When someone asks if I eat clean I say "of course I wash my hands before and after dinner". What does clean food mean anyway? And what happens when a clean eater stalls on weight loss. Eat cleaner food? 

If you have a coach that swears you NEED to do one of the following to lose weight:

1. Eat clean
2. Take supplements
3. Do low/no carb
4. Do low/no fat
5. Stop eating before 6pm
6. Do cardio
7. Drink zero alcohol
8. Consume no sugar
9. Juice
10. Detox or Cleanse
    

RUN and run far away as you can.

 

The only way you can lose weight predictably is by being in a caloric deficit.

 

Eating less than you burn.

 

Calories in < calories out.

 

If they failed to mention that as their number one way to lose weight then they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about or they are trying to be sneaky and sell you something. Most likely, they don't even understand the fundamental law of thermodynamics. That's like not believing in the law of gravity. Yes there are some coaches like this.

 

 

What and how you eat does not matter.  What style of dieting does not matter.  It could be keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, whole30, military diet, vegan, etc.  As long as you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight.  Let's not dispute the science.

 

 

And while you can lose weight eating Twinkies that's not very realistic nor sustainable long term.  

 

So how do you balance this?  Let's face it, eating less sucks.  We all love to eat.  Can you really have your cake and eat it too?  

 

Yes you can!  

 

There are certain foods that will make being in a caloric deficit easier and sustainable. These are what people like to generalize as clean or good foods.  I don't like to use the word clean foods because one person's definition of clean will differ from someone else's.  I don't like to categorize food as good or bad because there is too much discrepancy which can lead to a narrow minded or dogmatic approach.  This results in a person having a bad relationship with food which can lead to eating disorders.  That's another topic entirely. 

 

Instead I prefer to use the term nutrient dense foods which means foods that have a lot of nutrients but are low in calories.  Things like lean proteins, veggies and greens, complex carbs.

 

For all my beginner clients I suggest to have 80-85% whole, unprocessed, nutrient dense foods.  This will make them feel satisfied and get all their vitamins and minerals. The other 15-20% can be anything else they like and I encourage treats so they don't feel like they are being restricted. Again these are simply guidelines.  Slide the scale around if it's the weekend or a night out with friends.  It's no big deal.  

 

In essence, this is what Flexible Dieting is all about.  And that's how you can have your cake and eat it too. And in my case my beer, burger, fries and body/health/wellness/strength too.

 

Don't be a slave to a diet.  Adherence is the most important thing when trying to lose weight otherwise you will stall, cheat and ultimately quit.  Make it fun so it will be repeatable.  When it's repeatable it will become a habit.  When it becomes a habit it will become a lifestyle.