Does clean eating pay off?

martinel2099

The definition of eating "Clean" varies from one person to another. I think of eating clean as in organic or minimally processed foods. If this is something that is important to you then I see no problem with it, but remember you still need to eat according to your fitness goals calorie wise and watch your macro and micro nutrients.

Don't care how "clean" you eat, if you eat more calories than you burn, then you will gain weight. You can gain weight or lose weight eating all of your favorite foods. If your goal is simply to lose weight and/or to watch your macro/micro's then I highly suggest you focus on that before you jump into clean eating diets. Master than then maybe start introducing minimally processed foods into your diet and see how you like it.

Personally speaking, I eat processed and minimally processed foods depending on my mood, nothing beats whole food's guacamole in my book ^___^, but I also love my pizza hut, just say'n.

losingforgood120

For me: adding in nutrient dense whole foods is great, trying to eat them exclusively is a nightmare emotionally. For me it led to fear a food and obsessively trying to eat more and more "perfectly."

This is my new favorite video on clean eating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afd3OBhy8l4
Enjoy

J72FIT

"Clean eating" (if you can define it) pays of the same way any other diet potentially pays off... when you don't eat too much and stay at a slight deficit. Of course the opposite effect is always potentially there as well.

RGv2

i clean eat i avoid all junk foods which i cut out almost 2 months ago and honestly don't miss it. i don't drink any sort of soda and once in awhile if i'm feeling lazy do i reach for a lean cuisine etc other wise i eat 2 veggies a protein for my lunch and dinner. Since I work from home currently I eat my big meal at lunch and have something small for dinner hope this helps. I consume about 1000 - 1200 calories a day burn about 1500 calories a day but i have over 100lbs to loose so i'm going slow and steady on this.

You honestly think that netting -300 to -500 calories per day is smart? Because it's not smart at all. No matter what you think or how you feel. Keep doing the and you will pay for it in the end.

And how is that "slow and steady"? :huh:

tennisdude2004

I understand that the number of calories consumed is a number regardless of what it is, as long as you eat within your deficit you will lose weight. So what impact does clean eating have? Will you lose weight faster, is it better in the long run? I feel better when I eat clean and feel like I am actually changing my nutritional lifestyle and eat about 1600 cals a day and get frustrated when I see people losing weight faster than me that eat less calories and their calories are from junk or packaged or diet foods. Does anyone else share this frustration? Does anyone have insight on the benefits of clean eating with weight loss or is it really just the number.

Clean eating is not about weight loss. It's about long term health! IMO

Plus its a great topic for internet forum rants. lol

lemurcat12

So EDUCATE people. Rather than just using churchy words. That's all I'm saying. ASK people, in a want to share way how they construct their diets. And then point out the flaws in their logic. Are january bananas good for you? Probably. Are they "natural" no, perhaps the term you want to use mr MFP user is "nutrient dense"....
And since you DO know why sprouted grains are better for you than wonder bread, explain that to someone who's dumping them because they're "white".:flowerforyou:

ETA: I have to wonder how many folks who innocently post or ask about "clean" eating are turned off and leave the forums based on all the darned arguments....

Hmm. I do agree with this for a new user who innocently asks about "clean" eating. I actually think that's what I try to do, and even what I started with my first post in this one (the one where I said I don't know what "clean" means but if you mean "eating healthy" that's not actually how I understand "clean" but is great blah, blah). I was hoping to open the door to what "clean" meant if not just healthy or if healthy why "clean" wasn't really the right term. But then we got 87 posts about how clean eating is better than eating Twinkies 24/7 or some such, and it's that false dichotomy (yes, if I don't care about organic bananas or think non homemade yogurt is fine or even--gasp--eat my friend's homemade biscuit at book club and veggies out of season I must be some junk food junky who never eats a vegetable) that drives me batty.

Also, if you don't see the sanctimony we are reading different threads. I mean this started with negative feelings about people who can lose lots of weight without eating "clean."

Sabine_Stroehm

So EDUCATE people. Rather than just using churchy words. That's all I'm saying. ASK people, in a want to share way how they construct their diets. And then point out the flaws in their logic. Are january bananas good for you? Probably. Are they "natural" no, perhaps the term you want to use mr MFP user is "nutrient dense"....
And since you DO know why sprouted grains are better for you than wonder bread, explain that to someone who's dumping them because they're "white".:flowerforyou:

ETA: I have to wonder how many folks who innocently post or ask about "clean" eating are turned off and leave the forums based on all the darned arguments....

Hmm. I do agree with this for a new user who innocently asks about "clean" eating. I actually think that's what I try to do, and even what I started with my first post in this one (the one where I said I don't know what "clean" means but if you mean "eating healthy" that's not actually how I understand "clean" but is great blah, blah). I was hoping to open the door to what "clean" meant if not just healthy or if healthy why "clean" wasn't really the right term. But then we got 87 posts about how clean eating is better than eating Twinkies 24/7 or some such, and it's that false dichotomy (yes, if I don't care about organic bananas or think non homemade yogurt is fine or even--gasp--eat my friend's homemade biscuit at book club and veggies out of season I must be some junk food junky who never eats a vegetable) that drives me batty.

