Do you eat CLEAN, IIFYM, or straight calories... and why???

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  • april27kelli
    april27kelli Posts: 338 Member
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    Straight calories... I don't even pay attention to the other numbers. I've lost 93 lbs in a little over a year...so it's working....
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    IIFYM...I pretty much take an 80/20 approach. I eat a lot of nutrient-dense foods, but sometimes I want ice cream and a beer.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Just a FYI, there is more to IIFYM than just setting some %'s :smile: It should still be based primarily on whole unprocessed foods. Flexbile dieting is a better term as it should include adequate micronutrients and fibre.

    IIFYM or flexible dieting for me.

    +1 This.....
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
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    Straight calories, but mostly "clran" as in unprocessed, non-packaged (except the containers my yogurt, cottage cheese, and kefir come in) foods (I feel like i have more energy, and perform better physically and mentally when I eat this way) ... Though, I have been known to drink an entire bottle of wine and polish off a cheese plate by myself ... like I did last Saturday night ... Ran a 5K that morning (w/ a time of 23:16), didn't eat all day (was busy), and haf a bottle and a half of wine, along with assorted fruit, cheese and nuts for dinner ... lol ... stayrd within my calories for the day though ... That being said, in day to day life I think it's important to use a hybrid of IIFYM, clean (having the bulk of your diet come from minimally processed foods), and of course counting calories ...
  • parallax1978
    parallax1978 Posts: 13 Member
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    I try to eat for the soul as well as the body. I love fruits and vegetables and other whole foods, but sometimes I just want cake.

    Rather, that's what I tried to do before homelessness happened. Now, I eat to survive. 2 weeks on bread, american cheese, plain yogurt, grapenuts, and bananas. Next shopping trip, rice and lentils and frozen veggies (if the generics are on sale).

    No offense... but how are you on MFP if you are homeless? Either way sorry to hear you are down on your luck, hope things improve soon.
  • sixout
    sixout Posts: 3,129 Member
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    Any form of calorie counting, including low carb stuff, falls under the IIFYM stuff, because well, most of it goes by macros still.

    Either way, I'm surprised this got to the second page without being derailed. Eat what your body feels it needs.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    As clean as I can reasonably be without being too concerned about it, while also trying to stay within my macros.

    That being said, if I eat way too many carbs one day, the next I will have fewer than allowed usually to compensate. I noticed I tend to do this subconsciously usually. Keeping track of it normally would drive me bonkers lol.
  • KellySue67
    KellySue67 Posts: 1,006 Member
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    A little bit of all three...The majority of what I eat is fruit, veggies, meat, and whole grains, but that's because those are the foods I enjoy the most. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza and cheeseburgers, so I eat them if I want them, but they aren't a daily thing. I don't restrict myself at all!

    this!
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
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    IIFYM. Because I like tasty food. And I want to be sure I get all the protein and fat I need.

    Plus, ice cream. :heart:
  • Bigjuicyhog
    Bigjuicyhog Posts: 61 Member
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    A little bit of all three...The majority of what I eat is fruit, veggies, meat, and whole grains, but that's because those are the foods I enjoy the most. Don't get me wrong, I love pizza and cheeseburgers, so I eat them if I want them, but they aren't a daily thing. I don't restrict myself at all!

    This reply is the best. I eat "cleanish" for the most part, but I also have pizza, mexican, chinese etc from time to time and fit it into my day.
  • JessiesGirls520
    JessiesGirls520 Posts: 75
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    90% of the time I eat clean. 10% is straight calories. I really don't worry about my macros but I do try to make sure I'm eating a balance of carbs, fat, and protein every day but I don't track it like others.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    A combination of all three.

    I believe in eating mostly "healthy" foods -- meat, veggies, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, nuts with very occasional whole grain cereal and bread. I try to stick to this plan during the week.

    On the weekends I eat out and enjoy some sweets and don't worry so much about macros or calories. (I'm in maintenance -- this doesn't work so well for steady losing.)

    I do my best to get at least 130 grams of protein a day, because I do lift heavy. I let the carbs and fats fall where they may, but if I get my protein in, they tend to be fairly close to my goals (30/40/30).

