Does clean eating pay off?
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Nutritious foods is clean eating. LOL
Depends who you ask...0 -
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.
Does it nourish you? Give you energy? Satiate you? and does it taste good to you? If it does and you consume only as much as your body needs... then yes it pays off... just like any other dietary changes might.0 -
Do you also see "sanctimony" in the "I eat whatever I want" threads?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."
What thread specifically? That's the thing, I don't recall any "I eat whatever I want" threads. There are 500 threads about what foods we all gave up or not eating sugar or fruit or potatoes or "white foods" or whatever.
I do think that it's reasonable to cut things out for a while because they are trigger foods or to see if you feel better and I also think it's reasonable (good, even) to try and focus on nutrient dense foods or cut down on stuff and sometimes people who are doing that get told they shouldn't or that they will binge or when they ask for other food ideas are basically told that's not worth doing, and I think all that is an overgeneralization based on "this worked for me, it will work for you too," also. Not sure it's sanctimonious in the same way, but I don't especially care for it either.
If you mean the "I eat 1800 calories for breakfast" posts I mostly don't pay much attention, because I have far fewer calories to play with.0 -
Holy hell. These threads are so silly.
If you want to eat clean, eat whatever the frick you think is "clean eating." If you think it helps you stay in your calorie goal or you think it will help with long term health, then great. Keep doing it and be happy.
That just means there is more gelato in the world for me.0 -
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.
Applause!0 -
Nutritious foods is clean eating. LOL
Nope. That's the whole point. Clean eating has no actual meaning--or at least it means different things to different people (most commonly "what I eat is good, what you eat is bad" except for some who use it to feel guilty about their own choices). BUT if you ask questions about it, the common theme seems to be cutting out "bad" foods, usually either along paleo lines or some kind of anti processed thing or an anti sugar or anti high fat kind of thing. In other words, cutting out foods, what foods depends.
To focus on eating nutrient-dense foods or "eat healthy" or eat a generally nutritious diet made up of nutritious foods, there is no earthly reason to cut things out, and I'd like it explained why eating 1500 calories of "clean" foods makes you more healthy than eating 1450 calories of supposedly clean (and macro fitting!) foods plus, say, a 50 calorie Café Tasse Orange chocolate.
Saying there are benefits to eating healthy is not hard to defend. Benefits to eating clean may exist for individuals, sure, but all this nonsense about how you have to "eat clean" to be losing weight the right way or to have shiny hair or not feel bad or be on the road to illness or the like is foolishness.0 -
Watch for them.
Do you also see "sanctimony" in the "I eat whatever I want" threads?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."
What thread specifically? That's the thing, I don't recall any "I eat whatever I want" threads. There are 500 threads about what foods we all gave up or not eating sugar or fruit or potatoes or "white foods" or whatever.
I do think that it's reasonable to cut things out for a while because they are trigger foods or to see if you feel better and I also think it's reasonable (good, even) to try and focus on nutrient dense foods or cut down on stuff and sometimes people who are doing that get told they shouldn't or that they will binge or when they ask for other food ideas are basically told that's not worth doing, and I think all that is an overgeneralization based on "this worked for me, it will work for you too," also. Not sure it's sanctimonious in the same way, but I don't especially care for it either.
If you mean the "I eat 1800 calories for breakfast" posts I mostly don't pay much attention, because I have far fewer calories to play with.0 -
wow. how original.:yawn: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:0 -
For me it's about food volume. for 500 calories, I can either have 1/2 of a decent cheeseburger and be starving an hour later, or I could make a GIANT plate of vegetable-filled, well-seasoned lentil curry & rice, and eat myself silly.
This is how I feel about food too. I'd rather have a huge bowl of salad than a "cup" of of something like pasta. That naturally leans me towards eating what seem to be more nutrient dense foods (lean white meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc).
However, tomorrow I'll be hunting a cheeseburger and pretzel nuggets... and beer.0 -
Eating clean is about having standards for what you consume – ideally that includes high nutritional content and high food integrity (organic, natural, less additives, and minimally processed / un-processed).
I don’t consider my stomach a garbage disposal that I can use to just dump anything in, as long as it is a set amount of calories. But if you have been here long enough, you'll notice a lot of people seem to do that and are fine.0 -
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garbage disposal.
Thank you! :flowerforyou:0 -
Eating clean is about having standards for what you consume
Hmm. But I have standards for what I consume, so that can't be the difference!
Here's another example. Lots of people seem to put "lean meat" as "clean," implying that non lean cuts of meat or meat from less lean animals are not "clean." But leanness of the cut is really about lowering calories, like choosing skim milk over whole fat (which I think is fine, but some seem to have issues with on "more processed" or "not clean" grounds, even if they don't hate dairy itself as inherently non "clean") or even like choosing diet soda over Coke.