Also, if you don't see the sanctimony we are reading different threads. I mean this started with negative feelings about people who can lose lots of weight without eating "clean."

Do you also see "sanctimony" in the "I eat whatever I want" threads?

Cortelli

I understand that the number of calories consumed is a number regardless of what it is, as long as you eat within your deficit you will lose weight. So what impact does clean eating have? Will you lose weight faster, is it better in the long run? I feel better when I eat clean . . .

There's your pay off! Whatever floats your boat and you can stick with to your goals.

. . . and get frustrated when I see people losing weight faster than me that eat less calories and their calories are from junk or packaged or diet foods.

I bet you'll be a lot happier in the long run if you focus on you and what you want and what you accomplish and try hard not to pay attention to anything someone else is doing.
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s_pekz

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

Sabine_Stroehm

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

As can calorie counting. We've seen it NUMEROUS times here.

extra_medium

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

As can calorie counting. We've seen it NUMEROUS times here.

To be fair the entire site/app is based on counting calories.

s_pekz

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

As can calorie counting. We've seen it NUMEROUS times here.

There is no question that calorie counting can be unhealthy sometimes. This is how conditions like anorexia occur. That being said those conditions are often more recognized compared to conditions like orthorexia which is a relatively new realization on the part of the medical community.

Any obsession that impacts your daily functioning is inherently a bad thing whether it be counting calorie obsessively or dichotomizing everything into good and bad. This I why I argue moderation in all things is critical.

Sabine_Stroehm

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

As can calorie counting. We've seen it NUMEROUS times here.

To be fair the entire site/app is based on counting calories.

Of course. That doesn't negate my statement that people have developed obsessions and full blown eating disorders from counting calories.

Sabine_Stroehm

My only issue with this "eating clean" fad is the way it can become an obsession. As a social worker I see a number of cases of Orthorexia (not yet in the DSM but generally recognized). Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with being healthy. This is when eating styles and decisions impact your social life and infultrate all waking thoughts. I get nervous when people begin to classify foods as good or bad - healthy or unhealthy - clean or dirty because these are all trigger words in the condition. Its the villification of food types based on an assumed dichotomy. Moderation is key for health - both physical and mental. Obsessing over the types of food one eats can turn into nasty thought patterns and then your file ends up on my desk.

Just my two cents.

As can calorie counting. We've seen it NUMEROUS times here.

There is no question that calorie counting can be unhealthy sometimes. This is how conditions like anorexia occur. That being said those conditions are often more recognized compared to conditions like orthorexia which is a relatively new realization on the part of the medical community.

Any obsession that impacts your daily functioning is inherently a bad thing whether it be counting calorie obsessively or dichotomizing everything into good and bad. This I why I argue moderation in all things is critical.

Yup. Not disagreeing there.

YalithKBK

While I am not a fan of the taste of soap, I do prefer the texture over mud.

reachingforarainbow

Being healthy is much more important than losing weight, although the two might overlap. You could lose weight eating nothing but poptarts, if you burned more calories than you ate. However, if you continued just eating junk, you'll become malnourished, have high cholesterol, be at risk for diabetes, etc. When you get older, you'd be at much greater risk for osteoporosis, heart failure, and cancer. Eating clean will allow you to establish healthy eating habits for the rest of your life, long after you've reached your goal weight. Remember that the number on the scale is a poor indicator of health. Eating clean and filling your body with nutritious food helps ensure that you get enough fiber, calcium, iron, protein, omega-3s and much more.

THIS!!! 100% Agree

Sabine_Stroehm

While I am not a fan of the taste of soap, I do prefer the texture over mud.

and?
:yawn:

cwolfman13

In for psychosomatic feel goods and rainbows.

Honestly, for sustainability. I don't define foods by these terms. Nutrient density is how I judge my foods to meet my nutrient needs...then I eat cake.

Pretty much this is me...except I'm not all that fond of cake...but I like beer...and gummy bears.

yopeeps025

I like eating clean because it's healthier and it keeps me full and satiated. I have less headaches and digestion issues, I sleep better and I personally lose weight faster when eating clean.

This for your body to act to max potential for weight lost micro nutrients might be more important than macro nutrients.

Sabine_Stroehm

In for psychosomatic feel goods and rainbows.

Honestly, for sustainability. I don't define foods by these terms. Nutrient density is how I judge my foods to meet my nutrient needs...then I eat cake.

Pretty much this is me...except I'm not all that fond of cake...but I like beer...and gummy bears.

