Eat Clean??
alicia_jerome
Posts: 3
I am hearing about this new lifestyle choice of 'eating clean'. I am wondering if there is anyone out there who is able to help me better understand what this entails. I am also looking for recipies and suggestions of what to eat, how often to eat, when not to eat, how much i should be eating. Someone please help me! also, please feel free to add me as I am looking for more support and motivation during my weight loss journey! 
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Replies
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a lot of people have different opinions on what eating clean means. to me, its using fresh foods, none of the processed stuff that's out there. for example, if your dinner comes from a box or a can, that's not eating clean.0
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I have done the program "Clean" by Dr. Alejandro Junger twice. He's a cardiologist. His specific program is not the way to eat for life, and he makes it a point to set the limit to 3 weeks as a way to sort of "recharge your system." He does explain the "elimination diet," which is clean eating also, with certain restrictions, but is a way you can eat for life. Anyway, I did it twice because it works. Within the first week, the whites of my eyes were whiter. My brain was less foggy. I dropped 4lbs. I have tried doing his cleanse once a year because the results are great. The results last for awhile as you slowly introduce regular food back into the mix.
The reason I don't eat clean for the most part, though, is it's just too expensive. Some vegetables aren't too bad, but have you seen the price of organic meat/dairy?! I guess you can stick to whole foods and boxed/mixed foods with 5 or less ingrediants and forgo the organic part, but what's the point? It's the pesticides that account for the inflammation that clean eating addresses.0 -
Totally pointless. Hit your macros and stay under your calorie goal.0
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Tosca Reno has some good recipe books as well as recipes online.0
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Within the first week, the whites of my eyes were whiter.
WUT?0 -
Is this^^^ Eating Clean???
Common food= fuel there is no dirty or clean foods. Hit your Macros and you will be fine.0 -
The people who say it doesn't matter are probably referring strictly to weight loss. If you want to be as healthy as you can manage, then it does matter. Processed foods have all kinds of non-nutritive additives that can sabotage your health. The basic idea of eating clean is to use raw ingredients, organic when it's practical to do so, and always know what you are putting in your mouth. It's not a magic bullet for weight loss, but it can help maintain good long-term health, which is why it's a lifestyle choice and not a diet, because there's not much benefit to eating that way short-term.0
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Is this^^^ Eating Clean???
Common food= fuel there is no dirty or clean foods. Hit your Macros and you will be fine.
well it could be but I prefer to put my food in the washer on "gentle wash" It makes the meat and veggies more tender...0 -
Totally pointless. Hit your macros and stay under your calorie goal.
This
Although I do agree calorie quality helps (only a bit, please don't hurt me. haha)0 -
For me it just started out with not eating gluten or corn products (a friend-who is not trying to lose weight-swears by it, and told me to try it for two weeks). It's only been about 2 1/2 months, but I have never felt better! By default, because just about everything processed has corn or gluten in it, I stopped eating that stuff. I make just about everything from scratch (when possible), and I do try to stick to the idea that the items you eat should have limited ingredients. I don't eat 100% organic (it is expensive), but I do eat fresh. Again, this is what has worked for me. I have no temptations to overeat since this began (and that is a first for me!). I started out slow, and cut things out a little at a time. I'm not 100% clean, but that's ok with me. It really comes down to what works for you though. For me, doing this has really helped in terms of not wanting or feeling the need to overeat (did I say that already?
) Plus I feel more energetic and just healthier in general.
Again, it's really individual. If you feel like it's something you want to try. Give it a shot for a few weeks. If it doesn't work with your lifestyle, then don't do it.
Different strokes for different folks!0 -
Some of you have mentioned "hitting your Macros"? what does that mean? this is a new term to me!0
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Some of you have mentioned "hitting your Macros"? what does that mean? this is a new term to me!
That is referring to getting the proper proportion of macro nutrients i.e. protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Depending on your fitness goals and body, different percentages are appropriate. I personally use a 45% carb - 30% protein - 25% fat distribution.0 -
Within the first week, the whites of my eyes were whiter.
WUT?
LOL yeah. My eye-whites were looking a little yellow, like I was jaundiced. But Dr. Junger says that could be a symptom of toxins built up in the system. Maybe he's crazy, but it worked!0 -
Within the first week, the whites of my eyes were whiter.
WUT?
LOL yeah. My eye-whites were looking a little yellow, like I was jaundiced. But Dr. Junger says that could be a symptom of toxins built up in the system. Maybe he's crazy, but it worked!
I say this without trying to be mean....but that sounds like utter stuff and nonsense to me.0 -
To the majority of your shopping in the produce section. Fresh fruits and vegetables if at all possible. Stay away from processed foods such as lunch meat because the sodium kills you. Same with those frozen meals that are "healthy" they have soo much sodium in them. I also use spaghetti squash instead of pasta when I can find it and add some spaghetti sauce, tastes yummy and a lot better for you. No sodas. Go for teas and water (can always add lemon).
I personally go shopping. The minute I get home, I prep my food. I measure out a 1/2 cup of this (say fruit) and put them in 1/2 cup Tupperware (can find this at like Walmart). That way it is already measured, I am more likely to eat healthy. I also do hard boiled eggs, you can eat them on the go, for snack, you can warm them up for breakfast, salads, etc. I can also grab my premeasured food to take to work for healthy snacking. I also cut up lettuce for salads, celery, green peppers, etc.
