Just an opinion: Clean-eating vs IIFYM

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  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
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    If you are following a macronutrient intake that is friendly for body composition you will be eating a lot of ‘clean’ foods by default because you will not be able to hit a protein, carb, fat, and fiber intake conducive to body composition improvement if all you eat are high sugar/fat foods.

    Exactly. There is much more that unites "clean eaters" and "IIFYMers" than divides them.

    You have people on opposite ends of the spectrum: you must only eat "clean" or you can cram endless amounts of "junk" down your gullet as long as IIYM but these people generally get shunned in polite society...

    ^^ Agreed! I think there is a lot of cross-over in the two terms for most people but others can definitely take it to extremes.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    I think it's simply a matter of whatever lifestyle suits you best.

    I find that eating "clean" is far too limiting for me so I stick with IIFYM.

    Although still about 80-90% of my diet is "clean food" anyway.

    Just find what works.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I guess, essentially what I'm saying is that happier people live longer so do what makes you happy.


    I eat clean because I want to fuel my body with foods that work most effectively.

    Got any proof of this? Source?
  • n2thenight24
    n2thenight24 Posts: 1,651 Member
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  • JenniferMary_9169
    JenniferMary_9169 Posts: 164
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    It's really nice to read somethingy completely logical on the message boards. I have been a yo-yo dieter for as long as I can remember, and I have been stuck in the 250-280 pound zone for most of my "adult life". Restricting foods simply does not work for me. I have found that since I started playing with my caloric levels and eating smaller portions of foods I love, I am seeing actual results. It's going to take a while for me to undo all of the damage that I have done over the years, but I know now that I can do it by doing what is best for me.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    I think (no seriously, despite it seems like I actually do think from time to time) that if you find a eating plan that you feel comfortable with what it does is free up time that hopefully you can use to concentrate on other aspects of your life to make it better / more fulfilled / less stressful.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    I have a couple of relatives who are "clean eaters". All they ****ing talk about is food. And how much better their eating is then others around them. And that's really all they talk about. Go to a movie with them, they comment on everyone eating hot dogs, nachos, popcorn. Go to Disneyland, same thing.
    I invite them to parties, but have to tell them that if they want their own food, they can bring it. I've personally had to tell them that they can't come if they are going to criticize how others are eating. Don't see how that's a "happy" life.
    So yes, happiness is part of being healthy. "Clean" food doesn't do it alone.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
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    I thought it was Jack Lalanne who said "if man makes it, don't eat it". To me, that defines what is a clean food and what isn't. :happy:
  • BeeElMarvin
    BeeElMarvin Posts: 2,086 Member
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    for me my focus is to eat more. I've been undereating so that is my primary focus. I want to get healthy and well. I do want to eat clean because I want to make wiser choices when I eat. we do eat farm fresh eggs and when our garden comes in we will doing our own veggies and try to eat as much off the land as possible. besides meats from the store usually have growth hormones and we don't know the things they inject the meat with. eating our own meat off the land like our own cow we know because my stepdad does it himself.

    Sounds great, and I do many of the same things, but it's not really that simple or economical for many.
  • April_Christine
    April_Christine Posts: 66 Member
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    I like to "eat clean" as best I can:

    - I often cook my own foods and try to limit eating overly processed, preservative laden stuff.
    - I don't do artificial sweeteners - my preference.
    - I limit soy because of the GMO factor + it not being good for thyroid issues.
    - I avoid MSG and HFCS.

    That said, I know I'll never be a 100% clean eater - there are just too many foods I'll never be able to give up:

    - Pizza
    - Garlic wings
    - Bacon
    - Wine
    - Fried Shrimp or Clam Strips
    - Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
    - Oreos

    ...you get the picture. :laugh:

    I also don't preach to others based on my consumption preferences, I really don't care what others' put into their mouths!

    I happen to agree with this. :flowerforyou:
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
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    I have posted this article a couple of times but I think the section bolded is right on the money from my experience and from what I have seen, especially on MFP

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/
    All-or-Nothing Dieting & Eating Disorder Risk

