Processed "Gunk" vs "Clean" Eating
Mandi98U
Posts: 115 Member
I understand that weight loss comes down to CICO, but I was wondering what positive effects come from cutting out processes foods. I am a college student so I eat alot of processes foods like canned soup and microwavable dinners that are under 300 calories. This is my second time using MFP since I have regained about 90 lbs in a year (after maintaining for about a year and a half) and this time I am struggling a lot harder to lose the weight. I was wondering if eating cleaner helps people drop more weight initially as well as the other positive effects, it can have on the body compared to eating foods like soup. Also what do you consider eating clean (with examples please)? Im also looking for some more healthy convenient foods I can make/keep in my dorm. I currently have carrots and Greek yogurts, cheese sticks, soups, baggies of almonds, hard boiled eggs, cheerios, strawberries,and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.
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Assuming everything else remains the same, then no... clean eating won't increase weight loss compared to other forms of eating.
Anecdotally, some people report feeling better, improved energy, etc when on a cleaner diet, but I suspect that will be very individualized.
Similarly, some people report increased cravings and problems with adherence due to the elimination of certain foods they enjoy... but again, this will vary person to person.
Ultimately, it comes down to this. Weight loss will remain the same. Everything else will fall under the YMMV umbrella, so the only way to know is to try it.
Lastly... what is clean eating? Different people use that term differently. So I guess it comes down to this: what does it mean to you?14 -
Food is food. Doesn't matter as far as weight loss goes.
For nutrition and satiety sure it can matter.
For example "processed" foods can have lots of sodium and make you retain fluid...but that can be countered by drinking lots of water.
or it can be high calorie and low satiety so you get hungry quicker.
eating a varied diet of nutritional dense foods is healthy but it doesn't guarantee weight loss...on CI being less than CO matters for that.
Healthy convenient foods I have in my house are typically fruit, cheese, mini pitas with dip like hummas, healthy steamers (microwave dinner), lean cuisines (chicken in wine sauce) greek yogurt, cottage cheese etc.
But notice most of those are high in protein...I do that for a reason...helps keep you feeling fuller longer.11 -
I consider eating clean a diet where approximately 80% of my calories come from micro-rich foods.
That said, I think any time you try and avoid things by demonizing/labeling them as bad/good clean/unclean you really set yourself up to have a poor relationship with food. You gained 90lbs in a year. It's going to take you a couple to take that off. Over time your sodium fluctuation from processed or unprocessed food isn't going to make a big difference. You need to choose a caloric deficit you can stick to. Don't completely disregard nutrition but the concept of clean and unclean is different for everyone. To a vegetarian or low-carber my diet is most certainly not "clean" but to me, I think I eat "clean" It has no definition. Don't focus on things that don't matter.8 -
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I do think 'clean' (as clean as I can get it) helps me to lose weight. I still eat 'processed' foods though such as yogurt, cheese, chicory beverage, butter, olive oil.
Its just that many so called 'dirty foods' can be quite high in calories, so I get more miles with vegetables I prepare and cook myself, and fruit is relatively low cal per serving too. I still eat cocoa powder.
idk, it works for some, but bottom line is keeping your calories below what your body needs to function day after day. That leads to weight loss.
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »
Well, he's eating it out of a bucket and not off the floor... So, I vote "yes."
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90 pounds in one year sounds like a lot. I'd assume something more than typical overeating is at play there?
Eating healthier foods (I refuse to say cleaner, and healthier isn't much better) might make you feel better, but you certainly don't have to limit yourself to only those foods deemed worthy of being called healthy to lose weight. Fruits like mandarin oranges, bananas, and apples will be easy to keep in your dorm. I'm a big fan of peanut butter, but you do have to watch the portions. I'd recommend a food scale if you don't already have one.9 -
What's a gunk?3
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A highly processed diet is not good for your health (can be low in vitamins, high in sugar, very high in salt, could contain transfat etc). Plus most convenience processed food is usually calorie dense, so to really feel full, you have to eat a lot.
