Clean eating: Does it really matter?

[Espi]

If and only *if* I am religious about counting calories and sticking to my plan, I can get away with eating less clean foods. (these also include foods that others consider to be 'clean' because of various food sensitivities).

The biggest thing that messes me up is when I allow myself to eat at maintenance. This allows for such a large amount of extra food among which yummier high calorific foods, that somehow it's getting harder to stick to a plan than when I eat more cleantarded and am literally weighing my cheats: 2 pcs of dark chocolate, 2-3 pcs of candy and fruit. Never mind what happens in the pre-TOM period when all bets seem to be off for a few days.
To get back to the food sensitivities: interestingly enough, it's precisely those foods I'm allergic (or sensitive) to , that I have the hardest time with to not overeat. Avoiding those foods = much easier & better diet adherance.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Thanks for the replies, all. Interesting to see the arguments from each side of the fence.

I've been eating less clean for I'd say a month now--a little less oatmeal PWO and a little more ice cream, a little less grilled chicken breast/rice and a little more shwarma in a WHITE bread laffa. Focusing on getting in enough protein, though.

I'm up about 4-6 lbs. Not pure muscle, I'd say a lb of fat, but I'm willing to take that. Progress in the gym is excellent. Looking bigger in the mirror as well, especially legs.(thats what happens when you go from squatting 225 for 5's to 305/315 in 2 months).

The one thing I would note, however, is to be careful how you eat before a workout. At least for me, eating something sugary/fast digesting(candy) made me crash before my workout. Eating something that digests slower and doesn't provide for a monster sugar crash, say an an apple, works much better for me.

[Espi]

Yes, very true.. precisely why a fattier pre-WO food like omelette w some fruit has been my preferred pre-WO food. One does need a 'sturdier' stomach and wait a bit longer before doing HIIT though