Clean eating VS Eating Calorie goal

MissFlab2Fab2014
MissFlab2Fab2014 Posts: 109
in Food and Nutrition
Hello can of worms I have just opened. I never knew this was in debate? Guess it makes sense.... you can lose weight reducing portions or eating whole.raw. clean foods. The question I am wondering is...

How does a person look eating 1200-1400 calories of junk food a day VS a person eating clean 1200-14000 a day...? I mean is there a difference, better hair, skin, nails, muscle definition.? Mind you (I hope the ppl are working out too) but im curious...

OPINIONS PLEASE. and don't be too nasty.

Replies

  • Ktanaqui
    Ktanaqui Posts: 35 Member
    There would be a rather strong difference, because the "clean" foods contain nutrients we actually need - vitamins, minerals, etc. If all we ever needed was the calories + carbs + protein, it wouldn't matter, but with the addition of necessary nutrients such as vitamin a, b, c, d, iron, etc., junk food simply would not cut it. On top of that, junk food contains processed sugars, which our bodies don't take to as well - versus the natural sugars in fruits and veggies, which our bodies prefer so much more.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    ^Body treats most sugars pretty much the same.

    I think they would look relatively the same, although any discrepancy in protein levels could cause a difference in retaining lean body mass.

    The "clean" eater would probably be healthier in terms of hitting the required micronutrients though (although eating clean doesn't ensure you are hitting all your micros either).

    Luckily, this scenario doesn't even have to exist, because there is no reason to choose one or other. Eat a lot of whole foods and enjoy your treats too. In this case, you actually CAN have your cake, and eat it too :flowerforyou:
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    My favourite reason for trying to eat less processed and junk, is because you get a whole lot more bang for you buck. If I stay within my calorie goal eating junk, I am left hangry because it's not nearly enough food. I do treat myself to the occasional goodie (a couple fudgeos today) And admittedly, some days I totally eat too much junk but ALWAYS end up over my calorie goal on those days.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Very few people eat nothing but "clean foods," and very few people eat nothing but "junk food."

    So your search for two bodies that do each of these respectively with similar workout routines will be fruitless. Just try to find the balance that works for you while also keeping you sane.
  • baba_helly
    baba_helly Posts: 810 Member
    It's too hard to say with only considering a calorie deficit. Body composition would be a huge factor and dietary fat has a lot to do with hair/skin.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Very few people eat nothing but "clean foods," and very few people eat nothing but "junk food."

    So your search for two bodies that do each of these respectively with similar workout routines will be fruitless. Just try to find the balance that works for you while also keeping you sane.

    This.

    I kinda want to post a goofy gif here.
  • craziedazie
    craziedazie Posts: 185 Member
    My skin is totally different when I eat mostly clean food vs mostly junk. I've been on junk since the weekend and my skin is red and breaking out.
    obviously this is my personal experience. I know the type of foods I eat effect my skin because I've tested the theory many times. Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone. I have a coworker who eats junk 24/7 and her skin is flawless.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    +_dd44d95a00d5b5232babcaebb1be8f2f.jpg
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
    I feel better.

    I have more energy.

    I have no cravings.

    I track daily on MFP, just because I think it is a good idea to have a way to be disciplined about what I eat and how much I exercise, but I am very, very seldom over my calorie allotment if I continue to eat minimally processed foods.
  • kmash32
    kmash32 Posts: 275 Member
    +_dd44d95a00d5b5232babcaebb1be8f2f.jpg

    Lol...in for the storm to come
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I eat chocolates, ice cream, cookies, etc. and I have improved my heart issues almost 100%. :drinker:
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    Why does it have to be one of two extremes?

    Why not just eat a balanced diet, meet your body's nutritional requirements, and have a little "junk" too?
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Hello can of worms I have just opened. I never knew this was in debate? Guess it makes sense.... you can lose weight reducing portions or eating whole.raw. clean foods. The question I am wondering is...

    How does a person look eating 1200-1400 calories of junk food a day VS a person eating clean 1200-14000 a day...? I mean is there a difference, better hair, skin, nails, muscle definition.? Mind you (I hope the ppl are working out too) but im curious...

    OPINIONS PLEASE. and don't be too nasty.

    You have to first define what you will call "clean" and what you will call "junk"

    I mean if you are saying that a person will live off of nothing but Ho-Hos and twinkies.....
    Then they could lose weight for sure.....if they are below their calorie goal

    Health wise things could be debatable.....
    And if the person were not lifting weights, then he would prolly lose a lot of muscle in the process.
    Probably would still lose a fair amount regardless
  • marie_2454
    marie_2454 Posts: 881 Member
    I'm guessing that you'd see a difference if someone was eating 100% clean versus 100% junk since the people not eating "clean" (I hate that term btw) would be missing out on essential vitamins and minerals. Thing is that people very rarely eat at a very low calorie goal (1200-1400) while eating only junk, meaning they're only eating highly processed foods with no fruits and vegetables. IMO I don't think there'd be a noticeable difference between a person who eats 100% "clean" versus someone who eats say 50-80% "clean" when they eat the same amount of calories.
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    Difference is long term vitamin/mineral deficiencies, imo. Not good for the body in the long run if you're eating junk all the time. Also, chronic diseases such as heart disease and metabolic syndrome/type II diabetes (which leads to a bunch of other horrible symptoms like potential blindness, nerve damage, etc....) is a result of both a sedentary lifestyle and "junk" foods high in saturated fats/sugars/chemicals and low in vitamins/minerals. I prefer to eat more "clean" in order to save a bit of suffering later on. But that doesn't mean you can't have your dessert either; like everyone says, it's all about moderation.

