Should I eat clean or count calories?

Both You can eat super clean, and never loose an inch if you're eating too many cals. And you can eat crap, count calories, and loose weight, but you'll feel like ****. Go for both in moderation - allow yourself a treat every once in a while, and don't freak out if you go a little over your calories

Both. Eat as clean as you can but still allow your self on occasion to have some treats or else you might go crazy and end up binging or giving up. Just make sure you log it and stick to your calories and macros it will be ok. You will find the more you stick to clean foods, the more "bang for your buck" you will get for your allowed calories.

Eat clean as much as possible - I manage to eat clean nearly 100% of the time, but like most I have the odd mad moment, then slap myself back into touch PDQ.

If you eat clean you'll look lean, eat crap and you'll pile on fat. For me it's simple I prefer the former over the latter, so stay focused.

I eat very clean, no processed food (packaged bread and grain products, so-called "healthy" meal replacement crap" aspertame and "light" food or fast food)

I feel sooo much better and if you find ways to prepare clean foods its delicious, my fav is potatoes which you can do in so many ways.

But i still count every calorie and am losing weight at a great rate.

Why does it have to be one or the other. I say eat clean as much as possible, but a treat here and there isn't bad!

"Clean" calories count the same as "dirty" calories. You need to consume fewer calories than you burn in order to lose weight-those calories can be clean, dirty or a mix-as long as there are less of them than your body uses-you'll lose weight. You'll probably feel better if you're eating more nutritious stuff and less crap-since you're more likely to be getting the mix of vitamins and minerals your body needs. But the most important is that you do something you can sustain forever and ever, amen. If you can see passing on McDonalds, Taco Bell, Snickers bars, Oreos, etc. then have at it. I'd imagine if you're human, it's not reasonable to assume you'll go the rest of your life without occasionally eating some crap. If you find a way to fit it into your life without it consuming your entire diet (or in a pattern of overindulgent binges), you'll be I'm good shape.

I agree with the majority and think you should do both, I'm on the Paleo diet since January first and take one day off and have something non paleo, that gives me good new energy for the coming week. Also try to do some type of exercise every day for one hour at least.
I hope that you can find what works for you, take advice is cool but it's better if you try and see for yourself :drinker:

"Eating clean" does not negate calories..lmao. Calories in are calories in. If you eat at a caloric surplus - no matter how healthy, you are still at a surplus.

And just some extra info to throw out there about "clean eating" for anyone who isn't sure what that is....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/822501-halp-my-sandwich-isn-t-clean
http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

counting calories is how the site works, where you choose to get those calories from is totally up to you.

more importantly, don't be bumping 3 minute old threads. for reals

You should find they go together nicely.... But since 100% clean is hard and too much of even the cleanest foods will tip the scales, I vote for count calories, eat mostly clean, and work out like a beast!

do both.

I did WW, and ate pretty much processed foods, but was STARVING all the time. Didn't lose any weight.

Started P90x, and eating clean. Working out really makes you want to eat clean. Lost some weight, but I *looked* better, more refreshed.

I do the 80/20 rule, I still eat some processed foods, I still go out to eat, but I just usually make sure it's 'somewhat' healthy.

I say do both, but don’t obsess over either of them. That is what has worked for me.

A calorie deficit is necessary to weight loss. There’s just no way around that. In my experience, counting calories is the best way to eat at a calorie deficit.

I know clean foods will usually be more nutrient rich, more filling, and will be better for my health; so I try to eat clean most of the time. Clean food is also usually way less calorie dense, so counting calories has naturally led me to clean eating.

On the other hand, whatever nutrition plan you follow must be something you can really adhere to. The best plan won’t do any good if you only follow it for a couple of months. Me, I don’t actually want to go for 100% clean eating. That’s just not something I can do on the long run. I allow myself to go over my calorie goals and I have “filthy” foods when I feel like it. I want my diet (in the sense that diet is what you eat) to be an enjoyable part of my life, not something that restricts it.

Here's an article by Alan Aragon on clean eating. FYI Alan is the man when is comes to no BS sports nutrition science.

http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

The better you eat, the more you can budget in to eat. That said, everything in moderation is key, in my opinion. If you go too far extreme from how you eat in "real" life, you will probably have a tougher time abstaining and then sustaining. If you have a sweet tooth, don't deny it, but feed it reasonably. I started as a major sweet-a-holic and now I might have something sweet, aside from fruit, once a week...if that. And I'm totally okay with it. It keeps me from extreme cravings, that would lead to overloading without slowing down progress. It's all about balance. I'm so much more focused on "better" eating than "perfect" eating. Though I don't eat all that horrible anyway.

I'm so much more focused on "better" eating than "perfect" eating.

^^^^ Love this!