Trying to lose weight by eating organic only
Tracyramos1220
Posts: 66 Member
All of my life, I have had digestive issues (once a week bowel movements). I would classify my eating as normal (not too bad/not too healthy). After birthing 9 children and reaching the ripe old age of 50, this year’s resolution revolves around making better food quality choices by eating 90% calories from organic foods/drinks (I chose something that I felt like I could stick to and this was the easiest one that I could think of). I will keep sweets and starchy carbs to a minimum. Has anyone here successfully lost weight by just switching to organic foods?
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Replies
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Whether or not something is organic has no bearing on weight loss. Weight loss is 100% caused by a consistent calorie deficit.73
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To lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Organic food generally does not have any less calories than it's norm counterpart. So if moving to organic means that you will naturally eat lower calorie foods than you did before, that may be a recipe for success. However simply eating the same foods you did before, but eating the organic version, will not cause any weight loss.27
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That makes sense. Thanks for your comments.
There were two ideas behind my rule of thought. 1. I was hoping by eating organic and less chemicals/pesticides in the foods, it would help me utilize more nutrients and less strain on my body to try and digest things quicker. 2. With as expensive as organic foods are, I thought I would naturally eat less so I won’t spend as much. 😂😂😂
I appreciate your comments.
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Tracyramos1220 wrote: »That makes sense. Thanks for your comments.
There were two ideas behind my rule of thought. 1. I was hoping by eating organic and less chemicals/pesticides in the foods, it would help me utilize more nutrients and less strain on my body to try and digest things quicker. 2. With as expensive as organic foods are, I thought I would naturally eat less so I won’t spend as much. 😂😂😂
I appreciate your comments.
To your first point:
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/science-sushi/httpblogsscientificamericancomscience-sushi20110718mythbusting-101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/
(I have not looked at each of the studies attached to this nor read the entire article, I just thought it was an interesting read regarding several of the myths related to organic farming)
As for the second point, you might be right there! And that could lead to a calorie deficit, which causes the weight loss.
I hope you are able to find more of the balance you are seeking.10 -
Like others have said, organic will not help you lose weight. It will decrease the amount of chemicals you ingest which is great.8
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I agree with the previous posts. I personally buy produce from the Dirty Dozen list. Example: Apples. I personally can taste the difference in organic personal size watermelons. In my experience I found the watermelons to be sweeter (or maybe it was because it was local).5
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Instead of something which is guaranteed to have zero effect on weight loss or digestion and will 100% fail, why not try a couple of things that might work?
1) set up a weight loss goal in MFP, log your meals, and eat within the calorie goal it gives you.
2) Eat higher fiber foods, making sure to also get a adequate amount of healthy fats. Don’t guess whether your diet is “normal,” track the macros and nutrients which are important to digestion. You might also consider a magnesium supplement.
3) See a doctor about your bowel habits. If this has been going on your whole life it may be normal for you, but a good doctor should be able to advise.
Pesticides don’t cause slow stomach motility.
Also, cutting back on starchy carbs sounds like a terrible idea, since most high fiber foods are also starchy carbs.18 -
Eating less chemicals could decrease risks for certain diseases, though, generally speaking, our food supply is quite a bit safer today as compared to previous centuries and millennia. And even more so when you consider how far our food travels!
Digesting food faster makes me ready to eat more food sooner... which, for me, defeats the whole premise of trying to keep myself fuller for longer with less calories so that I can control my caloric intake and manage my weight.
I suppose that if I were a chronic under-eater because of digestive issues, then I would want to digest faster and more easily so that I could eat more--however my personal problem has always been in the other direction so my focus is in ingesting less calories, not more!
Anything that is not FAT is WATER WEIGHT. Even though water weight shows up on the scale... it is not fat! While controlling calories can help one manage fat, it won't directly help them manage water weight.
Nutrients can be quite important for one's body, especially one that has been called to do as much as yours. A focus on healthy eating and nutrients might be of benefit to you; but, again that will only have indirect effects on controlling your calories.
Starchy carbs are interesting to consider. For example, I over-eat white bread and Panettone because I find them both quite tasty and not very filling. But while the 1,000,000,000 Calories in the 160g of Panettone this morning barely lasted till noon, the 130Cal for the 170g of boiled sweat potato I also ate today was much more filling! I note that most of the calories in Panettone are from fats, not carbs, but that's another story.