    Besides that, IDK about you but I find people with nice, healthy "golden" skin very attractive and it so happens, most of them eat more vegetables and fruits than the average person! That's vitamin A and B-carotene in action right there!! I want that glow too!! You can't get the same effect eating a highly processed "junk" food diet....
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Not possible to only eat "junk" and hit macros (specifically protein and fibre) IMO.

    But if someone was eating 1200 cals of "junk" only then they would be starving. Minimal satiety. Hence the recommendation for eating predominantly whole unprocessed foods and fitting in some treats where appropriate.
  • iPlatano
    iPlatano Posts: 487 Member
    I still dont know one person that hit his macros just by eating junk food.
  • iqnas
    iqnas Posts: 445 Member
    ...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Why does it have to be one of two extremes?

    Why not just eat a balanced diet, meet your body's nutritional requirements, and have a little "junk" too?

    This.
  • JennyHollyHansen
    JennyHollyHansen Posts: 40
    Since May 1 I have only ate clean foods. I can tell you that I have lost on average half a pound a day. My skin has also cleared up. I do not have the same sweet craving that have me circling my kitchen every 15 minutes. I have much more energy but most importantly I am much more calm. My moods are more even. I do not get agitated as easy. I don't get on the jittery roller coaster that comes with eating a lot of sugary stuff. The changes are subtle but dramatic.
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  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    I still dont know one person that hit his macros just by eating junk food.

    Well, let's say we call McDonalds "junk food". And everyday, I order 3 hamburgers, throw away the bun and eat the hamburger patti's. There's some solid protein and it's junk. A plain hamburger has 12g of protein based on their own website. So, that would be 36g of protein a day. Not much, but it's a start. I'm sure I could find other sources. The problem is in defining junk food. Beef jerky has protein, is that junk?

    You'd have to very clearly define "junk" before we can really discuss this.
    Agreed

    I suppose it is possible to hit macros eating say only takeaway foods. It's just very unlikely without making conscious decisions about everything.

    "Most" burger places for example use quite high fat meats so you typically either blowout on total cals before reaching protein targets.

    I will be including Mexican takeaway every week during bodybuilding contest prep so I don't know if that is classified as "junk" or not but I do not expect it to hinder progress that is for sure.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Very few people eat nothing but "clean foods," and very few people eat nothing but "junk food."

    So your search for two bodies that do each of these respectively with similar workout routines will be fruitless. Just try to find the balance that works for you while also keeping you sane.

    This!!!
  • Mad4282
    Mad4282 Posts: 171 Member
    To me there is a huge difference, the first time I lost weight I was eating what I now consider "junk" (lean cuisines, low cal drinks, diet everything). I stayed at 120 pounds but the minute I ate something "normal" I ballooned. I was tired all the time and had crap skin. Now I am hitting the 1200-1500 range every day without fail (I am only 5'1) and working out and am steadily dropping weight. I am eating nuts, fruit, veggies, lean proteins and find my desire to "cheat" (terrible word btw) has greatly diminished. I still have wine on occasion but have dropped 22 pounds thus far. The biggest difference for me is skin and belly fat. At 120 eating junk my skin was crap and I still had a rather noticeable belly pooch, despite working out and eating low cal. Now that I am not at 120 (yet, and maybe never again) my skin is clear and my stomach is actually showing definition. I definitely see the difference for sure, If I can find some pics to compare I will PM them to you. I definitely do not think it is a silly question at all and wish people wouldn't be so quick to attack. We are all here trying to learn and grow and we should be supporting each other as we go on our individual journeys. Good luck!
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member

    I will be including Mexican takeaway every week during bodybuilding contest prep so I don't know if that is classified as "junk" or not but I do not expect it to hinder progress that is for sure.

    Are you on that Matt Ogus Chipotle cut? :laugh: (not a diss either, I love using Ogus as an example to my clean eating friends who think one bite of junk food will lose their gains)
  • paytenpar
    paytenpar Posts: 34 Member
    I think that if you have a lot of weight to lose, then it doesn't make a huge difference in how you look. if you are closer to your weight loss goal or are trying to tone up more, then eating clean matters a lot!
    on the other hand, even though I have a long way to go before im finally my goal weight, I try to eat very clean most of the time. I don't know about you, but I never want to exercise if I eat whatever I want and stay within my calories. also, its REALLY hard to eat 1200-1500 calories per day in junk food. when I eat lots of junk, I want more junk. plus, everything is so many calories, but not nearly as filling as a healthy meal.
    ETA: I didn't go through and read all of the other posts, so Im not sure if this has already been said.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    I think that if you have a lot of weight to lose, then it doesn't make a huge difference in how you look. if you are closer to your weight loss goal or are trying to tone up more, then eating clean matters a lot!

    I am not so sure this is true, and wonder why people keep saying it.

    Check out these instagrams:

    shreddedbycereal
    bodybypizza

    (they both might be private now but two guys who are ripped from "flexible dieting".)

    Another guy to check out is Eric Helms, a nutritional/fitness genius who has also embraced flexible dieting and is in great shape.

    Check out Matt Ogus, or Chris Lavado - competing bodybuilders that also espouse a flexible diet.

    Other flexible dieters to check out:

    Holger Maiväli
    Joey Colozzo
    Scott Tousignant
    Menno Henselmans (his site BayesianBodybuilding.com is incredible also)
    Louie Guarino
    Dr. Spencer Nadolsky (who runs THE best website on supplementation on the internet - examine.com)
    Omar Isuf

    The above people are all incredibly lean - in some cases lean enough to compete in figure and bodybuilding contests. Flexible dieting isn't just for the morbidly obese.

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