Clean Eating and Counting Calories?
tattoogal77
Posts: 72 Member
I have been reading more about the benefits of clean eating and gathering recipes. One thing I have read though is that when clean eating you don't really have to keep track of calories? I know I will still keep track of my calorie intake so I know what I am consuming, but I want to know what others do or have done that eat clean?
Also, if you have any suggestions on recipes, websites, or books that would be great!
Also, if you have any suggestions on recipes, websites, or books that would be great!
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Replies
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interesting....you can eat at a surplus as long as the food is "clean" and you won't gain weight....:laugh:
you are going to get a wide variety of definitons of clean eating...mine is 5 sec rule...
It's not what you eat that helps with weight loss it's all about how much you eat...period.0 -
I am doing it to help replace processed foods more than anything. But I understand what you are saying too. I know that even eating clean you still have to watch calories, that's why I was wondering if anyone else had heard the no calorie counting thing. I am still keeping track no matter what I am consuming.0
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I counted calories for about six months. I lost the weight I wanted to and now I just eat well. I don't count and I am maintaining.0
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It depends on your definition of "clean".
I define clean as proteins, fruits, veg, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
I have heard of people eating clean and not counting their calories.
I personally do, because you can definitely over eat on the good things, especially grains and dairy.
I know a lot of my fitfam are paleo and none of them watch their intake, but they arent eating grains, dairy or legumes, which can be high in calories.
I also try to focus more on my macro's than calories.0 -
I try and eat clean (my definition: no or very limited processed foods (because no one is perfect!), lean protein, beans, fruits and veggies. I try and do organic too, mainly for dairy and meat but that's a separate, personal choice.) and I log everything.
Too much of a good thing can still be a bad thing!
Logging helps me make sure I don't eat too much but also that I eat enough. I also use it as a tool to track my protein and carb consumption.
I make a lot of dinners from this website: http://www.thefresh20.com/. Clean, wholesome meals, and the best part is she gives you a grocery list for each week! It was under $60 for a year's worth of recipes. She even has vegetarian, gluten free, and lunch menus.
Good luck!0 -
I haven't heard that but I think it's probably because a lot of 'clean' foods are low calorie and filling so you'd struggle to eat too much.
My OH enjoys clean foods and wants to gain weight but struggles to get all his calories in because he just doesn't have the time in the day to eat that much of what he enjoys.0 -
I don't like the term "clean eating" because it is so imprecise, as others have said. Is it no sugar? No flour? No processed foods? No "chemicals?" No GMOs? Low on pesticides? Meat from ethical sources and therefore low in E. Coli or salmonella exposure?
I think it is a term that sounds pretty that people are using but doesn't mean anything.0 -
This will turn into a "bash clean eating" thread.. but here's my thoughts anyway...
the premise is it is very hard to over eat when clean eating. If you are eating a lot of vegetables and fruits and lean meat, and not a lot of processed high calorie or empty calories it's difficult to over eat, but not impossible. You won't magically lose weight by only eating clean, unless you are eating at a deficit as well. The only way to be sure is to track that.
I am eating clean right now and I have a hard time eating to my BMR. I am forcing myself to eat dessert just to reach my minimum. (which really should be higher since I am also exercising) However i am currently not eating beans, potatoes, milk, starchy foods and some other foods that are still considered clean. So what you are eating plays a huge role in the whole don't need to count theory.
I eat a lot of vegetables, a big portion of lean meat (currently on a chicken kick cause it's what I have), yogurt and fruit and i'm stuffed well short of my calorie goal. Once you add in the other foods, like more starches, it's easier to over eat. Technically I don't need to count as i won't go over with my current diet. But as soon as I start eating oats and beans and other foods again, I wouldn't be so sure about no counting. (ya know, since my current diet is intentionally short term)
i'll still be eating clean, just more starchy, more higher calorie foods. Will make it easier to go over calories and gain weight.0 -
Back a few months ago, I was reading up on "clean eating" just to figure out what it was. I still don't get how it's any different from eating healthy. On the site I was reading, they said they didn't eat anything that had more then 5 ingredients in it. Just for fun, once day when I was at the grocery store I looked at foods that are good for you that have ingredients listed to find some that are 5 ingredients are less.....I'm still looking.0
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Personally I don't count calories and I have been doing fine with it, but I also eat VERY clean when I'm eating right - no junk whatsoever.
One of the reasons I signed up here is so I could log my typical day and get a ball park of how many calories I was eating. As I figured, I was eating at a calorie deficit. If you're eating clean and exercising, I think it's pretty hard to be at a calorie surplus.
