Counting calories vs 'clean eating'

Roxytudor
Roxytudor Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
My calorie goal from MFP to lose 1lb a week is just over 1400 calories which is okay. I am 5'6/7 and 165lbs.

I've been reading a lot about nutrition and healthy eating, and a lot of people argue that you don't need to count calories as long as you are eating healthily. Somebody said that the calorie deficit I have would be too little to get any results unless I eat clean too, and the calories in vs calories out theory is completely wrong.

Does anyone have any insight into this?! I am so confused at the moment. Or any success stories from anyone eating a similar amount to me?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    You can gain weight eating clean and lose weight eating dirty. Consuming fewer calories than you burn is how you lose weight.
  • PennyVonDread
    PennyVonDread Posts: 432 Member
    You can still gain weight on a surplus of healthy food.

    Why not both?
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    If you eat too many calories you will gain weight no matter what the food is. I'm 5'6 171 lbs and eat between 1600-2000 calories daily, and have lost a little weight. I do wash my food if needed and don't eat off the floor so it's clean. My dairy is open.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Here's some information that might help

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    It would be difficult to gain weight eating fresh fruits and veggies, lean white meat and grainy bread. Really, really hard. For one thing, the food isn't high in calories. For another, it isn't so yummy that you want to stuff yourself full. Very few people would over-eat having dry tuna and strawberries for lunch...especially the 1000th time they did it. But it could be done, I suppose.

    Healthy food makes healthy bodies, but you can absolutely lose weight without it. I think the more junk you eat, the harder it might be, because those calories add up fast.

    The more healthy food, the fuller you can be. You can eat so much fruit and lettuce for so few calories.

    But the choice is entirely up to you and you can absolutely succeed eating junk food. Most people do!
  • Roxytudor
    Roxytudor Posts: 16
    Here's some information that might help

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    This was really helpful! Thank you :)
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Here's some information that might help

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819925-the-basics-don-t-complicate-it
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    "Healthy" juices usually more fattening than soda. "Healthy" granola bars can be more fattening than candy bars. No need to fall for any weight loss ideas that are not based on counting calories. People who avoid counting calories but instead their strategy is to eat healthy or exercise or eat one meal a day or cut out sweets or whatever, or "cut back" on food without counting calories-- these folks are doomed to remain fat and possibly get fatter. Same goes for those who decide to abandon their scale in favor of losing inches instead of pounds. And counting carbs or fat grams instead of calories will not work either. You will lose the same weight whether you get your calories from french fries, cake, steak or collard greens.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Here's some information that might help

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    This was really helpful! Thank you :)

    You're very welcome, keep it simple. It works :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    My calorie goal from MFP to lose 1lb a week is just over 1400 calories which is okay. I am 5'6/7 and 165lbs.

    I've been reading a lot about nutrition and healthy eating, and a lot of people argue that you don't need to count calories as long as you are eating healthily. Somebody said that the calorie deficit I have would be too little to get any results unless I eat clean too, and the calories in vs calories out theory is completely wrong.

    Does anyone have any insight into this?! I am so confused at the moment. Or any success stories from anyone eating a similar amount to me?

    Thanks!

    They do say you don't have to count calories if you are "clean eating" (which has a broad definition of what exactly that is). That doesn't mean calories intake doesn't count at all.
    The thing is, with diets like clean eating, the type of food people tend to overeat is often not allowed. So simply by eliminating these foods, you cut your calorie intake. They also tend to eliminate things that most people don't consider and tend to add up, like pop, juice, cream and sugar in coffee, etc.
    The other thing is diets like that focus on foods that tend to fill you up and keep you full like protein and fibrous veggies.
    It is still calories in vs calories out, it just restricts calories a different way.

    Unfortunately it doesn't necessarily work for everyone. Many people will simply replace the calories from the restricted foods with calories from the allowed foods.

