Looking for new friends who quit sugar/eat clean :)

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  • iamabeetle
    iamabeetle Posts: 52 Member
    Your comment was fine, lemurcat. I'm referring to some other comments along with inboxes I have received. My understanding of clean eating is eating whole foods those that minimally processed, refined, and handled. I am no expert on clean eating as I have only been doing it for a few months but like all foods, everything in moderation and even though I consider myself as a clean eater, I have had a slice of pizza here and there in the past 3 months but I don't consider myself as an 'unclean eater' for doing so.
  • iamabeetle
    iamabeetle Posts: 52 Member
    I never suggested it was the answer but that combined with exercise is the only thing that has worked for me and I'm really happy I've found something sustainable that I enjoy doing that is helping me get the results I'm after.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    iamabeetle wrote: »
    I am no expert on clean eating as I have only been doing it for a few months but like all foods, everything in moderation and even though I consider myself as a clean eater, I have had a slice of pizza here and there in the past 3 months but I don't consider myself as an 'unclean eater' for doing so.

    So like I keep saying, on the whole "clean eaters" and many of us who don't self define as "clean eaters" probably eat similarly. It just strikes me as a divisive term (if someone asks me if I'm a clean eater I think well, I mostly cook from scratch and have for ages and enjoy it, but I also eat tofu or pasta or use some protein powder or go out to a restaurant or whatever it is and assume I'd be dishonest in saying yes, and plus I feel like the term is inherently insulting to others and stigmatizes foods that are fine to include in a diet), but if your interest is in talking about nutrition or eating nutrition-conscious meals or cooking (mostly) from scratch, I imagine many of the rest of us would be interested (and we won't have to hash out what "clean eating" means!).

    I haven't been logging over the past week or so, but I plan to start again tomorrow. I log at Cronometer because it's good for nutrients and I find it easier due to a less cluttered database. I do enjoy chatting about vegetables and fruit in the challenge I mentioned, and am always up for new meal inspirations.

    Are there particular challenges in meal planning or the like that you face?

    I get a farm box in season (late spring to around Thanksgiving) and having to use that up is a fun challenge for me. I tend to have a slightly harder time getting inspired in my cooking in winter, although I am playing with my new instant pot lately.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Who consumes 100 grams of either at one sitting? Or even in one day?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    louisepaul16 wrote: »
    Feel free to add me. I cut out most added sugar, and went on a plant based diet at the beginning of jan. Not 100% perfect but it currently works for me.
    See the post above yours - these things seem to work, for a while.
    Edit: skim read this thread, but as usual on MFP if you say you’re doing anything that’s considered “extreme” a bunch of people want to weigh in and tell you CICO is the only way to do something. Yes, it is technically, but if you’re wanting to improve your overall health this way is great as well. As the saying goes.... you do you.
    If you read the thread more thoroughly, you'll see that nobody really denies that overall nutrition is important. CICO is not a way to do anything, it's the process behind any weight gain, loss or maintenance. "Clean eating" is not even necessarily doing anything extreme - when asked for clarification, it's usually very similar to diets that people who don't claim to "eat clean", have. But it's not necessarily a healthy diet, because it's more about restricting foods than adding variety, and the mentality that comes with it, makes for an unhealthy relationship with food.

    I think we all are saying "you do you" - but some of us feel that it implies to figure out what you want and need, not just jump on each and every fad.
  • kristen8000
    kristen8000 Posts: 747 Member
    I think the reason some of us (mostly veterans of MFP that has been here before, learned from their mistakes and moved on) think the CLEAN EATING movement is garbage is the fact that it's not sustainable. And if you are here for weight loss, it's all Calories In, Calories Out. Doesn't matter where those calories come from, if you eat too many, you gain. If you eat at a deficient you lose.

    I've been doing this "losing/maintaining" stuff since 2011 and I've learned a ton from these forums and the very reasonable people posting. When I started I thought you had to cut out all processed foods and eat "clean" too. That's a result of media, magazines, and etc. You read stuff, you think it has to be true and then you try it. You do it for a few weeks, you are proud of yourself that you hung on that long...THEN you go to birthday party and your favorite cake is there, staring you in the face. Cake, oh goodness, that's like the holy grail of bad. But it tastes so good, and you want some. Everyone else is doing it. But you lasted 3 full weeks without "processed junk" and if you eat it you'll gain. Guess what? If you eat it, and skip the 2 glasses of red wine at dinner (you know that booze that everyone says it good for you), it will all balance out. Your body really isn't that smart. Sugar is sugar and it's all processed the same. If it comes from cake, fruit, wine, honey, agave, etc.

    Now, I'm not telling you to live on a diet of McDonalds Quarter Pounders and cake. I'm telling you there needs to be a balance. I like the 80-20 rule. 80% of the things I eat are good for my body (lean protein, omega 3 fatty acids, veggies, fruit, etc), and 20% may be questionable (sugar, carbs, wine etc). You know why? You CAN'T go your whole life being rigid and still live a happy, no guilt life. I know I couldn't have lasted this long without wine, beer, cookies, bread, diet coke and pasta. I'd be in the fetal position crying on the floor every day. And this isn't just about getting the weight off. It's about keeping it off and finding balance.

