Eating Clean vs Eating 'dirty'
- Thread starter Canuck
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leanlifter
New Member
If you eat really "dirty" you may affect your health in a negative way. Perhaps raise your bad cholesterol (sp?) acne, more fat gain, etc. In theory if your eating enough calories to grow too many extra will just put on more fat. From what I understand that can raise blood presure and cause other problems.
I've always thought of "dirty" bulking not just as eating junk but everything you can get your hands on.
If you bulk really "clean" you will stay healthy and most likely much leaner. I think it's easier to cut the fat later after a clean bulk because I didn't get used to eating junk food. Plus I just feel better.
I've always thought of "dirty" bulking not just as eating junk but everything you can get your hands on.
If you bulk really "clean" you will stay healthy and most likely much leaner. I think it's easier to cut the fat later after a clean bulk because I didn't get used to eating junk food. Plus I just feel better.
I've bulked on a clean diet and on a dirty diet. The fat/muscle gain was relatively similar in both situations. I did not gain significantly more fat with a "dirty" diet, nor did I get acne or anything like that. The only difference was that the dirty bulk was much easier than the clean one.
Yeah, it does depend... but when I'm on a bulk and eating "dirty" I don't have any obvious problems with lack of nutrients, etc. That's on over 4000 calories a day though. I believe it would be difficult not to get enough of everything at that level.
Also, I think it can also be argued that eating "clean" can be lacking in vitamins, minerals, EFAs, especially during a calorie deficit.
Of course, I have no idea what eating 'dirty' or 'clean' means nowadays anyway. The definition seems to change every couple days, based on whatever the popular diet of the day is. Is it still when you only eat rice, chicken and brocolli all day long, with maybe a can of tuna on the side?
Also, I think it can also be argued that eating "clean" can be lacking in vitamins, minerals, EFAs, especially during a calorie deficit.
Of course, I have no idea what eating 'dirty' or 'clean' means nowadays anyway. The definition seems to change every couple days, based on whatever the popular diet of the day is. Is it still when you only eat rice, chicken and brocolli all day long, with maybe a can of tuna on the side?
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(Totentanz @ Mar. 05 2006,09:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Yeah, it does depend... but when I'm on a bulk and eating "dirty" I don't have any obvious problems with lack of nutrients, etc. That's on over 4000 calories a day though. I believe it would be difficult not to get enough of everything at that level.
Also, I think it can also be argued that eating "clean" can be lacking in vitamins, minerals, EFAs, especially during a calorie deficit.
Of course, I have no idea what eating 'dirty' or 'clean' means nowadays anyway. The definition seems to change every couple days, based on whatever the popular diet of the day is. Is it still when you only eat rice, chicken and brocolli all day long, with maybe a can of tuna on the side?</div>
Absolutely, not arguing with ya just stating the obvious.
That's the whole problem, eating clean or dirty is really a misuse of lablels same with a clean bulk versus dirty bulk, who cares...............if you gained muscle then great it doesn't matter if you ate pizza or brussel sprouts.
(Totentanz @ Mar. 05 2006,09:46)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Yeah, it does depend... but when I'm on a bulk and eating "dirty" I don't have any obvious problems with lack of nutrients, etc. That's on over 4000 calories a day though. I believe it would be difficult not to get enough of everything at that level.
Also, I think it can also be argued that eating "clean" can be lacking in vitamins, minerals, EFAs, especially during a calorie deficit.
Of course, I have no idea what eating 'dirty' or 'clean' means nowadays anyway. The definition seems to change every couple days, based on whatever the popular diet of the day is. Is it still when you only eat rice, chicken and brocolli all day long, with maybe a can of tuna on the side?</div>
Absolutely, not arguing with ya just stating the obvious.
That's the whole problem, eating clean or dirty is really a misuse of lablels same with a clean bulk versus dirty bulk, who cares...............if you gained muscle then great it doesn't matter if you ate pizza or brussel sprouts.
This is slightly off topic. Everyone here seems to be off the opinion that a calorie is a calorie and that the total calories consumed will determine the fat/musclegain ratio.
Does eating a diet which is low in EFA's and high in GI meals encourage more fat gain than a diet which is high in EFA's and consists of lower GI meals even if both diets are of the same calories?
Thanks for your responses
Does eating a diet which is low in EFA's and high in GI meals encourage more fat gain than a diet which is high in EFA's and consists of lower GI meals even if both diets are of the same calories?
Thanks for your responses
i think its marginal low/high gi. but the important thing is carb/protein/fat timing. i stick with low gi most of the time because it just seems healthier to me. U shuld just try it for yourself and see what fits you best. I'm sure a month or so on either low/high gi wouldn't hinder your gains too much.
pzhang
pzhang
Given enough protein, with the same calories and activity levels, I see little difference in fat gain. The point of eating clean is not to minimize fat gain, it is to keep yourself healthy with regards to cholesterol, etc etc.
