have you lost weight *without* clean eating?

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  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    @meg - my workout classes are varied each week (except for zumba!). i do a combination of cardio intervals and strength training. i did the c25k program last year, so i throw in some jogging too. when i need to shake it up, i use 30 day shred and p90x. i feel like my exercise routine is pretty well varied and should keep my body guessing, but who knows?

    @janalyn - my calories are set to 1590. i typically burn between 450 and 700 calories when i workout, and i will eat back enough calories to net between 1200 and 1300. sometimes i eat back all of my exercise calories, but typically 50% to 75% of them.
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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    yes. I lost most of my weight on a not-so-awesome diet.

    however, I FEEL better when I eat "clean." I haven't necessarily seen complete correlation between clean eating and weight loss, but since I feel more energetic, sleep better, have fewer migraines, and have better allergies when I'm eating "real" food, my workouts tend to go better and my attitude toward eating gets much better. I also am sort of an all-or-nothing person when it comes to carbs/sugar, so if I START my day with a muffin, I'll probably end it in cake. Which probably means over eating/over cals/gaining weight (or at least stalling weight-loss).

    SO in conclusion - eating clean helps ME. If you have good energy on "crap" and you feel happy/healthy, then whatever - your body is blessed and I am jealous in a way :) But I don't believe clean eating is the end-all-be-all of weight loss. Still gotta have exercise, moderated calories, etc etc.
  • dthrnm12
    dthrnm12 Posts: 3
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    Check the sodium content on the cans of veggies you eat. Some are high in sodium and will cause you to retain water. I am on a budget and clean eating can be more expensive if you shop at the grocery store. Try to find a farmers market or produce stand near you. I just spent 9.50 on a weeks worth of fresh veggies and fruit. Heads of lettuce were only $.59, corn was $.10 and berries were around $1.00. Hope this helps
  • LatinaGordita
    LatinaGordita Posts: 377 Member
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    I do not eat clean either and have lost weight consistently. I eat many proteins that come in a box for example salmon burgers, veggie meatballs, chicken veggie grillers etc. However, I do keep a close eye on my calorie deficit and macros. I keep my protein high 120 grams or over and keep carbs to less than 100 grams per day.

    I would say log everything, change your meal and exercise routine. I change my meal and exercise routine biweekly to keep my body in a constant state of change. Since January I only had 2 weeks where I had no loss and they were not consecutive weeks.
  • zombiefarmboy
    zombiefarmboy Posts: 222 Member
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    I don't even know what "clean eating" is, but I highly doubt it's anything I'm doing. I have cut back on portion sizes and will choose a bowl of cereal or a yogurt over a bowl of ice cream or a few cookies. And I've lost 10 lbs. First time I've been under 190 in a long time!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    for just weight loss the calories can be clean or dirty. its only the number of calories. "clean" is a relative term...doesnt mean organic or raw. the less crap you eat, the better you perform. but for weight loss, it dont matter,
  • rainwalkerSK
    rainwalkerSK Posts: 81
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    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

    There are certain things I've had to cut out of my diet because they trigger binge eating-- I cannot eat a reasonable portion size of Cheetos, for example, so I don't bother trying. I haven't been at this anywhere near as long as most, but I'm happy with the results I've gotten so far from watching portion sizes and staying close to my calorie goal, while still enjoying my Starbucks breakfast sandwiches.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,358 Member
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    The only things I've removed from my day to day diet is Soda's and Fried foods. I eat healthier but I don't eat clean because I can't afford to do that when my husband doesn't wish to do it, can't afford to cook different just for me.
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
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    Thanks for this post, I really find it fascinating. I have gone vegan, but it's not just in an effort to lose weight, although that certainly is a part of it. Cancer runs in my family (Dad died at 44), and I'd like to avoid it. I try to think of eating FOR health, not just AGAINST weight. I am having major thyroid issues, though, so it doesn't matter what I do (I'm working on it). Best of luck to you!:smile:
  • Perisylpha
    Perisylpha Posts: 139
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    When the supermarket is full of pre-packed ready made foods, it's hard not buy some of it, sometimes just for the sake of convenience and speed. There's nothing wrong with canned and frozen veg and baked beans are very healthy if you buy the reduced sugar and salt type and invaluable for family meals imo. I can't afford organic either, I just buy what I can afford.
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    Ok cutting out all the fads and bull****. Losing weight is a matter of simple maths. Consume less calories than you burn in energy consistently and you will lose weight, even if every calorie is pizza and chips...

