"a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" vs clean eating
newfitTasha
Posts: 56 Member
Alright, I keep hearing two sides to this story and it's driving me crazy. People tell me I can eat whatever I want as long as I burn it off and/or stay within my daily calorie goal,..others tell me I won't lose unless I eat clean bc its more about nutrition and macro-nutrients than calories. Since December, I've lost about 30 lbs, and I'm on my way to losing another 20, so obviously I've been doing something right. But It seems as if my weight no longer wants to budge, and I'm wondering if its because I haven't been eating as healthy (yet still staying within my daily calorie allowance). I just need some honest answers please.
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Replies
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It's a little bit of both. But part of losing weight is wanting to be healthy. So, for me, clean eating is priority over "non-clean eating".
But I think you should watch the fat amounts and other nutritional values in your food besides just the calories, just for your well being. Watching those things can also give you a better work out and lead to more energy. I'm sure you feel much better and energized eating a nice fruitful meal than a bag of chips.
But, on the other hand, I do think a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. And you've had success so far, so stick with what you were doing. It just sounds like you are hitting a plateau. Try HIIT training, or switching up your work out in some way. I've heard that calorie cycling, or forms of intermittent fasting can help up your metabolism as well, but I recommend seeking doctors advice as I do not know too much about it.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.0 -
i agree more with clean eating
but i'm a low carb girl myself.0 -
While its true that a calories is a calories...it isn't as simple as that. You could eat all your calories in bacon or in twinkies and lose weight...but your health would suffer because there not so much nutrition there. Don't worry so much about eating "clean" ss about eating real and varied foods. Your body needs good fuel, especially when you're losing.0
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I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I agree with this person.
I do make better choices.. like having a large salad instead of fries.. but if i WANT fries, i eat them. If you deprive yourself of everything, you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to find what works for YOU. This is forever.. not for now. If you can eat only "clean" and not a single processed food for the rest of you life, GREAT, but thats just not for me. --I also have "cheat days" once a week, and im still losing!
40 days and 19.5 pounds and 20.5 inches.. 0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I agree with this person.
I do make better choices.. like having a large salad instead of fries.. but if i WANT fries, i eat them. If you deprive yourself of everything, you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to find what works for YOU. This is forever.. not for now. If you can eat only "clean" and not a single processed food for the rest of you life, GREAT, but thats just not for me. --I also have "cheat days" once a week, and im still losing! 40 days and 19.5 pounds and 20.5 inches..
Agreed also.
If you are stalling on your weigh loss you may want to take a really hard look at your tracking and the estimated energy expended for the day.
After a while, people naturally start being less exact with the measuring and logging of food. Also, as you lose weight and become fitter, you expend less energy doing day to day activities and during your workouts.
ETA: how long have you been stalled at?0 -
STRICTLY in terms of weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. However, if you eat "clean", you may find it easier to lose weight. For example, a slice of whole wheat bread is going to keep you full for longer than a cookie with the same number of calories will. Also, "clean" foods tend to have fewer calories per unit volume, so you may be able to eat more in terms of size that way. Not to mention that you'll probably have much more energy and feel better.0
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I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I agree with this person.
I do make better choices.. like having a large salad instead of fries.. but if i WANT fries, i eat them. If you deprive yourself of everything, you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to find what works for YOU. This is forever.. not for now. If you can eat only "clean" and not a single processed food for the rest of you life, GREAT, but thats just not for me. --I also have "cheat days" once a week, and im still losing! 40 days and 19.5 pounds and 20.5 inches..
Agreed also.
If you are stalling on your weigh loss you may want to take a really hard look at your tracking and the estimated energy expended for the day.
After a while, people naturally start being less exact with the measuring and logging of food. Also, as you lose weight and become fitter, you expend less energy doing day to day activities and during your workouts.
ETA: how long have you been stalled at?
^ shes hot
:flowerforyou: 0 -
Winner.I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
Love this, and this is also my philosophy most days. Weekends are tougher for me, but hey, that's part of living the lifestyle change.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I agree with this person.
I do make better choices.. like having a large salad instead of fries.. but if i WANT fries, i eat them. If you deprive yourself of everything, you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to find what works for YOU. This is forever.. not for now. If you can eat only "clean" and not a single processed food for the rest of you life, GREAT, but thats just not for me. --I also have "cheat days" once a week, and im still losing! 40 days and 19.5 pounds and 20.5 inches..
