1700 cals of Junk vs 1700cals of clean eating....

tigersword

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

plzlbsbegone

Now it's making more sense! Thanks!

dwh77tx

They might lose weight, etc, but their skin, hair, body will not be as nice as someone eating clean!

kimberliiw

I try to eat fairly healthy, but I still eat my share of junk. I'm lucky to have good genes which give me good blood pressure, cholesterol, trigs and HDL. Plus I'm still losing a pound a week.

Mokey41

Wouldn't it be hard to get the same macros? Fat would be much higher I would think, if you ate fast food....

I guess I would have thought if you consume more fat, it would be harder to lose fat.....am I wrong?

Eating fat doesn't make you fat.

MoreBean13

Nutrition =/= weight loss.

The clean eater will probably have much better overall nutrition- as they are eating macronutrient-dense food. They'll probably feel better, have clearer skin, less illness, better sleep, better performance, etc.

That said, the clean eater would probably do even better with a treat once in a while. They're more likely to stick with their program long-term if they allow for the things they really like (occasionally) along the way. Deprivation is quite demotivating and tends to lead to eventually quitting altogether.

Nikki_42

I suspect the junk food eaters (not the ones who go to the extreme) will probably have better results in the long term as it's easier to maintain in the long term.

Agreed. I pretty much eat and drink what I want, but try not to go too crazy. (okay unless it's a weekend)

After 8 months I've learned it's all about the numbers no matter what you eat. But you'll get a million different comments and some people look down on others who eat "junk".

Exercise doesn't hurt either.

txdahl

Nutrition =/= weight loss.

The clean eater will probably have much better overall nutrition- as they are eating macronutrient-dense food. They'll probably feel better, have clearer skin, less illness, better sleep, better performance, etc.

That said, the clean eater would probably do even better with a treat once in a while. They're more likely to stick with their program long-term if they allow for the things they really like (occasionally) along the way. Deprivation is quite demotivating and tends to lead to eventually quitting altogether.

I agree with the treat once in a while. I make it a point to leave room for a treat once a week. For me it's Friday night which in Texas is mandatory high school football night....by knowing I have that one day the rest are easier to eat right. The interesting think for me is the longer I am here and eating healthy I find less and less enjoyment in splurging on that greasy burger or fries.

snapril68

I personally find clean eating easier when trying to lose weight. When I first started trying to lose weight, I just dropped my calories thinking that was all I had to do. I failed miserably. I was eating 1500-1700 calories a day but I was starving all the time because 1500-1700 calories of junk is not a lot of food. I would stay within range for a few days but then have a day where I completely binged because I was so hungry. When I eat clean, some days I have trouble eating even 1200 calories because I feel so stuffed. I think those adopting a clean eating lifestyle will have much better success in the long run because they won't feel they are constantly depriving themselves.

I completely agree with you. Same thing happened with me. When I first started calorie counting on here I was eating what I wanted but trying to stay within the 1200 calorie diet and felt like I was STARVING, because even though I was eating what I wanted it was less food because of the high calorie content. So I switched my diet to cleaner eating: mainly lean meats, veggies and fruits, non-fat or low fat dairy products, and very little starches if any at all. I do have my cheat day 1-2 per week which keeps me sane but I've noticed ever since I made the switch even when I do have pizza or pasta on my cheat days my body feels icky. I've felt so much better since I made the switch to a healthier eating lifestyle

snapril68

I personally find clean eating easier when trying to lose weight. When I first started trying to lose weight, I just dropped my calories thinking that was all I had to do. I failed miserably. I was eating 1500-1700 calories a day but I was starving all the time because 1500-1700 calories of junk is not a lot of food. I would stay within range for a few days but then have a day where I completely binged because I was so hungry. When I eat clean, some days I have trouble eating even 1200 calories because I feel so stuffed. I think those adopting a clean eating lifestyle will have much better success in the long run because they won't feel they are constantly depriving themselves.

