Why Eating Clean Doesn't Equal Weight-Loss

Many businesses and people in the diet industry would have you believe that there are ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods, and that ‘clean’ or whole foods are all you should be consuming for weight-loss rather than processed or ‘bad’ foods. But what if I told you this wasn’t true. 

That’s right, there’s actually nothing evil about chocolate, and having a piece of your best friend’s birthday cake is not going to magically make you gain weight. What will make you gain weight is a calorie surplus (over a consistent period of time). And here’s the thing: we can still be in a calorie surplus even if we only eat ‘clean’ foods. 

In fact, a lot of well-known and popularised health foods such as nuts, nut butters, honey, oils, dressings and certain fruits can be very calorie dense, which is why eating clean doesn’t automatically mean you’re in calorie deficit. 

This doesn’t mean you should throw out all your veggies and head straight to McDonalds though. Whole foods are very important to include in our diet, whether the goal is weight-loss or not, as they contain a lot of micronutrients that are vital for a healthy body. More processed foods such as chips and chocolate on the other hand may hit that short term craving, but they often leave us feeling bloated, low energy and unsatisfied. 

So what should you do? The best way to stick to a calorie deficit long-term and actually see results is to include a range of different foods, both whole foods and soul foods as we like to call them at TWS, so that you don’t feel restricted and can actually stick to your plan. 

That’s why the most important thing when it comes to weight loss is a calorie deficit. You aren’t automatically in a deficit just because you eat what are considered to be ‘healthy’ foods. Track consistently, learn what’s in the food you eat, and include a wide range of foods that you actually enjoy. That’s how you achieve long-term results, by building a lifestyle around choices that support feeling better and your goal at the time.

Some tips to take away:

• There are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods, and we need to stop referring to them as such. Food is food. Full stop. 
• Just because you eat ‘clean’ doesn’t actually mean you are in a calorie deficit.
• A lot of popular ‘health’ foods are actually very calorie dense. 
• A calorie deficit is king - so make sure you are including a wide range of foods that you love to achieve long-term results.  

Soph xx