But if calories are equal, you lose weight no matter what you eat.3 -
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I make sure to drop all my food on the floor before eating it. Gotta make those sickness gains.4
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I understand that weight loss comes down to CICO, but I was wondering what positive effects come from cutting out processes foods. I am a college student so I eat alot of processes foods like canned soup and microwavable dinners that are under 300 calories. This is my second time using MFP since I have regained about 90 lbs in a year (after maintaining for about a year and a half) and this time I am struggling a lot harder to lose the weight. I was wondering if eating cleaner helps people drop more weight initially as well as the other positive effects, it can have on the body compared to eating foods like soup. Also what do you consider eating clean (with examples please)? Im also looking for some more healthy convenient foods I can make/keep in my dorm. I currently have carrots and Greek yogurts, cheese sticks, soups, baggies of almonds, hard boiled eggs, cheerios, strawberries,and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.
The main difference I have found between purchased convenience foods and home made is the amount of salt. If you don't have an issue with sodium, there is no reason why you should not buy already prepared foods over making them your self.5 -
I understand that weight loss comes down to CICO, but I was wondering what positive effects come from cutting out processes foods. I am a college student so I eat alot of processes foods like canned soup and microwavable dinners that are under 300 calories. This is my second time using MFP since I have regained about 90 lbs in a year (after maintaining for about a year and a half) and this time I am struggling a lot harder to lose the weight. I was wondering if eating cleaner helps people drop more weight initially as well as the other positive effects, it can have on the body compared to eating foods like soup. Also what do you consider eating clean (with examples please)? Im also looking for some more healthy convenient foods I can make/keep in my dorm. I currently have carrots and Greek yogurts, cheese sticks, soups, baggies of almonds, hard boiled eggs, cheerios, strawberries,and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.
To me 'clean eating' means limiting processed foods and trying to select foods as close to their natural state as possible. When I started my journey I would eat takeaways 4-5 times per week as well as crisps, chocolate and lots of alcohol.
I think eating a larger selection of whole foods does help you lose weight. For example, eating more fruit and vegetables gives you extra fibre, maintaining gut health and ensuring food is processed well. Eating lean protein (animal or not) helps to keep you fuller and maintain muscle mass (essential, as more muscle = more passive calorie burn). These kinds of food are generally much more micro-nutrient dense as well contributing to better health alongside the weight loss.
For me, it started with cutting out added sugars. Yes it was hard and I got the cravings mentioned by others but after a few weeks that subsides. I still eat chocolate, icecream, crisps and takeaways but these are a treat and I don't often crave them.
TLDR: Foods as close to their natural state are more nutrient rich, less calorie dense, which keeps you fuller for longer making sticking to a diet easier.4 -
I try to eat foods with as few ingredients as possible, most of the time, which is easier for me to do with low carb. However, I've been known to use the Atkins shakes and bars when life gets hectic and I've not seen any adverse effects. That's the only brand of that sort of thing I can use, though, the rest give me stomach pain. In my carb-eating days I often made things like hamburger helper, though, because it was fast and everyone would eat it but I veered away from that mainly because I've found its cheaper to buy the ingredients separately. Plus, making it myself allowed for extras for lunch. No one had any problems with it other than me and the carbs, obviously My kids eat those oatmeal packets in the winter and ramen for lunch in the summer. I say, try it, if you like it and it works for you, use it and ignore the doubters.1
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Chef_Barbell wrote: »
No after he stuck his hand back in it, lol.6 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Chef_Barbell wrote: »
Well, he's eating it out of a bucket and not off the floor... So, I vote "yes."
But it's in a package so probably not. 2 -
I ate all sorts of 'processed gunk' during my weight loss phase and not only did I lose 50lbs, but I improved every health marker my doctor uses-including normalizing a prediabetic glucose number.
