Moderation

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  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    ndj1979 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Given a framework that doesn't include unlimited calories...

    Does a moderate way of eating ever say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    What other ways of eating don't say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    How does eliminating a particular food make a diet not moderate? What is extreme about eliminating a particular food? There are still a whole lot of foods to choose from.
    Becaue 0 of a food as an inherent part of a way of eating is, by definition, extreme. You can't eat any less. If is is, by definition, extreme, it is, by definition, not moderate.

    There must be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. If I can't eliminate any food, what is the opposite pole in a moderate diet?
    Well, the opposite of eating zero of a food would be eating only that food, wouldn't it?

    So to be a moderate eater I must eat ALL foods I enjoy but not eat only any single food I enjoy?

    ALL is an extreme, no?

    Not must, can. You can eat all the foods you enjoy. If you tried to eat all the foods you enjoy, you would quickly exceed your calorie goal, which would not be moderation.

    Eliminating one food out of the millions of foods out there is not extreme, no matter what my reason.
    Well, when you use the term millions of foods, it changes what it means to eliminate one food. For example, eliminating cupcakes isn't eliminating one food, it is eliminating vanilla ones, chocolate ones, ones from Walmart, ones from your local bakery, etc. Now suddenly it isn't really one out of millions.

    it is typically one entire macro ..like Carbs, or those evil sugars...or an entire group of food like "processed" which pretty much eliminates all foods...

    But nobody eliminates an entire macros (as you know).

    They may limit their consumption of it, like low carb or low fat but its not an elimination. So therefore it's still moderation, right????

    go read the definition and apply it to your concept. Maybe that will help increase your understanding of the concept.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    kgeyser wrote: »
    shell1005 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    Anything you want. Enjoy.

    So I can eat anything I want???

    Just protein and fat all day and no carbs - is that really moderation?

    I would say that based on what other people have said about boundaries and extremes being determined by the individual when it comes to moderation, that a low carb diet could be moderation just like any other diet. You would still be getting nutrients from whole foods and filling in the rest with foods you enjoy.

    But I do see why you would ask, as several people have suggested that the elimination of foods, food groups, or macros would prevent a diet from being moderate, but the overall consensus seems to be that if you are not feeling deprived by the elimination of those foods/food groups/macros then it's consider moderation.

    ELIMINATING carbs is not moderation (or, IMO, healthy at all). Almost no one doing a low carb diet actually eliminates carbs, of course, and low carb diets can certainly be a "moderate" approach if one has that particular mindset and approach but also likes low carbing.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    kgeyser wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    kgeyser wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Is there some definition for what constitutes "extreme"?

    Since moderation is avoiding extremes (to some), what constitutes "extreme" as it applies to a diet?

    But that's the rub, isn't it? For something to be considered moderate, it has to fall in the middle of two opposing points on the spectrum and is subject to the definition of the points. In politics, someone would be considered politically moderate if they fell between liberal and conservative. But you can also move the end points along the spectrum to identify someone who is moderately conservative or moderately liberal.

    When it comes to diet, it seems the author is trying to do two separate things: define ways of eating as moderate, and define consumption as moderate. But she keeps using different spectrums - in keeping with the paleo diet, she uses one spectrum based on food restrictions to say it is not moderate, but later defines moderation using the spectrum of consumption of whole foods vs treats in which paleo could easily fall in the middle.

    In keeping with the diet theme, someone upthread mentioned alcohol consumption, and I seem to remember that there was an actual number of drinks and frequency of consumption which would define someone as a moderate drinker (although I can't remember what those numbers were to save my life).

    For diet, it would seem that without some consensus as to what a moderate intake is (as in portions and frequency), it does make it a bit ambiguous. I don't think that applying it by portion size would necessarily be accurate, as it would not account for differences in TDEE, and frequency would also be subject to things like lifestyle and portion size.

    I would imagine the only real way to define moderation in terms of diet would be to view it in terms of percentages of foods consumed in overall diet over time (this is looking at moderation in terms of consumption/frequency because I think trying to define it by dietary composition is bunk). It would definitely have to have some longevity though to account for things like holidays and vacations which in the short term would skew the data.

    sadly, you are over complicating a simple concept.

