Eating clean? What does it really mean?

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  • nikkiclaire123
    nikkiclaire123 Posts: 119
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    i think eating clean only really matters if you have serious fitness goals. as long as you are on you calorie controlled method then it doeesnt really matter what you eat, as long as you get the right amount of calories.

    I disagree with that ^^^^^ So I have serious goal but I est a lot of processed foods and sugar. Will I fail to meet my goals?

    Maybe we can finally get the answer to the elusive question, what is clean eating?

    do Olympians eat at McDonalds?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    i think eating clean only really matters if you have serious fitness goals. as long as you are on you calorie controlled method then it doeesnt really matter what you eat, as long as you get the right amount of calories.

    I disagree with that ^^^^^ So I have serious goal but I est a lot of processed foods and sugar. Will I fail to meet my goals?

    Maybe we can finally get the answer to the elusive question, what is clean eating?

    do Olympians eat at McDonalds?

    Uh, yes, they do. Olympians and other professional athletes are notorious for eating food people deem "unhealthy."

    Eating clean has nothing to do with how "serious" your fitness goals are.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    It means stress out without good reason over the food you consume. I'd also like to say that if you weigh 100lbs you hardly need to lose weight.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    i think eating clean only really matters if you have serious fitness goals. as long as you are on you calorie controlled method then it doeesnt really matter what you eat, as long as you get the right amount of calories.

    I disagree with that ^^^^^ So I have serious goal but I est a lot of processed foods and sugar. Will I fail to meet my goals?

    Maybe we can finally get the answer to the elusive question, what is clean eating?

    do Olympians eat at McDonalds?

    All. The. Time.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    This will inevitably lead to people posting pictures of junk food they are going to eat...

    duh.gif
  • nikkiclaire123
    nikkiclaire123 Posts: 119
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    sorry but i have to disagree with this, i know for a fact that when i eat junk i feel down, fat and tired. and my run time is atleast 30-60 seconds off my usual pace. after 2 weeks eating fresh good food i immediately dropped over 1 min of my 1.5mile time and 4 mins off my 5km. my body and skin look so much more healthy and i feel fantastic. im not saying i dont eat junk occasionally because i do and have just had kfc tonight. but i do think better results will be obtain if you do cut junk
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    sorry but i have to disagree with this, i know for a fact that when i eat junk i feel down, fat and tired. and my run time is atleast 30-60 seconds off my usual pace. after 2 weeks eating fresh good food i immediately dropped over 1 min of my 1.5mile time and 4 mins off my 5km. my body and skin look so much more healthy and i feel fantastic. im not saying i dont eat junk occasionally because i do and have just had kfc tonight. but i do think better results will be obtain if you do cut junk

    Never underestimate the power of the human mind for you to see what you want (or expect) to see.

    Also, the phone isn't actually more likely to ring when you're in the shower.
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
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    I hate the term "eat clean". It does not really mean anything because not everyone gets effected by food in the same way. When I was in my early 20's, I could eat all the junk I wanted with no ill effects. Fast forward 20 years... now at 41 the same food that did not bother me then does now. I just do not feel or perform well when I eat junk.

    This of course does not mean I don't now and then eat junk. I still like it... it just makes me feel like crap when I do. So I pick my spots and make peace with the fact that the next day I will not be at my best.
  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
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    "Clean" means whatever a person *needs* it to mean in order for them to feel superior about their food choices...

    It is laughable to see just how junk filled some of the diaries of the clean eaters are.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    "Clean" means whatever a person *needs* it to mean in order for them to feel superior about their food choices...

    It is laughable to see just how junk filled some of the diaries of the clean eaters are.

    Well it WOULD be, but most of their diaries are closed...
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    When I need to replenish my glycogen stores quickly, I feel GREAT after a candy bar...but that's just me...
  • nikkiclaire123
    nikkiclaire123 Posts: 119
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    i think eating clean only really matters if you have serious fitness goals. as long as you are on you calorie controlled method then it doeesnt really matter what you eat, as long as you get the right amount of calories.

    I disagree with that ^^^^^ So I have serious goal but I est a lot of processed foods and sugar. Will I fail to meet my goals?

    Maybe we can finally get the answer to the elusive question, what is clean eating?

    do Olympians eat at McDonalds?