    OP, good luck to you. I hope your plan works. But if it doesn't, we'll be here to be the voice of reason.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    moosmum1972 wrote: »
    3bambi3 wrote: »
    all4eternity125 wrote: »
    JerSchmare wrote: »
    Clean eating isn’t really a thing. I’m afraid this might be a lonely thread.

    Don't say that! Here, I'm a clean eater! Religiously count macros and calories, no processed food, no sugar and I workout 6x a week.
    iamabeetle and everyone else, I would love to share recipes and experience, motivate each other daily

    I checked out your diary....processed foods and sugars aplenty. Unless there is a Nutella tree no one told me about.

    Oooh Nutella. ..
    Food of the gods. ...

    But seriously no.processed no sugar.....someone fibbing.

    A couple of days ago, poster had Arby's. You can't get more processed than that.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    If you read the thread more thoroughly, you'll see that nobody really denies that overall nutrition is important. CICO is not a way to do anything, it's the process behind any weight gain, loss or maintenance. "Clean eating" is not even necessarily doing anything extreme - when asked for clarification, it's usually very similar to diets that people who don't claim to "eat clean", have. But it's not necessarily a healthy diet, because it's more about restricting foods than adding variety, and the mentality that comes with it, makes for an unhealthy relationship with food.

    I was going to respond, but you already said what I would.

    This whole "if you don't eat clean you don't care about nutrition" is an infuriating strawman, but it's not coming from OP. It's not her fault that in a false belief that they are defending her that others (sadly) need to make such silly claims and ignore what's actually been said in the thread.

    My reading is that OP wants to talk about nutrition and ideas for eating healthfully and so on, which is why I'm here (and why I think a lot of us who don't self identify as eating clean could contribute).

    OP, I do think your approach to eating in reality may well be much like mine and kommodevaran's and others's, so I'm interested in what you find fun and what you find difficult or challenging and what you want ideas on.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    fuzzylop72 wrote: »
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »

    No they don't.

    Other than potassium they contain almost no vitamins and minerals.

    White sugar (100g)
    1.0 mg calcium
    2.0 mg potassium
    0.6 mcg selenium
    1.0 mcg fluoride

    Honey (100g)
    0.3g protein
    0.5 mg vitamin c
    0.1 mg niacin
    2.0 mcg folate
    0.1 mg pantothenic acid
    2.2 mg choline
    1.7 mg betaine
    6.0 mg calcium
    0.4 mg iron
    2.0 mg magnesium
    4.0 mg phosphorus
    52.0 mg potassium
    4.0 mg sodium
    0.2 mg zinc
    0.1 mg maganese
    0.8 mcg selenium
    8.0 mcg fluoride

    Is it a good source of anything? Not really. Is it a better source than white sugar? Absolutely.

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5592/2
    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5568/2

    You have a weird definition of "better".
  • angelgirlee
    angelgirlee Posts: 1 Member
    I did a clean eating "challenge" a couple of years ago for the month of February. I learned a great deal about all the fake food I was eating. Though I normally try to eat healthy on a regular basis, I started this again for the month of March to get myself back on an even better eating routine and to branch out to a wider variety of food. Good luck in your adventure iamabeetle!!
  • slossia
    slossia Posts: 138 Member
    Fitness begins with being leaner. So many people complain that they don’t understand why they can’t loose weight or why their overweight, when they say they eat healthy. I guess they probably mean they don’t eat lots of sugary snacks or snacks filled with lots of oils. Deductive reasonings would lead me to believe then that they overeat these so called clean foods. These are people I know personally. Like family, so I saw their eating habits. I came to the conclusion that they simply over eat their allotted calories for the day.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    iamabeetle wrote: »
    In the last 4 months I have probably been doing what you and others have been doing for years.

    I eat a lot of vegetables, natural yogurt and fish.

    I'm finding it fun to try new things. The 'brand name' that I am using is called 'Healthy Mummy' and there are lots of recipes and things like that which I enjoy accessing. I am doing well with my meal planning (there are 5 of us who live in the household) but need to get better at meal prep to save time. I'm looking at increasing my protein (that's my challenge this week) and I do find it challenging to curb my cravings (sorry for TMI but mainly during that time of the month) but I am doing an AMAZING job with what I am doing.

    Like I said in the beginning, it's the only thing that has worked for me. I have lost 23.1kg (50.02lb) in 4 months and I am enjoying my life again. I did my first Parkrun today (5km/3.1 miles) and did so well. Things that I never thought I would enjoy doing, I am embracing.

    I am looking at having surgery soon. I have 20kg (44lb) of loose skin that hangs below my bellybutton that gets in my way. I am hoping to have that done this year (I need to save lots of money or rob a bank!). This will help my mobility. Life is great and I am finally enjoying living for the first time in a long time.

    Thanks for checking back in. I'm glad you're seeing success! Hopefully more people will read to the end of the thread instead of rehashing the same two-month-old arguments :)

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