I completely agree with you. Same thing happened with me. When I first started calorie counting on here I was eating what I wanted but trying to stay within the 1200 calorie diet and felt like I was STARVING, because even though I was eating what I wanted it was less food because of the high calorie content. So I switched my diet to cleaner eating: mainly lean meats, veggies and fruits, non-fat or low fat dairy products, and very little starches if any at all. I do have my cheat day 1-2 per week which keeps me sane but I've noticed ever since I made the switch even when I do have pizza or pasta on my cheat days my body feels icky. I've felt so much better since I made the switch to a healthier eating lifestyle

Oh also I noticed the weight has been coming off a lot quicker with eating healthier than when I was just eating what I wanted in moderation. :drinker:

californiagirl2012

Just curious what people think....I see a few diaries now and then, of people who eat out everyday. They eat crap for most of their meals, no fruit, no veggies, calorie laden beverages, skip other meals, but manage to stay within budget. Then, there are people who eat clean, and stay within their calorie budget.

Will the junk food junkie still lose weight?
Will the clean eater lose more than junk food junkie?

We all know that junk food can cause more health problems than just weight gain....So my question is: Is one calorie deficit better than the other?

For weight loss no it does not matter. You could lose weight eating Twinkies I think (didn't someone prove that already?). All that matters is calories for weight loss. I can't see why someone would do that though, you would feel like crap. What happened to the "fitness" part of MFP? If you want to perform well with any type of sports activity over time, the Twinkies will not be sustainable for you.

BTW- I like to think of myself as somewhere in-between the junk food junkie, and a clean eater....lol....I just can't seem to give up ALL the junk food !

Calories are all that matter. Didn't someone already prove this with the Twinkies diet? Of course you can lose weight just eating Twinkies if you eat low enough for a calorie deficit. I can't see why anyone would want to. It is unsustainable, especially if you want to perform at what ever your sport is. Isn't fitness part of MyFitnessPal?

MoreBean13

Just curious what people think....I see a few diaries now and then, of people who eat out everyday. They eat crap for most of their meals, no fruit, no veggies, calorie laden beverages, skip other meals, but manage to stay within budget. Then, there are people who eat clean, and stay within their calorie budget.

Will the junk food junkie still lose weight?
Will the clean eater lose more than junk food junkie?

We all know that junk food can cause more health problems than just weight gain....So my question is: Is one calorie deficit better than the other?

For weight loss no it does not matter. You could lose weight eating Twinkies I think (didn't someone prove that already?). All that matters is calories for weight loss. I can't see why someone would do that though, you would feel like crap. What happened to the "fitness" part of MFP? If you want to perform well with any type of sports activity over time, the Twinkies will not be sustainable for you.

BTW- I like to think of myself as somewhere in-between the junk food junkie, and a clean eater....lol....I just can't seem to give up ALL the junk food !

Calories are all that matter. Didn't someone already prove this with the Twinkies diet? Of course you can lose weight just eating Twinkies if you eat low enough for a calorie deficit. I can't see why anyone would want to. It is unsustainable, especially if you want to perform at what ever your sport is. Isn't fitness part of MyFitnessPal?

Twinkie diet guy supplemented protein and some veg.....canned spinach I think? He didn't eat just twinkies.

californiagirl2012

Nutrition =/= weight loss.

The clean eater will probably have much better overall nutrition- as they are eating macronutrient-dense food. They'll probably feel better, have clearer skin, less illness, better sleep, better performance, etc.

That said, the clean eater would probably do even better with a treat once in a while. They're more likely to stick with their program long-term if they allow for the things they really like (occasionally) along the way. Deprivation is quite demotivating and tends to lead to eventually quitting altogether.

I have found this to be true for me. I eat what I like, mostly healthy, and leave room in my calorie budget for treats. I did this for weight loss, and I've done it over a year for maintenance. It works for me.

californiagirl2012

Just curious what people think....I see a few diaries now and then, of people who eat out everyday. They eat crap for most of their meals, no fruit, no veggies, calorie laden beverages, skip other meals, but manage to stay within budget. Then, there are people who eat clean, and stay within their calorie budget.

Will the junk food junkie still lose weight?
Will the clean eater lose more than junk food junkie?

We all know that junk food can cause more health problems than just weight gain....So my question is: Is one calorie deficit better than the other?

For weight loss no it does not matter. You could lose weight eating Twinkies I think (didn't someone prove that already?). All that matters is calories for weight loss. I can't see why someone would do that though, you would feel like crap. What happened to the "fitness" part of MFP? If you want to perform well with any type of sports activity over time, the Twinkies will not be sustainable for you.

