How important is it to "eat clean"

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  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
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    Hi all,

    How important is it to eat "clean"?! Surely eating a low fat sandwich of say 300 calories is better than eating a "clean" meal of double that?! Does it really matter WHAT you eat? I'm not saying i want to eat complete junk...I don't. But sometimes i eat on the go and i just grab the healthiest option which may not be considered "clean" but is lower in calories than a cleaner option...

    Thanks! xxx

    In terms of weight loss, it's simply CICO (calories in vs. calories out): http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

    Now, if you are striving for things like disease prevention; immune system boosting foods; athletic performance at the elite level; etc... - then focusing on the nutrients and macros needed to target those areas do become quite important.

    I wouldn't, however use a generic term such as "clean" since it is hard to define it so that everyone is content with the definition.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    You are mistaken.
    http://www.idf.org/latest-diabetes-figures-paint-grim-global-picture

    India is the country with the most people with diabetes, with a current figure of 50.8 million, followed by China with 43.2 million. Behind them the United States (26.8 million); the Russian Federation (9.6 million); Brazil (7.6 million); Germany (7.5 million); Pakistan (7.1 million); Japan (7.1 million); Indonesia (7 million) and Mexico (6.8 million).

    When it comes to the percentage of adult population living with diabetes, the new data reveal the devastating impact of diabetes across the Gulf Region, where five of the Gulf States are among the top ten countries affected. The Pacific island nation of Nauru has the world’s highest rate of diabetes, with almost a third of its adult population (30.9%) living with the disease. It is followed by the United Arab Emirates (18.7%); Saudi Arabia (16.8%); Mauritius (16.2%); Bahrain (15.4%); Reunion (15.3%); Kuwait (14.6%); Oman (13.4%); Tonga (13.4%) and Malaysia (11.6%).
    those are raw numbers not percentages, india and china having the 2 largest populations in the world that puts them more in the middle of the list by percentage (around 3-4% each)

    but thats surprising that america is number 74 in the world by percentage, i wouldve expected them to be much higher considering the overweight population percentage

    That's because obesity is only part of the reason a person can develop diabetes. Most overweight people never develop type 2 diabetes, and many people with type 2 diabetes are at a normal weight or only moderately overweight. Direct quote: See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/myths/?loc=db-slabnav#sthash.DrI6yhOH.dpuf

    Also, to the dude who said "eating refined sugar causes insulin resistance" - please visit the link above and actually read up on your claim (which, incidentally, is listed in their myth section).

    There is no one determining factor in diabetes. It could be your race, plus your stress level, plus your love of fruit punch. It could be your grandfather, plus your weight, plus your activity level.

    There is no one cause. It's is a cumulative series of genetic factors, choices and lifestyle.

    I'm currently being treated for pre-insulin resistance. I'm on metformin because my doctor wants to get ahead of the issues before they turn into something more serious.
  • Sage812
    Sage812 Posts: 10
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    If we're talking about doing a figure competition where the goal is to be lean with good muscle definition and symmetry then yes it is important to eat clean. You don't want to lose hard-earned muscle when you're cutting fat and you need the energy for your workouts. IIFYM might probably work in this regard, but in that case you're still paying attention to macros and its kind of hard to reach certain ones if you're filling up on junk.
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,641 Member
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    35% of the american population, not the world. im not american, and if im not mistaken america has the highest rates of diabetes so that would be a worst case scenario if we're talking a general population standpoint

    but in any case i do see your point, although im not inclined to agree insulin resistance is so easily achieved

    Europe actually has a higher rates of Type 2 diabetes but it appears less prediabetics than America although I couldn't nail down what'd I consider a reliable number of prediabetics for Europe.

    You might not be from Europe either, but just saying America isn't alone in this.

    Europe probably has a bigger variety of inbred populations than America...
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    Angry lady, you will never convince me that dunkin donuts butter pecan iced coffee is bad for me.

    This is a thing? I NEED this in my life.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    Except there's no mention that it only holds true for short-term. Insulin resistance will effect energy utilization and can therefore cause reductions in weight loss.

