STOP COUNTING CALORIES: EAT CLEAN

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  • peter236uk
    peter236uk Posts: 140 Member
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    i like to keep track of the calories as well as eating and exercising correctly its a simple equation really you fuel versus output to much fuel you get fat not enough you will feel tired and lethargic.
    Diets its all a con a whole industry is based on it to take your money. if you do not have the right motivation you will fail. With regards exercise walk,jog cycle its free and cheap
  • FitterTerri
    FitterTerri Posts: 91 Member
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    Portion control can work for some people. This is what I do as I found weighing and counting calories was doing my head in. Although I have been at this for a while now, so I know what I should and shouldn't be eating. As long as you make smart choices and stick to your portion sizes and remember that your stomach is the size of your fist (info courtesy Michelle Bridges). So if you try and keep your meals this size you shouldnt be over eating. My suggestion is that if it is possible, have your sauces etc on the side rather than on top of or mixed into your veggies/meat. Weigh yourself now and try the portion control and then weigh yourself in a week or two and see how you go. If you have gained weight, than you should probably go back to counting calories.

    Remember that there are so many different ways to this weight loss thing and that different things work for different people. So if it works for you than go for it.

    Good luck.
  • Sincere24
    Sincere24 Posts: 126 Member
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    Like everyoones mentioned clean eating is hard to define, but what I think what you're trying to get at is a way to lose weight without necessarily counting every calorie. I think with a few simple rules, since you're a bit more aware of the calorie content in foods you can find a balance...portion control and recognizing your hunger cues and addressing them appropriately.

    I would say though you should keep doing what ur doing since its seems like its working for u, and when it comes down to dinner with the fams either (a) have smaller portions or (b) make ur own meals. At the end of the day u control what u eat
  • SelenityJ
    SelenityJ Posts: 168 Member
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    Actually, a good solution to the meals is ask your parents for the recipes of what they make and then there's a section in the food tab where you can add your own recipes and state how many servings are in it (I normally set the servings as the number of food that equals the mass of my fist, or simply said by fistfulls of food.).

    Then you can easily add that. I know it took me only about an hour of entering my most common recipes that I use and then after that it was only about ten minutes a week to add in new recipes.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    ... The problem i am having is how time consuming it is recording every single calorie you consume. this is a problem for me because my parents cook chinese dishes every night with many ingredients in each dish and i have to just estimate the amount of calories in each dish then record it down. This may be inaccurate too.
    I want to make a lifestyle change rather than counting calories daily. ...
    So your lifestyle is always going to be just eating whatever your parents cook for you? Forever?
  • berrydana7
    berrydana7 Posts: 78 Member
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    Actually, a good solution to the meals is ask your parents for the recipes of what they make and then there's a section in the food tab where you can add your own recipes and state how many servings are in it (I normally set the servings as the number of food that equals the mass of my fist, or simply said by fistfulls of food.).

    Then you can easily add that. I know it took me only about an hour of entering my most common recipes that I use and then after that it was only about ten minutes a week to add in new recipes.

    ah thanks :) so one fistful would be one serving is that correct? i will try it out! :
  • berrydana7
    berrydana7 Posts: 78 Member
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    ... The problem i am having is how time consuming it is recording every single calorie you consume. this is a problem for me because my parents cook chinese dishes every night with many ingredients in each dish and i have to just estimate the amount of calories in each dish then record it down. This may be inaccurate too.
    I want to make a lifestyle change rather than counting calories daily. ...
    So your lifestyle is always going to be just eating whatever your parents cook for you? Forever?

    no lol. we have family dinners every night so i have to eat what they cook otherwise it would seem disrespectful of me. they don't exactly have a recipe but i will try watching them cook next time and record the ingredients in the recipes tab :)
  • berrydana7
    berrydana7 Posts: 78 Member
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    No thanks, I'd rather eat "dirty" and still get results.

    I eat white pasta, potatoes, dairy, red meat, and many other things people categorize as "dirty" such as cheese puffs, pop tarts, and ice cream and amazingly enough I still lost weight and am perfectly healthy.