    No, I'm rejecting your attempt to exclude people who follow different ways of eating from being considered as practicing moderation, because you are applying the one definition provided by the author arbitrarily and incorrectly. And you can't really define moderation without identifying the opposing ends of the spectrum it falls within, otherwise it's a completely subjective concept. If it is subjective, then what is or is not moderation will fall to the individual to determine for themselves, and statements like "100% strict paleo is not moderation, it is extreme" is a personal opinion, not a statement of fact.

    does paleo eliminate food from it's plan? If you answer yes then it's extreme due to "elimination" which is an extreme no matter how you play the word game.

    application is subjective. If I bought a 2000$ purse making 25k a year that is not a moderate purchase...but if I make 250k a year it's a moderate purchase.

    If I eliminate dairy from my diet due to being lactose intolerant that is not extreme....but if I get rid of milk cause of an eating plan to "make me better.." that is extreme.
    Paleo people who eliminate something aren't eating in moderation, but vegetarians who eliminate something are?

    Someone up thread said elimination depended on a "good reason." Is that how you see it, too? If you have a "good reason" then you can practice elimination and eat in moderation, but if you don't have a "good reason" then you can't?

    doesn't matter how I see it to be frank...moderation is the absence of extremes by definition and I feel that most "diets" are extremes and that eliminating foods to lose weight because you just "can't" manage to lose weight if you eat them is extreme. ie atkins, paleo, south beach, 17 day, LCHF, clean etc.

    *note diets is in quotes
    First, you said:

    "If you answer yes then it's extreme due to "elimination" which is an extreme no matter how you play the word game."

    Now, it seems like it is more rationale-dependent.

    I'm now trying to figure out which one it is. I'm genuinely confused. Is everyone who eliminates something automatically excluded from "eating in moderation" or not?

    How I personally see vegetarians (due to moral/ethical choices) has no bearing on what moderation means or the fact that paleo, clean eating, atkins etc are not in line with the definition of moderation....

    How people apply moderation to their WOE is totally subjective.

    If you feel paleo is in line with moderation have at...I disagree.

    If I feel paleo isn't moderate so be it...you apparently disagree...I think...you haven't really said one way or the other...

    no wait you don't use the word moderate/moderation so you neither agree or disagree....so why are you arguing that paleo is moderate? or are you? I can never tell with you.
    I'm very simple. I say what I mean. There is nothing to "tell" or "find." I've said this to you 10,000 times when you've insisted I meant things I didn't say and I specifically state that I didn't mean them, but meant what I said.

    I would like to know if you believe one can eliminate certain foods or food groups from the diet and still eat in moderation.

    Either you'll answer or you won't. That's all there is to that.

    k then you mean what you say...you don't use the word moderate ...then why are you in here discussing moderation?????? confusing...

    and to answer your question....What do I believe/feel

    If a person eliminates food for medical reasons ie diabetic/sugar or gluten/celiac no it's not extreme as it is a requirement for health.

    If a person eliminates food due to dislike no it's not extreme.

    If a person eliminates food due to a religion no it's not extreme (people take their religions very seriously and I am not messing with that)

    If a person eliminate food for any other reason than stated above yes I feel it is extreme. But that's me.

    So yes I feel that if a vegetarian is that because of moral/ethics it's extreme and not moderate. esp since it can have long lasting detrimental effects on their children (while developing in the womb) if they aren't careful.

    My feelings on it tho have no bearing on the actual definition of it just the application of it...

    Ok, so it's rationale-dependent. Someone else said something similar, only they used the words "good reason."

    New question:

    *Assuming that the definition of moderation is "avoiding extremes," which you're on board with...*

    If you feel that it's "extreme", it cannot be "in moderation" - correct?

    answer my question first...this is a give and take after all right????

    if you don't subscribe to moderation why are you here debating what it is and isn't? You don't use the word so why argue what it is...it has no bearing on your, your life or how you live it...
    I'd encourage you to reread my first post. I was brought up, so I piped up.

