Completely New - What Is Considered Clean Eating?

TheFangsKittie

Hi there,

Basically I started intermittent fasting a month back and enjoyed it, I've started New Rules of Lifting for Women and I'm enjoying that, but I keep hearing about eating clean to help build muscle - and I'll be honest I haven't a clue what it is. The internet seems full of it's usual junk so I thought I'd ask here for some friendly advice and perhaps some websites you guys and gals use. I'm on a mission to change my body and am looking too for like minded friends so I'm happy for an add if you like :flowerforyou:

Thanks in advance for your help - enjoy getting to your goals!!!

Lucy xx

lpina2mi

There are many takes on clean eating; some suggested that many of us should call ourselves "clean-er" eaters. Whatever responses you get, from helpful to confrontational, keep on information gathering until you define your clean diet.

Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food, outlines the differences many make on "real" food and consumable products churned through big Ag (agriculture) corporations. I also like the first hundred pages of Nourishing Traditions for its closer look at food practices of our grandparents and greatgrandparents generation (remaining pages are recipes).

Looking at my own diet, I view it as "cleaner" because it gets most of its content from whole unprocessed or lightly processed (eg. canned beans, frozen berries) foods of which most are organic, many are local, some I grow myself. The little meat I eat I buy from a butcher who sells grass-fed free-ranging products and some it (lamb & poultry) are local. We are fortunate to live in town that has country nearby, so getting fresh whole unhomogenized milk and real milk products is easy and likewise with eggs.

I aim for 70% of my food to be recognizeable plants (vegetables, nuts&seeds, legumes, a little fruit). The rest is primarily eggs, dairy, oils, fish, some meat and a few grains. I also hold a weekly view of my diet, so that one day porridge (primarily a grain) may represent 20-30% of that day's calories all by itself, but I do not eat porridge very often in a week, so its % impact falls when taking a weekly view. Daily, my macros and calories stay within a reasonable range. With an emphasis on vegetables and my current calorie ceiling and my own health-required need for omega fats--it is difficult to get enough protein, so I supplement w unflavored whey. Most supplements are processed and hence not "clean."

In addition to supplements, here are some other areas, where I technically fall out of absolute clean eating. I enjoy coffee and pineapple--neither of which is local. I do not hesitate to start my bolognese sauce with canned tomatoes. Even though I purchase and make desserts made with real organic butter, cream, and cane sugar the presence of flour makes pastries, cookies, cakes, and pies in the unclean category, for some, and yet for others if they are grinding the grains at home it is okay. Chocolate is a processed commodity, and I eat chocolate.

On the other hand I do not see the sense in instant oatmeal. Other than an occasional (2-3x/yr) real gingerale or rootbeer (many local breweries make these now), I have not had sodapop since 1990, when I gave up my Tab habit. It has been longer since I have had a McDonald's or Wendy's anything. Sometimes I have attended quasi-bsns meetings at Panera's or Quidoba's and havealways found things I felt good about eating. The same is true for nearly all restaurants. A few restaurants in town do local source food, but Sysco is still a big supplier. And I always enjoy meals at friends and family homes without judgement. People first-Food second.

Hope this helps.

6ofone

Thanks so much for the question and the answer, I'm going clean and this has helped allot, I'll be getting the book you mentioned also:happy:

TheFangsKittie

Wow - thank you for the really informative reply :flowerforyou: