Is Eating 'Clean' Necessary To Lose Fat?
Is eating 'clean' a necessity when trying to lose fat?
Eating clean is often considered the answer when it comes to lose fat? Taking healthy alternatives for junk food are strongly linked to losing fat. In reality, this is not an absolute must!
In order to lose fat we need to be in a calorie deficit. The foods we eat and the amounts determine our 'meal plan'. Technically you can choose any source you want, as long as you hit your daily calories and macro's for fat loss.
This approach to diet is often named IIFYM ('If It Fits You Macro's'). Within the fitness realm there has been debate whether IIFYM or 'clean eating' is the right way.
In reality you can pick any strategy, or a mix, but to eat clean most of the time is often the best strategy.
Why, you ask?
Let's determine the positives and negatives of both strategies
IIFYM
Positives
- Flexible food choice, space to include you favorite choices or 'guilty pleasures'
- Considered to be less dull, predictive and boring
Negatives
- Choosing dense food will leave you hungrier, making it hard on the long term to comply to the plan
- Choosing guilty pleasures can result in heavy cravings that can make the diet more difficult
- Often lacking in micronutrients
'Clean Eating'
Positives
- Food choices will probably leave you less hungry as these foods are more voluminous
- Less cravings can be a result of your taste buds adapting to the new flavors. *This is not a given for everyone!
- Often rich in micronutrients
Negatives
- Food choices can be dull and repetitive
- Less to no flexibility to include guilty pleasures
- Obsession and appetite for 'junkier' food sources can occur
So what is the best strategy? That is entirely up to you and what works best for you. The reduced hunger of a clean diet is a huge benefit on a fat loss plan. Alongside the health benefits. However, throwing in an occasional IIFYM style meal can balance the repetitiveness out and can help you stop obsessing over certain foods.
Our advise: Always hit your calories and macro's and eat 'clean' 85-95% of the time!