A fair question about "eating clean"

MSeel1984

I think this question gave me food for thought. I consider myself a newbie clean eater. (Never used that term before til I read this though). I gave up processed foods three years ago and gluten and caffeine two years ago and 6 months ago I gave up sugar, dairy and unhealthy carbs like white rice, white potatoes. I also eat mainly organic and try to eat a diet consisting of 50% veggies and 25% meat and %25 healthy carbs like brown rice. I do indulge in occasional healthy cheat snacks like Lundberg brown rice chips and I do have 85% dark chocolate (small piece now and again). I have a protein shake in the morning, living by the rule that it's my 20% dirty. The reason is although I always ate healthy I could never lose weight and I really saw a significant weight reduction when I started my day with one 6 months ago. I am almost at my idea weight now. I really liked smoothies in the morning and used to have one with organic berries, organic peanut butter, and 1/2 banana. (I don't consider organic natural peanut butter processed unless it is full of additives. If it just says peanuts on the label I eat it as grinding them I don't consider processed. I think processed is adding chemicals but I know some people are against roasting of peanuts.) Anyway I think there wasn't enough protein in it to slow down the sugar spiking happening from the berries and Banana because I did notice a shift in weightloss just from that change. I use vegans protein plus and only 3/4 of the scoop. I did hear it affects liver, kidneys if you are having several of these shakes a day as some people do. So I stick to my 3/4 serving and when I lose all my weight I will cut down and do it only 3times per week. I also take natural supplements like b complex, a daily vitamin and d in the winter from food sources. I don't know if this is perfect but I feel good and look about ten years younger than my age.

Congratulations for being persistent in finding a good diet for you. Thank you too, for being confident enough to share and doing so maturely.

^This. And yes, thank you for the information.

forevergone4me

Awww that is very nice. It was my first time sharing on here and I really appreciate your kind words

forevergone4me

Thanks meseel1984, I think you should be commended for thinking about what you are putting in your body when so many people don't :<)

MSeel1984

Thanks, I think you should be commended for thinking about what you are putting in your body when so many people don't :<)

I'm trying to focus on it more. My vice is peanut butter with marshmallow fluff. It's still ok rarely for a treat, but I was to the point it was becoming ritual for me...I had the fluff in the cupboard and would eat it as long as it was in the house, so I stopped buying it (who are we kidding-it's sugar and air).

When my husband left on his trip a few weeks ago, I had more say in what I ate because he wasn't telling me what he liked/didn't like, so I tried new things and I'm beginning to focus more on what I put in my body. Treats are still good once in a while, but I want to try to eat more whole foods.

kayaksara

I guess I considered myself a clean eater before really hearing about the term or reading MFP posts. Now I don't really use that term - because people get so offended. And it means so many different things to so many people.

I just eat lots of fruits and vegetables, eggs, kashi cereal, whole grains, yogurt...just try to avoid things with all kinds of ingredients. In my own mind, that's clean. It beats chips, cake, cookies, and packaged foods.

What is so baffling to me is why people on mfp wonder why the topic always comes up. Everyone is in a different stage of learning or changing what they do. Just because some people have been talking about these same topics for years on mfp, for others it may be something new.

OP - great question and good luck in your goals! :flowerforyou:

Edit....oh! And I LOVE peanut butter too! I consider it "clean". Just peanuts. Clean enough for me!