The point is that not all starchy carbs are the same and in fact normal potatoes (especially baked or boiled in water as opposed to oil) are quite filling for their calories--for myself and quite a few other people. Not to mention that a lot of starchy carbs also have fiber and other healthy nutrients you may want to benefit from.
I would definitely log my food to ensure that I was getting enough fat and fiber in my diet. Assuming I was, then I would visit my doctor and discuss my bowel issues to ensure that all is functioning as well as can be expected given the circumstances.
If I were barely overweight or near normal weight I would only consider -250 and -500 deficits.11 -
I've lost weight by going organic and whole food because it limits my eating out at restaurants and certain food types, I also have less bloat.
Regarding less strain on the body, organic is likely better since it is supposed to be less processed / preserved. There are some neat pillcam videos that compare food. I couldn't find it but I remember seeing one that even shows how sport drinks were hard on the body when compared with their fresh alternatives.
Ramen Noodles: Processed vs Fresh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlNv2Au-Lg
Organic doesn't mean that a product is less processed. You can get all sorts of things organic today, including ultra-processed foods like cheese crackers. If the goal is to eat less processed foods, it makes more sense to choose a non-organic apple over an organic sports drink.
I'm a big believer that someone should choose a goal that is their actual goal: so if the goal is less processed, why not make that the goal instead of something abstract like organic status?24 -
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I've lost weight by going organic and whole food because it limits my eating out at restaurants and certain food types, I also have less bloat.
Regarding less strain on the body, organic is likely better since it is supposed to be less processed / preserved. There are some neat pillcam videos that compare food. I couldn't find it but I remember seeing one that even shows how sport drinks were hard on the body when compared with their fresh alternatives.
Ramen Noodles: Processed vs Freshhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlNv2Au-Lg
Organic =/= less processed. A processed food made from organic ingredients, like ramen noodles, is still a processed food. If you want to reduce chemical pesticides and fertilizer residue in your diet, then eat organic. An argument could be made for higher nutrient density due to the soil quality of organic farms for produce. But the processed vs. non-processed example just doesn't apply. Almost all food except fresh fruits and veggies are processed in some way.
OP, I worked in the organic food industry for a number of years as a chef. Organic food doesn't have any impact on weight loss in and of itself. It's still about energy density, no matter how the food was produced. If it's more expensive and that causes you to eat less, great. But one for one, x amount of organic food and conventional food will have the same energy density.14 -
@Tracyramos1220
Try reading this thread. It's all you need to get started.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p18 -
I didn’t think it was possible to drink a gallon of milk in an hour. Now my eyeballs are telling me that it is possible to chug a gallon of EGGNOG in under a MINUTE. #anythingispossible2
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I grow organic vegetables, as does my mother, as did my grandfather. None of us do/did this for weight loss.janejellyroll wrote: »I've lost weight by going organic and whole food because it limits my eating out at restaurants and certain food types, I also have less bloat.
Regarding less strain on the body, organic is likely better since it is supposed to be less processed / preserved. There are some neat pillcam videos that compare food. I couldn't find it but I remember seeing one that even shows how sport drinks were hard on the body when compared with their fresh alternatives.
Ramen Noodles: Processed vs Freshhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlNv2Au-Lg
Organic doesn't mean that a product is less processed. You can get all sorts of things organic today, including ultra-processed foods like cheese crackers. If the goal is to eat less processed foods, it makes more sense to choose a non-organic apple over an organic sports drink.
I'm a big believer that someone should choose a goal that is their actual goal: so if the goal is less processed, why not make that the goal instead of something abstract like organic status?
Right, Newman's makes their version or Oreos with organic flour and sugar. At 130 calories for two cookies (if you can stop at two, which is not possible for me ) you'd be better off from a weight loss perspective eating a non-organic clementine orange. The ones I've been getting are around 60 grams, so 32 calories. One clementine satisfies me; two Newman O's do not. YMMV.
@Tracyramos1220 perhaps you might find eating more whole foods and less hyper-palatable/ultra-processed foods helpful. You might find whole foods more filling for the calories.
