60 days and 27lbs in... Advice for Newbies

rosepeppercreek
rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
edited November 8 in Getting Started
Hey everyone! As of today I am 60 days into my new healthy MFP lifestyle. As of this morning, I'm down 27lbs! I've started and failed so many times, and I'm very surprised I've been able to stick with it. I thought that I might share what I've learned in the hope that I can encourage others to stick it out. Sixty days! You can do it! And I promise, after 60 days, you'll want to stick with it. I am in no way done with my journey. I still have many many months to go. But, I know now that I have a plan that I can stick with.
  1. Use the MFP community (but try not to compare yourself to others): I have so many amazing friends here, who have been supportive and helpful on days where I feel like giving up. I'm always looking for more, because I've realized how important social support is. Even from people you don't know in real life. People will loose weight weeks you loose nothing. Support them! Encourage them! They will do the same for you on your good/bad days.
  2. Embrace clean-ish eating: I'm trying to stick to an 80/20 kind of life. 80% of the time I'm good, and 20% of the time I let myself be bad. It's what has been working for me in order to keep binges away. Also, it's true what they say about sugar. Weening yourself off is hard, but once it's gone, it's relatively easy to keep the added sugar to a minimum.
  3. Protein: I'm in trouble by 3:00pm if I haven't had some serious protein for breakfast. It really helps keep me going longer.
  4. Find your kind of cardio: I'm obsessed with SoulCycle. I'm basically becoming a basic *kitten*, but a basic *kitten* that loves her cardio. NEVER in my life have I been into working out... But now, I need it in order to keep myself in check. Try a whole bunch of new things until you find something that works for you.
  5. Set goals and reward yourself: I've set up a goal structure around events (mostly holidays) for the next year. So far I've made my Halloween and Thanksgiving goals, and I'm looking forward to my Christmas goal. I get a small token every time I meet my goal (gym bag, UP24 band, etc.). And I think the weight between each goal is realistic and obtainable.
  6. Know that "life happens": I've had to take two work trips to foodie cities (one week each, and the food was amazing) and had two colds. I've learned to work out when sick and eat smart while away from home. Even with these setbacks, I've tried to make progress.
  7. The number on the scale is not the only thing that counts: Non-Scale victories (NSV) like clothes fitting or working out harder than you did yesterday are so important! They may not match up with the number on the scale, but they are very encouraging. Progress photos are great too. I can not believe how much thinner my back and stomach look. Comparing the photos I took from the first couple days to the ones I've taken recently and looking at the difference is amazing.
  8. Find your mantra: For me, I've stuck with, "Strength and happiness are choices. You have to choose them - and you have to fight for them." It really helps me sometimes to repeat this over and over.

Anyway. Just thought I would share. :blush: Good luck!!
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Replies

  • SameMe_JustLess
    SameMe_JustLess Posts: 245 Member
    Congrats on your success so far!!
  • aniqa109
    aniqa109 Posts: 364 Member
    Thanks for your advice! After 30 days and losing 0.5kg i was disheartened. I had not exercised much but logged accurately and was eating ok not not too bad. I didnt take pics or measure myself which i think i wil try now. Ive also decided to try and reduce carbs and increaee water and see where that takes me in another 30 days!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….
  • ASG_21
    ASG_21 Posts: 82 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"
  • mrsmuckster
    mrsmuckster Posts: 444 Member
    This is a realistic perspective and good advice. Be patient with yourself, don't give up. If you do have a "slip-up" don't use it as an excuse to give-up. MFP forums have been great motivators for me.
  • Rich71bat
    Rich71bat Posts: 195 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss and thanks for the great advice. Feel free to add me.
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    edited November 2014
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    My recommendation (because it's working for me, but may not be everyone's cup of tea), is to just be cognizant of what you are eating, try to make the optimal choice, and splurge once in awhile.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    I'm curious and would like to read more about this. Can you post links for these studies?
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    edited November 2014
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    I'm curious and would like to read more about this. Can you post links for these studies?

    Absolutely! Here are just a couple off the top of my head, but I could post others if you like.

