How important is it to eat ‘clean’ when cutting?

patrickconradgorton · May 2019

I have had a problem with my diet for a number of years and am a university student. I am working out 5 times a week and eating at a calorie deficit whilst fasting. I am really motivated but I eat *kitten*. For example, I eat breaded chicken and baked beans, sausage and beans etc. My diet is very unvaried and I don’t consume any fruit and veg- I know I should but I study all day and am lazy. Would I achieve better results if I ate better or can I just keep doing what i am doing as long as I am in a deficit ? Thanks

Terytha · May 2019

No such thing as clean eating. Fruit and veg are important for their vitamins and nutritional value but they have nothing to do with weight loss as long as you're in a deficit.

MikePTY · May 2019

For weight loss, it is calories in vs calories out. It's important to get sufficient protein while in a deficit to assist maintaining muscle mass. But in terms of loss, anything goes.

That being said, a varied diet and fruits and veggies are important nutritionally, and you may find that you feel better and have more energy if you eat a more complete diet. That might help you get the most out of your workouts. So there is some potential benefit to be had there. But it really depends on how you are feeling now in your diet.

middlehaitch · May 2019

Keep doing what you are doing.

Over time try to add some variety, fruit, and veg.

When you are shopping pick up a couple, no need for a whole bag, of oranges, apples, or bananas. And try to add one into your day. They have a longish shelf life so a couple of any will do for the week.

Do what you can to expand your nutrition, food options, over time.

Cheers, h.

Cahgetsfit · May 2019

you can keep eating *kitten* in a deficit as mentioned above, and still lose weight. however, for your overall health eating some fruit/veg is not a bad idea.

As @middlehaitch said above - buy a couple of bananas and apples and maybe some carrots and hey presto, there's some easy long shelf life fruit and veg you can eat straight away without cooking or anything. Just in the mouth. Great for snacking on while studying.

Or, stop being lazy and cook some real food.

In the time it takes to whip up sausage and baked beans you could make other stuff like not-breaded-chicken, steak, stir fry some green vegetables. It literally takes me less than 15 mins to make food from scratch.

Or take a little bit of time one day a week and cook up a big pot of rice and some meat and a root vegetable and that will last you for days. We cook beans once a week and rice every 2-3 days at my place (because we consume a LOT of rice). Then I just quickly cook meat/green veg at night and it takes no time at all.

buckykatt1 · May 2019

I found if I could make vegetables TASTY I would actually crave them. Raw cabbage is awful, but the Blue Apron recipe for sweet chili slaw is easy and low cal so I can fill up on it. Steamed, plain broccoli is gross, but baked with a little lemon juice, salt, pepper and a little sprinkle of parmesan cheese they taste 1000x better.
I thought I hated vegetables, but it turns out I hate canned veggies and the way most restaurants serve them. Replacing higher calorie foods with more veggies will fill you up and reduce your overall calorie intake (while being a bit healthier for your body).

patrickconradgorton · May 2019

Thanks for the comments everyone; I’m going to try to slowly incorporate some more nuturitious foods into my diet with the hope that I can, in the long run, have a more healthy body on the inside as well as the outside.

NovusDies · May 2019

patrickconradgorton wrote: »

Thanks for the comments everyone; I’m going to try to slowly incorporate some more nuturitious foods into my diet with the hope that I can, in the long run, have a more healthy body on the inside as well as the outside.

You may be perfectly healthy right now and "more healthy" is not a possibility. It IS a good idea to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet but I wouldn't do anything radical to hit some health goal you might already have. If you have a concern you should see a doctor but self diagnosing yourself as somehow lacking because of your diet is a path that leads you to a bad relationship with food.

You want to have good habits for now and the future and that is why you may want to make some very small changes over time.

How important is it to eat ‘clean’ when cutting?

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