Getting below 20% BF - do you HAVE to eat "Clean"?

KKishaA
KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I did a little search and have not found a similar topic on my own so I am posting the question.

For the women who have gone bellow 20%BF (and the men who have gone below....10%BF I guess), did you eventually have to "clean up" your diet to get there? Or was staying in a consistent deficit the thing that got you there?
Since I have committed to tracking more accurately, I am seeing results. I DO eat processed food still. When I look around at the women I really admire on this site though, I notice that their diaries are pretty dang clean.

My curious mind wants to know :) Thanks ahead of time!
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Replies

  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    No. Go to the Food & Nutrition board and look at the pics of the people in the ice cream cleanse thread. Abs everywhere and they're eating ice cream every night. They're also fitting it into their calories and macros for the day, which is why they are successful at eating ice cream and looking hot. It's more about getting your macro ratios correct and eating in a way that fulfills those properly than the cleanliness of the food. Obviously, if you have a medical condition things are going to be different for your particular situation.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I certainly hope not, since I just ate half a pizza and all.
  • KKishaA
    KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
    Thanks, Kgeyser. I forgot all about that crazy ice cream cleanse. I am off to go check it out. I wonder if those ladies were already lean though, before they started pounding ice cream. I need to seriously figure out what my macros are.
  • michelleamhill
    michelleamhill Posts: 35 Member
    What are Macros in reference to diet?
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    What are Macros in reference to diet?

    Protein, Carbs, and Fat are the 3 most commonly referenced macros. Alcohol is a special thing all it's own, but generally not being discussed when one is talking about macros.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Thanks, Kgeyser. I forgot all about that crazy ice cream cleanse. I am off to go check it out. I wonder if those ladies were already lean though, before they started pounding ice cream. I need to seriously figure out what my macros are.

    Well, I'm 20 lbs from goal, have been cleansing since March 31st, and have been losing the same amount of weight I did before I started having ice cream every night. So it is possible.

    Setting your macros has to do with your goals in terms of training and body composition. I have mine set at 40c/30f/30p, although I may be increasing my protein macro soon because I've noticed that's more in line with my eating style.

    Have you read this link? It gives advice on how to set calorie goals and macros: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
    I find that ice cream thread slightly obnoxious.

    Also I'd like to get to a point I could do that; however I don't think I would flaunt it.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Nope, not at all. I've never eaten "clean".

    A good place to start with macros is 40C/30F/30P and see how that works for you and adjust from there. As long as you consider protein and fat as minimums and get your recommended fruit, veg, dairy and whole grains for your micronutrients, then whatever else fits into your calorie goal (in my case, chocolate and wine) is fair game. Enjoy!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Nope. Calorie deficit and lifting weights ftw.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Thanks, Kgeyser. I forgot all about that crazy ice cream cleanse. I am off to go check it out. I wonder if those ladies were already lean though, before they started pounding ice cream. I need to seriously figure out what my macros are.

    I'm doing it. You're welcome to check my diary as far back as 3 years ago. I've never eaten "clean."
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I find that ice cream thread slightly obnoxious.

    Also I'd like to get to a point I could do that; however I don't think I would flaunt it.

    Obnoxious like coming into a thread to declare that other people daring to have a little fun on the forums are obnoxious? Or a different kind of obnoxious?
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    You need to hit your macros and that may take "cleaning up" a bit depending on your perspective, but strict "clean eating," however you want to define that, isn't necessary.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I find that ice cream thread slightly obnoxious.

    Also I'd like to get to a point I could do that; however I don't think I would flaunt it.