For the EWG Dirty Dozen foods, I buy organic, local, or grow my own: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php
I've also recently switched to organic flour for baking, but from a weight loss perspective I'd definitely be better off eating non-organic fruit.10 -
Awesome advice! You all have interesting perspectives and I appreciate all of the knowledge you shared. Thanks for all of the advice!13
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I would also put out there: WHAT DOES YOUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL RECOMMEND? We're really just random people out here on the Internet, and your go to person should be your doctor, medical specialist, nutritionist, etc. While we might offer a good dose of common sense, we aren't medical professionals.3
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One other thing to keep in mind about organic: organic does NOT mean free of herbicides and pesticides, it means that what is used is made from things found in nature (plants, animals, minerals) and some of them are just as bad as the lab made ones.
If you want to reduce the herbicides and pesticides you ingest, search out locally grown small farms. Sign up for CSA boxes, check out farmer's markets and roadside stands, many grocery stores have sections for locally sourced produce, or if you have the space, grow your own. Many of these small farmers cannot afford to go through the process of getting certified organic, but they grow their produce with minimal additives.14 -
I've lost weight by going organic and whole food because it limits my eating out at restaurants and certain food types, I also have less bloat.
Regarding less strain on the body, organic is likely better since it is supposed to be less processed / preserved. There are some neat pillcam videos that compare food. I couldn't find it but I remember seeing one that even shows how sport drinks were hard on the body when compared with their fresh alternatives.
Ramen Noodles: Processed vs Freshhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlNv2Au-Lg
There are all kinds of highly processed foods that are organic. Organic doesn't mean it's a whole food. If eating more whole foods is the goal then it really makes no difference whether it's organic or not.9 -
Eating less chemicals could decrease risks for certain diseases, though, generally speaking, our food supply is quite a bit safer today as compared to previous centuries and millennia. And even more so when you consider how far our food travels!
Digesting food faster makes me ready to eat more food sooner... which, for me, defeats the whole premise of trying to keep myself fuller for longer with less calories so that I can control my caloric intake and manage my weight.
I suppose that if I were a chronic under-eater because of digestive issues, then I would want to digest faster and more easily so that I could eat more--however my personal problem has always been in the other direction so my focus is in ingesting less calories, not more!
Anything that is not FAT is WATER WEIGHT. Even though water weight shows up on the scale... it is not fat! While controlling calories can help one manage fat, it won't directly help them manage water weight.
Nutrients can be quite important for one's body, especially one that has been called to do as much as yours. A focus on healthy eating and nutrients might be of benefit to you; but, again that will only have indirect effects on controlling your calories.
Starchy carbs are interesting to consider. For example, I over-eat white bread and Panettone because I find them both quite tasty and not very filling. But while the 1,000,000,000 Calories in the 160g of Panettone this morning barely lasted till noon, the 130Cal for the 170g of boiled sweat potato I also ate today was much more filling! I note that most of the calories in Panettone are from fats, not carbs, but that's another story.
The point is that not all starchy carbs are the same and in fact normal potatoes (especially baked or boiled in water as opposed to oil) are quite filling for their calories--for myself and quite a few other people. Not to mention that a lot of starchy carbs also have fiber and other healthy nutrients you may want to benefit from.
I would definitely log my food to ensure that I was getting enough fat and fiber in my diet. Assuming I was, then I would visit my doctor and discuss my bowel issues to ensure that all is functioning as well as can be expected given the circumstances.
If I were barely overweight or near normal weight I would only consider -250 and -500 deficits.
There's probably a misunderstanding of semantics here. When you have slowed stomach motility, "faster" is the dream. However, (for me at least) by "faster", I mean something that will digest the same day I eat it. Not within minutes or hours....the same day. I'm guessing the OP feels similarly, given the reported 1BM a week.
As an example, I made a horrific error in judgment yesterday. I caved to a craving and ate a salad around midmorning. Just a bit more than half a bagged Caesar salad with boiled shrimp and a handful of tomatoes added. Flash forward to today and I haven't been able to eat anything since then. A full 24 hours later, my stomach looks and feels like a basketball, I feel distinctly full and am having crazy indigestion. At this point, I'm just hoping I won't have to cancel my lunch plans tomorrow. I suppose the meanings of "slow" and "fast" can be subjective in any sense, but to me, the difference between those terms is vast when it comes to digestion.3 -
I think it is best to start with the least number of eating restrictions you can. The thing that should be obvious but eluded me for a very long time is that weight loss has enough hard parts without adding any that you don't absolutely need. Easier is better. I have my very basic requirements and then I have options that I can choose to do or I can choose to lose on any day they present a hardship for some reason.8
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Many people mistakenly think that organic produce is better for them, since the organic industry has invested lots of $$ promoting the idea that 'regular' produce is laden with chemikills and toxinz, while theirs are as pure as the driven snow.