I also pre-plan meals a week at a time. It makes going to the store easier if I know what I am getting. At night I punch in my calories for the next day. This way I know where I stand with Calories so I am less likely to cheat. If I know it is going to be a bad day ( bday party etc), I try to work out extra!
Unfortunately this past week hasn't been as great for me because I have been busy with selling my house, buying a house, my mom had surgery, I cut my finger, and take care of my fiancé who has worked 14 hour days in the fields.
Hope this helps0 -
Raccoons wash their food.
Raccoons are never overweight.
Therefore, eating clean = normal weight.0 -
I don't know if what I do is considered "eating clean" but what I can tell you is that I make sure to eat tons for fruit, veggies, and drink tons of water. I basically everything in moderation. It works for me. I have made some changes to my diet to help me but for the most part I eat what I want and I am aware of portions. add me, so you can look at my food diary to get ideas. good luck with your journey! 0
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Totally pointless. Hit your macros and stay under your calorie goal.
Thank god for that!0 -
It means stop eating processed junk food like hamburger helper and all the rest of that chemical laden crap. No, it is not pointless for your overall health and well-being, but you can lose weight without doing it as long as you stay under your calorie limits. You could eat nothing but Velveeta and still lose weight, but would it be good for your body?0
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Alicia the easiest way to look at it is if it doesn't come from a tree, the ground or from a Mom, it's not clean!0
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Raccoons wash their food.
Raccoons are never overweight.
Therefore, eating clean = normal weight.
WINNER0 -
Raccoons wash their food.
Raccoons are never overweight.
Therefore, eating clean = normal weight.
WINNER
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The people who say it doesn't matter are probably referring strictly to weight loss. If you want to be as healthy as you can manage, then it does matter. Processed foods have all kinds of non-nutritive additives that can sabotage your health. The basic idea of eating clean is to use raw ingredients, organic when it's practical to do so, and always know what you are putting in your mouth. It's not a magic bullet for weight loss, but it can help maintain good long-term health, which is why it's a lifestyle choice and not a diet, because there's not much benefit to eating that way short-term.
I couldn't agree with you more. I am trying to eat cleaner myself. It also means staying away from deep fried foods and limiting intake of complex carbs. I've been shopping at my local farmer's markets. That helps to cut costs for me.0 -
Raccoons wash their food.
Raccoons are never overweight.
Therefore, eating clean = normal weight.
WINNER
Okay the ONE fat raccoon on the planet. You're feeding him unclean food, admit it! He's living in your crawl space.0 -
Tosca Reno has some good recipe books as well as recipes online.
She also has Clean Eating Magazine. I find fabulous recipes here as well as cleaneatingmag.com.0 -
Check out the book "It Starts With Food" by Dallas & Melissa Hartwig. It is a fast read and very, very interesting. I'm on day 25 of the Whole30 program and I can't even begin to list all of the great things clean, healthy eating is doing for me.
If you aren't into getting the book you can look around their website, which is really helpful as well: http://whole9life.com/
Good luck!0 -
Eating clean is not "new." Eating clean is the way we had always been eating up until the advent of processed foods within the past 60 or so years. Basically it means you prepare your own meals whenever possible, using fresh meats, produce, and if your personal diet allows for it, whole grains as opposed to bleached/enriched grains.0
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Let's ask the question...what is "clean?"...and this will confuse you. it is intended to, so that you may question the concept of a "clean" food, and maybe form your own opinion on rather if such a thing exists. For the sake of argument, let's say we're concerned only about weight loss...which I assume is your main driving motivation for living healthy. Healthy is also a very fickle concept...as people with ripped six pack abs may be quite unhealthy all together.
Is a strawberry clean? most people would say yes (let's not get into whether the strawberry is organic).
Is a grain of whole wheat clean? again, most people would say yes.
So I grind up the strawberry into jam, I grind up the wheat into flour, bake it, and wrap it around the jam. It's now a pop tart. Is this clean? most people would say no.
Why?
Because pop tarts have added sugar. And the flour is bleached and enriched..ergo "Processed", and preservatives are added for shelf life (preservatives do not have any relevance to weight loss, generally).
Sugar is made of sugar cane, or corn, or any sort of thing that can taste sweet. Are these foods clean? What about the sugar derived from them? Is that clean? Then, what about natural organic honey...is that cleaner than high fructose corn syrup?
The overwhelming answer is no. Your body in absence of your ability to cognitively categorize foods into "clean" vs "dirty" cannot tell the difference between sugar from bee honey and sugar from processed corn. In fact, their chemical make-ups are almost identical.
So the pop tart, full of clean and non clean things, are processed indiscriminately by your body, and partitioned into its various components. If you eat a no sugar added whole wheat strawberry pop tart with no preservatives, you are getting the sugar from the strawberries, the fiber from the whole flour, and the vitamins and nutrients that are associated with those two foods.
If you eat a pop tart that is a regular pop tart, you get the sugar from the strawberry, some more sugar from corn or sugar cane, no fiber from the flour, but flour nonetheless, and all the vitamins and nutrients associated with those foods.
So then, there's not really any clean foods are there? There are just foods broken down, enriched, processed into parts of their whole self, metabolized by the body in their distinct parts as well.0 -
look at my diary - that pretty much sums it up
I eat about 85-90% clean - sans chocolate.0 -
Eating clean = unprocessed foods. I am a fan.0
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