clean eating or small portions

maewalk0126

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

tracymayo1

I eat whatever I feel like eating.
If I can't do that then I won't stick to this plan.
It has to be something I can do for the rest of my life if I want to be able to keep losing, and then maintain.
If I deprive myself of foods I want/love then what is the point?
I would rather be fat and happy than skinny and miserable if that was the only option.

track the foods you eat properly, and you can have whatever you want as long as you have he calories in your day planned.

CoffeeNCardio

maewalk0126 wrote: »

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

God no. I would have quit ages ago if I couldn't eat what I wanted. I eat what I always ate, with some additions, I just eat considerably less of it and have lost 28lbs this way.

ETA: And I'd give you my left leg if you could find any single definition for what "clean eating" is, because different sources list totally different things they consider to be "clean". Healthy within the context of the individual person's diet is all that matters. That might be kale or macaroni and cheese when you look at it IN CONTEXT.

Spook_Skywalker

It all depends on what your goals are. If you just want to lose weight, then eat whatever you want as long as you're in a caloric deficit. If you want to feel better overall and make sure your body is getting proper nutrition, then try to incorporate more "clean" meals.

Me personally, when I was 330 plus pounds I couldn't just jump into clean eating. I started by eliminating sodas, then cut fast food to a couple times a week, then started eating more veggies, etc. Now, I'm 185 lbs and I eat fairly nutritious meals all through the week and treat myself to one really bad meal every weekend, i.e. In-N-Out, Pizza, Milkshake, etc.

That's just what worked for me. Try different things and see how your body feels after

kommodevaran

It doesn't feel like I have changed much. But in reality, there has been a major overhaul:

I adjusted my portions to normal portions.
I started eating regular meals.
I started eating ordinary foods I really enjoy, instead of alternating between diet foods and junk food.
I started cooking more from scratch, and using more fat and salt.
I started eating more vegetables.
I started eating fruit and nuts more regularly.

I guess it doesn't feel like much because it hasn't been difficult. Changing eating habits was always difficult before.

Clean eating can mean anything, and therefore means nothing.

CoffeeNCardio

More clarifying info: I never had a junk food problem to begin with. I ate pretty much what healthy people all eat, I just ate too much of it. I don't like candy bars but once a yearish, I don't really like cake or cookies all that much. I like green beans. I like fish. I have a natural taste preference for the "healthier" nutrient dense foods, so my situation may be unique compared to yours op.

gothchiq

clean and small. sigh. My calorie allowance is kind of a joke.

emilysusana

Don't think of clean eating in terms of all the things you have to give up. Start with substitutions, improvements of the quality of your food where you can. These foods will keep you satisfied, so treats can be treats. You can enjoy them. Portion control is a good strategy for lowering calorie intake, but it is hard if you're just eating the same foods as always, only less.

For me, moving to a cleaner diet meant I got to spend more time discovering healthy ingredients, preparing meals, and enjoying them. It's not a switch you can (or should) just flip overnight. Now I can't see the point of eating half the stuff I used to eat. It doesn't taste as good, it doesn't fill me up, and it doesn't make me feel as good. This is something I've achieved over the course of several years of trying to change my body and get healthier.

peaceout_aly

maewalk0126 wrote: »

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

IIFYM and snacking on smaller portions throughout the day (every 2-3 hours)

psuLemon

I eat 3 large meals and whatever I want, but I do focus on getting whole foods.

jadorade91

maewalk0126 wrote: »

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

I actually tried to dive into "clean eating" as a form of weight loss earlier this year, and although it was a fun experiment, it resulted more in me binging on the foods I love after days of depriving myself.

I eat what I want to eat, but I make sure that it's a moderate portion and within my calorie range. I still love trying cleaner options--like getting Amy's microwave meals rather than Smart Ones or Lean Cuisine (less preservatives but more expensive), and making fresh meals ahead of time like chicken fajitas and salads. But if your goal is weight loss, start where you are by eating smaller portions of what you love or finding alternates for those things that are lower calorie/healthier.

jadorade91

emilysusana wrote: »

Don't think of clean eating in terms of all the things you have to give up. Start with substitutions, improvements of the quality of your food where you can. These foods will keep you satisfied, so treats can be treats. You can enjoy them. Portion control is a good strategy for lowering calorie intake, but it is hard if you're just eating the same foods as always, only less.

For me, moving to a cleaner diet meant I got to spend more time discovering healthy ingredients, preparing meals, and enjoying them. It's not a switch you can (or should) just flip overnight. Now I can't see the point of eating half the stuff I used to eat. It doesn't taste as good, it doesn't fill me up, and it doesn't make me feel as good. This is something I've achieved over the course of several years of trying to change my body and get healthier.

I agree with this so much! I have spent the last few years incorporating healthier recipes and habits into my life, and every little change has added up! It's crazy looking back and seeing how natural the transition is when you take it slow and don't expect the change overnight.

Philtex

I vote for portion control.

Ready2Rock206

Foods I like at a calorie deficit. So neither?

arose1122

I started out strictly adhering to Trim Healthy Mama... but then I started to mess up here and there. And then I just didn't care. I like pretzels and bread. I like rice and potatoes. I still try to limit highly processed foods for the most part, but if I want it, I eat it. There is nothing more miserable than a person who "can't" have something. Life is too short to worry about a food being "good" or "clean".

cwolfman13

maewalk0126 wrote: »

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

Most successful people make changes here and there over time...they don't generally make sweeping changes overnight.