Now 4 years into maintenance I've just started switching to a more whole foods, plant based diet but nothing magical is happening-I still feel and look the same and I'm doubtful that my next blood panel will show any surprises, (they were already excellent, so kind hard to improve on that
). I'm switching things up because frankly, I'm bored and it gives me something new to focus on. But, what I eat has absolutely nothing to do with my weight management plan-that's completely about CICO. I also have 5ish years of data that show that my glucose number is directly connected to how much I weigh and nothing to do with what I'm eating. 15 -
This thread will likely turn into a disaster, but my personal experience from shifting to a whole foods based diet and reducing or nearly eliminating processed foods was
1 An improved digestive system
2. More overall and more consistent energy levels.
The improved digestive system was amazing for me.8 -
I understand that weight loss comes down to CICO, but I was wondering what positive effects come from cutting out processes foods. I am a college student so I eat alot of processes foods like canned soup and microwavable dinners that are under 300 calories. This is my second time using MFP since I have regained about 90 lbs in a year (after maintaining for about a year and a half) and this time I am struggling a lot harder to lose the weight. I was wondering if eating cleaner helps people drop more weight initially as well as the other positive effects, it can have on the body compared to eating foods like soup. Also what do you consider eating clean (with examples please)? Im also looking for some more healthy convenient foods I can make/keep in my dorm. I currently have carrots and Greek yogurts, cheese sticks, soups, baggies of almonds, hard boiled eggs, cheerios, strawberries,and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.
Hi OP. If you haven't figured it out yet, you posted a topic that is likely to stir up a bit of drama. The phrase "clean eating" is vague, and arbitrary - it means something different to nearly everyone you ask. Additionally, describing foods as gunk (or junk?) simply because they are processed really isn't, in my opinion, helpful either. The foods you describe like canned soup and microwaveable dinners aren't necessarily junk. They may be high in sodium, but they aren't high in calories, and most of the time, foods like this provide nutrition as well. I rely on both from time to time, in fact I will be eating a frozen meal for lunch today. There are some which are tastier, and maybe more nutrient dense than others - I like Healthy Choice Simply Steamers, the Evol line, Weight Watchers Smart Made, and Stouffers Fit Kitchen. Similarly, with canned soups - there are some which are lower in sodium (Campbells Healthy Request or Amy's). I don't find a lot of these things as filling as I would like, especially for under 300 calories, so I might pair them with some of the other things you mentioned like greek yogurt, or a hard boiled egg, or some additional frozen vegetables (I also often buy precooked sliced chicken breast and add that to frozen meals to increase the protein).
I think probably the more important thing to focus on in your post is the weight gain over the last year. You mentioned knowing about CICO, and that you had success in losing and maintaining for a while, but then put on nearly 90 lbs in the last year. What changed? Did you start going to bars and drinking more (common for college students), did you stop exercising from maybe being on an organized sports team in high school, did you just start eating more and not tracking your food (also very common). Making sure you've got a plan in place that will enable you to focus on eating at a calorie deficit and maintaining a busy student's life is probably more important, in my opinion, than deciding whether something like greek yogurt is clean or not (many people would say no since it comes in a package - one of those silly rules that a lot of people adhere to which aren't particularly helpful, in my opinion).
Good luck!14 -
I understand that weight loss comes down to CICO, but I was wondering what positive effects come from cutting out processes foods.
Not sure what "gunk" is.
Processed food is a HUGE variety of foods, as most things we eat are processed in some way (even not including the processing we do ourselves, like cooking). Some processed foods I eat regularly include:- Smoked salmon
- Pickled vegetables
- Ground beef (I get mine from a farm so it's not super lean, but I think lean is good too)
- Skinless, boneless chicken or turkey breast (I eat the latter more often, also get it from a farm, but they send it to a processor first as state law requires)
- Various dairy products, including greek yogurt (plain), cottage cheese, regular cheese (I like a huge variety of different types), butter, and, yes, ice cream
- Nut milks -- I usually make it (process it) myself, but occasionally buy it
- Olive and coconut oil
- Olives
- Canned sardines and herring
- Dried pasta
- Canned beans (I get low sodium)
- Canned tomatoes (when tomatoes are not in season, like now)
- Protein powder
- Hemp hearts
- Tofu and tempeh
- Coffee
- Restaurant dinners (typically local places, not chains, but those are processed too)
- Quick service restaurant lunches occasionally (places like Pret a Manger, where I get foods similar to what I would make at home)
It's also reasonable to consider processed such things as frozen fruits and veg, frozen fish and other meats, and dried oats and beans, as well as anything prechopped (cauliflower rice), or washed and bagged, although I think it's more debatable.
Also "unnatural" is the fact that we can get "fresh" foods out of season, which is why we don't have to rely on canned or frozen produce as much.
