CLEAN EATING: Myth or Fact? Im going to jump right into this one because I truly believe that the vast majority of people understand much less about it than they are willing to admit. First let me define a few things: Clean foods: macro/micronutrient dense foods, whole foods, unprocessed foods, lean foods, etc. An example of a clean meal being chicken breast, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. Dirty foods: processed foods, foods deficient in micronutrients, foods loaded with an assortment of macronutrients, not-so-lean foods. Example: a quarter pounder with cheese from McDonalds. I wont get into the differences between the two when it comes to overall health, that is obvious--clean eating will win here. But does clean eating necessarily mean more fat loss? No, and heres why: The advantage of eating clean is that its easy to track and manipulate total caloric and macronutrient intake. Thats it. The body does not discriminate against where a food is sourced, how clean it is, the quality of the source (processed or non) in regards to total caloric intake and function of each macronutrient within the body. Your body has an ingrained metabolic threshold, an amount of calories it will burn--going over this amount results in storage of excess calories, going under has the opposite effect. Its as simple as that. Dont get me wrong, Im not saying a calorie is just a calorie, each will function in a different manner within the body, but at the end of the day, if youre in a caloric surplus, youll gain weight. Period. For example, Person A is a clean eater and Person B is not: Person A: Burns 2300 kcal/day Eats whole foods, lean meats, veggies, complex carbs, the whole deal. All macronutrient and micronutrient requirements are hit, and they finish each day with 4000 calories consumed. They are in a caloric surplus of 1700 calories, this excess will be stored. Person B: Burns 2300 kcal/day Does not eat clean, consumes donuts/fast food, preservative-ridden frozen meals. Hits all micro and macronutrient requirements, and finishes the day with 2100 calories consumed. They are in a caloric deficit of 200 calories, they will lose weight. How is this possible if they eat dirty? The law of thermodynamics, calories in vs calories out. Everyone has heard Einsteins theory of relatively: E=MC²--the theory of relatively states that matter and energy are not independent of one another, but rather are interchangeable (an example, though off-topic, you weight more standing in the sun than in the shade because of the extra energy placed upon the body, weird.) Therefore energy not used is converted to matter (fat & muscle). Sure clean foods are healthier. Theyre easier to track--since with a quarter pounder with cheese, as stated in the beginning, is full of fat and carbs, its more difficult to manipulate the total amounts, which can lead to excess calorie/fat/carb intake. Said quarter pounder has many more calories in a smaller space, wont keep you satiated, and as youll likely continue eating as hunger approaches, its easy to eat too much. Clean foods can weigh even more, have less calories, and leave you consuming much fewer calories. In closing, yes, you can get identical results as a clean eater if you eat like shit. So long as you still hit your calorie and micro/macronutrient goals, the source doesnt matter. This isnt saying make everyday or every meal a cheat meal. Cheat days usually constitute unclean eating, but the only difference is when cheating, calorie intake is normally disregarded. Flexible dieting, as Im advocating here, allows you to eat the things you like without sacrificing your results, since youre able to indulge a bit (responsibly) and still stay under your required calorie limits.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 18:21:17 +0000
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