Indeed, I buy my meat from a local farm (ethical reasons of my own, plus I just like buying as much as I can locally, one benefit of living where I do is it's so easily available, and I have relatives with family farms so I like supporting them). As a result of this, I tend to have fewer options when it comes to the really lean cuts (i.e., skinless, boneless or 95% lean ground beef) and in some cases (pork) I know some of the breeds I have access to are actually much fattier than your factory-farmed pork. I rarely have bacon in part because the bacon I get (while delicious) is way more calories than the brand I used to buy at the grocery store. And I certainly don't limit myself to the leanest cuts or animals--after all, the ethical idea is to eat the whole animal (which would also seem consistent with real "clean" eating if it actually meant anything). So to me the idea that "clean" (i.e., natural, unprocessed whatever it's supposed to be) means "lean meats" seems strange.0 -
For me it's about food volume. for 500 calories, I can either have 1/2 of a decent cheeseburger and be starving an hour later, or I could make a GIANT plate of vegetable-filled, well-seasoned lentil curry & rice, and eat myself silly.
This is how I feel about food too. I'd rather have a huge bowl of salad than a "cup" of of something like pasta. That naturally leans me towards eating what seem to be more nutrient dense foods (lean white meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, etc).
However, tomorrow I'll be hunting a cheeseburger and pretzel nuggets... and beer.
It's actually not that hard (even without 95% ground beef) to make a burger of a filling size with some vegetables on the side and have it be at least as filling as lentils and rice for the same calories, IMO. Similarly, it's not all that hard to have half a cup of pasta (whole wheat if you like) with a homemade sauce with lots of vegetables and have it be as filling as the salad with lots of volume.
But the bigger point is that I'm not sure why the burger or the pasta in these examples would necessarily be NOT CLEAN. This again points to the confusion of the term. Is it the bun (even if whole wheat)? The pasta itself? I mean, sure, some people think wheat isn't adequately nutrient dense, but is it really that different in kind than rice?0 -
wow. how original.:yawn: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:
Thank you. I've only been here three weeks not three years, so suck it, old timer.
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Bye!
wow. how original.:yawn: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:
Thank you. I've only been here three weeks not three years, so suck it, old timer.0 -
I think it's a vague term at best but if it gets you thinking about eating more veggies and fruits, and focused more on your diet in general then ok. Just remember that it's calories in calories out for weight loss, but that nutrition does matter. Now, to be clear good nutrition doesn't require the organic, non-GMO, gluten free BS though.0
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The payoff for clean eating is in a healthier body, the payoff for eating less is weight loss, and the payoff for exercise is fitness, generally. There can often be cross-benefits between the three, and usually are, but don't expect to lose weight from eating clean alone. There are plenty of people that are fit and overweight, the right weight and unfit, and every other combination of the three.
Its up to everyone to decide which of the three, or how many of the three they want. Personally I don't see any benefit of having one, without having them all, and want to be healthy, fit and the right weight. If all you want is the latter though, you only need a calorie deficit.0 -
i prefer eating clean because when junk food gets in my system i lose my ability to move objects with the power of my mind
You are awesome! hahaha. Def just made my friday0 -
"Clean eating" is a personal choice. Does it help one lose weight faster? Not if they're eating more than they need to.
Is it "healthier"? While eating more nutrient dense food is a great approach, actual health is dependent on more than just food. One could eat "clean" and lack sleep or have high stress and food isn't going to affect those very much.
Also goals matter. Michael Phelps is an Olympian. His requirement for calories is between 8,000 and 10,000 a day. Now if he ate NOTHING but clean food, he'd never get a chance to train and he'd be FULL all the time which would definitely affect the way he swims. So how does he eat? He eats lots of high calorie processed foods which include pizza and fast food. And I doubt he's measured as an unhealthy individual physically.
So the approach should be: "I intend to do this for the rest of my life." If so, then go the "clean" eating route. If it's just to lose weight and the intention is to go back to eating foods you ENJOY and LIKE, then it may not be the way to go since all one is doing is restricting calories to reach a weight goal.
I know many "clean" eaters, but most of them are competitive in bodybuilding and athletics.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
hmmm I have enough macros for 51 reeses pieces, or 5 rice cakes and 2 table spoons of coconut oil. Pass the candy please, you all can have the coconut oil, my body doesn't care where the macros came from, it doesn't live on planet hippy.0
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As mentioned it's a vague term. For some I see posting here, it's about eating more fresh food, opposed to junk food or take outs. I've seen others mention where it means they will only eat organic. I think healthier foods do make you feel better, I feel less weighed down and bloated if I eat a home cooked meal (even home made grilled sausage and fries) than I do after a take out. For me it'd be something I'd have to work towards because I don't like the texture of salad, but honestly for me it's not something I'm really interested in, long as what I'm eating is filling and within my calorie limit, I don't care if it's processed or not.0
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Like everything else in my life, it is a balance. I balance the nutrient dense foods that fuel my workouts and fill me up with the tasty, tasty goodness that comes from the not so nutrient dense foods that make me want to hug kittens instead of kick them.