Anyway, I'm sure there's even more in my regular rotation that are processed that I'm not thinking of.
Even with more processed foods of the kind I rarely eat (from bagged rice and beans to premade ravioli to frozen meals) there is a HUGE variety. Some are really nutritionally poor, and some are excellent.
So given all that diversity, I don't think that a blanket "cutting out processed foods" has any benefit.
Changing your diet to be more nutritionally dense and more balanced, if it is not, is IMO beneficial.
To do a comparison, someone who avoids "processed foods" but doesn't get enough protein or eat vegetables would, IMO, have a poorer diet than someone who eats lots of processed foods of various types but gets a good balanced diet with vegetables.13 -
Not to derail this thread too much, though that's probably inevitable, but...
I understand why people balk at terms like clean or junk when talking about foods. But in most cases, it's not hard to understand what someone is trying to get at when asking these types of questions.
There will always be people trying to be funny or snarky or whatever else and posts unhelpful things in response to these types of threads... but for those of us who are trying to be helpful, is there a better way to talk about these types of foods? Better terms to use? These types of threads aren't going away, and I do think they merit conversation for many people.
Regarding "clean" foods... is it better to say something like whole foods?
What about junk food... is there a better term?9 -
Also what do you consider eating clean (with examples please)? Im also looking for some more healthy convenient foods I can make/keep in my dorm. I currently have carrots and Greek yogurts, cheese sticks, soups, baggies of almonds, hard boiled eggs, cheerios, strawberries,and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.
Like I said, I don't believe in "eating clean." I do believe in eating healthfully. Many of the foods you list above are, of course, processed, but I don't think that makes them bad (although they would not be "clean" as I understand it.
My preference is to have eggs and vegetables and maybe some cottage cheese for breakfast (but there's nothing special about that, it's what I like).
I often eat a salad with some kind of protein on it for lunch, although I also often have dinner leftovers or prepare food in advance in a way that would not be possible in a dorm room unless you have access to a kitchen. (How do you normally get food -- do you have a meal plan?)
I sometimes eat fruit as a side with meals and always eat a good amount of vegetables and some source of protein.
My dinners are most commonly some kind of combination of vegetables, protein (meat, fish, legumes), and some kind of starch (grains, potatoes or sweet potatoes, or maybe lentils), although sometimes I sub in fruit and don't have a starch.
You are much more limited than I am in a dorm, though.
You didn't regain because you ate soup, also -- you regained because you overate. The question is why and how to eat that would prevent you from doing it. How do you normally eat? Regular meals, any kind of structure? Are you paying upfront for food or are you supplying and preparing all your own?2 -
This thread will likely turn into a disaster, but my personal experience from shifting to a whole foods based diet and reducing or nearly eliminating processed foods was
1 An improved digestive system
2. More overall and more consistent energy levels.
The improved digestive system was amazing for me.
It really will just vary between people-switching to a whole foods based diet hasn't done anything for me, (my digestive system was already fine/no issues). Energy is the same as well. I've noticed zero difference, except it takes a lot longer to prepare my meals now and the large amount of veg/fruit I now eat (averaging around 900g a day), does nothing for satiety levels. I'm also struggling to get in enough fat/protein. I'll keep at it for a bit longer, but doubt I'll stick with it long term.2 -
Not to derail this thread too much, though that's probably inevitable, but...
I understand why people balk at terms like clean or junk when talking about foods. But in most cases, it's not hard to understand what someone is trying to get at when asking these types of questions.
There will always be people trying to be funny or snarky or whatever else and posts unhelpful things in response to these types of threads... but for those of us who are trying to be helpful, is there a better way to talk about these types of foods? Better terms to use? These types of threads aren't going away, and I do think they merit conversation for many people.
Regarding "clean" foods... is it better to say something like whole foods?
What about junk food... is there a better term?
But people who eat "clean" don't necessarily eat only whole foods. And people who eat whole foods sometimes eat things that some "clean" eaters consider "unclean."
They're not interchangeable (although some people might consider them to be, given their personal definition of "clean").7 -
90 pounds in one year sounds like a lot. I'd assume something more than typical overeating is at play there?