    Now, will you answer the question?

    Your first post in this thread is below I don't see where your name was mentioned at all or were you referenced in anyway prior to jumping in. no @Kalikel nothing...hmmm...odd how you "assumed" that some people meant you...
    Kalikel wrote: »
    maidentl wrote: »
    Oh, I like this one! There are some folks that think that moderation "can mean anything" but this article nails it down. It is the absence of extremes. Nice. Thanks for sharing it!
    I would be the person who argued that. It's because it's true.

    When I first started reading on MFP, I was trying very hard to figure out what the heck people meant when they said "clean" or "in moderation" because one person would say this was clean and another would say that was clean, while one person saying moderation was this and another was saying moderation was that.

    You can argue that both terms have definitions, but are carried out differently. That really doesn't help the person who is trying to figure out exactly what it means.

    The fact of the matter is that saying "clean" or "in moderation" just isn't specific. It has no meaning that anyone could pinpoint and say "Everyone who says they eat this way does X."

    I don't mind people using the words "clean" or "in moderation." I get what they mean in a general sense. But when they use those words, I don't know exactly how they are defining them. Most of the time, the general sense works just fine. Occasionally, though, I need a little more.

    "I've been eating clean and I'm gaining weight!"

    "I've been eating in moderation and I'm gaining weight!"

    I'm going to need more. It doesn't really explain how they're actually eating.

    If someone asks about how to eat treats "in moderation", there will be 20 different ways to do it.

    As many posters have many meanings for each term, specifics will be required.

    I have the same issue with both terms - "clean" and "in moderation" and am not slamming either group or trying to make fun of either group or have a fight.

    I never suggested that anyone should stop using those terms! It's just that they aren't really clearly describing a way of eating.

    so basically you are here to say that moderation has many meanings...when in fact it has one meaning and multiple applications..sort of like a sheet of fabric softener....it is made to keep cloths soft and static free but can be used to get bugs off your car grill.
    I can post here because I darn well feel like it. Whether or not you approve of me posting is irrelevant.

    Are you going to answer the question or not?

    btw I didn't say if I approved or disapproved.....but I know the moderators have consistently said if you don't have anything useful to add to a conversation on these boards you should avoid the post...and since you don't use the word moderation I wasn't sure what you could add that was useful was all...just pointing it out as it's consistently pointed out when "moderates" go to a clean eating thread or a Low carb thread they/we are told the exact thing I said above...
    If you feel that my presence in the thread has somehow violated a rule, I encourage you to report me for posting.

    now where did i say that? I distinctly said "moderators" have often said in posts that if you don't agree with the discussion at hand you should avoid the post to ensure a smooth easy discussion...

    no rules to this effect but it has been said...*insert smiley face* just sayin'

    perhaps if you aren't adding benefit to the discussion and allowing it to go smoothly it might be time to move to another thread to allow the discussion of the original post to continue...

    You will never dictate where I post.

    Perhaps we could get back on topic now?

    No of course not you post where ever and whenever you want...after all if moderators feel you are in the wrong thread I am sure they will let you know.

    So yes topic...what is moderation

    moderation is absence of extremes...
    extremes exceeding the bounds of moderation

    so now that you have been told the definition of both perhaps it is clearer to you now what moderation is.

    I do hope that this has been educational for you and that you have a better handle on what is being said in the forums as far as moderation goes. :):):)
    There you have it.

    That should make it clear for all.

    It really should. And it should be clear that eating in moderation can mean most any way as long as it isn't extreme in the mind of the person eating it.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.

    Trolling.

    I actually set out the differences as I understand them upthread. (It is, of course, true that merely saying I'm a clean eater or I use a moderate approach doesn't tell people precisely how you eat, but that is no one's objection to "clean eating" so the gotcha thing about how moderation doesn't tell you that either is a silly strawman.)

    If you are actually interested in responding to the points I and others made, I'm interested. If you choose not to, I will assume you don't actually have a reasonable response.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    senecarr wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?