    And counting calories is not tedious; it helps me to see my macros ratios accurately which helps me attain my goals faster by eating the right amount of protein for my body weight. (for example)

    i like to eat 'dirty' too because it tastes good lol although, it lacks nutrition value so i try to limit these 'dirty' processed food and control my portion sizes. i don't think potatoes, red meat, dairy should be classified as bad food! yeah i agree now, it's definitely worth it at the end since i've seen great results from it when i was a religious MFP user last yr. i just need to make it an everyday habit again.
  • MissKarlaJamaica
    MissKarlaJamaica Posts: 12 Member
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    Say that. I'll clean through every clean food in the fridge.
    If I am not recording every single thing I eat, then I am overeating. Guaranteed. Eating clean or not, I am a glutton.
  • Annie_R
    Annie_R Posts: 18 Member
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    Everyone has their own opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions :-)

    Everyone is different, there is no 'one size fits all'. Different strokes for different folks.

    If you want to stop counting calories and start eating clean, then that's your choice - go for it! There is no right or wrong, there is only what works for you - find it and do it!

    My focus is on becoming healthier and as a 'side benefit' this results in feeling better within myself, being happier and shedding excess kilos!
    I'm not into 'diet products' eg: diet coke, slimmers yogurts, lean cuisine, etc. I do my best to eat real foods and whole foods that are as natural as possible with no additives or preservatives.
    I would rather feed my body the nutrients it needs to sustain it and therefore I look at the effect that foods [and liquids] have on my body once I've consumed them.
    I'm wanting to be healthier and well; happy and have a zest for life.
    I don't want to be slim and trim yet be unwell from all the harmful ingredients I've consumed as a result of eating 'un' real food.

    Oh, and I don't count' calories - I follow Dr Damian Kristof's "Palm Method" - google it if you want to know more.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
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    I'm in maintenance and no longer count calories/track anything. I eat a mostly whole foods, plant based diet, which I guess would be considered 'clean eating'. My diet consists mostly of whole grains, fresh veggies and some fruit, nuts, olives, seeds (flax seed etc), and then misc things like nutritional yeast etc etc. I also eat meat and dairy a couple times a week, along with non-whole foods a couple times a week. For me, I'm able to maintain effortlessly eating this way, but I'm no longer trying to lose weight (my weight fluctuates in a three pound maintenance window now).

    OP, it sounds like you're interested in intuitive eating and I'd suggest reading the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elsye Resch. It's a great starting point for learning how to actually listen to your body's cues for hunger etc.
  • nilleah
    nilleah Posts: 177
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    I never count calories. Ever!
    I do NOT log my food here.

    I simply eat correctly. Meaning I don't eat garbage, I watch portions, I don't snack, I don't use sugar of ANY kind. Not even the fake crap. I drink water, water, water. And only water. When I think I've had enough water, I drink a few more cups of water.
    I exercise 3-5 days a week. I never eat fast food, candy or processed crap.

    Every morning I drink an 8oz glass of water with 1oz of Lemon juice in it within the 10 minutes of waking up.
    I NEVER, EVER skip breakfast. In fact, within 1 hour of waking I eat a 3-4 egg white omelet along with 6oz of Chobani Plain Fat-free Greek Yogurt and 1/2 of an orange, every single day..

    Lunch is usually a large salad with chicken and Fat free Italian dressing. And an apple or something. I'll snack on carrots or other veggies through out the day.

    I drink half my body weight in water every day minimum.

    Dinner is similar to lunch.

    This is my daily routine.


    I never log it and I've lost 40+ pounds. As long as you eat right, exercise and font snack on crap, drink sugary drinks and exercise, you should be fine. You know what you shouldn't be eating or drinking.
  • Orient_Charm
    Orient_Charm Posts: 385 Member
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    What work for you, may not work for others.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    if your TDEE is 1500 cals a day and you eat 2000 cals a day of "clean" food you will still gain a pound per week ...

    So yes, you should log your food and eat in a deficit as that is the only way you are going to lose weight.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
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    NO.

    Seriously...the amount of ignorance and uneducated posts in this thread baffles me...
  • berrydana7
    berrydana7 Posts: 78 Member
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    Everyone has their own opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions :-)

    Everyone is different, there is no 'one size fits all'. Different strokes for different folks.

    If you want to stop counting calories and start eating clean, then that's your choice - go for it! There is no right or wrong, there is only what works for you - find it and do it!