Agreed also.
If you are stalling on your weigh loss you may want to take a really hard look at your tracking and the estimated energy expended for the day.
After a while, people naturally start being less exact with the measuring and logging of food. Also, as you lose weight and become fitter, you expend less energy doing day to day activities and during your workouts.
ETA: how long have you been stalled at?
^ shes hot :flowerforyou:
And awesome! Oh, and I agree with the above statements as well. 0 -
this is what i doI think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I'm a great believer in moderation. You can eat what you want but as long as you try to do it healthy and within the calories that you need to lose slowly and get the exercise that we all need in order to make it all easier and get healthier in the process, its all good.0 -
If you eat at a calorie deficit and exercise you will lose weight , simple as
I eat what I want I've lost 40lb since March. I'd say a calorie is a calorie and
stuff clean eating if it doesn't help you stick with your plan.0 -
You could be plateauing for a myriad of reasons. If you still have 20 lbs to lose, it is not just clean vs. dirty cals.
Are you serious about continuing your weight loss? Then clean up the calories for two weeks and see if it makes a difference.0 -
I don't like the "clean" food philosophy. Our food is not dirty. We are lucky to have food. Our food is not immoral and bad. Why to some people have to turn overweight into immoral ? Of course, we should try to get our vitamins and minerals and avoid bad chemicals...but we don't always. Focus on calories and getting some fruit and fresh vegetables each day. Our food is good-a blessing even if it is McDonald's. :indifferent:0
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I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I wouldn't recommend a person "eat as much fruit" as they want while trying to lose weight. Green veggies you can go nuts, devouring a fruit plate will spike insulin and cause fat storage. Additionally fructose can contribute to fat storage through physiological processes.
Limit fruit if you are trying to lose weight, and ideally consume immediately after exercise.0 -
While its true that a calories is a calories...<snip>
No.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
Bingo.
Essentially exactly what I do. Lots of lean meats and veggies to hit the protein and nutritional goals; the rest to whatever.0 -
I think it's best to understand what clean eating is. In all my years as a competitive bodybuilder and trainer eating clean meant eating foods that prompted the body to be most efficient at burning fat and expending energy without burning muscle.
As we dropped weight we wanted to drop as much body fat as possible without losing muscle. Eating "clean" is the best way to attain a lean hard balanced physiques that is ready for action.
So what does that mean?
For starters let's look at carbohydrates. Clean carbs are things like oatmeal (slow cook), whole grains, yams so on a so forth. Carbohydrates with a LOW GLYCEMIC index. These carbs when consumed are released slowly and the body uses them for energy without an insulin spike. When we eat simple sugars or things that have a high glycemic index we spike our insulin which then crashes doing two things.
1. Triggers a fat storing response.
2. Triggers a hunger response. ( think of eating Chinese food and feeling stuffed, but then you are hungry 30 mins later.)
Again, when we eat clean we avoid this pit fall and tend to have more energy and appetite control. We also maintain our fat burning and muscle building "zone"
So while a calorie is a calorie, eating clean is more akin to putting good software into your computer. The better the operating system you upload the better your computer runs.
I am being very general in this response, I am happy to be more specific if anybody wants a more detailed answer.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I agree with this person.
I do make better choices.. like having a large salad instead of fries.. but if i WANT fries, i eat them. If you deprive yourself of everything, you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to find what works for YOU. This is forever.. not for now. If you can eat only "clean" and not a single processed food for the rest of you life, GREAT, but thats just not for me. --I also have "cheat days" once a week, and im still losing! 40 days and 19.5 pounds and 20.5 inches..
I basically believe that a calorie is a calorie, but that you can make better choices if you try to eat as clean as possible. If I want a candy bar for example, and it fits within my calories for the day I will have it - just not every day. I also don't believe in "cheating". I think you make choices and whatever foods you eat should be part of your day. Food is not our enemy. There are times when I want to have a treat and i build it into my day. Processed foods can be jus as healty as fruits and vegetables. If I want to have movie popcorn I have it. Just not every day.
