Confessions of a recovering clean eater
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IIFYM is awesome! May not be everyone's cup of tea but I like it. One can only eat so many meals of chicken, broccoli and brown rice lol
I just don't get it when it comes to US food customs. " Clean eating " ( which is a stupid term ) and IIFYM have nothing to do with each other. One is all about how we eat and the other is what we eat. I know several people who eat whole foods and also do IIFYM. What's with the premise that in order to live a happy life one has to eat also junk and processed foods and that that is what a " normal " person really wants ?
Eating according to IIFYM does not automatically mean that one eats only " dirty " ( no matter if it's just a bit dirty or really dirty all the way ) and that it is necessary to live a happy and fulfilled life..
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.
Agree totally with your argument, however I doubt there are billions of people who do not want to eat cake. Not least because there are only 7 billion people in the world, and many of them are suffering from malnutrition and therefore have no choice!0 -
IIFYM is awesome! May not be everyone's cup of tea but I like it. One can only eat so many meals of chicken, broccoli and brown rice lol
I just don't get it when it comes to US food customs. " Clean eating " ( which is a stupid term ) and IIFYM have nothing to do with each other. One is all about how we eat and the other is what we eat. I know several people who eat whole foods and also do IIFYM. What's with the premise that in order to live a happy life one has to eat also junk and processed foods and that that is what a " normal " person really wants ?
Eating according to IIFYM does not automatically mean that one eats only " dirty " ( no matter if it's just a bit dirty or really dirty all the way ) and that it is necessary to live a happy and fulfilled life..
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.0 -
Meh. I eat something "unhealthy" every single day. I try to eat unprocessed foods most of the time... my meals don't include any boxed or canned anything, but sometimes you gotta say F it and eat some banana bread. I also don't pay any attention to my "miconutrients" The only things I watch are my calories and my protein. Lol.
your micronutrients matter. take a daily multivitamin with foods that contain fat. add some fruits and vegetables and grains and dairy to your weekly intake. that should cover them. you never really know if you're micronutrient deficient unless you get your blood work done. so anyone who insists that their dietary regimen gives them everything they need, they are really just guessing. lots of vegetarians and vegans have trouble getting certain micronutrients from their foods and are forced to use supplements.0 -
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.0 -
I read the lady's blog from the original post. I can understand why she is so against the diet she was on. She did a very poor job of balancing her diet. She crammed herself into a monotonous corner of the same stuff day after day. Anything would have been better. Dirt, leaves and cow tongue would have been better. Eating healthy isn't something one should have to recover from, but poor dietary balance is. She went from one extreme to the other. I'm not an advocate of the all or none mentality. There needs to be compromise to find a middle ground.0
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I read the lady's blog from the original post. I can understand why she is so against the diet she was on. She did a very poor job of balancing her diet. She crammed herself into a monotonous corner of the same stuff day after day. Anything would have been better. Dirt, leaves and cow tongue would have been better. Eating healthy isn't something one should have to recover from, but poor dietary balance is. She went from one extreme to the other. I'm not an advocate of the all or none mentality. There needs to be compromise to find a middle ground.
If that's an extreme diet, I'm not sure what you think moderation/middle ground is...0 -
If your goal is weight loss then IIFYM is just as good as eating clean. If your goal is health and nutrition then it's completely different.
Educate me then? Everything I've seen and read on here is eat anything you want if it fits in your Protein, Carb, Fat macros or some people think it means just as long as you don't go over your calories. Or I hear a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, it doesn't matter what it is.
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
***no hostility going on here, I'm just learning***
McDonalds burgers don't fit your macros easily, that's the point. If you eat nothing but fast food, you'll be waaaaaaaaay over on carbs and fat before you get enough protein, so it doesn't fit your macros, it's a nutritional fail and you can't eat like that (rare occasions you can and get away with it, but you certainly can't do that day in day out). So the fact you have to fit everything into your macros totally limits how much of the foods clean eaters consider "unclean" you can eat. So if you do IIFYM you can have fast food in moderation, i.e. as much as you can actually fit in your macros, which isn't much, and you have to eat a bunch foods that clean eaters consider "clean" to get your protein levels up while keeping your fat and carb levels low enough to make room for all the fat and carbs in the McDonalds. The goal is you don't go over on fat, carbs or calories, and you don't go under on protein.
The result is you get the right amounts of protein, carbs and fat in your diet, still meet your fat loss (or muscle gain or maintenance) goals same as if you did the whole "clean eating" thing, just that it's a lot more flexible and you have room to include a little of the foods you really didn't want to give up.
And yes, it is important to ensure you're getting sufficient amounts of micronutrients too, although they're not so critical on a day to day basis, but over the course of a week you should be getting the right amount of all the micronutrients too. For that I try to follow the British health service's recommendation of 5 servings of fruit or veg daily, in combination with trying to eat a wide range of fresh fruit or veg (but will freely admit to eating way too many berries and not enough of other fruit... but I eat a lot of veggies too)0 -
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.
Who are these billions of people?0 -
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.
Who are these billions of people?
The starving ones- once their macros are covered by eating donated grain, they can eat all the sand and dirt and flies they want.0 -
in to read later...0
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I do think that people don't have to eat "clean" all the time, I eat only an abundance of fruits and veggies, and sometimes I can have something other than that on reward day. IIFYM is a great thing for some people, only if they do it right. People have been using IIFYM as an excuse to eat tons of nutritionally deficient foods, and thus, most people are doing IIFYM "wrong", in my opinion, IIFYM is only a stable diet for bodybuilders. Also clean eating doesn't have to be boring, and that's why most people switch to IIFYM. If somebody wants to partake in IIFYM, the right way to do it is by eating a paleolithic diet, not the modern american diet. Don't hate on me, this is just my opinion, and if anyone doesn't accept it, just move on.