    This of course is not healthy but it is a fact. You may want to shake up your diet a bit with new foods and ideas to stop the boredom but honestly a slow down or plateau is more likely to be because you are not logging and weighing everything because you think you 'know' your cals and portion sizes.

    I have lost 8 stones and kept it off for 4 years now, with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise but honestly it is just simple maths, eat less cals than you burn and you WILL lose weight. simple...
    Jules xx

    i appreciate your attempt at tough love, but i don't think that weight loss is simple math. bodies are organic matter, not computerized databases. sometimes you can input all the right things, but i think there are plently of people here that can attest that this doesn't guarantee the expected output.

    but i'm glad you met your goal and have kept it off.
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    There's no real agreement about what 'clean eating' is. I saw a thread here yesterday that demonstrated that fact so well.

    Weight loss is all about calories in, calories out. I have lost weight eating 'clean', 'junkfood vegan' and everything in between. Now I do a combination. I try to avoid my personal trigger foods, which doom me to excess from that first bite, but I find that totally avoiding my cravings can get me into trouble because I find myself sometimes eating around the thing I really want.

    Bottom line: There's no need to 'eat clean' to lose weight, but you might want to go more in that direction with time for health reasons.
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    I do roughly 80/20. 80% healthy and 20% whatever I want. Working a lot better than hyper restrictive pass/fail clean/unclean rules that no one agrees on anyway. So far I'm down 11 lbs and 23.5 inches. Working fine for me so far.

    One thing I would ask is what percentage off your TDEE are you consuming? Are you measuring your food correctly? It's easy to get quite a large deficit by accident when switching to 'clean' eating- this can prove detrimental to your goal by not fueling your workouts properly.

    If you'd like I'd be happy to take a look at your diary and run some numbers for you- just let me know.
  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
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    I eat whatever I like, whenever I like it... maybe in smaller quantities.
    At the beginning, I ate less than before, tried to keep within calorie goal. I reduced breakfast quantities but didn't change much for the rest, except for dessert (I loved and still love loads of chocolate, but I tried to not eat more than possible to not go over calories too much).
    After 5 months on MFP and losing 18 lbs or so, I started working out with a personal trainer. My weight loss slowed down to 2 lbs per month, but my body changed a lot. I had to start eating more because I was constantly hungry with all the strength training he made me do.
    So now, after almost 22 months, I lost a total of 55 lbs and I'm eating like mad, both in quantities and quality. I haven't missed one dessert, one portion of french fries, no pizza or pasta or BBQ, nor did I decline McDos or subway.
    I could have lost faster I guess, but why should I?
    I think one day I should try to eat healthier, but so far, it's working fine for me.
    Check out my diary if you'd like to.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
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    I eat clean, gave up gluten 2 years ago and live off of fresh fruits and veggies with clean protein, quinoa, rice and potatoes. I feel like I am the healthiest I have ever been and I get all of my vitamins from my food :) You can do it without eating clean but when I try and eat foods that I used to eat, my body tells me quickly that they are not good for me. By re-teaching myself to eat this way, I am almost guartenteeing that I am not going back to where I was before. I think in the long term this time around because there will not be a next time for me.
  • Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim
    Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim Posts: 267 Member
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    *Bump* I believe that its the old calories in calories out that works no matter where the calories in are coming from long as you're in a deficit.I have small treats throughout the on some days and big treats on a weekend day every week and have still managed to lose 2 or more lbs a week consistently since febuary,its like magic to me lol
  • cherrybomb_77
    cherrybomb_77 Posts: 411 Member
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    I eat a lot of "clean" foods because I like the way they taste and I feel better when I do. But I believe in moderation, so I still eat "junk" on occasion, and I'm still losing weight.
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    Check the sodium content on the cans of veggies you eat. Some are high in sodium and will cause you to retain water. I am on a budget and clean eating can be more expensive if you shop at the grocery store. Try to find a farmers market or produce stand near you. I just spent 9.50 on a weeks worth of fresh veggies and fruit. Heads of lettuce were only $.59, corn was $.10 and berries were around $1.00. Hope this helps

    :noway:

    i will look into this!
  • Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim
    Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim Posts: 267 Member
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    *Bump* I believe that its the old calories in calories out that works no matter where the calories in are coming from long as you're in a deficit.I have small treats throughout the on some days and big treats on a weekend day every week and have still managed to lose 2 or more lbs a week consistently since febuary,its like magic to me lol
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

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