    My focus is on becoming healthier and as a 'side benefit' this results in feeling better within myself, being happier and shedding excess kilos!
    I'm not into 'diet products' eg: diet coke, slimmers yogurts, lean cuisine, etc. I do my best to eat real foods and whole foods that are as natural as possible with no additives or preservatives.
    I would rather feed my body the nutrients it needs to sustain it and therefore I look at the effect that foods [and liquids] have on my body once I've consumed them.
    I'm wanting to be healthier and well; happy and have a zest for life.
    I don't want to be slim and trim yet be unwell from all the harmful ingredients I've consumed as a result of eating 'un' real food.

    Oh, and I don't count' calories - I follow Dr Damian Kristof's "Palm Method" - google it if you want to know more.

    i agree :) it's best to feed and take care of your body by eating whole, unprocessed foods. you feel and look better and also it's harder to gain weight from eating veggies everyday than if u were to eat high gi, processed carbs. i know so many people who have embraced this clean eating diet such as fitness guru Blogilates and they have been so very successful.
    thank you for this comment!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    Everyone has their own opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions :-)

    Everyone is different, there is no 'one size fits all'. Different strokes for different folks.

    If you want to stop counting calories and start eating clean, then that's your choice - go for it! There is no right or wrong, there is only what works for you - find it and do it!

    My focus is on becoming healthier and as a 'side benefit' this results in feeling better within myself, being happier and shedding excess kilos!
    I'm not into 'diet products' eg: diet coke, slimmers yogurts, lean cuisine, etc. I do my best to eat real foods and whole foods that are as natural as possible with no additives or preservatives.
    I would rather feed my body the nutrients it needs to sustain it and therefore I look at the effect that foods [and liquids] have on my body once I've consumed them.
    I'm wanting to be healthier and well; happy and have a zest for life.
    I don't want to be slim and trim yet be unwell from all the harmful ingredients I've consumed as a result of eating 'un' real food.

    Oh, and I don't count' calories - I follow Dr Damian Kristof's "Palm Method" - google it if you want to know more.

    i agree :) it's best to feed and take care of your body by eating whole, unprocessed foods. you feel and look better and also it's harder to gain weight from eating veggies everyday than if u were to eat high gi, processed carbs. i know so many people who have embraced this clean eating diet such as fitness guru Blogilates and they have been so very successful.
    thank you for this comment!

    you realize vegetables are carbs right....?
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    Options
    Everyone has their own opinions, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions :-)

    Everyone is different, there is no 'one size fits all'. Different strokes for different folks.

    If you want to stop counting calories and start eating clean, then that's your choice - go for it! There is no right or wrong, there is only what works for you - find it and do it!

    My focus is on becoming healthier and as a 'side benefit' this results in feeling better within myself, being happier and shedding excess kilos!
    I'm not into 'diet products' eg: diet coke, slimmers yogurts, lean cuisine, etc. I do my best to eat real foods and whole foods that are as natural as possible with no additives or preservatives.
    I would rather feed my body the nutrients it needs to sustain it and therefore I look at the effect that foods [and liquids] have on my body once I've consumed them.
    I'm wanting to be healthier and well; happy and have a zest for life.
    I don't want to be slim and trim yet be unwell from all the harmful ingredients I've consumed as a result of eating 'un' real food.

    Oh, and I don't count' calories - I follow Dr Damian Kristof's "Palm Method" - google it if you want to know more.

    i agree :) it's best to feed and take care of your body by eating whole, unprocessed foods. you feel and look better and also it's harder to gain weight from eating veggies everyday than if u were to eat high gi, processed carbs. i know so many people who have embraced this clean eating diet such as fitness guru Blogilates and they have been so very successful.
    thank you for this comment!

    you realize vegetables are carbs right....?

    Yeah but they are "clean" carbs so they are good....
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
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    I think eating healthy food where you know what is in the food, rather than processed food, is a very good idea for you. You obviously have decent habits already: according to your ticker you want to go from 50 - 45 kilos. Unless you are very small - I don't know how tall you are - that is pretty low, so starving yourself to lose is not a good idea.

    So yes, go for food rich on nutrients and well-balanced meals. It will keep you healthy and strong. And if those five kilos don't melt off, it may be that you're actually at a healthy weight at 50 kilos, and you are simply maintaining your health.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
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    That's like saying

    "don't go to the hospital, just hope you stop bleeding in time".

    for some people...