    Yes you will be eating clean.

    But then for that moment you have your moment of weakness you are eating a standard diet. Once you have have finished your hot dog and go back to eating healthier again you regain the status of eating a clean diet.

    That's your issue right there, "moment of weakness." I already said, the example wasn't intentionally eating clean. So what happened to your "well it is just my preference now"? You betray your own thoughts on clean eating - stopping it means a moment of weakness. It isn't about just having a preference!

    Moment of weakness was tongue in cheek (sorry moment of weakness).

    I think the aim of most people 'clean eating' is to cut out (at best) or reduce (at the very least) their intake of processed foods.

    Like with most diets some days people will achieve their goal of clean eating and some days they won't.

    Just like some days people will achieve their goal of eating in moderation and some days they won't.

    I think most aim for progress not perfection.

  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    senecarr wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?

    Yes you will be eating clean.

    But then for that moment you have your moment of weakness you are eating a standard diet. Once you have have finished your hot dog and go back to eating healthier again you regain the status of eating a clean diet.

    That's your issue right there, "moment of weakness." I already said, the example wasn't intentionally eating clean. So what happened to your "well it is just my preference now"? You betray your own thoughts on clean eating - stopping it means a moment of weakness. It isn't about just having a preference!

    Moment of weakness was tongue in cheek (sorry moment of weakness).

    I think the aim of most people 'clean eating' is to cut out (at best) or reduce (at the very least) their intake of processed foods.

    Like with most diets some days people will achieve their goal of clean eating and some days they won't.

    Just like some days people will achieve their goal of eating in moderation and some days they won't.

    I think most aim for progress not perfection.

    Did the gears jam when you started backpedaling that hard?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
    No. Some people espouse their diet as the One True Way to eat (or to lose weight.) This is not limited to those who "eat clean" and is certainly not practiced by all of those who "eat clean."

    Demanding that YOUR way of doing things is THE RIGHT WAY of doing things is just obnoxious and that happens across the board. All WOEs have their individual obnoxious, demanding proponents.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.

    Trolling.

    I actually set out the differences as I understand them upthread. (It is, of course, true that merely saying I'm a clean eater or I use a moderate approach doesn't tell people precisely how you eat, but that is no one's objection to "clean eating" so the gotcha thing about how moderation doesn't tell you that either is a silly strawman.)

    If you are actually interested in responding to the points I and others made, I'm interested. If you choose not to, I will assume you don't actually have a reasonable response.

    So not agreeing with you is trolling???

    Maybe Alex can include that in an updated version of the forum guidelines.

  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Options
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Given a framework that doesn't include unlimited calories...

    Does a moderate way of eating ever say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    What other ways of eating don't say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    How does eliminating a particular food make a diet not moderate? What is extreme about eliminating a particular food? There are still a whole lot of foods to choose from.
    Becaue 0 of a food as an inherent part of a way of eating is, by definition, extreme. You can't eat any less. If is is, by definition, extreme, it is, by definition, not moderate.

    There must be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. If I can't eliminate any food, what is the opposite pole in a moderate diet?
    Well, the opposite of eating zero of a food would be eating only that food, wouldn't it?

    So to be a moderate eater I must eat ALL foods I enjoy but not eat only any single food I enjoy?

    ALL is an extreme, no?

    Not must, can. You can eat all the foods you enjoy. If you tried to eat all the foods you enjoy, you would quickly exceed your calorie goal, which would not be moderation.

    Eliminating one food out of the millions of foods out there is not extreme, no matter what my reason.
    Well, when you use the term millions of foods, it changes what it means to eliminate one food. For example, eliminating cupcakes isn't eliminating one food, it is eliminating vanilla ones, chocolate ones, ones from Walmart, ones from your local bakery, etc. Now suddenly it isn't really one out of millions.

    it is typically one entire macro ..like Carbs, or those evil sugars...or an entire group of food like "processed" which pretty much eliminates all foods...

    But nobody eliminates an entire macros (as you know).