The truth, however, is an eye-opener.
Most commercially-produced "certified organic" food is regularly sprayed with 'approved' chemicals to control pests and disease throughout its growing cycle. So, basically, the entire organic food industry, imho, is a smoke-and-mirrors hoax that appeals to the misinformed and those people who really like the virtue-signalling opportunity that buying (overpriced) organic produce affords them. ("What? You don't feed your kids organic????")
There's plenty of scientific articles that support the fact that organic is pretty much a money-grab, but here's a layman one that is a good starting point for those who may be interested:
https://www.acsh.org/news/2016/04/21/enjoy-your-organic-produce-and-its-toxic-pesticides
To the OP: Buy organic if that floats your boat. But - as I see you've already realized - weight management is 100% governed by the amount of calories a person consumes in a day. An organic apple and a regular one (of the identical size and type) contain the same amount of calories. 16 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »Many people mistakenly think that organic produce is better for them, since the organic industry has invested lots of $$ promoting the idea that 'regular' produce is laden with chemikills and toxinz, while theirs are as pure as the driven snow.
The truth, however, is an eye-opener.
Most commercially-produced "certified organic" food is regularly sprayed with 'approved' chemicals to control pests and disease throughout its growing cycle. So, basically, the entire organic food industry, imho, is a smoke-and-mirrors hoax that appeals to the misinformed and those people who really like the virtue-signalling opportunity that buying (overpriced) organic produce affords them. ("What? You don't feed your kids organic????")
There's plenty of scientific articles that support the fact that organic is pretty much a money-grab, but here's a layman one that is a good starting point for those who may be interested:
https://www.acsh.org/news/2016/04/21/enjoy-your-organic-produce-and-its-toxic-pesticides
To the OP: Buy organic if that floats your boat. But - as I see you've already realized - weight management is 100% governed by the amount of calories a person consumes in a day. An organic apple and a regular one (of the identical size and type) contain the same amount of calories.
The pesticide in that article is Rotenone, which hasn't been in use in the US for some time.
https://www.ecowatch.com/pesticides-organic-farming-2292594453.html
Debunking 'Alternative Facts' About Pesticides and Organic Farming
Ken Roseboro Mar. 01, 2017
With the growing demand for organic foods in the U.S., there has been a backlash from agribusiness groups, companies and individuals who see organic as a threat to their interests. These critics accuse the organic industry of using deceptive marketing practices to get consumers to pay more money for organic food. Another line of attack has been that organic farmers use lots of pesticides, some of which are more toxic than those used by conventional farmers.
The reality is that some organic farmers do use pesticides but such products are primarily derived from natural substances, go through a strict regulatory approval process to ensure they are not harmful to the environment and human health and are only allowed to be used when other pest control methods aren't successful.
The fact is that the organic farming and food movement is based on producing healthier foods without the use of toxic pesticides.
25 Organic-Approved Synthetic Pesticides vs. 900 Conventional
However, organic farmers, like their conventional counterparts, face challenges with weeds, insects and diseases. To help address those challenges, the National Organic Program allows the use of certain natural-based and synthetic substances as pesticides. The National Organic Program's National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances details about 25 synthetic products that are allowed to be used in organic crop production. These include alcohols, copper sulfate and hydrogen peroxide. By contrast, there are some 900 synthetic pesticides approved for use in conventional farming.
There are also many natural-based substances used as pesticides that are allowed in organic farming. These include neem oil, diatomaceous earth and pepper.
"When you look at the substances themselves and not at the use rates, organic represents the least toxic set of substances," said Nate Lewis, farm policy director at the Organic Trade Association. "The difference is pretty striking."