Wine (and beer)

J72FIT

Being healthy is much more important than losing weight, although the two might overlap. You could lose weight eating nothing but poptarts, if you burned more calories than you ate. However, if you continued just eating junk, you'll become malnourished, have high cholesterol, be at risk for diabetes, etc. When you get older, you'd be at much greater risk for osteoporosis, heart failure, and cancer. Eating clean will allow you to establish healthy eating habits for the rest of your life, long after you've reached your goal weight. Remember that the number on the scale is a poor indicator of health. Eating clean and filling your body with nutritious food helps ensure that you get enough fiber, calcium, iron, protein, omega-3s and much more.

THIS!!! 100% Agree

Do you think "clean eaters" are the only ones who fill their bodies with nutritious foods?

Lasmartchika

Yes, washing your fruits and veggies so that they are clean is the best thing to do. Who wants to eat it with all that dirt? :bigsmile:

s_pekz

Being healthy is much more important than losing weight, although the two might overlap. You could lose weight eating nothing but poptarts, if you burned more calories than you ate. However, if you continued just eating junk, you'll become malnourished, have high cholesterol, be at risk for diabetes, etc. When you get older, you'd be at much greater risk for osteoporosis, heart failure, and cancer. Eating clean will allow you to establish healthy eating habits for the rest of your life, long after you've reached your goal weight. Remember that the number on the scale is a poor indicator of health. Eating clean and filling your body with nutritious food helps ensure that you get enough fiber, calcium, iron, protein, omega-3s and much more.

THIS!!! 100% Agree

Do you think "clean eaters" are the only ones who fill their bodies with nutritious foods?

THIS. I dont do this whole "clean eating" business because in all honesty "clean" means different things to different people. I eat nutritious food but I dont deamonize other food. This means i get to still have a normal social life and enjoy myself instead of obsessing over dirty or clean food.

jeez.

yopeeps025

Nutritious foods is clean eating. LOL

Serah87

I have literally been on a diet all my life. Back and forth, up and down. Slowly, slowly getting to maximum weight 250. I started eating "clean" because my liver was dying and I was real sick of the hospital. Come to find out I have a genetic condition, and my liver, my daughter's allergies and autism spectrum disorder, and my son's lifelong sinusitis/bronchitis/pneumonia, and my last terrible pregnancy were all very related. Now we avoid, folic acid, B6, cruciferous, sulfur foods, gluten, "white foods", dairy (tho this is still hard), we make kombucha, we cook from scratch, all organic, supplement optimal B's, and boom I'm losing weight. It makes me feel so good, oh and that's the biggy. No mood swings, no depression. Still can't sleep, but perhaps one day:ohwell: I'll never eat crap again. If you cook from scratch the calories are so very low, even for like steak and potatoes. It's no wonder we are all plumping up. I don't feel jealous of the people losing faster cause I've been there, they are just destroying their metabolism and muscle tissue, it'll bite them in the butt. I feel sorry for them. :flowerforyou:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

rsclause

Clean is better than dirty I guess but I really have no idea what clean eating is. To me its whole grains, fruit, veggies and lean meats. I don't really go crazy about organic or research if the cow was read a bedtime story prior to slaughter. I guess the best way I can describe it is I like to eat things that don't have a list of ingredients on the package or even come in a package. I also am not a big fan of the deli meats and chicken breasts that are infused with salt and preservatives. Back to the OP does it help lose weight, I think so. All that extra crap has to go somewhere and a lot of it is sweeteners and fats.

love2lift_85

I like food

dojomax

Being healthy is much more important than losing weight, although the two might overlap. You could lose weight eating nothing but poptarts, if you burned more calories than you ate. However, if you continued just eating junk, you'll become malnourished, have high cholesterol, be at risk for diabetes, etc. When you get older, you'd be at much greater risk for osteoporosis, heart failure, and cancer. Eating clean will allow you to establish healthy eating habits for the rest of your life, long after you've reached your goal weight. Remember that the number on the scale is a poor indicator of health. Eating clean and filling your body with nutritious food helps ensure that you get enough fiber, calcium, iron, protein, omega-3s and much more.

THIS!!! 100% Agree

Dunno about you but eating nothing but pop-tarts sounds like fun!

I don't know if it's been brought up but when you eat fast food/junk food you tend to over eat it in the first place. Fibrous whole foods seem to keep you feeling satisfied longer than something that's loaded with salt and sugar. I mean you start to have more cravings for more junk when your sugar levels spike. I think that's the theorem behind clean eating. People tend to take it to the extreme but I say just hit your macros in whatever you're eating and don't over eat anything, regardless if it's clean or not.

Canwehugnow

I'm sure it pays off to wash off all the dirt.

cardinalsfootball

Clean eating, especially with lots of plants, is for your health. Especially long-term disease prevention.

You can lose the exact same amount of weight eating fast food. You just won't be as healthy.