    They may limit their consumption of it, like low carb or low fat but its not an elimination. So therefore it's still moderation, right????

    go read the definition and apply it to your concept. Maybe that will help increase your understanding of the concept.

    Well you are not explaining it very well! You're making it sound very blurred around the edges.

  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
    No. Some people espouse their diet as the One True Way to eat (or to lose weight.) This is not limited to those who "eat clean" and is certainly not practiced by all of those who "eat clean."

    Demanding that YOUR way of doing things is THE RIGHT WAY of doing things is just obnoxious and that happens across the board. All WOEs have their individual obnoxious, demanding proponents.

    Phew! Good thing you've already pointed out that moderation is not a way of eating!
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
    No. Some people espouse their diet as the One True Way to eat (or to lose weight.) This is not limited to those who "eat clean" and is certainly not practiced by all of those who "eat clean."

    Demanding that YOUR way of doing things is THE RIGHT WAY of doing things is just obnoxious and that happens across the board. All WOEs have their individual obnoxious, demanding proponents.

    So you've encountered many obnoxious WOErs on the board? I'm very sorry to hear that.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    I eat within my calories. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I hit my macros. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat plenty of fruits and veggies. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat lots of whole foods. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat a 80-10-10 split. - Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    Is there any way to describe what you eat that isn't full of variance and confusion between two people? On this board we see people who are confused about what MFP stands for and don't know what a carb is. Every description of what you eat comes with questions and disclaimers. So why is everyone so concerned that moderation does as well?
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Options
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Given a framework that doesn't include unlimited calories...

    Does a moderate way of eating ever say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    What other ways of eating don't say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    How does eliminating a particular food make a diet not moderate? What is extreme about eliminating a particular food? There are still a whole lot of foods to choose from.
    Becaue 0 of a food as an inherent part of a way of eating is, by definition, extreme. You can't eat any less. If is is, by definition, extreme, it is, by definition, not moderate.

    There must be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. If I can't eliminate any food, what is the opposite pole in a moderate diet?
    Well, the opposite of eating zero of a food would be eating only that food, wouldn't it?

    So to be a moderate eater I must eat ALL foods I enjoy but not eat only any single food I enjoy?

    ALL is an extreme, no?

    Not must, can. You can eat all the foods you enjoy. If you tried to eat all the foods you enjoy, you would quickly exceed your calorie goal, which would not be moderation.

    Eliminating one food out of the millions of foods out there is not extreme, no matter what my reason.
    Well, when you use the term millions of foods, it changes what it means to eliminate one food. For example, eliminating cupcakes isn't eliminating one food, it is eliminating vanilla ones, chocolate ones, ones from Walmart, ones from your local bakery, etc. Now suddenly it isn't really one out of millions.

    it is typically one entire macro ..like Carbs, or those evil sugars...or an entire group of food like "processed" which pretty much eliminates all foods...

    But nobody eliminates an entire macros (as you know).

    They may limit their consumption of it, like low carb or low fat but its not an elimination. So therefore it's still moderation, right????

    go read the definition and apply it to your concept. Maybe that will help increase your understanding of the concept.

    Well you are not explaining it very well! You're making it sound very blurred around the edges.

    lack_of_sex_can_cause_blindness_trucker_hat.jpg?color=BlackWhite&height=460&width=460&padToSquare=true
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    senecarr wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?

    Yes you will be eating clean.

    But then for that moment you have your moment of weakness you are eating a standard diet. Once you have have finished your hot dog and go back to eating healthier again you regain the status of eating a clean diet.

    That's your issue right there, "moment of weakness." I already said, the example wasn't intentionally eating clean. So what happened to your "well it is just my preference now"? You betray your own thoughts on clean eating - stopping it means a moment of weakness. It isn't about just having a preference!
    People can struggle with their eating. I know I have! It doesn't make their goal a bad goal.

    People on diets (as in "losing weight" diet) sometimes overeat. It happens. It doesn't make losing weight a bad idea! Same thing with trying to improve your diet (as in "foods you eat" diet.). You can have a "moment of weakness" and eat something you really shouldn't. It doesn't mean that the attempt to improve the diet is a bad one.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Options
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Given a framework that doesn't include unlimited calories...

