The only way to be skinny?

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andrealebeau
andrealebeau Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been wondering this for a few weeks, & really haven't come up with a good answer so I'll as you all.

Once upon a time, it was calories in, calories out. Clean eating wasn't a thing, & now everyone says the only way to lose weight is to eat clean. I don't understand if this is a new fad or what. I realize all the good that eating clean does for you, but let's be honest, it's pretty frickin' expensive to do all day, everyday. From August to October, I lost 15lbs eating Lean Cuisines all day. You can't tell me that calories don't make the difference.

I'm down to the last 7 or so pounds that I'd like to lose, & I'm just not sure what to do about them. I sat staring at my grocery list the other day, stumped about what to get. Do I eat as clean as I can afford or do I just count my calories like I have for the last SEVENTY pounds that I lost? I mean, there's got to be some truth to the calorie theory or I'd still be in the 200s. Can you only have a flat belly if you only consume quinoa & carrots & chicken? Regardless of how you bust your balls to tone & tighten?
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Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    My belly is getting flatter, and I don't eat clean. I don't eat Lean Cuisines, either though. :tongue: I try to avoid a lot of highly processed foods, and cook most things from scratch, but I still enjoy pizza, burgers, sweets, etc. My diary is open (disclaimer - I was sick for over the week, so the past couple weeks of entries aren't typical for me).

    For my calorie intake and macro goals, I use the info in this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Once I got near goal weight, I started eating my TDEE minus 15% and am having good success with losing the fat. I've actually reached goal in the past week, but still have fat to lose, so am continuing with the same plan.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    Weight loss is calories in vs calories out. Those who tell you that you have to cut out certain foods for weight loss are wrong ... while it may help some it won't help all.

    Since you are so close to your goal weight focus on building muscle. Eat at a slight surplus and lift heavy weights.. heavy enough where after about 8 reps you can't do another one. Ensure you eat more than enough protein as well. Building muscle will help you reduce body fat and will make your body look smaller. Do not focus on the scale while doing this though as you will see gains... however you will get smaller as you build more muscle.
  • tomsawyerv
    tomsawyerv Posts: 15
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    I know for me, "eating clean" (which I consider doing my best to cut out highly processed foods and unnatural chemicals) is a matter of wanting to be healthy, not simply to lose weight. If you just want to be thin, sure, go ahead and eat 1400 calories of Cheetos every day.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I have a problem with skinny but beyond that it's just hard to lose those last vanity pounds. It's a combination of how much you eat, what you do, what you eat. I don't think there's any secret formula to get there, just playing around until you find the combo that works for you.

    For me it was going on 1200 cals and running at least 45 minutes, 3 days a week with cycling and strength training. I'm not a particularly good eater when it comes to my food choices, I'm a food in a box person if left to my own devices. Once I got to my goal weight I was able to back off a bit and maintain it. If you want a flat belly you have to get your BF% down and if you have loose skin in may take a couple years to tighten up.
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
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    I think part of the reason why it switched from "calories in vs calories out" to "eat clean" is because of the changes in the standard diet of most developed countries. Our dinner choices how switched from home cooked meals that had whole grains, smaller portions of meat, and fresh veggies. Now it's either take out, or if it is cooked at home, its usually not that great for you. The volume of food may even be the same between the first type of meal I mentioned and the second two, but the calorie content has changed dramatically. The nutritional make up has changed dramatically. So no, I don't think it can be solely calories in vs calories out anymore, because our food is such crap now. You have to actually think about what it's made up of. Maybe not as fanatically as some do, but you still need to eat cleaner. Not just for your weight, but for your health. You lose your health you cant work out because you're tired/sick, you gain weight, you have no energy, you reach for more crap. A viscous cycle. Where as with cleaner healthier options, that isn't as much of an option.
  • HaleyxErin
    HaleyxErin Posts: 94 Member
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    Personally I think you lose weight with calories in vs calories out, that is really it. Clean eating is what gets you healthy, I have a cousin who stays rail thin and lives off junk, is she healthy, no, but she is skinny. If your journey is about the number on the scale then eating less than you burn is fine, if you want to be healthy then eat clean.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
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    I eat the same as I always have - I've never eaten crap. I cook almost everything at home but those things include cream, sugar, butter, oils, cans of tomatoes and things like that.

