What Happens When Diets Are Taken Too Far

Should I follow a 'Clean Eating' diet or If It Fits Your Macros diet?

This a question many people ponder when they decide to go on a diet, but which one is best?

But first, what is 'Clean Eating' and IIFYM?

'Clean Eating'

Many people think clean eating is a diet but it is not. Clean eating encourages a healthier lifestyle of unprocessed foods. It therefore involves whole foods like; lean meats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and less of the foods that have preservatives, artificial ingredients, trans fat. The argument, therefore, is about quality over quantity. It is not about reducing your calories but about eating high-quality foods. The focus is on living a healthy lifestyle and being aware of the foods you put in your body.

However, through following a clean eating lifestyle weight loss is possible. Eliminating sugary foods, processed and fast foods slashes a lot of the calories we consume. Whole foods are nutritionally dense and more satiating than processed foods and therefore you also do not need to eat as much of the wholefoods as you would processed.

IIFYM/Flexible Dieting

IIFYM/flexible dieting is a lifestyle which involves the use of a nutritional concept and it follows the principle of “calories in vs. calories out,” in which Health Organisations and practitioners solemnly swear by. This means weight gain is not due to the type of food we eat but it is a result of our caloric intake vs. our caloric expenditure. Therefore the key here is calories. As long as you do not exceed your caloric needs for the day and week, you will not put on weight.

However, it goes a little further than that, this approach also implements macronutrient requirements. Fitness enthusiasts are able to scrutinize and manipulate their diet through the three macros; protein, carbohydrates and fat, to aid in the development of muscle and burning of fat.

Those who follow IIFYM do not avoid certain foods or foods groups, they allow themselves to eat the 'good' and the 'bad.' However, there is a consensus within the IIFYM community and that these 'bad', unhealthy or less macronutrient dense foods make up only 20% of their diet. The other 80% is made up of the macronutrient dense foods, the good food, the food that nourishes the body.

Which is best?

It can, therefore, be seen that both follow different principles. One is a lifestyle change that focuses on eating healthy and the other is an approach to manipulate one's fitness goals, but also a lifestyle which allows some flexibility and balance.

However, with regards to which is best, I say neither. Coming from an eating disorder background, neither is great mentally or physically for a person. Mentally the individual becomes obsessed in both instances in some way. Following a clean eating lifestyle can result in the individual falling into orthorexia. An eating disorder which is not currently recognized as a clinical diagnosis in the DSM-5, however, it does exist and it has resulted in people becoming very ill.

There is always an extreme, where people decide to take on this lifestyle as a diet and those who take this lifestyle too far, who begin restricting and avoiding food groups. People begin restricting certain food groups with the best of intentions, becoming vegetarian, then vegan, then raw, then they run out of things to eat. However, when this becomes apparent, it is a slippery slope from trying to eat right to developing an eating disorder.

I will again reiterate here that there is nothing wrong with adopting a clean eating lifestyle, in which the individual avoids processed foods and eats whole foods, this is great and healthy as you are providing your body with nutritious and unprocessed foods. It is just important to be aware and careful that you do not take it too far and that you are not adopting it as a diet to just lose weight.

The same is with IIFYM/Flexible Dieting, people become obsessed with calories and macros. People become obsessed about weighing all their foods to the gram and hitting specific numbers. You can become invested in those numbers, if you go over those numbers, it can cause anxiety, bingeing and restriction. That is not to say, however, that it does not work and is not effective. IIFYM is a great tool to use when looking to build muscle, manipulate your body to look a certain way and to understand nutrition.
Although, the opposite can happen in which IIFYM can help with eating disorders, as they are able to see that eating 'dirty' foods does not actually hinder your progress as much as you think if you follow the concept correctly.

As with anything else, there are those who are good at moderation, while there are others who can fall into an obsessive pattern and let it absorb and take over their lives. It is, therefore, essential that you know exactly what you want (are you going on a diet for the right reasons?) and what you are doing when you come to the decision to lose weight or change your lifestyle. Find a lifestyle that is sustainable and suits you.

It is all about balance. Eating freely without the constant thought about the calories or macros. Eating a bit of everything in moderation is key to living a stress-free and obsessive free life. Break free from the dieting cycle. Live a healthy lifestyle that is also balanced.

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