    In 1997, a general physician named Steven Bratman coined the term orthorexia nervosa [21], which he defines as, “an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy food.” It reminds me of the counterproductive dietary perfectionism I’ve seen among many athletes, trainers, and coaches. One of the fundamental pitfalls of dichotomizing foods as good or bad, or clean or dirty, is that it can form a destructive relationship with food. This isn’t just an empty claim; it’s been seen in research. Smith and colleagues found that flexible dieting was associated with the absence of overeating, lower bodyweight, and the absence of depression and anxiety [22]. They also found that a strict all-or-nothing approach to dieting was associated with overeating and increased bodyweight. Similarly, Stewart and colleagues found that rigid dieting was associated with symptoms of an eating disorder, mood disturbances, and anxiety [23]. Flexible dieting was not highly correlated with these qualities. Although these are observational study designs with self-reported data, anyone who spends enough time among fitness buffs knows that these findings are not off the mark.
  • successby50
    successby50 Posts: 27 Member
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    Sorry for being naive here! What is IIFYM ??
    As for clean eating, I interpret it as being pretty much any food that is NOT processed. I feel so much better without fueling my body all the chemicals in processed foods :)
  • n2thenight24
    n2thenight24 Posts: 1,651 Member
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    Sorry for being naive here! What is IIFYM ??
    As for clean eating, I interpret it as being pretty much any food that is NOT processed. I feel so much better without fueling my body all the chemicals in processed foods :)

    If it fits your macros.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    I have a couple of relatives who are "clean eaters". All they ****ing talk about is food. And how much better their eating is then others around them. And that's really all they talk about. Go to a movie with them, they comment on everyone eating hot dogs, nachos, popcorn. Go to Disneyland, same thing.
    I invite them to parties, but have to tell them that if they want their own food, they can bring it. I've personally had to tell them that they can't come if they are going to criticize how others are eating. Don't see how that's a "happy" life.
    So yes, happiness is part of being healthy. "Clean" food doesn't do it alone.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This is exactly the same expereience that I had with "clean eating".

    Very well put.
  • leotardbanshee
    leotardbanshee Posts: 92 Member
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    i am not finding restrticting my diet to be stressful, i'm finding it to be liberating, because i am freeing my mind from all of my pre conceived notions of what regular food is. i am getting opportunities to try all sorts of things i've never tried before, all sorts of different flavors i've never tasted, and it's awesome. my new hobby is nutrition, i read all of my nutrition labels, i also feel better too and i wouldn't trade my health for a cheeseburger any day! of course i have some serious digestive and health issues that i'm dealing with so other people may not be able to see where i'm coming from. eating a cheese burger or potato chips is a recipe for pain the next day for me. of course, i'm not going to tell other people what to eat, or that what i eat is better than what they eat, to each their own. i find that food is medicine that you take regardless and i'm finally starting to cure myself rather than poison myself haha.
  • kimberlyrachelle
    kimberlyrachelle Posts: 12
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    I like to "eat clean" as best I can:

    - I often cook my own foods and try to limit eating overly processed, preservative laden stuff.
    - I don't do artificial sweeteners - my preference.
    - I limit soy because of the GMO factor + it not being good for thyroid issues.
    - I avoid MSG and HFCS.

    That said, I know I'll never be a 100% clean eater - there are just too many foods I'll never be able to give up:

    - Pizza
    - Garlic wings
    - Bacon
    - Wine
    - Fried Shrimp or Clam Strips
    - Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
    - Oreos

    ...you get the picture. :laugh:

    I also don't preach to others based on my consumption preferences, I really don't care what others' put into their mouths!

    Agree^^ My eating is very similar.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    I have all the proof that I need....I feel better, my workouts are better and it works for me. If I eat crap food...I feel like crap, my workouts are like crap and it doesn't work for me. That's all I need.
    So in other words it's anecdotal? Because I can say the same with me eating IIFYM along with some crap food.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,709 Member
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    i am not finding restrticting my diet to be stressful, i'm finding it to be liberating, because i am freeing my mind from all of my pre conceived notions of what regular food is. i am getting opportunities to try all sorts of things i've never tried before, all sorts of different flavors i've never tasted, and it's awesome. my new hobby is nutrition, i read all of my nutrition labels, i also feel better too and i wouldn't trade my health for a cheeseburger any day! of course i have some serious digestive and health issues that i'm dealing with so other people may not be able to see where i'm coming from. eating a cheese burger or potato chips is a recipe for pain the next day for me. of course, i'm not going to tell other people what to eat, or that what i eat is better than what they eat, to each their own. i find that food is medicine that you take regardless and i'm finally starting to cure myself rather than poison myself haha.
    If you're suffering from digestive/health issues then I can see the switch. The general population not suffering from it though doesn't have to worry much if they are meeting their daily macros/micros and staying within a reasonable calorie count.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • leantool
    leantool Posts: 365 Member
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    Oh good, another chance to piss a friend off about clean eating.... :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:



    wait till some paleo people join the thread!
    i for one , am not much proud of my mindset if i need processed sugary, , transfat saturated food to keep me mentally happy, an occasional treat is o.k. but would try to change the way i feel about junk food.

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