20 percent; and he reduced his triglycerides by 39 percent.

Read More: The Effects Of Fast Food On The Body

The professor's weight loss may have been successful, but the diet lacked nutrients.

In terms of macronutrients, junk food consists of heavy amounts of processed sugar and saturated fat — two things that when consumed chronically or in excess have been connected to diseases such as atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. The diet is also missing an abundance of protein, which is the number one macronutrient needed to build any considerable amount of muscle when paired with training.

Vitamins and minerals, although not significant factors in weight loss, are still needed for good health and to prevent malnutrition. Vitamin and mineral deficiency can cause a wide range of health issues, from hypothyroidism to depression. Haub knew this would be an issue, and that's why he supplemented his junk food diet with a multivitamin, a protein shake, and a handful of vegetables.

Most of us are looking to put on some muscle, or lose weight, and get a "lean" look.

In the short term, we may be able to eat plenty of junk food with few negative effects, but it won't work in the long run.

So, yes, we can eat junk food and lose weight, but is it healthy? That's a big, fat "no."

See Also:

How To Eat Healthier Fast Food

Eating Junk Food May Cause You To Lose Your Appetite For Healthier Food Options