Personally - and this is just my opinion, I'm not a nutritionist/doctor/trainer/ect - I'm not a fan of the obsessing over calories and weighing food. I really don't have the time or desire to go through that. I've read a lot of diary logs since joining and I've seen a lot of people eating junk, just less of it so they can be at a calorie deficit. People eating a few grapes for breakfast, than junk food for lunch, then hardly anything for supper because they want to be under the dreaded calorie limit (and in the process, being over the recommended mg allowance of sodium from all the processed crap).
What's the good of that? I lost weight that way years ago and a) I was MISERABLE while doing it and b) I put it right back on as soon as I stopped - and I had to stop because it was unsustainable. Why starve yourself and be miserable?
When I started back in late January (35lbs down, many more to go) I promised myself I wasn't going to do that, and I was going to research proper nutrition and make sure I was fueling my body and giving it the nutrients it needed, which means a lot of lean protein, fruits and veggies, and healthier starch choices (brown rice, ezekiel bread, beans, ect).
I can honestly say I feel better, I'm not starving myself and "dieting" isn't a depressing thing like it was.
Eat to fuel your body IMO, nobody got fat eating too much fruit and vegetables
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Thanks everyone for your input. It was interesting to see what others thought of clean eating. For me it just means replacing processed and box foods with natural foods. I haven't gone organic yet but I can see doing that in the future to help eliminate the pesticides. I know there will be times that I will eat "junk food" because you can't be perfect all the time, but I think it is a great way to fuel our body with food in their natural state as much as possible.0
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I lost my weight (and kept it off) without calorie counting, so I know it can be done.
If you build your diet around nutrient dense vegetables, lean meats, and low fat dairy and then add in whole grains, fruits, and nuts and seeds in moderation, and aim to leave out much of the heavily processed convenience foods, you may find that counting isn't necessary at all for you. And, if you kept eating that way after you hit your goal, you may find maintenance very manageable. I did.
It's not for everyone, that's for sure (as evidenced by many of the posts on here). What you have to figure out is if it's for YOU. Best of luck with whatever you decide!0 -
It depends on the person. My parents lived out in rural America and ate homemade meals because there were no restaurants and grocery store trips were infrequent, and they still got fat. Eating strictly meats, fruits, and vegetables aren't a sure ticket to weightloss. If you love those things, it's still possible for you to overeat it and gain weight. Control is the key in any weight loss.
A lot of people can lose weight eating "clean" because they don't want to eat as much broccoli as they do french fries. Add in the fact that the former is significantly less calories than the latter, and it's easy to see how you can create a calorie deficit without tracking.0 -
Back a few months ago, I was reading up on "clean eating" just to figure out what it was. I still don't get how it's any different from eating healthy. On the site I was reading, they said they didn't eat anything that had more then 5 ingredients in it. Just for fun, once day when I was at the grocery store I looked at foods that are good for you that have ingredients listed to find some that are 5 ingredients are less.....I'm still looking.
That's because clean eaters generally do not eat anything in a box where ingredients are listed. Usually they try to stick to the produce and meat sections.0 -
I have been reading more about the benefits of clean eating and gathering recipes. One thing I have read though is that when clean eating you don't really have to keep track of calories? I know I will still keep track of my calorie intake so I know what I am consuming, but I want to know what others do or have done that eat clean?
Also, if you have any suggestions on recipes, websites, or books that would be great!
If you are going to eat clean, to start with maybe you should cover your bases and log the food for a while until you get a feel for what the approx. calorie cost is for the food you're eating.0 -
I'm having trouble figuring things out. I've been on MFP for almost a year and I've been scared to ask this... I workout a lot and burn anywhere between 800-100 calories a workout (says my HRM) and by the end of the week my weekly calorie goal is under 3-4 thousand calories. Should I be hitting my weekly calorie goal each week? I think with all of the working out and not eating back my calories I'm essentially starving myself but it's not my intention. I'm just horrible with anything that has to do with numbers and I can't figure this out. I keep changing my goals since I'm not sure of what a good balance is for me.
i can tell you that I will hit my daily goal then I will workout, burn the 800-100 calls and then go to sleep. i have to eat BEFORE my workouts since I have GERD and I can't eat before bed. I am a teacher so I wake up at 4:30 am everyday and I'm not home until 3 pm. I come home, eat, help my grandma out and then I workout at night. I do T-25 and I have my activity level set to "active." I will do T-25 plus some weight training at home. Nothing major. I do have a lot of muscle on me which is great. I just have some stubborn slight love handles that won't do away.
My stats are:
5'7''
139 lbs
Active
BMR is 1434
Anyone care to help me set my new goals up?0 -
I think it's just harder to overeat while eating clean, because you are eating foods that are more nutritious and more filling, but it's still possible to gain weight if you overdo it. The key is recognizing when you've eaten enough - as is the case with any type of "diet"0
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define "clean" and "processed"
also, if you over eat on "clean" foods you will not lose weight.0 -
It depends on your definition of "clean".