    These two support the "eat like your grandparents" hypothesis. One having to do with people of Mediterranean decent, and one of Japanese decent.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20924961
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17986602
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    it was advice to newbies; I agree with all the advice except for two. My advice to newbies is eat that foods that you like, just less of them. clean has nothing to do with it.

    The problem with this advice is that newbies try to eat "clean" and then post topics saying "help! I cant eat 1200 a day!" and when you go into said thread you find that they have cleaned up their diet to a point where they restrict everything.

    In my humble opinion, newbies benefit better from understanding that they can enjoy the foods that they like - pasta, cookies, pizza, ice cream, etc - and still lose weight ...
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    I'm curious and would like to read more about this. Can you post links for these studies?

    Absolutely! Here are just a couple off the top of my head, but I could post others if you like.

    These two support the "eat like your grandparents" hypothesis. One having to do with people of Mediterranean decent, and one of Japanese decent.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20924961
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17986602

    And here's a more popular press piece since you might not be able to get the full text of those articles: http://nypost.com/2013/10/24/our-grandparents-hold-the-secret-to-being-skinny/
  • jillianash
    jillianash Posts: 97 Member
    Congratulations!!! I want to be where you are at in 6o days!! Nice tips as well!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    My recommendation (because it's working for me, but may not be everyone's cup of tea), is to just be cognizant of what you are eating, try to make the optimal choice, and splurge once in awhile.

    I do not eat clean and my health markers come back almost perfect every year ...

    I would be curious to review studies on your claims..

  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    it was advice to newbies; I agree with all the advice except for two. My advice to newbies is eat that foods that you like, just less of them. clean has nothing to do with it.

    The problem with this advice is that newbies try to eat "clean" and then post topics saying "help! I cant eat 1200 a day!" and when you go into said thread you find that they have cleaned up their diet to a point where they restrict everything.

    In my humble opinion, newbies benefit better from understanding that they can enjoy the foods that they like - pasta, cookies, pizza, ice cream, etc - and still lose weight ...

    This.

    OP congrats on losing 27 lbs and finding what's working for you. But, I agree with ndj you don't have to eat clean to lose weight. I've lost 119 lbs and I am definitely not a clean eater.

    I also don't agree with #4 - you don't have to do cardio to lose weight, you don't have to do any exercise to lose weight. The first 4 months I was losing I was unable to do any exercise and I still lost. Is exercise great for health benefits yes, but it's not a requirement for weight loss. I would also suggest adding in some resistance/strength is beneficial but again not a requirement.

    Also #3 while I agree protein is very important, and for you not eating substantial amount by 3pm is not good, the timing is personal preference.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    I'm curious and would like to read more about this. Can you post links for these studies?

    Absolutely! Here are just a couple off the top of my head, but I could post others if you like.

    These two support the "eat like your grandparents" hypothesis. One having to do with people of Mediterranean decent, and one of Japanese decent.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20924961
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17986602

    Thanks for the links!


  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    it was advice to newbies; I agree with all the advice except for two. My advice to newbies is eat that foods that you like, just less of them. clean has nothing to do with it.

    The problem with this advice is that newbies try to eat "clean" and then post topics saying "help! I cant eat 1200 a day!" and when you go into said thread you find that they have cleaned up their diet to a point where they restrict everything.

    In my humble opinion, newbies benefit better from understanding that they can enjoy the foods that they like - pasta, cookies, pizza, ice cream, etc - and still lose weight ...

    I would absolutely agree. That's why I recommended clean-ish, instead of clean. No way I would make it only eating chicken and broccoli. I love pizza and ice cream, and would never be able to remove those things completely from my diet. For me, portion control is really difficult. I have a hard time eating very small meals. So my solution is to eat big meals that are healthy takes on traditionally "bad" foods. Last week I made a kale and italian sausage pasta bake, which I traditionally would have made with pork sausage, little kale, and cream. This time I made it with chicken sausage, more kale, added zucchini, and used whole milk and it came out to about 400 calories for a big serving.
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    it was advice to newbies; I agree with all the advice except for two. My advice to newbies is eat that foods that you like, just less of them. clean has nothing to do with it.