    I think that everyone needs to find their balance, but I also believe that one is healthier if they eat "healthy" foods as their primary diet. I don't believe that eating your daily calories in poptarts and ice cream is a healthy way to lose, but I believe that there is room in any diet for occasional treats.
  • LAW_714
    LAW_714 Posts: 258
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    What are you doing that is working for you???

    Pretty much just what works for me.

    I do try to eat whole foods and cook my own rather than buying processed more often than not, but that's not saying that I never eat processed, because I do.

    Conversely, I don't make excessive effort to buy everything organic, though I do read labels, trying to reduce unnecessary stuff.

    I try to keep most of my diet in the meat, vegetables, fruit, and dairy category.

    I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup, but of course it happens to be in a few things that I eat (because it's in darn near everything).

    I try to minimize sugar (I eat plain yogurt, avoid sugar in my coffee and tea, etc.) but then I eat some sugar (particularly in 70% dark chocolate).

    I quit drinking soda except on rare occasions (but I did this long before I decided to try to lose some weight).

    I try to minimize wheat products (but that doesn't mean that I NEVER eat any bread or pasta substance, because sometimes I do eat them).

    I try to keep my starch consumption within my daily allowances (so I eat starchy things, but moderate them).

    I also splurge on occasion, throwing rules out the window, but I try to moderate the splurges by considering them to be something that should happen occasionally and not every single day (and by not thinking that 'splurge' is synonamous with 'binge').

    There are no hard fast rules, just what I feel works for me most of the time.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Mostly IIFYM I think, although I got a bit over on carbs or fat occasionally. I tried clean but no thanks, it's too restrictive and I could never stick to it.
  • CookNLift
    CookNLift Posts: 3,660 Member
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    Was doing Paleo 80/20 with IIFYM, but I've been super broke lately and have been eating what is cheap and fits my macros so I've kicked Paleo until I can start grocery shopping again lol.

    Sushi sushi sushi yum yum yum
  • depresseddancer
    depresseddancer Posts: 29 Member
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    I'm one for 'clean' eating complex carbs, fresh fruit and veg, no soft drinks or packaged food.

    That said, I have an evil taste for sweeties that are choc full of flavourings and additives ;-)
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    I try to eat for the soul as well as the body. I love fruits and vegetables and other whole foods, but sometimes I just want cake.

    Rather, that's what I tried to do before homelessness happened. Now, I eat to survive. 2 weeks on bread, american cheese, plain yogurt, grapenuts, and bananas. Next shopping trip, rice and lentils and frozen veggies (if the generics are on sale).

    No offense... but how are you on MFP if you are homeless? Either way sorry to hear you are down on your luck, hope things improve soon.

    How? Laptop and human kindness. Did you mean why? Because life doesn't stop when you're filling out paperwork and job hunting. Where? A friends house next to the cot they set up, but you'll see homeless people using the internet at the library all day, every day.

    I am receiving transitional assistance (welfare that you have to pay back), so I have a small amount for food. I went grocery shopping without a plan last week, and didn't quite pick out the right things from my nutritional needs, so I came here and was reminded of the existence of eggs and lentils and other inexpensive foods with high nutrient density. Tracking feels like a bit of a joke, but acting is better than not acting. I could sit on the sidewalk with a dirty sign and a noxious odor, but I've chosen to humble myself by accepting the help that's out there.
  • ClementineGeorg
    ClementineGeorg Posts: 505 Member
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    More like the three of them, but I go mostly with straight calories. If it's in my calorie goal (+exercise calories) I eat it.

    Well... I am mostly carefull with getting enough fibber everyday; and at least 75% of my calcium from foods only. And I often exceed my protein goal with a lot (not trying any kind of specific diet, but I'm just the kind of person who eats meat at almost every meal) so I try not to have a big `a lot`.

    I am also a person that needs to eat rather big meals... so eating clean helps me get a larger quantity of food for less calories.
  • Last2bfirst
    Last2bfirst Posts: 49 Member
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    I eat fairly clean with in calorie range. Mainly because I have a huge hunger, so when I eat I want to eat ALLOT. Eating clean allows me to do that with out sacrifiseing to much quantity. I.E. I can eat two donughts or 50 lbs of lettuce LOL
  • Snikkee
    Snikkee Posts: 295 Member
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    Clean, Clean Clean!!!

    lean meats, veggies, fruits, whole grains, nuts... nothing processed, no refined sugars,

    has helped me decrease my BF percentage a butt ton,

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