Just aim for working on today and don't worry about the long term. The weight will come off and usually it's the slower the better. I also don't get hung up on the scale (well, I try not to). I weigh in every other week and don't own a scale. It's too much of a trial for me to weigh every day. I don't want to know the ups and downs of my body so I weigh in with my nutritionist and usually see a loss.
Just be good to yourself and live for the day.0 -
Very true0
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I wouldn't recommend a person "eat as much fruit" as they want while trying to lose weight. Green veggies you can go nuts, devouring a fruit plate will spike insulin and cause fat storage. Additionally fructose can contribute to fat storage through physiological processes.
Limit fruit if you are trying to lose weight, and ideally consume immediately after exercise.
Yes!
Yet more proof that a calorie is not a calorie.
Look, saying "A calorie is a calorie" and reducing fat loss down to primarily a maths problem is ridiculous, think about it people.
So 1200 calories of Snickers Bars has the same physiological effect as 1200 calories of steak? Absurd.
An extreme example, yes, but that IS what you are saying if you believe it is just about staying below some nominal calorie count.
Look up the Thermic Effect Of Food, this alone proves that a calorie is not a calorie. Look at how much energy the body has to burn to digest 1 gram of protein versus 1 gram of carbohydrate (or fat). There is energy lost in the processing of food and it differs according to macronutrient composition.
Does it not make sense to deal with the biology first (i.e. provide good nutrient-dense food and get the metabolism humming) and then worry about the volume of the intake?
And you don't need to exercise like a loon to get results. Bonus. 0 -
Personally, I still lose weight when eating poorly (as long as I stay within my goals) I find it much easier and satisfying to lose weight while eating clean. I am not as hungry, I experience less cravings, I sleep better and in general I feel ****ing fantastic. 0
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I've lost weight doing both *shrugs*
Do what works for you. If your weight is at a standstill, try the other side and see what happens. Why not?0 -
People who say a calorie is a calorie have never experienced the benefits of a low carb way of eating. It has been my experience and many others that a calorie is truely NOT a calorie and that hormones manage fat storage and fat oxidation. If you want any ideas or help with this feel free to add me;)0
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I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
Love this.
MY journey is all about a lifestyle change. Being able to incorporate healthier "good for me" foods but at the same time being able to eat what I like in moderation. I can't dodge parties and get togethers for the rest of my life because they're not serving food "for me". Might as well become a hermit in that case. I have and am still learning how to balance the two and lead a healthy fruitful life.0 -
People who say a calorie is a calorie have never experienced the benefits of a low carb way of eating. It has been my experience and many others that a calorie is truely NOT a calorie and that hormones manage fat storage and fat oxidation. If you want any ideas or help with this feel free to add me;)
There is NO one diet fits all. Congrats on finding what works for you though.0 -
Woah. You're putting words in my mouth. I never said to eat a ton of fruit- but in my experience fruit is generally self-limiting if you're watching your diet as a whole. The idea is balance. If you eat too much fruit, you won't get enough vegetables and protein and fat. I guess I could have chosen my words more carefully to specify more vegetables and some fruit.I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I wouldn't recommend a person "eat as much fruit" as they want while trying to lose weight. Green veggies you can go nuts, devouring a fruit plate will spike insulin and cause fat storage. Additionally fructose can contribute to fat storage through physiological processes.
Limit fruit if you are trying to lose weight, and ideally consume immediately after exercise.
I don't agree with the insulin hypothesis though- I think that's flat out wrong unless you have a metabolic reason to be concerned about insulin.0 -
I think both sides are too dramatic. There is much more to nutrition than calories- but you don't need to "eat clean" whatever that means, all the time either. There's a happy middle ground that you can find where you eat a well balanced and nutritious diet- and still enjoy some of the treats that you like.
My philosophy is to get protein first, eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, some whole grains, and use the excess calories however you wish. It's a very sustainable approach- does not at all feel like a diet.
I wouldn't recommend a person "eat as much fruit" as they want while trying to lose weight. Green veggies you can go nuts, devouring a fruit plate will spike insulin and cause fat storage. Additionally fructose can contribute to fat storage through physiological processes.
Limit fruit if you are trying to lose weight, and ideally consume immediately after exercise.
How does an insulin spike after eating fruit cause fat storage in a calorific deficit? What physioligical processes are you talking about? Why would you consume immediately after exercise?0
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