I eat a lot of what clean eaters would call clean. I also eat a reasonable amount of the forbidden foods.0 -
I 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.
1. Do you think you're earning "virtue points" or something, and that -- even though you SAY you know that it's about calories -- you "deserve" more weight loss than someone else based on them making choices that YOU judge as less virtuous?
2. Does judging other people for eating less clean than you burn hella calories or something? Because that's the only thing I can see you getting out of it.
3. Alternatively, if you are legit asking "hey, if losing weight is the ONLY thing I care about, is 'eating clean' making it too complicated because I MISS CHEETOS SO HARD MAN" then dude, correct, you're making it harder than it needs to be. Count the calories and eat a few cheetos.
You do YOU, and maybe don't get all competitive about whether you're losing faster or slower than someone else. You like the way your diet makes you feel, and you like the results. If eating "clean" is a bit inflexible for you, then loosen up some but keep counting calories. Priorities, man.0 -
The payoff for clean eating is in a healthier body, the payoff for eating less is weight loss, and the payoff for exercise is fitness, generally.
I'd say the payoff for healthy eating is in a healthier body (assuming you also don't overeat, as it's simply not healthy to be overweight), the payoff for eating less is weight loss, and the payoff for exercise is fitness (plus it helps with weight loss if you also control calories).
No need to eat "clean" at all, whichever of the many conflicting definitions one might choose.0 -
The payoff for clean eating is in a healthier body, the payoff for eating less is weight loss, and the payoff for exercise is fitness, generally.
I'd say the payoff for healthy eating is in a healthier body (assuming you also don't overeat, as it's simply not healthy to be overweight), the payoff for eating less is weight loss, and the payoff for exercise is fitness (plus it helps with weight loss if you also control calories).
No need to eat "clean" at all, whichever of the many conflicting definitions one might choose.
Yeah, we're into semantics territory here, and it probably would have helped if I added a definition, instead of simply using the terminology of the original post. In any case, clean/ healthy/ et al, simply means nutrient-rich food to me, so suspect we are in agreement despite our choice of different terminology. I also agree with your bracketted additions, which would be examples of some of the things I meant by crossover benefits.
In any event, it seems I may have to adopt the term 'micro-nutrient rich foods', just to add to the muddled pot of food references here, lol
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"Clean eating" is a personal choice. Does it help one lose weight faster? Not if they're eating more than they need to.
Is it "healthier"? While eating more nutrient dense food is a great approach, actual health is dependent on more than just food. One could eat "clean" and lack sleep or have high stress and food isn't going to affect those very much.
Also goals matter. Michael Phelps is an Olympian. His requirement for calories is between 8,000 and 10,000 a day. Now if he ate NOTHING but clean food, he'd never get a chance to train and he'd be FULL all the time which would definitely affect the way he swims. So how does he eat? He eats lots of high calorie processed foods which include pizza and fast food. And I doubt he's measured as an unhealthy individual physically.
So the approach should be: "I intend to do this for the rest of my life." If so, then go the "clean" eating route. If it's just to lose weight and the intention is to go back to eating foods you ENJOY and LIKE, then it may not be the way to go since all one is doing is restricting calories to reach a weight goal.
I know many "clean" eaters, but most of them are competitive in bodybuilding and athletics.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I may be splitting hairs, but I think you are confusing Health with Fitness. I doubt most elite athletes are ranked up there as the healthiest of us - the fittest yes, but the healthiest - I doubt it very much!
I think (IMO) a lot of people eating clean do so to reduce the amount of food they eat which could cause unnecessary inflammation and oxidation in their system.
Still each to their own.0 -
There will be a lot of naysayers here, I'm sure.
It does pay off. Mentally, physically, and in every other way possible. You will lose weight eating anything, as long as it;s a deficit. However, you won't feel as good nor most likely look as good as you could if you ate more nutrition-packed foods.
I'm not sure how anybody can argue that it's better to "fuel" the body with chemical and man-made material, rather than the wholesome nutrition that naturally occurs all around us...?0 -
Ever since I eat more clean my facial skin looks so much better. It is glowing and I have no skin problems any more.0
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Clean eating does pay off for some. It makes you feel like you are doing something. This sense of accomplishment is important to some people and is hard to get from eating a pizza within calorie budget.
From what I've seen around here though, the only difference between those who clean eat and those who don't is that those who do call it clean eating + occasional "cheats" and those who don't generally eat pretty much the same things the first group does but don't call occasional calorific food cheating.0 -
You're gonna get a lot of haters on here I think
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.
You need to find a lifestyle that will last for you and remember any progress is good progress. Try not to get too worried about what anyone else is doing. Many of them will fail in the long run anyway. Just do what works for you and what you can stick with and be happy for any and every success you find.
Eat what you like as long as you're getting the four main food groups: sugar, fat, chocolate, and salt.0
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