How 'Clean Eating' leads to 'Binge Eating'.

Mary830

I know this is an old post- but I am so glad this was shared. I struggle with binge eating and it's always helpful to look at it from another perspective.

perktms

I just want to say that I love the quote you have as your signature, about the obligation to take care of yourself.
I hope you don't mind if I jot it down!
:flowerforyou:

Losingitin2011

You know, the whole superiority complex from some people is really annoying. Just because something works great for you doesn't mean it's the *only* way, and those of us who don't follow it aren't living healthily.

redhead91

I think that eating in moderation IS a lifestyle change. If I used to eat until I was so full that I was nauseous and now I eat a quarter of that, I have made a change. I moved from binge eating to eating healthy amounts, and it's a big accomplishment. It may not be 100% healthy if I'm eating junk, but it most definitely is a change for the better!
I am very pro-eating-in-moderation. It's the advice my endocrinologist gave me and it's the advice I stick by. I have lost weight this way in the past and I continue to do so now at a healthy pace. You don't have to totally give up what you enjoy to be fit and thin, but you do have to make changes. Just because it isn't the change you would make doesn't mean it's not a cause for celebration once a bad habit is broken.
Just my two cents.

I completely agree. I also wanted to add that most people who are 'moderators' have changed in the fact that they now eat fruits and veggies whereas they didn't before. I'd say that's pretty big yes! I mean it's not like they're eating 1400 calories of twinkies! They just chose to eat some foods that are processed in addition to clean foods.

redhead91

You know, the whole superiority complex from some people is really annoying. Just because something works great for you doesn't mean it's the *only* way, and those of us who don't follow it aren't living healthily.

Here here!!!

significance

For me, moderation leads naturally to cleaner eating. I don't deny myself anything in particular, but I'm on limited calories. For a day's snacks, for example, I'm free to choose between: a) a couple of pieces of fruit plus a handful of nuts spread over the day; and b) a small piece of chocolate that I'll eat at 10am then be hungry again for the rest of the day. I'm finding I choose (a) nine times out of ten. When I wasn't counting calories, I chose chocolate every day.

chezmama

I cannot go as far as to agree with the premise of the article, that clean eating leads to binge eating. I think that goes a little far. But when the writer of the article talked about how he or she began to feel superior to people who did not eat clean, I saw my friend in that. We used to be very close and we were going to walk this weight loss journey together. But I am a moderation kind of gal. I need to be in order to make it work for me for the long haul. Over the course of this year my friend has become more and more passionate about her clean eating. And while she says she doesn't expect everyone to see things her way, the condescending remarks about those who don't eat like she does have certainly driven a wedge between us in our friendship. I have had to go my own way in this weight loss journey. I still love her but I cannot walk this road with her. I do not need a "heart change" as she says. I need to do what works for me. When I was young, I was thin. I never thought about food that much. It really didn't matter to me. I feel my friend thinks about clean eating all the time. As often as she brings it up, she is clearly very obsessed with food, just in a different way. I want to be the girl who doesn't think about food that much. I am learning to care about it less as MFP teaches me to moderate it. And MFP is teaching me to make far better choices than I did before, both with food and exercise. I am also learning to work with who I am and what works for me and keeping those who have different ideas on what that should look like at an arms length away. And I guess the only change I care about right now is the fact that the scale is continually going down instead of up. I am good with that.

chezmama

For me, moderation leads naturally to cleaner eating. I don't deny myself anything in particular, but I'm on limited calories. For a day's snacks, for example, I'm free to choose between: a) a couple of pieces of fruit plus a handful of nuts spread over the day; and b) a small piece of chocolate that I'll eat at 10am then be hungry again for the rest of the day. I'm finding I choose (a) nine times out of ten. When I wasn't counting calories, I chose chocolate every day.

EXACTLY! I am finding the same thing!

wolfchild59

I found this article very interesting. Mostly because I spent a year just watching my calories, making sure I was getting enough protein and not really minding ingredients or other macros. During that time I very, very rarely had "cheat" meals that were completely unplanned and was able to control cravings regularly to always stay in my daily calorie goal.

Just under two months ago I've tried making the switch to clean-er eating. I still can't afford to be completely "clean" but have been being super strict on all my macros and being extra super careful about my carbs and my carbs/fat/protein percentages. In those two months I've had more unplanned/unexpected cheat meals because I find myself too weak to not just give into my cravings when they're all I can think about. I've also found myself lapsing into seeking comfort in unhealthy and processed foods moreso than I did when I wasn't being so strict on myself about what was "allowable" to eat or not.

I'm just finishing up a vacation where I've most definitely overindulged (but that was all planned). But since we were going to be out of town our fridge is basically an empty/blank slate right now. I think I'm gonna spend a few weeks not stressing myself out so much over eating clean or all my macro amounts and ratios and see if it helps with the craving issues I've been experiencing. Not a fan of the idea of intermittent fasting, but it might not be a bad idea after these last five days. lol

SolidGoaled

I don't know how I came across this old thread today, but I just read it in its entirety and it was the most interesting thread I have read in a long time. I felt that some of the pro-clean posts were harsh at times, but I liked the passionate responses it triggered - people CAN change and people can LEARN how to manage themselves and their choices. It is so obvious that the OP is an "extreme" thinker just in the way she words her posts - and extreme thinking is what is behind my trail of failed attempts at losing weight - I always get on some kick, go extreme, fall off the wagon eventually because I burn myself out, then gain everything back and then some. I used to label myself as "addictive personality" and for years have told myself I will never succeed until I make the commitment to abstain 100% from certain "bad" foods. What I really needed to abstain from was that "all or nothing" thinking, and since I've been working on this, I feel like I have a new lease on life.

