"Eating Clean" vs Counting Calories
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Skillzorz
Posts: 28 Member
I am torn between eating completely clean (meats, veggies, fruits, no packaged foods, no artificial, no complex carbs or sugars) and counting calories. I've heard that eating completely clean is healthier (Paleo, to be exact), but counting calories is easier to make into a "lifestyle". I generally fluctuate between both. When I'm bored of eating clean, I count calories. When I don't want to count calories anymore, I eat clean. I have to say, counting calories has always made the scale drop quicker for me. But when I'm eating completely clean, I feel better, but don't lose weight as fast.
I would like to know some opinions on this! It seems like there's controversy on both sides.
I would like to know some opinions on this! It seems like there's controversy on both sides.
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Replies
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Why not find a healthy balance and/or do a combination of both? Weight loss is all about calories in vs calories out, regardless of whether those calories come from "clean" eating or regular balanced eating or all junk food. While cleaner eating usually is more filling so you're less likely to overeat, it's still possible to eat enough calories to maintain or gain if you're not keeping track.0
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Can't you do both? If you like clean eating and it makes you feel better why not count calories with your clean eating?0
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All of the above. Losing weight comes from a caloric deficit regardless of what you're eating. If you want to eat paleo for health reasons, just work it in. By its very nature, eating paleo will likely help you stick to your calorie goals anyways.0
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Don't make it any more complicated than it needs to be. Sure, eating "healthy" foods is good for you, but the overall composition of your diet is certainly far more important than any one food or food group.
Eating clean, by the way, is no guarantee of either being healthy or losing weight. You can still over eat and you can still be deficient in some nutrients. Eating clean/Paleo/whatever fad isn't magic.
Eat a balanced diet of food that makes you feel good, just make sure (to lose weight) you really are in a deficit. Find a balance between "healthy" foods and foods that maintain your sanity!0 -
There is nothing healthier about a Paleo diet compared to a balanced diet.0
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Do both. Problem solved. Why would there be a vs.0
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I think the only reason I put a VS is is because from doing a lot of reading, eating packaged food even when counting calories is just plain bad for you. It has hidden sugar, and preservatives that effect your over-all health. (So I've read)0
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If your goal is to lose weight, you will be most successful by knowing how much you are eating, since that is what determines the weight loss. Of course, in general, you can eat more volume of "clean" food than not, but this isn't going to guarantee that you are in a calorie deficit. You still won't lose weight if you are eating at maintenance level or above, even if it is not processed food.0
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There is nothing healthier about a Paleo diet compared to a balanced diet.
This. And like others have said, if you really prefer eating paleo, do it, but count calories.
I gained weight during my most obsessive "eating natural" phase, which was essentially a form of so-called "clean" eating (although I didn't use the term). I also have found that I feel better when I'm not eating a bad diet, but that doesn't mean I only feel good on a "clean" diet, defined in whatever way you do, since it varies. I've tried cutting things out, and I've tried incorporating them in moderation, and I feel equally good in both cases.
In fact, now that I'm exercising a lot I find I feel better eating more carbs than I naturally would if I tried to follow a paleo diet or some such, and in particular that food like dairy and legumes (which I don't eat enough of) make me feel better than cutting them out. In fact, this morning I ate some steel cut oats (grains, you know) after a long run, and I can't imagine my usual eggs would have hit the spot better (although I was careful to eat a good bit of protein and some fat with my breakfast, since that's what matters most for me).
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You can still gain weight by over eating your "clean" foods. Weight loss is 100% about calories in vs. calories out.
Use both if it suits you better, but to lose weight you need to know exactly what you're ingesting compared to how much your body uses.
Just remember: watching macros is for health, calories for weight loss.
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Like the IIFYM vs Clean Eating thread, you're talking about 2 different things.
People count calories so they know how much they are eating, which is key to weight and body comp goals.
People eat clean for overall health reasons.
The 2 concepts are completely unrelated. This is not a "versus" conversation.0 -
jocemmedina wrote: »I think the only reason I put a VS is is because from doing a lot of reading, eating packaged food even when counting calories is just plain bad for you. It has hidden sugar, and preservatives that effect your over-all health. (So I've read)
There are a lot of opinion based articles out there that may say that. There isn't much science that says anything of the sort.0 -
Like the IIFYM vs Clean Eating thread, you're talking about 2 different things.
People count calories so they know how much they are eating, which is key to weight and body comp goals.
People eat clean for overall health reasons.
The 2 concepts are completely unrelated. This is not a "versus" conversation.
People eat clean for overall health reasons and to lose weight. I know a lot of people who are doing it and dropping weight rapidly.0 -
jocemmedina wrote: »Like the IIFYM vs Clean Eating thread, you're talking about 2 different things.
People count calories so they know how much they are eating, which is key to weight and body comp goals.
People eat clean for overall health reasons.
The 2 concepts are completely unrelated. This is not a "versus" conversation.
People eat clean for overall health reasons and to lose weight. I know a lot of people who are doing it and dropping weight rapidly.
Yay anecdotes! Are they eating "clean" in a surplus? What would happen if they ate the exact same macros and cals but one was a "clean" diet and one was "unclean"?
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They are not losing weight because they are eating clean. They are losing weight because they are in a calorie deficit. If you can do that (be in a deficit) without counting calories, then great. But you can "eat dirty" and lose weight, too.
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ZOMG, processed sugars makes you gain more than sugar in fruits.jocemmedina wrote: »Like the IIFYM vs Clean Eating thread, you're talking about 2 different things.
People count calories so they know how much they are eating, which is key to weight and body comp goals.
People eat clean for overall health reasons.
The 2 concepts are completely unrelated. This is not a "versus" conversation.
People eat clean for overall health reasons and to lose weight. I know a lot of people who are doing it and dropping weight rapidly.
Yay anecdotes! Are they eating "clean" in a surplus? What would happen if they ate the exact same macros and cals but one was a "clean" diet and one was "unclean"?
lolz.
BAH!
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I personally do both. I eat "clean" (per your definition), but I log everything.0
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No, paleo isn't necessarily healthier, but it's also not at all UNhealthy.
And if (like me) eating carbs makes you hungry while eating fat and protein makes you full, paleo is an easy way to cut out the carbs and therefore keep calories low.
(I'm NOT paleo because I don't have a problem meeting my goals, but it is super easy. Not always the cheapest way to eat, though.)
To answer OP's question: Do both. Eat real food that you make yourself, and adjust calories to meet your goals.0 -
jocemmedina wrote: »I am torn between eating completely clean (meats, veggies, fruits, no packaged foods, no artificial, no complex carbs or sugars) and counting calories.
Why not do both.
I eat clean while counting calories.
For example my first goal is to come in under 1600 calories. Inside of that I have another goal of taking in less than 100g of carbs. I also try to limit my sodium intake.
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