    Reference:

    http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/10/5/563.full.pdf
    that article is for diabetes type 2 patients, which is a separate case entirely.

    when you start talking about insulin resistance in any form things get really mucky since it differs so much from one person to another, but generally speaking it wont have a great effect on weight loss unless your eating a ridiculous amount of sugar on a daily basis

    How is insulin resistance and Type 2 a separate case? Type 2 is a degree of insulin resistance. That's like saying loosing weight with a 500 calorie deficit is a separate case than losing weight with a 1,000 calorie deficit. In studies it's beneficial to look at the more dramatic results because it emphasizes the results, but things don't go from 0 - 60 instantly so you know somewhere between insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes measurable impact to weight loss will occur. Not to mention that 35% of the nation is prediabetic.

    So no... This is far from a completely separate issue.

    Prediabetic =/= diabetic. And even the CDC only projects that 15%-30% of them will develop Type II

    http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/prevention/factsheet.htm

    It's no different than being overweight. Just because you are overweight, doesn't mean you are unhealthy or going to have issues. It's a mere indicator that should address. Same goes for high cholesterol. Essentially, it means you are at greater risk. But if you really want to talk FACTS, not estimates, lets talk about the 8.3% of people who actually have diabetes.


    http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/estimates11.htm


    Additionally, no one I have ever met eats nothing but candy. So there is no reason to use that extreme when it comes to comparing health. If anything, lets have a discussion on those following the SAD vs a modified macro diet. But even then, you would have to consider genetics/family history, exercise habiets, etc..


    The fact is, there are foods that have more nutrients than other, but eating ice cream occasionally or eating dirty occasionally doesn't mean you are unhealthy.

    ps- I found when I restricted a lot a foods, I binged more.
  • sgvdms
    sgvdms Posts: 33 Member
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    I try to eat well pretty much most of the time, because it means I can hit my macros and eat more food throughout the day and feel fuller, less calorie dense food I guess?

    Saying that I like 'unclean' food as well, on Saturday alone I ate 3 Scones loaded with jam and clotted cream, about 9 gin and tonics and 5 glasses of champagne. I enjoy both a lot.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Hi all,

    How important is it to eat "clean"?! Surely eating a low fat sandwich of say 300 calories is better than eating a "clean" meal of double that?! Does it really matter WHAT you eat? I'm not saying i want to eat complete junk...I don't. But sometimes i eat on the go and i just grab the healthiest option which may not be considered "clean" but is lower in calories than a cleaner option...

    Thanks! xxx

    If you are concerned over weight loss only then it doesn't matter what you eat. If you are concerned over healthy eating then eating clean is paramount, IMO. I do think it matters what you eat in terms of physical and mental well being. I eat clean for a multitude of reasons but weight loss was never one of them.

    45886118.jpg

    There's no point explaining to a closed mind. And your mind is clearly closed...

    I'm open.

    Tell me how much healthier you are than me because you "eat clean".

    How does one define a healthy individual? Fitness? Body fat percentage? BMI? Cholesterol? Blood pressure? Blood sugar? Frequency of illness?
  • WildCatClimbs
    WildCatClimbs Posts: 35 Member
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    Eat what makes you feel good. Pay close attention to what this actually means. Personally I LOVE oreos and pretzel M&Ms but I don't ever eat them because I can't each just a few, and they make my stomach hurt, my head hurt, and I break out like crazy. So at the end of the day, it isn't worth it to me. Overall health should be a better goal than simply weight loss imo. You can be thin and unhealthy, so what really is the point? Don't be so vain as to think looks are all that matter. If you want to live a long, fulfilling life, choose quality foods. This does not mean you can't have treats, but focus the bulk of your calories as whole, unprocessed foods that make you feel good. Put it this way, would you put cheap low octane fuel in a Ferrari? No. Why? Because to keep a great machine running great, you have to input equally high quality foods.

    At the end of the day, it is your body, your health, and your life. Do what fulfills you the most.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    This is totally untrue. It's a proven scientific fact that when you eat a lot of sugar, it eventually ends up as fat.
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/nutrient-intake-nutrient-storage-and-nutrient-oxidation.html
    FTA:
    "Carbohydrates can be stored as liver or muscle glycogen, under rare circumstances they are converted to and stored as fat."