My diet now is "cleaner" that it was four years ago and I put much more emphasis on whole foods and don't eat much in the way of ultra processed foods...in fact, I can't think of any in particular...that said, portion control is still important...you can eat a diet rich in whole foods and still over eat..."clean" doesn't mean you're eating low calorie or that you can just eat any portions you please...

My diet consists of plenty of calorie dense things...I eat a lot of avocados and nuts and cook with good cooking oils and butter...I eat a lot of potatoes and sweet potatoes and lentils and legumes...all pretty calorie dense whole food nutrition...and the list goes on.

#caloriesmatter

fitoverfortymom

I do both. Like a lot of posters, my diet is definitely moving toward cleaner, but if I want something bad enough, I'll make sure I have enough calories to afford it. I avoid drinking my calories because that's not satisfying for me. I play a game of eating as much as I possibly can but still hitting my calorie target.

Mumu190672

I eat what I like only. I wouldn't be able to stick to any diet but mine.
At first I reduced the portions of everything including the sugar in my black coffee.
At first I banked some calories for my chips snacks but after a while I realised I could replace this snack by something else I like but not addictive like chips.
Now after 52 days on mfp I drink my coffee black without sugar and if I put sugar by mistake I don't like the sweet taste anymore.
I don't eat chips anymore.
Overall I reduce the portions of food high in calories but I add extra food low in calories to keep my stomach full.
The result is I tend to eat more vegetables and fruits that I used to.
But in the in the end you need to find what works for you.

BrianSharpe

maewalk0126 wrote: »

What did you find success with? Did you have to dive into clean eating, and it worked for you? Or did you eat the same with smaller portions? Myself, I think I'm going to do the smaller portions and try to eat healthier but not clean eating.

Define clean eating....... google Twinkies diet. You'll have your answer!

kshama2001

What worked best for me is tweaking macros and types of carbs - with more protein (and fiber), and less carbs from foods made from flour, I am able to eat less and maintain a calorie deficit.

My diet consists mainly of whole foods anyway. I think some of the clean eating rules are silly.

lemurcat12

I always ate mostly whole foods and lots of nutrient-dense foods like vegetables. I just ignored portion size and cooked with more olive oil or butter than I needed and I would mindlessly eat at times (typically at work).

So I fixed those issues.

I don't think of food as "clean" or not, but I think my diet was pretty "clean" before, so what I did wasn't really about "cleaning it up." I am nutrition conscious and I think focusing on nutrition as well as calories (or portions) helps and for me is motivating.

ChristinaOrr65

I think that you should eat as clean as possible because it will only make you feel better and be healthier overall, but maybe instead of just eating smaller portions, you should eat the foods you like within your macros. I have had great success with that and never feel like I am depriving myself of anything that I want. Also, planning you meals ahead of time, especially in the beginning, makes it easier to make sure you are hitting your macros and not overeating.

lmew91

I was amazed by what food I love, like pasta, that I could incorporate in my diet and still meet my daily caloric goals and macro goals. I've made different meals that are much like what I used to eat, just lightened up and in appropriate portions. Also was pleasantly surprised by how much less I really need to eat, versus how much I was eating before just because I wanted to eat that much. I do try to incorporate more nutritious foods because they make me feel better in the long run, help avoiding bloating which can mask my weight loss, etc. I have found that if I incorporate what some may call "treats" in appropriate portions, like maybe having some Cheez-Its after work, but weighing out a serving or half serving, I don't feel ill or sluggish. But if I go hog wild all day or all weekend and eat copious amounts of rich/greasy/etc food, I'm not going to feel at my optimum.

Aaron_K123

I pick the third option, calorie counting...what the website is designed for.

Jeaniejack

I love the Shred diet! Never get hungry on it!

cerise_noir

#3
Calorie counting. I eat what I like, weigh all foods and stay within my calorie goal.

NewMeSM75

Depends on the person. Some people can't just eat a small portion of something they love. They find they can't stop at that amount. For myself, I do both. I enjoy my vegetables and lean meats but also enjoy a cupcake or soda if I have the calories.

JenHuedy

Trust me, I could overeat and get fat on a "Clean" diet no matter which definition of "clean" you use. Portion control/calorie counting is the way to go - and it works for whatever food you prefer to eat - whether it's the Twinkie Diet or Low-Carb-Paleo-Vegan-Organic-Raw.

Wynterbourne

I count my calories and eat whatever I want as long as the numbers 'add up'. Over a 100 lbs down in 14 months so I'm pretty certain it's working for me. "Clean eating" would reduce my sanity not my weight.

trigden1991

1)I eat in a calorie deficit
2) I try to hit my macros
3) I eat whatever food I want as long as they are in line with points 1 & 2

maewalk0126

Thank y'all so much for your opinions and responses! I think I'm also choosing the small portions. I did see the conflict with the clean eating because every source was different on what it would allow. I also do have an addictive personality, and it might be able to help me with this, however since I am already addicted to junk food I doubt jumping into clean eating it something I could truly be dedicated to after a little while. I'm just so ready for the change, I thought maybe jumping into a whole new diet would be the best way to go, however reading your freedback really gave me an eye opener.