    The problem with this advice is that newbies try to eat "clean" and then post topics saying "help! I cant eat 1200 a day!" and when you go into said thread you find that they have cleaned up their diet to a point where they restrict everything.

    In my humble opinion, newbies benefit better from understanding that they can enjoy the foods that they like - pasta, cookies, pizza, ice cream, etc - and still lose weight ...

    This.

    OP congrats on losing 27 lbs and finding what's working for you. But, I agree with ndj you don't have to eat clean to lose weight. I've lost 119 lbs and I am definitely not a clean eater.

    I also don't agree with #4 - you don't have to do cardio to lose weight, you don't have to do any exercise to lose weight. The first 4 months I was losing I was unable to do any exercise and I still lost. Is exercise great for health benefits yes, but it's not a requirement for weight loss. I would also suggest adding in some resistance/strength is beneficial but again not a requirement.

    Also #3 while I agree protein is very important, and for you not eating substantial amount by 3pm is not good, the timing is personal preference.

    My point, is not that you should switch to a lifetime of chicken and broccoli, but instead have it both ways. I am not a small portion girl, so I can't order mac and cheese and just eat a quarter of it. I'm recommending incorporating healthier choices that make you fuller instead of filling up on processed foods.

    Also, cardio is incredibly important for vascular fitness. Tons of research has suggested that having good cardio vascular fitness means that in the long term, you could stave off things like diabetes, heart problems, even dementia. I hate running, I will never be a runner. But I like cycling, and that works for me. Walking might be good for others, swimming might be good for others. For me, having cardio (which I never thought I would like, because I've also always been a strength training girl) will be helpful in the long run. I'm looking to make a lifestyle change, not loose a whole bunch of weight to gain it back long term. I mean, it's totally possible that your cardiovascular fitness is great without having to do cardio, everyone is different, but I'm advocating to make changes if you don't fall into that category. Small changes, not couch to marathon in 1 week.

    I also agree the protein thing is personal preference, for me, early in the day means I'm less hungry later.
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    edited November 2014
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ASG_21 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    i agree with everything except two ..clean eating and weight loss have zero correlation….

    eat what you like, just less of it….

    She didn't say they were correlated at all, in fact, nowhere in her post did she say that doing these will make you lose more weight; I think that what she was implying is that eating "clean" (I hate this term) can help you feel more satiated at a deficit and help you meet your micros--and that you can also eat "dirty" sometimes and still lose weight, just make better choices MOST of the time for optimum health and satiety. So as advice for newbies who are just starting out, I think it's pretty good, as opposed to saying "You can never eat anything you like ever again, only eat chicken breast and veggies or you'll never be healthy!"

    Thank you. Yes. I am not a big fan of the term "clean" eating either. But it is a good descriptor of what you SHOULD be eating, which is less processed stuff. And trust me. I do not always eat chicken and broccoli. I had Shake Shack for the first time in Washington DC. I routinely eat bagels and cream cheese (like this morning). On Halloween I ate like 15 snack size Kit Kats. But, for me the 80/20 breakdown is the perfect compromise.

    And in terms of clean eating and weight loss, I am sorry to say that you are actually wrong. I'm a PhD student and part of my training has looked at weight and longevity in regards to food choices. The research clearly indicates that people should choose to "eat like their grandparents". This means limiting the amount of processed foods and sticking with foods that your body can process easily. For example, a lot of people of Asian decent are lactose intolerant. They might not be violently lactose intolerant, but their body still has a negative reaction to it, so limiting dairy can be a good solution. The outcomes for people who stick with this lifestyle have increased longevity, decreased disease, better disease outcomes, and lower amounts of adipose tissue. Adipose tissue being the fat along your midsection, which has been highlighted as the worst place to have fat because with it carries many health risks.

    My recommendation (because it's working for me, but may not be everyone's cup of tea), is to just be cognizant of what you are eating, try to make the optimal choice, and splurge once in awhile.

    I do not eat clean and my health markers come back almost perfect every year ...

    I would be curious to review studies on your claims..