    The point isn't to "flaunt," it's to show that eating "clean" isn't necessary, and that you can have your cake (or ice cream) and eat it too.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I've been pounding ice cream since I was around 150 lbs and 30% BF. 116 lbs now, not sure what my bf% is but I think I'm below 20%
  • lisa4748
    lisa4748 Posts: 14
    I am now at 16.3% BF, and I eat normally 1 meal per day - and that is FAR from clean as I'm cooking for kids (think wheat boxed spaghetti with lean ground beef and Ragu (I'm lazy) and some cheesy garlic bread) .. The rest of my diet is fairly clean.. but I have unclean desert a few times a week too!
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    no. I do my best to eat un-processed foods but sometimes shjt happens and I'm at 16% BF
  • KKishaA
    KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
    Alright I am off to read the macro link. I do understand what they are but my confusion comes from the % method, like 40/30/30. Isn't macros about getting the minimums of what you need to meet your goals, vs staying at a % of a number? If I eat 1500k one day and follow 40/30/30 I eat 150c/112.5p/50f but if I have another day that I eat 2000k, do I aim for 40/30/30 again by eating 200c/150p/66.6f ? There is no magic in the synergy between the ratios, correct? I just eat my required 150c/112.5p/50f and if I go over that I eat what ever I want....right?
  • Wwonderful
    Wwonderful Posts: 145
    Not really.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    never mind
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Alright I am off to read the macro link. I do understand what they are but my confusion comes from the % method, like 40/30/30. Isn't macros about getting the minimums of what you need to meet your goals, vs staying at a % of a number? If I eat 1500k one day and follow 40/30/30 I eat 150c/112.5p/50f but if I have another day that I eat 2000k, do I aim for 40/30/30 again by eating 200c/150p/66.6f ? There is no magic in the synergy between the ratios, correct? I just eat my required 150c/112.5p/50f and if I go over that I eat what ever I want....right?

    I don't do percentages. The link will explain it. I go by grams and I prefer that method. For me it's 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass (103 g) and .35 grams of fat per pound of weight.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I certainly don't eat clean and I'm pretty sure I'm below 20%bf
  • KKishaA
    KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
    Uh.....yeah.... I think you are bellow 20%, SL darlin'! :tongue:
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    never mind quote didn't work
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Alright I am off to read the macro link. I do understand what they are but my confusion comes from the % method, like 40/30/30. Isn't macros about getting the minimums of what you need to meet your goals, vs staying at a % of a number? If I eat 1500k one day and follow 40/30/30 I eat 150c/112.5p/50f but if I have another day that I eat 2000k, do I aim for 40/30/30 again by eating 200c/150p/66.6f ? There is no magic in the synergy between the ratios, correct? I just eat my required 150c/112.5p/50f and if I go over that I eat what ever I want....right?

    Yeahhh....I go with numbers. I like to be over 110g P and 50-60g F (Fat makes me happy) and then the rest is just whatever. I set up my diary with percentages close to those numbers, but I don't alter my course when I eat more/workout calories shift my goal.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    No, but it made it a lot faster and easier for me.
  • KKishaA
    KKishaA Posts: 160 Member
    True ^. I am coming out of a place where I am experimenting with eating normal aka all the food I felt to guilty to eat for years because I was a dieting junkie. It has been around 3 months and I can now remain physically relaxed while eating a sandwich. I honestly used to give my shelf S--- every time I ate or thought about bread. So I have made some progress!
    That said I am now shifting toward eating a little less processed food now. Because I want to, not because I HAVE to.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I certainly don't eat clean and I'm pretty sure I'm below 20%bf

    That said... I DO bust my *kitten* hard when I work out (boxing primarily), eat at a deficit (on average), and have started lifting weights.
  • catsandtats
    catsandtats Posts: 29 Member
    I'm at 18% BF and I don't think I *have* to eat clean but I'm very short so that has an effect on the total amount of calories I can eat per day and still reach my goals. I find it's much easier to reach my goals when I eat the foods I'm supposed to eat (lean protein, veggies, complex carbs, etc) than eat cookies and ice cream every day. That said, I don't deprive myself either.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    No.


    That being said, it helps to eat more nutrient dense whole foods - but you do not have to eat 'clean'
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    Alright I am off to read the macro link. I do understand what they are but my confusion comes from the % method, like 40/30/30. Isn't macros about getting the minimums of what you need to meet your goals, vs staying at a % of a number? If I eat 1500k one day and follow 40/30/30 I eat 150c/112.5p/50f but if I have another day that I eat 2000k, do I aim for 40/30/30 again by eating 200c/150p/66.6f ? There is no magic in the synergy between the ratios, correct? I just eat my required 150c/112.5p/50f and if I go over that I eat what ever I want....right?

    Yeahhh....I go with numbers. I like to be over 110g P and 50-60g F (Fat makes me happy) and then the rest is just whatever. I set up my diary with percentages close to those numbers, but I don't alter my course when I eat more/workout calories shift my goal.

    Protein grams are and should be determined by your weight. There's no magical number. And 50-60 grams of fat seems VEFY high to me but again, I don't know your body weight and goals) I shoot for my protein and fiber goals first, as that helps to keep you full longer while at a calorie deficit, carbs come in last (for me) and I am a runner who needs carbs to fuel my runs, but I simply don't over do it.

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