    Focusing more on nutrient dense foods and eating in a way that will satiate you and keep you full and cutting back on less nutrient dense foods or foods you over eat is a good thing. You can do that with calorie counting too without the total elimination of foods you enjoy or drastic dietary changes.
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
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  • KimiSteinbach
    KimiSteinbach Posts: 224 Member
    I am eating clean lately rather than focusing on calories and it seems to be working for me!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I am eating clean lately rather than focusing on calories and it seems to be working for me!
    Correlation, not causation.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
    "Healthy" juices usually more fattening than soda. "Healthy" granola bars can be more fattening than candy bars. No need to fall for any weight loss ideas that are not based on counting calories. People who avoid counting calories but instead their strategy is to eat healthy or exercise or eat one meal a day or cut out sweets or whatever, or "cut back" on food without counting calories-- these folks are doomed to remain fat and possibly get fatter. Same goes for those who decide to abandon their scale in favor of losing inches instead of pounds. And counting carbs or fat grams instead of calories will not work either. You will lose the same weight whether you get your calories from french fries, cake, steak or collard greens.
    I agree.
    All I do is cal count and eat whatever I want within those cals. My goal is 1300 a day and I'll have anything from chocolate cereal, toast, soup, chips, crisps to chocolate and I've still lost weight. I really wish I could do the whole clean eating thing but I just can't. Sadly I don't like any veg other than carrots so I'd be doomed plus for me to stay on track it has to be a sustainable diet that I enjoy and won't get fed up and quit after a week.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    If your long term goal is to be healthier rather than just smaller then cleaner eating is certainly worth pursuing. On fewer calories you've got more chance of missing out on important vitamins and minerals you might have got more of when you were eating a third more. Adopting good eating practices can only be a good thing right?
  • Unknown
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  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    "Healthy" juices usually more fattening than soda. "Healthy" granola bars can be more fattening than candy bars. No need to fall for any weight loss ideas that are not based on counting calories. People who avoid counting calories but instead their strategy is to eat healthy or exercise or eat one meal a day or cut out sweets or whatever, or "cut back" on food without counting calories-- these folks are doomed to remain fat and possibly get fatter. Same goes for those who decide to abandon their scale in favor of losing inches instead of pounds. And counting carbs or fat grams instead of calories will not work either. You will lose the same weight whether you get your calories from french fries, cake, steak or collard greens.

    This is a confusing post. If we are talking about 100 calories of juice or 100 calories of pop , neither is more "fattening". Is it not the same idea as your last line? Even if it is 200 calories of juice and 100 calories of pop, so long as the daily calorie intake isn't exceeded, again, neither is "more fattening".

    I'd hardly say that people who use different strategies are doomed to fail. They are simply controlling their calories in vs calories out in another method. It is still the same basic principle. And there are many people who are successful. That said, if you aren't, counting calories would be a good place to start but it isn't always necessary.

    How on earth would abandoning your scale in favor of measuring inches lead to failure? If your inches are going down, at some point your weight is too.
  • Anonycatgirl
    Anonycatgirl Posts: 502 Member
    Eating "cleaner" or focusing on less processed, more nutrient-dense food is a good thing, but it's good for reasons other than losing weight. It's probably wise to focus on more nutritious foods if you're eating less overall, just to make sure you're giving your body what it needs to stay healthy. But that doesn't mean you can't have the occasional yummy junk if you can fit it into your calories, or that you can't overeat otherwise healthful food. Olive oil's good for you in many ways, for instance, but it's calorie-dense and it's easy to use more than you realize.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    "Healthy" juices usually more fattening than soda. "Healthy" granola bars can be more fattening than candy bars. No need to fall for any weight loss ideas that are not based on counting calories. People who avoid counting calories but instead their strategy is to eat healthy or exercise or eat one meal a day or cut out sweets or whatever, or "cut back" on food without counting calories-- these folks are doomed to remain fat and possibly get fatter. Same goes for those who decide to abandon their scale in favor of losing inches instead of pounds. And counting carbs or fat grams instead of calories will not work either. You will lose the same weight whether you get your calories from french fries, cake, steak or collard greens.

    This is a confusing post. If we are talking about 100 calories of juice or 100 calories of pop , neither is more "fattening". Is it not the same idea as your last line?
    12 ounces of unsweetened apple juice is 170 calories. 12 ounces of Dr Pepper is 150 calories. I think that's the kind of things referenced.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    .... and the calories in vs calories out theory is completely wrong.

    I understand that there is some groundbreaking thinking about the earth not being flat as well..

    The physics around the principle of conservation of energy is pretty conclusive, there is no reliable evidence suggesting that it doesn't work.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    "Healthy" juices usually more fattening than soda. "Healthy" granola bars can be more fattening than candy bars. No need to fall for any weight loss ideas that are not based on counting calories. People who avoid counting calories but instead their strategy is to eat healthy or exercise or eat one meal a day or cut out sweets or whatever, or "cut back" on food without counting calories-- these folks are doomed to remain fat and possibly get fatter. Same goes for those who decide to abandon their scale in favor of losing inches instead of pounds. And counting carbs or fat grams instead of calories will not work either. You will lose the same weight whether you get your calories from french fries, cake, steak or collard greens.

    This is a confusing post. If we are talking about 100 calories of juice or 100 calories of pop , neither is more "fattening". Is it not the same idea as your last line?
    12 ounces of unsweetened apple juice is 170 calories. 12 ounces of Dr Pepper is 150 calories. I think that's the kind of things referenced.