    Weight loss = calories in vs calories out. Eating 1200 calories of Mc'Donalds every day will make you feel like ****e but you will STILL lose weight. It's already been proven the "Twinkie Diet" works.

    Calories are for weight loss, QUALITY of food & Exercises are for HEALTH.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    I've lost inches and 12 pounds since I started this and I haven't made any drastic changes to my diet. I still eat the same stuff I used to, just less frequently and less of it. I've also started making things from scratch if I can as opposed to buying pre-made stuff. I just exercise more while trying to control my portions. I've started to look at those old goodies as a treat instead of a daily thing
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    Depends on your definition of "eating clean" - to some it means only eating organic foods, others it means no processed foods, some it means no hormone injected meat, some it means no antibiotic injected meats, and to some ....its all of the above.

    In all seriousness, eat what tastes good to you, while staying within your calorie goals for the day/week. Yes, in general fatty, processed foods are less expensive but usually have higher sodium counts. Live your life, but you have already learned to make a more correct choice when selecting foods. For example, you eat lean cuisine instead of choosing the largest Hungry man dinner there is. So, do what works for you. You've been successful thus far
  • Doctorpurple
    Doctorpurple Posts: 507 Member
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    I never heard that "eating clean" replaced "calories in calories out". Eating clean only applies if you are not counting calories. Healthy "clean" foods are usually lower in calories, glycemic index, etc. that is why its appropriate to eat if you are not counting because they usually have less calories than highly processed junk food. If you are counting calories, you can definitely lose weight following "calories in calories out".

    However, I don't believe that eating healthy is expensive. I think its a common myth. You say you eat Lean cuisine everyday. Assuming you eat 3 of them a day for all your meals. Lean cuisine usually cost 2.50-4 dollars depending where you buy them. Assuming you bought them for $2.99 each. At the end of the day, you have spend $10 for just lean cuisine, still not including snack, fruits, beverages, etc. I could definitely eat healthier with the same amount of money. Theres plenty of healthy foods that are not so costly. Obviously don't be shopping at whole foods. Try trader joes or just regular grocery. When you buy meat, cut it with little pieces and include lots of vegetables. I'm curious if you have tried cooking everyday and shopping healthy groceries in the first or did you just assume they are expensive because that's what people normally say.
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
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    "Eating clean" is about staying healthy while you lose weight. Modern food is so empty of nutrition, we can be obese and malnourished at the same time. If we then eat even less of a diet which already has us lacking minerals and vitamins, we may lose weight, but get less healthy.

    Processed, half-done and ready made meals are outside of your control, so you don't know what is in it or how it has been made.Personally, I'd never trust ready-made foods if I had a chance to avoid them.

    When that's said: If you have a good, balanced diet with great variety and fresh vegetables and fruit, there's no reason to start following a special diet. At least not as long as your present diet works for you.
  • andrealebeau
    andrealebeau Posts: 3
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    I never heard that "eating clean" replaced "calories in calories out". Eating clean only applies if you are not counting calories.
    However, I don't believe that eating healthy is expensive. I think its a common myth. You say you eat Lean cuisine everyday. Assuming you eat 3 of them a day for all your meals. Lean cuisine usually cost 2.50-4 dollars depending where you buy them. Assuming you bought them for $2.99 each. At the end of the day, you have spend $10 for just lean cuisine, still not including snack, fruits, beverages, etc. I could definitely eat healthier with the same amount of money. Theres plenty of healthy foods that are not so costly. Obviously don't be shopping at whole foods. Try trader joes or just regular grocery. When you buy meat, cut it with little pieces and include lots of vegetables. I'm curious if you have tried cooking everyday and shopping healthy groceries in the first or did you just assume they are expensive because that's what people normally say.

