Calories vs. nutrition weight loss

ivyelaine96

My boyfriend and I are losing weight together. I'm approaching it with a more clean eating point of view whereas he's focusing solely on calorie intake. He's hoping to lose 30-40 lbs over the next few months and he's already lost 6 lbs for his first 2 weeks. Do y'all think if he continues with his method he will be able to reach his goal? Or should I push him to eat cleaner too?

jenncornelsen

yup he will. weight loss is all about calories. u could eat pizza every meal and lose if it was in your calories. u might not feel great though

Gska17

I haven't focused too much on clean eating (I eat processed foods in moderation) and am nearly to my goal. I throw some McDonald's in there every month or so because I love it so much, for example.

rosebette

The principle of weight loss is calories in/calories out. For someone with a low deficit, however (say someone on a 1200-1500 calorie allotment), quality of nutrition counts more because to accommodate that pizza or treat and stay under calories, you have to give up something more nutritious. Fortunately (for them, not for us ladies!) guys have a lot more "play" in the calories they're allowed. A big guy could eat 2000 calories a day and still lose; pizza can easily fit into that goal and keep him under, whereas someone my size (5'1.5") would probably be able to eat only one slice and have only green salad for one of my other meals.

By the way, the whole eating "clean" thing is kind of arbritrary. I eat packaged whole wheat pasta, frozen vegetables out of season, etc. I could be eating full-fat butter, 10 ounce steaks from grass-fed cows, real cream in my coffee-- that would be eating "clean," but I could still gain on that diet. Calories matter the most, followed by nutritional density of what you eat.

malibu927

You lose weight by eating less than you burn whether it's from a "clean" diet or McDonalds and pizza.

cyronius

If you focus on calories, you'll lose the weight. As a secondary consideration, look at your weekly nutrient totals and make sure that they're within the recommended limits and you'll also end up eating healthy.

shadow2soul

Yes, he will. Well as long as he keeps to his calories and adjusts them as he loses weight.

I have nothing against "clean" eating. However, it's not for me and I would get extremely annoyed if someone tried to push it on me.

cwolfman13

ivyelaine96 wrote: »

My boyfriend and I are losing weight together. I'm approaching it with a more clean eating point of view whereas he's focusing solely on calorie intake. He's hoping to lose 30-40 lbs over the next few months and he's already lost 6 lbs for his first 2 weeks. Do y'all think if he continues with his method he will be able to reach his goal? Or should I push him to eat cleaner too?

considering weight control is all about calories, he'll be fine. losing weight has nothing to do with whether you're eating "clean"...whatever that means exactly.

I eat a lot of whole foods and lots of fruit and veg and lean protein and healthy fats and whole grains...and I also eat ice cream on occasion and eat pizza sometimes and some of my ingredients that go into my stew or whatever come from a can and I like salmon burgers, etc...none of that has any bearing whatsoever on losing weight.

ASKyle

What everyone else said.

Remember, you can gain weight eating "clean" as well. Weight loss really is all about the calories.

sandryc79

Plus because he is a man he will get to eat more than you and he will probably lose faster.


Yeah. It isn't fair is it? Makes me want to eat dirty.

whmscll

I wouldn't push him to do anything. He is in charge of himself. ENCOURAGE maybe, but really, what he chooses to eat is up to him.

TimothyFish

I expect he'll leave you in the weight loss dust. Ideally, he should eat nutritionally rich foods while losing weight, because he has less food from which to get the nutrients he needs, but in terms of losing weight, it is all about calories.