    I edited to add as well. There are more factors than just calorie count. While I am a believer in CICO, you can't just consider calorie content. Assuming a person is still at a calorie deficit, neither is fattening, regardless of calorie content.
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
    I gained weight eating clean. I'm now counting calories while eating fairly clean. Losing slowly but steadily.
    I did lose a bunch about 10 years ago doing South Beach diet by the book. That's really clean and healthy since I only ate home cooked meals and all whole foods.
  • wapan
    wapan Posts: 219 Member
    I have also gained weight while eating clean and running 5 to 10 miles a day. Calorie counting is integral to my losing or maintaining my weight. I do not appear to have a shut-off switch. :-)
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    If you eat more calories than your body uses, you will gain weight no matter what food combination you're eating. Anything that tries to sidestep this with clever marketing (by individuals or companies) is just silly and hoping that people aren't knowledgeable.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    The theory behind this is basically the same as the theory behind the Weight Watcher's "free" foods. The idea is that you will replace calorie dense/nutrient poor foods like white bread, frozen lasagna, etc., with nutrient rich/low calorie foods and that you therefore won't overeat.

    Going by volume, for example, a 1 cup (110g) serving of green beans is 34 calories whereas a 1 cup (170g) serving of Stouffer's macaroni and cheese is 340 calories or TEN TIMES the calories for the same volume of food. So you choose the "diet" version and eat the single-serving package of Lean Cuisine macaroni and cheese. That is still 250 calories or over seven times the calories of the green beans.

    Since there is no "true" definition of clean eating everyone agrees to, your version may simply avoid packaged foods and aim toward tasty, homemade foods. Well, trust me, that diet got me where I am today. Delicious homemade bread with real butter , a nice buerre blanc on your chicken, some multigrain pancakes with real grade B maple syrup, homemade chicken pot pie with fresh vegetables and a schmaltz pie crust. Ah, yes, you can indeed get fat on these -- but, oh, the deliciousness!

    James Beard, the famous chef and cook book author did not get fat (and die from the side effects) by eating fast food. He was in France, visiting with Julia Child and other famous chefs, eating delicious meals made from fresh ingredients.

    It's all about portion control and counting calories, folks. So, I had green beans for supper last night but they were dressed with a butter-mustard-honey-cornichon dressing and they were DA BOMB! And, of course, they fit within my TDEE-20% for the day.
  • aedreana
    aedreana Posts: 979 Member
    And an all-liquids diet-- juices for example-- without counting calories is likely the fastest route to weight gain!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I edited to add as well. There are more factors than just calorie count. While I am a believer in CICO, you can't just consider calorie content. Assuming a person is still at a calorie deficit, neither is fattening, regardless of calorie content.
    The language or word choice may not have been as precise as possible, but I think the gist -- just because something is considered "healthy" doesn't mean it has fewer calories than the same amount of "junk" -- is something to bear in mind. That the "healthy" juice has more calories than Dr Pepper is an example of "clean" perhaps being misleading with respect to weight loss or maintenance.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I edited to add as well. There are more factors than just calorie count. While I am a believer in CICO, you can't just consider calorie content. Assuming a person is still at a calorie deficit, neither is fattening, regardless of calorie content.
    The language or word choice may not have been as precise as possible, but I think the gist -- just because something is considered "healthy" doesn't mean it has fewer calories than the same amount of "junk" -- is something to bear in mind. That the "healthy" juice has more calories than Dr Pepper is an example of "clean" perhaps being misleading with respect to weight loss or maintenance.

    I can agree with that. I just dislike labelling food as inherently good or bad, or "fattening" particularly based on calorie content, even if I agree with the underlying principle. I think a lot of dieters get themselves into trouble going down that road.
  • princess71903
    princess71903 Posts: 56 Member
    I'm not sure I agree with the whole "no matter what you eat you will lose as long as your under your calories". I'm so nauseous from meds that I haven't eaten a lot in months but what I did eat was junk. Mostly hundred calorie packs of special K bars or just one mcdonalds meal a day. I gained at least 20lbs doing this and I can be positive I was under 1200 calories 80-90% of the time.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I'm not sure I agree with the whole "no matter what you eat you will lose as long as your under your calories". I'm so nauseous from meds that I haven't eaten a lot in months but what I did eat was junk. Mostly hundred calorie packs of special K bars or just one mcdonalds meal a day. I gained at least 20lbs doing this and I can be positive I was under 1200 calories 80-90% of the time.

    Were you tracking calories?
    Were you less active than usual?

    This guy ate nothing but twinkies and some supplements and lost 27 lbs in 10 weeks.
    (Since this tends to be a bone of contention on these threads whenever this example is given, I will add - I do not recommend this. I not endorsing it nor claiming it is healthy. it is simply an example of calories in vs calories out on what most would consider junk food)

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

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