Clean eating vs. just counting your calories

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sammy_c_read
sammy_c_read Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My biggest struggle with weight loss has been making up my mind. One day i tell myself "oh just eat clean and don't worry about counting calories" other days I am like "why cant i just count my calories and eat whatever fits?" I am a student and on M/W I go to school all day so i pack a sandwich and feel guilty about eating the bread and deli meat because they aren't clean but they're also 45 calories bread and all the meat is less than 100 calories. I understand that there is nothing wrong with having to eat certain foods that aren't clean for a good amount of time but why do i get so down on myself about not enjoying/being able to eat "clean"? Is it okay to eat foods that are technically processed but are good in all the calories and macros?
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  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
    edited June 2016
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    I carb cycle, 4 days clean eating very low carb then 2 days I eat high fiber carbs. If I really feel like having something I will do it on the 2 days of eating high fiber cabs (my 2 days is Saturday and Sunday) on Mondays I fast.

    On the days I clean eat I will eat less by 200 cals or so. That way I can afford to go over on my weekends.

    This works well for me
  • degenerationwhy
    degenerationwhy Posts: 31 Member
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    I would consider multi grain breads and such clean. I eat a can of tuna of multigrain low calorie bread a few times a week and it's under 250 calories and loaded with nutrients. Eating clean to me is more about knowing how your body burns carbs/fat/protein and balancing your nutrient load. While you can lose weight eating anything as long as there is a calorie deficit you will not obtain as much fat loss. Eating clean and knowing your caloric burn per day allows you to balance your nutrient load and preserve lean muscle while coaxing fat burning. I typically shoot for 40% protein 30% carb 30% healthy fats (avocados etc). My resting caloric burn is about 2070 calories so I shoot for 1500-1750 calories consumed most days. Once a week I eat 2500-3000 on a lifting day, this is when I do cheat meals. I like to have high calorie days occasionally to help keep my metabolism from normalizing to the deficit and slowing down. One of the best parts of fitness is getting in touch with your body and learning what you're really made of.
  • JuicerLab
    JuicerLab Posts: 22 Member
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    count calories and switch up your exercise routine. switch up your diet. zig zag your calories. eat 6 meals instead of 3, add weight training into your routine. you should bust your plateau. examine all aspecs of your diet and see if your getting excess cals from somewhere including softdrinks. if youve been eating the same thing for a while switch it up, these are the basic ways to break plateaus. they suck but its most likely bc your metab has slowed down too much. bump up the calories by like 300 for a week and then lower by 100 ea week after that, thats called zig-zaging
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    degenerationwhy wrote: »
    While you can lose weight eating anything as long as there is a calorie deficit you will not obtain as much fat loss.

    What are you talking about?
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    You don't have to count your calories, but you DO have to reduce them.
    If your idea of clean eating helps you with that, go ahead. But remember that even if you eat that way, if it's too many calories you won't lose a single ounce.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
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    You can drive yourself crazy trying to eat perfectly or you can enjoy food. If your priority right now is calories, let that be your priority. Use your down time on the weekends to think about, plan, purchase/ prepare cleaner meals if it's still bothering you.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    edited June 2016
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    OP, even if you eat "clean" (whatever your definition is) you still have to eat within your calorie limit, or you gain. You can eat "unclean"(whatever your definition is) and lose weight if you eat within your calorie limit.

    So if both statements are true, why not make it easier on yourself and more sustainable by eating both, just make sure to stay in your calorie goals? That way you get your nutrition and the treats that you fancy? Its called having a balanced diet.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I follow an 80/20 rule as a lot here do.

    80% of my food is whole nutrient dense items such as lean meats, whole veggies etc....

    the other 20% whatever I want...could be deli meat on thick white bread or a pie of cake or chips....

    CICO for weight loss but if you are interested in health and nutrition and still living life...this is a great place to start.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    scjamieson644 wrote: »
    My biggest struggle with weight loss has been making up my mind. One day i tell myself "oh just eat clean and don't worry about counting calories" other days I am like "why cant i just count my calories and eat whatever fits?" I am a student and on M/W I go to school all day so i pack a sandwich and feel guilty about eating the bread and deli meat because they aren't clean but they're also 45 calories bread and all the meat is less than 100 calories. I understand that there is nothing wrong with having to eat certain foods that aren't clean for a good amount of time but why do i get so down on myself about not enjoying/being able to eat "clean"? Is it okay to eat foods that are technically processed but are good in all the calories and macros?

    You need to eat in a sustainable way.
    For weight loss you need a calorie deficit. That is all.
    You can choose what food you prefer to eat. Clean eating is a vague term.
    If you want to reduce or eliminate store bought processed foods you can but it will take some extra effort. You could make your own bread and cook meat and slice it up for sandwiches. Not that hard but it takes time and effort.
    You can decide that some store bought foods like bread are fine. There are tons of bread choices. You are still meeting your nutritional needs.
    Guilt is a waste of time in this situation.
  • TristaOnTrack
    TristaOnTrack Posts: 64 Member
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    scjamieson644 wrote: »
    My biggest struggle with weight loss has been making up my mind. One day i tell myself "oh just eat clean and don't worry about counting calories" other days I am like "why cant i just count my calories and eat whatever fits?" I am a student and on M/W I go to school all day so i pack a sandwich and feel guilty about eating the bread and deli meat because they aren't clean but they're also 45 calories bread and all the meat is less than 100 calories. I understand that there is nothing wrong with having to eat certain foods that aren't clean for a good amount of time but why do i get so down on myself about not enjoying/being able to eat "clean"? Is it okay to eat foods that are technically processed but are good in all the calories and macros?

    I hear you! I just recently got started here, and I can relate. Over the past 6 months or so, I had put on quite a bit of weight and I was eating fairly clean and unprocessed foods. I had discovered that you can still overeat clean, healthy food. I have followed the 80/20 rule for a long time now. Eating clean 80% of the time. But now I'm tracking, too, to make sure I'm not overeating. Hope this helps!

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