There is one guy I know who is a good example of why eating clean is not necessarily always a good thing. He's about my height, has been training for like 8 years... stalled out at around 170-180 lbs. He's not very lean, you can't see his abs. Yet in 2005, I went from about the same weight as him to about 215 lbs. That's only one year with HST and eating enough food. My bodyfat got sort of high, but not too bad. My abs are still sort of visible, just quite blurry.
What was the difference between us? The difference was that he ate clean, so while he was eating a large amount of food, just like I was eating a lot, his total calories were much lower than mine. Just one three month long bulk eating the way I did would probably have changed his body quite a bit...
A dirty bulk is not going to hurt you. I just had to get checked out by my doctor and he said my cholesterol, blood pressure, etc were great. That's after just coming off a four and a half month long bulk, eating plenty of calorie dense foods.
What you need to do is make sure that you don't let your bulking diet become your year round diet. As long as you maintain sensible eating patterns during the rest of the year, you will be fine. I guess if you have some sort of genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, then you'll have to be careful, but those types of people tend to have bad cholesterol no matter what their diet is.
Anyway, like Dan said, it is a misuse of labels. Really, what it comes down to is that you should be eating healthy. I advocate eating healthy, though like I stated, I believe it is okay to put healthy eating on hold during the bulking months...
Most guys in our arena always supplement with fish oil, multivitamins and protein powders, so getting enough nutrients should never be a problem, whether eating healthy or now.
There is one guy I know who is a good example of why eating clean is not necessarily always a good thing. He's about my height, has been training for like 8 years... stalled out at around 170-180 lbs. He's not very lean, you can't see his abs. Yet in 2005, I went from about the same weight as him to about 215 lbs. That's only one year with HST and eating enough food. My bodyfat got sort of high, but not too bad. My abs are still sort of visible, just quite blurry.
What was the difference between us? The difference was that he ate clean, so while he was eating a large amount of food, just like I was eating a lot, his total calories were much lower than mine. Just one three month long bulk eating the way I did would probably have changed his body quite a bit...
A dirty bulk is not going to hurt you. I just had to get checked out by my doctor and he said my cholesterol, blood pressure, etc were great. That's after just coming off a four and a half month long bulk, eating plenty of calorie dense foods.
What you need to do is make sure that you don't let your bulking diet become your year round diet. As long as you maintain sensible eating patterns during the rest of the year, you will be fine. I guess if you have some sort of genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, then you'll have to be careful, but those types of people tend to have bad cholesterol no matter what their diet is.
Anyway, like Dan said, it is a misuse of labels. Really, what it comes down to is that you should be eating healthy. I advocate eating healthy, though like I stated, I believe it is okay to put healthy eating on hold during the bulking months...
Most guys in our arena always supplement with fish oil, multivitamins and protein powders, so getting enough nutrients should never be a problem, whether eating healthy or now.
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(style @ Mar. 05 2006,12:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">This is slightly off topic. Everyone here seems to be off the opinion that a calorie is a calorie and that the total calories consumed will determine the fat/musclegain ratio.
Does eating a diet which is low in EFA's and high in GI meals encourage more fat gain than a diet which is high in EFA's and consists of lower GI meals even if both diets are of the same calories?
Thanks for your responses
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Id like an answer to this aswell. Seeing as im always reading things like to much fructose can overload the liver with glucose which is then converted to fat so most stay away from fruit during cutting. If your on a caloric deficit do the calories your eating make that much of a difference?
Things like not eating carbs at night, staying away from high glycemic foods etc
Are there just more & less efficient ways to do things, or is it all relativly the same ?
(style @ Mar. 05 2006,12:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">This is slightly off topic. Everyone here seems to be off the opinion that a calorie is a calorie and that the total calories consumed will determine the fat/musclegain ratio.
Does eating a diet which is low in EFA's and high in GI meals encourage more fat gain than a diet which is high in EFA's and consists of lower GI meals even if both diets are of the same calories?
Thanks for your responses
Id like an answer to this aswell. Seeing as im always reading things like to much fructose can overload the liver with glucose which is then converted to fat so most stay away from fruit during cutting. If your on a caloric deficit do the calories your eating make that much of a difference?
Things like not eating carbs at night, staying away from high glycemic foods etc
Are there just more & less efficient ways to do things, or is it all relativly the same ?
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(Razien99 @ Mar. 12 2006,10:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">though obviously high glycemic foods would raise blood sugar levels & then drop them quickly leaving you hungry & so more likely to overeat = more calories. But other than calories, is there anything more to it?</div>
from the research, it doesnt appear to be anything else but that.
(Razien99 @ Mar. 12 2006,10:40)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">though obviously high glycemic foods would raise blood sugar levels & then drop them quickly leaving you hungry & so more likely to overeat = more calories. But other than calories, is there anything more to it?</div>
from the research, it doesnt appear to be anything else but that.