    Yes, I do cook everyday, actually. And it's not always true, but constantly replenishing our fruit & veggie supply is costly. I spent $30 more this week than I usually do on food for the week for a family of 3 when I decided to buy more healthy options. Same store just a different healthy menu.
  • gpizzy
    gpizzy Posts: 171
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    Weight loss is calories in vs calories out. However, if you want to be healthy, and not just 'skinny' then of course you want to stick to non-prepared foods or those that are the least 'prepared'.

    I have lost TONS of weight by following about 1200 calories per day and then eating WHATEVER i wanted on the weekends. Literally everything under the sun and lots of it...
  • htimsm87
    htimsm87 Posts: 104 Member
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    I actually find that "eathing clean" is a good way to follow a "calories in calories out" goal. If I wasn't eating clean and instead had fast food and other "junk", I don't know how I would be able to hit a in/out goal. To me eating clean means grabing a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar, if we do go to McDonalds with the kids having a salad instead of a burger. I also like soups and can make a lot of healthy soup from scratch relativly easily and inexpensive.
  • jivitasa
    jivitasa Posts: 150 Member
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    Calories in vs calories out is true to an extent. The issue is that is not a blanket fact. This is nothing new... it's just that there is more to it than that for most, especially women. Those who tell you it is, are wrong. Think about it... if that was true simple math would bring everyone to their goal weight in X amount of time right? What about plateaus? Where is the calories in and calories out law there? How come someone can burn X amount of calories and eat at X of a deficit and not lose, or even gain? Many reasons. Namely hormones. And that is where the whole eating clean thing comes in. Everyone is different, but normally in the weight loss process there comes a point when progress slows or stops, and the quality of food and macros your eating begins to count. As you get to know your body, through the process of elimination you will start to know how your hormones are affecting your weight loss, and how your food intake is affecting your hormones.
  • andrealebeau
    andrealebeau Posts: 3
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    I have lost TONS of weight by following about 1200 calories per day and then eating WHATEVER i wanted on the weekends. Literally everything under the sun and lots of it...

    I did the same thing! It was what kept me going in the beginning. I had a free day every Sunday & ate until I was disgusted. Still lost 2-3lbs per week doing this. Now, I would never lose weight if I did it, plus, I hate that feeling of pigging out until you feel nasty :)
  • wrests
    wrests Posts: 84 Member
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    I'm having success with simple calorie counting, as well, however I really do like eating clean more. It's cheaper, makes me feel better, and best of all, I get to eat wayyy more of everything when it's not processed!
  • dfquigley
    dfquigley Posts: 186
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    Calories in versus calories out will result in "weight loss".

    Nailing proper nutrition will result in more fat loss, raise your metabolism for accelerated fat loss, and not sacrifice the muscle that you do have so that don't end up being one of the "skinny fat" people that are light, but still way too much body fat and are horribly unfit.

    Eating nothing but twinkies may result in fat loss, but don't expect to lose it as fast as having proper protein/fat/carb ratios or to maintain what fitness you do have if your body doesn't have the appropriate nutrients to maintain or build muscle while eating at a deficit.
  • verjavec
    verjavec Posts: 30 Member
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    If you are losing weight doing what you are doing, then you will get skinny. You can be skinny and unhealthy though. What a person should eat to feel truly healthy depends on the person. I'm sensitive to gluten, dairy, sugar and nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are the majority)... so for me to feel healthy. I need to eat similar to a paleo diet only without tomatoes, as those are a nightshade. I feel pretty good just giving up the gluten and the sugar, so I'm focusing on those two right now. If I want to feel even better in the future, I will cut out the dairy and the nightshades. If I eat a diet heavy in gluten - regardless of how many calories I eat - I don't lose weight. It just messes up my system big time and the fat packs on faster than science says is possible. I stop eating it and the fat comes off just as fast. You may have no issues with gluten, so it doesn't matter if you eat heavy on bread and pasta.

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