1. there's a whole world of different diets in between "modern American diet" and "palaeolithic diet" - somewhere in there, there's a happy medium where people can enjoy a varied diet consisting of all the foods that they want to eat, but with careful portion control so they can avoid health problems caused by an excess of certain types of food
2. the "paleo" diet of internet gurus does not even closely resemble any actual palaeolithic diets
3. if confronted with actual palaeolithic foods, most modern people would be too grossed out to actually eat it
4. evolution hasn't stopped; post-neolithic people have evolved the ability to digest post-neolithic foods. This tends to vary according to ethnic group as it's happened in the last 10,000 years and we all share a common ancestor from about 60,000 years ago, but it's happened, and it doesn't make sense for people to avoid foods that they can digest without difficulty, even if someone from a different ethnic group can't digest that particular food. There are better approaches to adjusting the diet to accommodate for food allergies and intolerances than the "paleo" diet.
5. it's impossible to eat tons of nutritionally poor foods on IIFYM, because they don't fit your macros. You go way over on one nutrient (usually either carbs or fat or both) before you get enough protein... therefore **it doesn't fit your macros and you can't eat like that** You can fit a little of whatever you want into IIFYM but in order to actually meet your macro goals on a daily basis, you have to eat mostly foods that clean-eaters would consider "clean".0 -
Get the maximum amount nutrition (macros) with the minimum amount of calories. Fill up the rest (depending on your goals) with whatever you like and have an eye towards variety (for your micros).0
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IIFYM is awesome! May not be everyone's cup of tea but I like it. One can only eat so many meals of chicken, broccoli and brown rice lol
I just don't get it when it comes to US food customs. " Clean eating " ( which is a stupid term ) and IIFYM have nothing to do with each other. One is all about how we eat and the other is what we eat. I know several people who eat whole foods and also do IIFYM. What's with the premise that in order to live a happy life one has to eat also junk and processed foods and that that is what a " normal " person really wants ?
Eating according to IIFYM does not automatically mean that one eats only " dirty " ( no matter if it's just a bit dirty or really dirty all the way ) and that it is necessary to live a happy and fulfilled life..
I understand that IIFYM means " eat whatever you want once your macros are covered ". What about the billions of people on this planet who just don't want to eat crap after their macros are covered, because it's just not part of their food culture and because they enjoy whole foods all the time ?
I could easily do IIFYM and I still would not eat fast food, go to Chipotles or the Olive Garden ( for example ) and eat any kind of processed food. I never have and I am not going to start now.
Very well said.0 -
Thanks, I have been busting my a** to look like this!0
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Sarcasm....lol. Your looking awesome .
Thanks, I bust my a** to look like this.0 -
I liked that article.
Open minded, accepting of other views but putting forward the polite suggestion there may be other ways that can work just as well if not better.
Bravo.
Someone who understood!0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.
I fall into that exact same mentality with forbidden foods. I want them just because they're forbidden. But if I'm allowed to eat them whenever, I can take them or leave them, so can just eat e.g. a couple of squares of chocolate without feeling the need to eat the whole bar ASAP0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.
I fall into that exact same mentality with forbidden foods. I want them just because they're forbidden. But if I'm allowed to eat them whenever, I can take them or leave them, so can just eat e.g. a couple of squares of chocolate without feeling the need to eat the whole bar ASAP0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.
I'd definitely agree with this. When I've already eaten what i should, a couple of cookies just tastes good and doesn't blow the calorie goal, and I'm already full enough can just enjoy the taste and not feel like eating a lot of them. Same thing with pizza, or anything else "treat-like".0 -
Love this thread. I love the idea of IIFIYM but I have an insane appetite and find when I do try IIFIYM I end up eating 3000+ calories because I'm RAVENOUS.
Clean eating can definitely be disordered.0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.
Which particular chemicals are you talking about, and what do you define as processed foods?
e.g. I just had Covent Garden Soup for lunch. It comes in a packet that you reheat. However, the recipe they make it to is pretty much the same as I would make (although they put cream in, which I would never have thought of doing). Does that count as processed? Or are you speaking of things like Big Macs etc. If so, I'm wondering what chemicals exactly you are tasting because as far as I can tell, Big Macs taste of cardboard and not much else0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.
:huh:0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.
Which particular chemicals are you talking about, and what do you define as processed foods?
e.g. I just had Covent Garden Soup for lunch. It comes in a packet that you reheat. However, the recipe they make it to is pretty much the same as I would make (although they put cream in, which I would never have thought of doing). Does that count as processed? Or are you speaking of things like Big Macs etc. If so, I'm wondering what chemicals exactly you are tasting because as far as I can tell, Big Macs taste of cardboard and not much else
Well, how fast did the soup slide down your throat? That's the real scientific way to tell if it's processed or not.
:laugh:0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.
:huh:
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
How can eating clean and IIFYM be the same nutritionally? A Big Mac from McDonalds might fit your macros but nutritionally it's no where near the same nutritional value of the same amount of calories of vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Am I thinking too simple?
Definitely not the same. Processed foods have lots of chemicals and they're made to slide right down with minimal chewing (or many are), so your body barely notices them and you want more. Clean eating has made me like the processed stuff less; I swear I can taste some of the chemicals, particularly in the aftertaste. I do eat some stuff that's not healthy- mainly on the sweet side because I really like desserts. All in moderation and carefully chosen, though.
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