    Does a moderate way of eating ever say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    What other ways of eating don't say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    How does eliminating a particular food make a diet not moderate? What is extreme about eliminating a particular food? There are still a whole lot of foods to choose from.
    Becaue 0 of a food as an inherent part of a way of eating is, by definition, extreme. You can't eat any less. If is is, by definition, extreme, it is, by definition, not moderate.

    There must be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. If I can't eliminate any food, what is the opposite pole in a moderate diet?
    Well, the opposite of eating zero of a food would be eating only that food, wouldn't it?

    So to be a moderate eater I must eat ALL foods I enjoy but not eat only any single food I enjoy?

    ALL is an extreme, no?

    Not must, can. You can eat all the foods you enjoy. If you tried to eat all the foods you enjoy, you would quickly exceed your calorie goal, which would not be moderation.

    Eliminating one food out of the millions of foods out there is not extreme, no matter what my reason.
    Well, when you use the term millions of foods, it changes what it means to eliminate one food. For example, eliminating cupcakes isn't eliminating one food, it is eliminating vanilla ones, chocolate ones, ones from Walmart, ones from your local bakery, etc. Now suddenly it isn't really one out of millions.

    it is typically one entire macro ..like Carbs, or those evil sugars...or an entire group of food like "processed" which pretty much eliminates all foods...

    But nobody eliminates an entire macros (as you know).

    They may limit their consumption of it, like low carb or low fat but its not an elimination. So therefore it's still moderation, right????

    go read the definition and apply it to your concept. Maybe that will help increase your understanding of the concept.

    Well you are not explaining it very well! You're making it sound very blurred around the edges.

    lack_of_sex_can_cause_blindness_trucker_hat.jpg?color=BlackWhite&height=460&width=460&padToSquare=true

    I think it's something else you do that causes that vision.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Options
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
    No. Some people espouse their diet as the One True Way to eat (or to lose weight.) This is not limited to those who "eat clean" and is certainly not practiced by all of those who "eat clean."

    Demanding that YOUR way of doing things is THE RIGHT WAY of doing things is just obnoxious and that happens across the board. All WOEs have their individual obnoxious, demanding proponents.

    I think this is an argument that has a lot of merit and would have helped a lot of newbies. Why on Earth did we get 17 pages of semantics instead?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    The lack of rigid definitions and its broad adaptability is a necessary feature of moderation. Trying to apply specific rules violates its very nature.

    Moderation seems as difficult to define and agree on, as the term 'clean eating'.

    Who knew!!

    actually it is not ..there is one definition in the dictionary, just use that.

    so the avoidance of extremes! So what can I eat - precisely - to fit into your definition of moderation??

    1. get a dictionary
    2. look up and read definition of moderation
    3. apply the concept to your daily lifestyle

    pretty simple….unless you find that too difficult?

    I have a dictionary, as you can tell by the fact that I referred to moderation as 'the avoidance of extremes'.

    I'm asking for a clear instruction on what is considered extreme?
    There isn't one, lol. In fact, it has been explicitly stated that "extreme" doesn't have to be defined, either.

    One person posted that moderation is avoiding extremes and extremes are outside the bounds of moderation. Those two things are the explanation for each other. That's the "Science!"

    This is what I've come up with for both words, up to and including this thread:

    Moderation: A theory of eating wherein the person avoids extremes (which are undefined and may be defined differently by each individual) unless the person has a good reason for the extremes.

    Clean: A way of healthy eating that may or may not include eliminating certain foods or food groups and which may or may not include eating foods that are processed and/or unhealthy, in varying amounts.

    Hope that clears it all up.

    Still, if you want to know what the person means when they discuss their eating, you're going to have to ask.

    So:

    Moderation - perimeters different for everyone!

    Clean Eating - perimeters different for everyone!