This is actually a good point and gets back to whether you understand how you gained. Are you struggling with bingeing? Have you tried logging a typical week to see where the excess calories are coming from?4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Not to derail this thread too much, though that's probably inevitable, but...
I understand why people balk at terms like clean or junk when talking about foods. But in most cases, it's not hard to understand what someone is trying to get at when asking these types of questions.
There will always be people trying to be funny or snarky or whatever else and posts unhelpful things in response to these types of threads... but for those of us who are trying to be helpful, is there a better way to talk about these types of foods? Better terms to use? These types of threads aren't going away, and I do think they merit conversation for many people.
Regarding "clean" foods... is it better to say something like whole foods?
What about junk food... is there a better term?
But people who eat "clean" don't necessarily eat only whole foods. And people who eat whole foods sometimes eat things that some "clean" eaters consider "unclean."
They're not interchangeable (although some people might consider them to be, given their personal definition of "clean").
I understand that. But at some point, we need to be able to have reasonably meaningful conversations... and it's not usually difficult to understand what a person is asking even if they are using terms that could sometimes be used in ways other than how the poster intended. And that's why I asked the question.6 -
Not to derail this thread too much, though that's probably inevitable, but...
I understand why people balk at terms like clean or junk when talking about foods. But in most cases, it's not hard to understand what someone is trying to get at when asking these types of questions.
I actually think it is, and they don't always mean the same thing (OP assuming that cheerios and cheese sticks would be "clean" and not "processed," for example). That's why I try to (nicely and helpfully, I think) point out how very broad the category "processed" is and that it does not map to "high cal" or "not nutritionally dense."for those of us who are trying to be helpful, is there a better way to talk about these types of foods? Better terms to use? These types of threads aren't going away, and I do think they merit conversation for many people.
I usually think the person is asking about eating a more nutrient dense diet, to some extent, so like to focus on eating healthfully, but IMO some processed foods (even including things like Quest bars or protein powder or occasional frozen meals if you find some nutritionally sound ones you enjoy) or quick service restaurant meals (like the Pret meals I mentioned or some at Snapkitchen or these salads I like at a local place called Protein Bar or many others) can be useful it making it easier to eat an overall nutritionally-sound diet without it being too overwhelming.Regarding "clean" foods... is it better to say something like whole foods?
I like to say MOSTLY whole foods, and a nutrition-conscious diet, but it's not like anyone seems to prefer my responses to anyone else's, including the jokes, and I get accused of being anti nutrition as much as anyone.What about junk food... is there a better term?
Lots of people disagree with me, but I think junk food is a fine term and use it. I don't think it includes anything processed, but high cal, not that nutritious foods. I'd probably use it for homemade cookies, however whole the ingredients when I started. And I don't see it as a particularly negative term given how it's mostly used.5 -
Not to derail this thread too much, though that's probably inevitable, but...
I understand why people balk at terms like clean or junk when talking about foods. But in most cases, it's not hard to understand what someone is trying to get at when asking these types of questions.
There will always be people trying to be funny or snarky or whatever else and posts unhelpful things in response to these types of threads... but for those of us who are trying to be helpful, is there a better way to talk about these types of foods? Better terms to use? These types of threads aren't going away, and I do think they merit conversation for many people.
Regarding "clean" foods... is it better to say something like whole foods?
What about junk food... is there a better term?
When I read the terms clean or whole foods as opposed to processed foods I'm thinking the person is talking about eating foods that are still close to their natural state. Plain white rice is processed but its just rice as opposed to Rice A Roni which contains additives and whatever else is listed in the paragraph on the back. I think some people do better on certain ways of eating for various reasons. There may be a medical reason or it could be that the person in question was eating a "processed" food (such as hamburger helper) that had an additive or ingredient that disagreed with them. I knew a woman once that had a reaction to a particular additive and she had to eliminate a lot of things like hamburger helper and Rice A Roni because of it. I'm NOT (NOT) saying Rice a Roni or Hamburger Helper are inherently bad. I've eaten both and my issue was with the carbs overall, rather than the food itself. This is just what I think people mean when they're asking about clean eating and whole foods and I agree that it would be helpful to come up with some terms that don't cause an otherwise good conversation to derail.
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