Do I have to eat 100% clean to lose weight?

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  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Got it. That wasn't what my post was about.

    I am sorry, what was it about then?

    That IIFYM can mean you must deprive yourself of foods you want, just like any other diet, just in a different manner.

    Typically when people speak about "depriving" themselves of food while they're on a "diet" it means they can't have them, ever, at all. Which is not the case on IIFYM.

    But again, that is the case with clean eating and other styles of dieting.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Got it. That wasn't what my post was about.

    I am sorry, what was it about then?

    That IIFYM can mean you must deprive yourself of foods you want, just like any other diet, just in a different manner.

    Typically when people speak about "depriving" themselves of food while they're on a "diet" it means they can't have them, ever, at all. Which is not the case on IIFYM.

    But again, that is the case with clean eating and other styles of dieting.

    Some other styles yes. Agreed.

    But the post I replied to indicated other diets (not just clean eating) failed because people deprived themselves and gave up and that was not a problem with IIFYM. It can.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    Nm google had the answer - guy lost almost 30lbs and his cholesterol levels improved on a junk food diet over 10 weeks.
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/comments/MY01589_comments/POST=1#post
    Something about putting the genie back in the bottle or unringing a bell.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    Got it. That wasn't what my post was about.

    I am sorry, what was it about then?

    That IIFYM can mean you must deprive yourself of foods you want, just like any other diet, just in a different manner.

    Not really I could go do some exercise and then eat it. With specific food restrictive diets you couldnt have it no matter how many calories you earned or had left over.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Got it. That wasn't what my post was about.

    I am sorry, what was it about then?

    That IIFYM can mean you must deprive yourself of foods you want, just like any other diet, just in a different manner.

    Typically when people speak about "depriving" themselves of food while they're on a "diet" it means they can't have them, ever, at all. Which is not the case on IIFYM.

    But again, that is the case with clean eating and other styles of dieting.

    Some other styles yes. Agreed.

    But the post I replied to indicated other diets (not just clean eating) failed because people deprived themselves and gave up and that was not a problem with IIFYM. It can.

    Anything is possible, yes. But I have literally never heard of/seen someone give up on IIFYM due to "restrictions and deprivation".

    I have, however, seen a lot of posts about people giving up on low carb/paleo/clean eating/etc.

    IIFYM is the closest you can get to a "normal" (read: non diet) lifestyle.
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
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    But the post I replied to indicated other diets (not just clean eating) failed because people deprived themselves and gave up and that was not a problem with IIFYM. It can.

    Again, how? The thought process behind IIFYM is so flexible I can't see how that could happen... unless you are just a very poor planner.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Anything is possible, yes. But I have literally never heard of/seen someone give up on IIFYM due to "restrictions and deprivation".

    There are actually a lot of people that don't want to be bothered with counting macros.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Anything is possible, yes. But I have literally never heard of/seen someone give up on IIFYM due to "restrictions and deprivation".

    There are actually a lot of people that don't want to be bothered with counting macros.

    Ok? "Don't want to be bothered with" and "giving up because I'm deprived" are two VERY different things. :huh:
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
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    Not really I could go do some exercise and then eat it. With specific food restrictive diets you couldnt have it no matter how many calories you earned or had left over.

    Great point...
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 851 Member
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    I've been struggling with this myself. When I first lost weight I ate what I wanted I just fit it into my daily calorie goal. Now I'm pretty much a clean eater I have those days but for the most part I cut out a lot. My concern is when I reach my goal weight will I feel like I can go back to the old eating and if I do will I gain the weight back.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Not really I could go do some exercise and then eat it. With specific food restrictive diets you couldnt have it no matter how many calories you earned or had left over.

    Great point...

    Exercise doesn't give you back your macros. But, I understand the general feel of what you're saying.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,618 Member
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    I believe realistically the only people who ate clean were the people on Gilligan's Island.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    Got it. That wasn't what my post was about.

    I am sorry, what was it about then?

    That IIFYM can mean you must deprive yourself of foods you want, just like any other diet, just in a different manner.

    Is not being able to eat a chocolate bar because you had a craving at 10 pm really the same as not being able to eat a chocolate bar EVER?

    IIFYM is insanely flexible. If you have a craving you can modify your day to allow for it. If it is too late in the day for modification, you can plan to have it the next day. I would hardly call not being able to eat all the foods at any and all times and still be within the perimeters of program "deprivation".
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
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    I've been struggling with this myself. When I first lost weight I ate what I wanted I just fit it into my daily calorie goal. Now I'm pretty much a clean eater I have those days but for the most part I cut out a lot. My concern is when I reach my goal weight will I feel like I can go back to the old eating and if I do will I gain the weight back.

    If your old eating habits bring you over maintenance then yes you will gain it back. When you get to your goal weight, re-access your TDEE and eat accordingly.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    Anything is possible, yes. But I have literally never heard of/seen someone give up on IIFYM due to "restrictions and deprivation".

    There are actually a lot of people that don't want to be bothered with counting macros.

    Because MFP doesn't do that for you....
  • hddeuce1966
    hddeuce1966 Posts: 104
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    I keep wondering if these arguments are simply a matter of viewpoint. If some are arguing in support of how they eat 80% of the time while others are arguing defending what they eat 20% of the time and if in reality, most folks eat pretty similarly, big picture.

    It doesn't matter how you eat 80% of the time or 20% of the time.

    What matters is what it all adds up to at the end of the day.

    Count up the nutrients you've taken in at the end of the day, and if they add up to the right stuff then you're good. If they don't add up to the right stuff you're not good.

    It doesn't matter if you eat 80% clean or 80% "junk" or 80% whatever if your overall total nutrient intake is inappropriate.
  • royaldrea
    royaldrea Posts: 259 Member
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    Ok with this IIFYM thing, can I not go over my protein and under my carbs and be unreasonably pleased with myself?

    If not, should I just try eating in moderation, sticking within a calorie range and not doing anything that will possibly cause me to cry (read: clean eating)?

    Serious question btw.
  • mammamaurer
    mammamaurer Posts: 418 Member
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  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
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    ETA: And nutrients are not ALL that matters to the human body.

    what else matters to the body other than nutrients and movement?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Ok with this IIFYM thing, can I not go over my protein and under my carbs and be unreasonably pleased with myself?

    If not, should I just try eating in moderation, sticking within a calorie range and not doing anything that will possibly cause me to cry (read: clean eating)?

    Serious question btw.

    If the goal is weight loss, just try eating everything in moderation, as you say. Macros play a large part in changing body composition like muscle building. And there's really no such thing as too much protein. You can set your macro levels to whatever you want, but for weight loss, I would just stick to the calorie goal.

    Eating everything in moderation is the underlying principle in IIFYM. Please don't do anything that will make you cry! :flowerforyou:

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