...One of the most widely spread myths about organic-approved pesticides is that organic farmers use Rotenone, a broad-spectrum insecticide known for its toxicity. While it has been used in the past, the current reality is that the EPA has banned Rotenone for use in the U.S, though Lewis says it is still used in some countries that grow organic bananas. "The NOSB [National Organic Standards Board] has passed a recommendation to prohibit it outright. We are awaiting NOP [National Organic Program] action on that."3 -
Hello! For me, I was unable to jump entirely into losing weight mode while also changing to organic at the same time. Over the past year+ I made incremental changes to my method of eating and the foods I intake. I learned early on I could only be successful by making one change at a time. Now that I am happy with my food intake, I have decided to switch to some organic. I use the following 'Dirty Dozen' list and focus on buying organic for those specific fruits and vegetables. I also do buy canned organic if the price is close to regular foods.[
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
That being said, organic alone will have zero bearing on your weight loss.4 -
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/10/american-council-science-health-leaked-documents-fundraising/
Leaked Documents Reveal the Secret Finances of a Pro-Industry Science Group
The American Council on Science and Health defends fracking, BPA, and pesticides. Guess who their funders are.
...internal financial documents (read them here) provided to Mother Jones show that ACSH depends heavily on funding from corporations that have a financial stake in the scientific debates it aims to shape. The group also directly solicits donations from these industry sources around specific issues. ACSH’s financial links to corporations involved in hot-button health and safety controversies have been highlighted in the past, but these documents offer a more extensive accounting of ACSH’s reliance on industry money—giving a rare window into the operations of a prominent and frequent defender of industry in the science wars.3 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »I've lost weight by going organic and whole food because it limits my eating out at restaurants and certain food types, I also have less bloat.
Regarding less strain on the body, organic is likely better since it is supposed to be less processed / preserved. There are some neat pillcam videos that compare food. I couldn't find it but I remember seeing one that even shows how sport drinks were hard on the body when compared with their fresh alternatives.
Ramen Noodles: Processed vs Freshhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlNv2Au-Lg
There are all kinds of highly processed foods that are organic. Organic doesn't mean it's a whole food. If eating more whole foods is the goal then it really makes no difference whether it's organic or not.
And to add to that, not organic (conventional) doesn't mean it is a processed food. Honestly, when I think about conventional vs. organic, I mainly think about vegetables and fruits.1 -
To me, eating organic and sticking to the Dirty Dozen put out by EWG just makes sense in reducing your chance for lots of conditions as you get older. Also I try to only eat organic, grass fed meats and chicken and lots of sustainable fish. Have been doing this for the past 6 years - But still gain weight - you can over eat organic just like any other food - Now trying to lose 35 lbs - Green juice organic every day - really cleans you out!! Digestion problems should have a DR check. Hope this helps.3
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bluediamond5 wrote: »To me, eating organic and sticking to the Dirty Dozen put out by EWG just makes sense in reducing your chance for lots of conditions as you get older. Also I try to only eat organic, grass fed meats and chicken and lots of sustainable fish. Have been doing this for the past 6 years - But still gain weight - you can over eat organic just like any other food - Now trying to lose 35 lbs - Green juice organic every day - really cleans you out!! Digestion problems should have a DR check. Hope this helps.
What conditions are you referring to?3 -
Pamela_Sue wrote: »Hello! For me, I was unable to jump entirely into losing weight mode while also changing to organic at the same time. Over the past year+ I made incremental changes to my method of eating and the foods I intake. I learned early on I could only be successful by making one change at a time. Now that I am happy with my food intake, I have decided to switch to some organic. I use the following 'Dirty Dozen' list and focus on buying organic for those specific fruits and vegetables. I also do buy canned organic if the price is close to regular foods.[
https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
That being said, organic alone will have zero bearing on your weight loss.
^^^ One of the most measured comments on this thread.
Yeah, the American Council on Science and Health is shilling for private industry. But that does not mean eating organic will help you lose weight. Creating a calorie deficit is what makes you lose weight.
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I could never wrap my mind around “organic”. I live in the country, amongst farmers, some organic. They irrigate their crops from the same water supply. Runoff from fertilizers, etc, go into the water supply they both use. Not to mention the airborne chemicals that are in the air. The pollution that comes down with the rain. Best laid plans. I support the local farmers market, but am dubious about “organic” at the grocery store.10
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missysippy930 wrote: »I could never wrap my mind around “organic”. I live in the country, amongst farmers, some organic. They irrigate their crops from the same water supply. Runoff from fertilizers, etc, go into the water supply they both use. Not to mention the airborne chemicals that are in the air. The pollution that comes down with the rain. Best laid plans. I support the local farmers market, but am dubious about “organic” at the grocery store.
This could be written by me.2
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