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10365981
  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
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    HA!
    good one;)
  • dayone987
    dayone987 Posts: 645 Member
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    i wasnt comparing insulin resistance to type 2 diabetes, i was comparing people with insulin resistance to people who dont have such issues

    any time you talk about someone with a medical issue that effects weight loss it IS a separate case, people with insulin resistance is a special case. their bodies react differently and therefore store fat differently when exposed to excess sugar amounts, so its kinda like comparing apples and oranges.

    Again, 35% of the American public is prediabetic so it already applies to a large portion of people trying to lose weight. Additionally eating refined sugar causes insulin resistance which is my big overall point. That's why you can't blindly say that eating a 25% of your calories from refined sugar (what the average American does) will produce the same results because it's likely this diet if continued will at minimum lead to increased insulin resistance.

    Actually, it's 35 % of Americans over the age of 20. Which changes the numbers a fair bit
    Still too many, but if you're going to quote statistics...
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
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    Eat what makes you feel good. Pay close attention to what this actually means. Personally I LOVE oreos and pretzel M&Ms but I don't ever eat them because I can't each just a few, and they make my stomach hurt, my head hurt, and I break out like crazy. So at the end of the day, it isn't worth it to me. Overall health should be a better goal than simply weight loss imo. You can be thin and unhealthy, so what really is the point? Don't be so vain as to think looks are all that matter. If you want to live a long, fulfilling life, choose quality foods. This does not mean you can't have treats, but focus the bulk of your calories as whole, unprocessed foods that make you feel good. Put it this way, would you put cheap low octane fuel in a Ferrari? No. Why? Because to keep a great machine running great, you have to input equally high quality foods.

    At the end of the day, it is your body, your health, and your life. Do what fulfills you the most.

    ^^^^This! :drinker:
  • Sage812
    Sage812 Posts: 10
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    Hi all,

    How important is it to eat "clean"?! Surely eating a low fat sandwich of say 300 calories is better than eating a "clean" meal of double that?! Does it really matter WHAT you eat? I'm not saying i want to eat complete junk...I don't. But sometimes i eat on the go and i just grab the healthiest option which may not be considered "clean" but is lower in calories than a cleaner option...

    Thanks! xxx

    If you are concerned over weight loss only then it doesn't matter what you eat. If you are concerned over healthy eating then eating clean is paramount, IMO. I do think it matters what you eat in terms of physical and mental well being. I eat clean for a multitude of reasons but weight loss was never one of them.

    45886118.jpg

    There's no point explaining to a closed mind. And your mind is clearly closed...

    I'm open.

    Tell me how much healthier you are than me because you "eat clean".

    How does one define a healthy individual? Fitness? Body fat percentage? BMI? Cholesterol? Blood pressure? Blood sugar? Frequency of illness?

    Maybe I'm the only one, but I notice if I fill up on junk food I feel tired, bloaty and well crappy. Hardly the picture of health. Having a little here and there doesn't have that affect, but I would hardly make "unclean foods" the bulk of my diet unless I want to feel like crap.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
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    For people who want to "eat clean", I'm sure it's very important.

    For people who don't, I'm not sure its important at all.

    Hope that answers your question.

    ani-chuck_norris-thumbs_up.gif
  • healingnurtrer
    healingnurtrer Posts: 217 Member
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    I think it's more important to eat the amount of calories that will lead to an ideal body weight/ body fat percentage and eat the amount of macro and micro nutrients that will allow your body to function well. The idea of eating "clean" can be taken to extremes- such as orthorexia (definition: a medical condition in which the sufferer systematically avoids specific foods in the belief that they are harmful.) There's nothing wrong with trying to focus on healthful foods and there's nothing wrong with treats in moderation. I think you'll be ok eating out every once in awhile. :)
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    If you are eating 1,500 cals a day, it does not matter if 100 of those calories come from cookies or broccoli. The broccoli will fill you up more than the cookie. The cookie may be more psychologically pleasing. Extrapolate. You can have 1,500 calories of cookies and you will lose weight if your maintenance is more than 1,500 cals. However, you'll probably be hungry, you might experience GI discomfort, and you will miss out on vitamins, minerals, fiber, calcium, protein, etc that would otherwise make your body feel better. I have successfully eaten close to 1,500 in broccoli. It's hard because that's a ****ton of broccoli.

    tl;dr To lose weight, eat at a calorie deficit. Period. To feel good while losing weight, be sure to eat a variety of food providing essential vitamins and minerals.

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