BTW- I like to think of myself as somewhere in-between the junk food junkie, and a clean eater....lol....I just can't seem to give up ALL the junk food !

Calories are all that matter. Didn't someone already prove this with the Twinkies diet? Of course you can lose weight just eating Twinkies if you eat low enough for a calorie deficit. I can't see why anyone would want to. It is unsustainable, especially if you want to perform at what ever your sport is. Isn't fitness part of MyFitnessPal?

Twinkie diet guy supplemented protein and some veg.....canned spinach I think? He didn't eat just twinkies.

Well I think the point is all you need to do to lose weight is a calorie deficit, even if it is mostly Twinkies. It's just not healthy. I guess it depends on how well you want your body to perform and how healthy you want to feel. I'm certainly not into the twinkie diet and won't even eat one, but I understand the point made.

surfmonkey17

Clean eating doesn't have to mean deprivation. There are plenty of delicious foods/treats that are considered "clean." I still have an occasional junk treat now and then, but like the poster above, I immediately regret it as I now realize how horrible those foods make me feel.

Jamie_Lauren

Eating clean isn't just about weight loss. There isn't just one way to lose weight, and if you want to fill your calories with junk and that works for you then great. The thing about clean eating is that 1700 cals of nutritious, healthy food goes A LOT further than 1700 cals worth of junk!

I'm on a 1200 cals a day diet plan. When I first started a year ago, I found it extremely hard to stay within this limit eating the processed foods that I enjoyed. I was starving all the time, and I gave up several times because I felt like 1200 cals a day was ridiculously low and that I was starving. When eating clean, I now find that 1200 cals a day of fruit and veg, lean meat and whole grains is more than enough to satisfy my appetite and keep me feeling good! Some days I can't even make it all the way to 1200 'cause I'm so full.

I do also let myself have a treat every now and then. That's called life. You will have cravings and dinners with friends and other social events where you make a "bad" choice. If you allow those things on your journey, there is a much better chance of being able to maintain a mostly clean lifestyle in the long term.

tigersword

Eating clean isn't just about weight loss. There isn't just one way to lose weight, and if you want to fill your calories with junk and that works for you then great. The thing about clean eating is that 1700 cals of nutritious, healthy food goes A LOT further than 1700 cals worth of junk!

Science disagrees with this statement. As long as you get your required macronutrients and micronutrients, how "clean" your diet is makes no difference to your health.

Jamie_Lauren

Eating clean isn't just about weight loss. There isn't just one way to lose weight, and if you want to fill your calories with junk and that works for you then great. The thing about clean eating is that 1700 cals of nutritious, healthy food goes A LOT further than 1700 cals worth of junk!

Science disagrees with this statement. As long as you get your required macronutrients and micronutrients, how "clean" your diet is makes no difference to your health.

I wasn't talking about macronutrients or health, just the pure caloric values of those foods.

I can fit A LOT more food into my 1200 calories a day with "clean" foods (ie fruit, veggies and lean meats) than I can eating processed "junk" foods.

tigersword

Eating clean isn't just about weight loss. There isn't just one way to lose weight, and if you want to fill your calories with junk and that works for you then great. The thing about clean eating is that 1700 cals of nutritious, healthy food goes A LOT further than 1700 cals worth of junk!

Science disagrees with this statement. As long as you get your required macronutrients and micronutrients, how "clean" your diet is makes no difference to your health.

I wasn't talking about macronutrients or health, just the pure caloric values of those foods.

I can fit A LOT more food into my 1200 calories a day with "clean" foods (ie fruit, veggies and lean meats) than I can eating processed "junk" foods.

It's still the same number of calories, your body will use both of them the same way.

nikilis

eating a calorie deficit makes it more difficult to get proper nutrition. if you are on a deficit coupled with bad nutrition there is a whole host of really nasty conditions you can end up with like osteoporosis, high cholesterol, Diverticulosis, skin conditions etc.

thats brittle bones, heart problems, bowel herniation and looking like crap. and your nails can collapse, you can get cataracts etc.

bad diet will kill you at any intake.

it would be worsened by a deficit diet.