    Absolutely, they are posted above. And, again, I am advocating NOT for clean eating, but for a better balance between good and bad.
  • RibStabsHeart
    RibStabsHeart Posts: 71 Member
    There's no harm in advocating for healthy eating -- I think it's something that we all should do. The problem comes in the labels people try to stick to things and turn it into a stigmatized diet or "movement" of sorts (paleo and raw diets come to mind).

    While it's true that weight loss = calories in vs. calories out, a lifestyle change takes more than just that. And if you want to keep this weight off permanently, you need to be open to changing what you eat. Can you fit a double bacon cheeseburger from Red Robin into your daily macros? Sure! Should you eat one every day and ignore other nutrient rich foods that you can enjoy throughout the day? I don't think so. It's easier to stick to your diet if you're eating healthier foods and working for those splurges that inevitably occur. Incorporating exercise into your life is a huge factor in keeping things moving.

    This is a great post, Rose. 5, 6, and 7 are the most important and relevant ones for me because I need to learn to accept that life happens and not to get too down on myself if I go over one day. Log it, move on, and look for the other little victories in life.
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    There's no harm in advocating for healthy eating -- I think it's something that we all should do. The problem comes in the labels people try to stick to things and turn it into a stigmatized diet or "movement" of sorts (paleo and raw diets come to mind).

    While it's true that weight loss = calories in vs. calories out, a lifestyle change takes more than just that. And if you want to keep this weight off permanently, you need to be open to changing what you eat. Can you fit a double bacon cheeseburger from Red Robin into your daily macros? Sure! Should you eat one every day and ignore other nutrient rich foods that you can enjoy throughout the day? I don't think so. It's easier to stick to your diet if you're eating healthier foods and working for those splurges that inevitably occur. Incorporating exercise into your life is a huge factor in keeping things moving.

    This is a great post, Rose. 5, 6, and 7 are the most important and relevant ones for me because I need to learn to accept that life happens and not to get too down on myself if I go over one day. Log it, move on, and look for the other little victories in life.

    Thanks!! I totally agree. Rough days suck, but tomorrow is always a new day.
  • sexysize12
    sexysize12 Posts: 105 Member
    Thank you
  • hellbettybrat
    hellbettybrat Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks for the good advice :)
  • SuzanNYK
    SuzanNYK Posts: 1
    Thanks for sharing. I am struggling. My work leaves me no time for healthy living. It is really hard for me to make any changes.
  • rosepeppercreek
    rosepeppercreek Posts: 160 Member
    @SuzanNYK I totally understand!! I work 12-14 hour days with very little time on the weekend. You can do it!! Honestly, it just takes your commitment. Bring lunch to work! Wake walks when you can! Every little bit helps.
  • jtodacheeny
    jtodacheeny Posts: 181 Member
    So very proud of you! I love your positive attitude, and I think it really shows through this thread, especially how kind your responses are to everyone (even the ones with different opinions..gasp!) Lol, keep being an inspiration to us all! Btw, I sent you a friend request, I would be honored if you accepted it.
  • garjun96
    garjun96 Posts: 6 Member
    Thats awesome!

    One day I believe I will be the one saying this :)
  • Jinx_Mo
    Jinx_Mo Posts: 150 Member
    Such excellent advice!! I agree with all of it, and have a wealth done a wealth of reading on nutrition that supports the concepts you outlined 100%. Thanks for outlining it in such a concise and easy to absorb format!
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Generally agree. Think the cleanish eating is also clear, theres a difference between the argyment about direct weight loss and what food you eat= no connection and the other argument about it assisting you in being able to stick to your diet and nutrition. What you eat might have nothing to do with direct weight loss, but can assist with issues of satiety and nutrition. Dont have an issue with the way you phrased it.

    Bit sure about working out when you are sick, it depends on what the sickness is and how you work out.
  • milocamolly
    milocamolly Posts: 91 Member
    Congrats! Thanks for letting us know what has worked for you, I love hearing others stories. It's great inspiration for me.
  • happykelly209
    happykelly209 Posts: 29 Member
    awesome and inspiring keep it up !
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