    Let's ask Michael Phelps.

    well then maybe its just the american ones, ive never heard of jess ennis or mo farah eating there. anyway, i just wrote what works for me. i didnt know that was a crime here.
  • lknjohnson
    lknjohnson Posts: 351 Member
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    sorry but i have to disagree with this, i know for a fact that when i eat junk i feel down, fat and tired. and my run time is atleast 30-60 seconds off my usual pace. after 2 weeks eating fresh good food i immediately dropped over 1 min of my 1.5mile time and 4 mins off my 5km. my body and skin look so much more healthy and i feel fantastic. im not saying i dont eat junk occasionally because i do and have just had kfc tonight. but i do think better results will be obtain if you do cut junk

    i only feel that way if i eat to much of the junk food(over the serving size) heck i even feel that way if i eat to much salad. ....... but thats just me......




    I called it instead of eating "clean" just eat "smart" ppl know how much is to much. Just put the fork down.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    i think eating clean only really matters if you have serious fitness goals. as long as you are on you calorie controlled method then it doeesnt really matter what you eat, as long as you get the right amount of calories.

    I disagree with that ^^^^^ So I have serious goal but I est a lot of processed foods and sugar. Will I fail to meet my goals?

    Maybe we can finally get the answer to the elusive question, what is clean eating?

    do Olympians eat at McDonalds?

    Let's ask Michael Phelps.

    well then maybe its just the american ones, ive never heard of jess ennis or mo farah eating there. anyway, i just wrote what works for me. i didnt know that was a crime here.

    Not a crime, but it's also not a crime for people to disagree with you.
  • LiminalAscendance
    LiminalAscendance Posts: 489 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with an individual limiting aspects of their diet, based on any number of criteria (even that which appears arbitrary to others). There are foods some eat (or don't) based on taste, and some decisions are even based on what the individual perceives (whether incorrectly or not) as health benefits.

    I'm not too concerned about whether I eat too much sugar, or how much "junk" food I eat, as long as it fits into my caloric goals and offers (in my biased opinion) a reasonable amount of nutrition.

    I also eat such things as ice cream and Pop Tarts, although they don't particularly excite me to the point of posting pics of them. Perhaps that's because I'm not as fascinated by them as others are (I only had 40lbs to lose, so that may have something to do with it).
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Hi OP,

    Eating clean means different things to different people. You mentioned that you don't eat processed foods, but all foods are processed to some extent. The simplest definition of clean eating I know means eating foods that are as minimally processed as possible. For me, clean eating is an ideal, not a reality. I know it's easiest for me to meet my goals when I eat as many whole foods as possible and limit foods that are more processed. I also do better when I cook my own food. I don't know if it's psychological, physiological, or both. But for weight loss, it doesn't matter what you eat, as long as you hit your targets. I aspire for "clean" because it's easier for me to stick to it and meet my targets. I cannot eat whole foods and not track. I can easily put away tons of fruits, nuts, and seeds without batting an eye and go over my calories.

    You don't need to stop eating anything you enjoy to lose those last 5 lbs. You can keep your wine, your chocolate. You can keep potatoes. You are much closer to home when you suggest that you need to be more aware of what you are eating. Can you cook with your husband and then weigh or measure your portions?

    However, given that you are a healthy and light weight, it may be easier on you to focus on your strength goals and not change your eating habits.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
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    Interesting that someone mentioned athletes, I just read this the other day:

    "The American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine all think that clean eating is unrealistic and unneccessary too:

    "Athletes should not deprive themselves of favorite foods or set unrealistic dietary rules or guidelines. Instead, dietary goals should be *flexible* and achievable. Athletes should remember that all foods can fit into a healthful lifestyle. Developing list of "good" and "bad" foods is discouraged."

    Reference:
    1. Rodriguez NR, Di Marco NM, Langley S. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):709–731. Available at: http://www.scandpg.org/local/resources/files/2010/PP_NutritionAthleticPerformance.pdf."
  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
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    "Clean" means whatever a person *needs* it to mean in order for them to feel superior about their food choices...

    It is laughable to see just how junk filled some of the diaries of the clean eaters are.

    Well it WOULD be, but most of their diaries are closed...

    True... Most are closed but I have found a few open (mostly those who private messagee about how I can't possible be as healthy as they are). This is how I learned that boxed cereals, protein powder and meal replacements are "clean"

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