I define clean as proteins, fruits, veg, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
so steak, chicken, pork, and everything else not listed is "dirty"..???
that would make me filthy ...0 -
It depends on your definition of "clean".
I define clean as proteins, fruits, veg, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
so steak, chicken, pork, and everything else not listed is "dirty"..???
that would make me filthy ...
yummm so so filthy
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You have to have a calorie deficit no matter what you eat.0
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Wouldn't those things be "proteins"?It depends on your definition of "clean".
I define clean as proteins, fruits, veg, nuts, legumes, low-fat dairy and whole grains.
so steak, chicken, pork, and everything else not listed is "dirty"..???
that would make me filthy ...0 -
That's a great idea.I have been reading more about the benefits of clean eating and gathering recipes. One thing I have read though is that when clean eating you don't really have to keep track of calories? I know I will still keep track of my calorie intake so I know what I am consuming, but I want to know what others do or have done that eat clean?
Also, if you have any suggestions on recipes, websites, or books that would be great!
If you are going to eat clean, to start with maybe you should cover your bases and log the food for a while until you get a feel for what the approx. calorie cost is for the food you're eating.0 -
You can gain weight or fat no matter what you eat. Grant it, it is a little more hard to overeat when you are eating more nutrient dense food. But, it can be done. Besides you don't have to eat 100% nutrient dense food to reach your goals. It really is hard to cut out all the things you enjoy forever. Why put yourself through that. Eat nutrient dense food 85-90% of the day or week. Fill the rest with things you enjoy. Don't over do those things. You will see amazing results. If you haven't developed the will power to be able to enjoy some treats then stick to 100% nutrient dense food till you create that life change that we should be going for. Good luck.0
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Back a few months ago, I was reading up on "clean eating" just to figure out what it was. I still don't get how it's any different from eating healthy. On the site I was reading, they said they didn't eat anything that had more then 5 ingredients in it. Just for fun, once day when I was at the grocery store I looked at foods that are good for you that have ingredients listed to find some that are 5 ingredients are less.....I'm still looking.
That's because clean eaters generally do not eat anything in a box where ingredients are listed. Usually they try to stick to the produce and meat sections.
I was looking at a bakery made loaf of bread and even that had more then 5 ingredients.0 -
You have to have a calorie deficit no matter what you eat.
Not necessarily, technically you can eat more calories than you burn in energy and still loose weight.0 -
Back a few months ago, I was reading up on "clean eating" just to figure out what it was. I still don't get how it's any different from eating healthy. On the site I was reading, they said they didn't eat anything that had more then 5 ingredients in it. Just for fun, once day when I was at the grocery store I looked at foods that are good for you that have ingredients listed to find some that are 5 ingredients are less.....I'm still looking.
That's because clean eaters generally do not eat anything in a box where ingredients are listed. Usually they try to stick to the produce and meat sections.
I was looking at a bakery made loaf of bread and even that had more then 5 ingredients.
I think the 5 ingredient thing is just a base guideline for people to use. I don't care how many ingredients there are. I care what those ingredients are and if they fit with that I am trying to do.
What was said is correct. Generally nothing from a box. Although there are somethings that fit that are boxed.
Plus you're just looking in to wrong aisle.. although these are bagged, so maybe that's the difference???
Frito's are clean .If you eat corn oil and fried foods at least. Made of whole corn, corn oil and salt. 0 -
I am doing it to help replace processed foods more than anything. But I understand what you are saying too. I know that even eating clean you still have to watch calories, that's why I was wondering if anyone else had heard the no calorie counting thing. I am still keeping track no matter what I am consuming.
When people "clean" up their diets, they tend to eat a lot more vegetables and fruits and whole foods in general. It is more difficult to overeat whole foods and much easier to overeat processed foods that tend to be calorie laden. Most people will naturally create a calorie deficit when they "clean" up their diets. Really, that's how I lost my first 20 Lbs or so...then I stalled out which is when I started counting calories as well.
Keep in mind that any number of "clean" whole foods are also calorie dense...I love almonds for example...which provide a wallop of around 160 calories for a mere ounce...I can eat these things by the handful. I also eat a lot of avocado and cook with olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil. I eat a relatively "clean" diet and still put away around 2800 calories per day pretty easily which at my activity level allows me to maintain...but if I was less active I would gain weight, even though my diet rocks from a nutritional standpoint and is relatively "clean"0 -
It depends how you are defining "clean eating" but there are high calorie unprocessed foods (nuts, avocado, fatty meats).
You don't ever have to count calories to lose weight. But you do need to keep a calorie deficit.
If eating by whatever definition you have for "clean" helps you keep a deficit, and you feel that it's sustainable for you, then I say go for it. Do what works for you.0 -
I still count calories, but most of my food doesn't come out of a package. As soon as I completely changed my diet to greens, I started seeing results. Still looking for more friends for support and encouragement.. Add me 0
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