    I see the similarity.
    They're very similar. In fact, sometimes the people who go back and forth over which is better are doing exactly the same thing. It becomes less an argument over How To Eat and more an argument over diction.

    if you think clean eating = moderation then your understanding of the concepts is severly flawed....

    But what if eating clean is fulfilling all of your food requirements and you do not feel a need any more to eat the processed foods you are avoiding - is that then moderation??

    So, if I'm not intentionally eating clean, but all of my food diet ends up matching some arbitrary definition of eating clean, am I eating clean? What if I've eat that way for 1 year, but if tomorrow I'd eat a sugar encrusted bacon hotdog with extra preservatives? Am I eating clean up until the moment it touches my lips?
    Yes. People get to pick their own definition of clean. I've never even seen anyone argue to the contrary and hope I never do.

    Actually people eating clean tend to think they have the one true way. I've seen it over and over, and the language itself comes from moralizing food, hence you'll see people policing their definition as right because no one wants to suddenly find themselves immoral.
    No. Some people espouse their diet as the One True Way to eat (or to lose weight.) This is not limited to those who "eat clean" and is certainly not practiced by all of those who "eat clean."

    Demanding that YOUR way of doing things is THE RIGHT WAY of doing things is just obnoxious and that happens across the board. All WOEs have their individual obnoxious, demanding proponents.

    So you've encountered many obnoxious WOErs on the board? I'm very sorry to hear that.
    I didn't mean this discussion board, lol. I can see where you'd think that. I meant "across the board" as people generally use it. It happens here, it happens in real life, it's happens in everything, not just food. You will always find people who demand that THEIR way is THE RIGHT WAY. In everything, everywhere.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited October 2015
    Options
    I eat within my calories. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I hit my macros. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat plenty of fruits and veggies. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat lots of whole foods. -Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    I eat a 80-10-10 split. - Right, but what exactly do you eat?
    Is there any way to describe what you eat that isn't full of variance and confusion between two people? On this board we see people who are confused about what MFP stands for and don't know what a carb is. Every description of what you eat comes with questions and disclaimers. So why is everyone so concerned that moderation does as well?

    I think it's more that some are suggesting that moderation means eating anything you want, while praising an article that lays out rules for eating in moderation.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    senecarr wrote: »
    Given a framework that doesn't include unlimited calories...

    Does a moderate way of eating ever say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    What other ways of eating don't say that if one eats a particular food one will not be adhering to that way of eating?

    How does eliminating a particular food make a diet not moderate? What is extreme about eliminating a particular food? There are still a whole lot of foods to choose from.
    Becaue 0 of a food as an inherent part of a way of eating is, by definition, extreme. You can't eat any less. If is is, by definition, extreme, it is, by definition, not moderate.

    There must be extremes on both ends of the spectrum. If I can't eliminate any food, what is the opposite pole in a moderate diet?
    Well, the opposite of eating zero of a food would be eating only that food, wouldn't it?

    So to be a moderate eater I must eat ALL foods I enjoy but not eat only any single food I enjoy?

    ALL is an extreme, no?

    Not must, can. You can eat all the foods you enjoy. If you tried to eat all the foods you enjoy, you would quickly exceed your calorie goal, which would not be moderation.

    Eliminating one food out of the millions of foods out there is not extreme, no matter what my reason.
    Well, when you use the term millions of foods, it changes what it means to eliminate one food. For example, eliminating cupcakes isn't eliminating one food, it is eliminating vanilla ones, chocolate ones, ones from Walmart, ones from your local bakery, etc. Now suddenly it isn't really one out of millions.

    it is typically one entire macro ..like Carbs, or those evil sugars...or an entire group of food like "processed" which pretty much eliminates all foods...

    But nobody eliminates an entire macros (as you know).

    They may limit their consumption of it, like low carb or low fat but its not an elimination. So therefore it's still moderation, right????

    go read the definition and apply it to your concept. Maybe that will help increase your understanding of the concept.

    Well you are not explaining it very well! You're making it sound very blurred around the edges.

    it is a straightforward concept. I am sorry that you do not have the capacity to grasp it.
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