JDMPWR

BUMP

natskedat

I agree with this post. I eat pretty "clean" (85% maybe?), but if I want ice cream or sugary hot chocolate with a ton of marshmallows, I'm going to eat it. Guiltlessly. I enjoy living more than controlling. Maintaining a regular exercise program combining cardiovascular and strength training, and mostly good food choices is the way I choose, and I encourage my family and clients, to live. I don't buy into "leaky gut syndrome" or any of the other scare-tactic diseases proposed by the "clean eating" enthusiasts. A lifestyle that would deny me white cake with buttercream frosting is a lifestyle of misery and heartache.

HartJames

Change is (obviously) relative. Unless you come from an all-knowing place of perfection I feel like how dare you insist you KNOW ANYTHING about anyone other than yourself?

All doctors, studies and published papers have different opinions. I can pull up sonething reputable to support nearly any opinion.

Personally, I eat what I want in moderation and strive to eat clean and organic primarily. Yes indeed, this was a lifestyle change for me as well as going from never working out at all to kicking *kitten* 7 days a week and getting my "om" on weekly.

For myself, restriction leads to binging. Counterproductive to my long-term health & maintaining weigh-loss. Eating clean and exercise means I can eat MORE which is essential to someone like me who needs to feel full.

The why, what and how of what I eat and how I live my life (cause HELLO, life is short right?) is not for anyone to judge or deem incorrect. Do YOU, work on your own backyard before you go sticking your nose up at others.

SolidGoaled

I don't know how I came across this old thread today, but I just read it in its entirety and it was the most interesting thread I have read in a long time. I felt that some of the pro-clean posts were harsh at times, but I liked the passionate responses it triggered - people CAN change and people can LEARN how to manage themselves and their choices. It is so obvious that the OP is an "extreme" thinker just in the way she words her posts - and extreme thinking is what is behind my trail of failed attempts at losing weight - I always get on some kick, go extreme, fall off the wagon eventually because I burn myself out, then gain everything back and then some. I used to label myself as "addictive personality" and for years have told myself I will never succeed until I make the commitment to abstain 100% from certain "bad" foods. What I really needed to abstain from was that "all or nothing" thinking, and since I've been working on this, I feel like I have a new lease on life.

I'm sorry - its not the OP who was using the extreme language, it was another poster who chimed in - my apologies - I think we all know which posts I'm referring to.

ColoradoRobin

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer.html

This is an interesting, and connected blog post about "moderators" vs. "abstainers".
...
If you read the article, notice the part where it says that people are extraordinarily judgemental/harsh towards people who the other approach is working for. I think we're just so hardwired to have one or the other be the correct approach for us that it's hard not to demand that it's the correct approach for everyone.

I found the blog post mentioned to be quite insightful. I'm a moderator myself. The thought of never again being able to eat a given food makes me feel fenced in and restricted. On the other hand, I can limit myself to a bite of cake, or 10 M&Ms and feel fine about it. I also will find myself saying "I could have a donut, but I don't want it enough to pay the calorie cost, so I am not going to eat it." The option of eating it is there, but I look more at my limited calorie budget, and usually choose healthier foods. Sometimes I will enjoy a treat though.

I don't tend to binge eat, but in the past would eat just a little too much on a regular basis, or eat without paying attention. Snacking at social events was a problem. Now I watch my budget, and try to get the most for each calorie most of the time. 90% good eating works for me.

heniko

While I appreciate the author's views and experience I can't agree with them 100%.

Clean eating as it has been coined isn't a fad or some new miracle idea. Our ancestors even eating clean natural real food from the first man up until this century when so called genuises found a way to stop poverty by making food cheaper by using GMO to bulk up food or make bad food taste palatable. Which BTW we are still paying for today!

Clean eating = High quality foods in their natural state; no chemicals, additives, preservatives or hormones .... so where's the problem here?

If you drink a Slim Fast drink it's filled with all these "stuff" whivch you don't even know what half of them are ... yearly reports come out saying this so called health food is now not safe or healthy ... but when was the last time you read a tomato or apple isn't healthy?

Almost every processed food originated from a traditional recipe – which means it should be easily created in your home – so that means the ingredient list should look like a traditional recipe without the cup/teaspoon/tablespoon amounts… right? Do you keep monosodium glutamate in your house? How about high fructose corn syrup or fructooligosaccharides? Do you keep that on deck? If it contains ingredients that you couldn’t keep on hand in your kitchen, leave it be.

I'm sure the author already have unlined ED tendencies way before going clean. Or in the least, was confused on the information regarding portioning. You can binge on healthy food just as much as GMO filled processed foods with HFCS. You will get the calories either way, but on the scale of health eating healthy clean food is better for you even if you binge then eating processed crap a few times. But with that said, I'm not binging on helathy food either is a good idea.

Whether it is trying to lose or bingeing ... the key is to develop a healthy relationship with food. I would like to respectfully disagree with the poster who said I want to lose the weight anyhow I can. I disagree since thid mentality is about losing pounds quick, not about changing habits for life. After you have, if you make it to your goal weight what will happen? You stopped dieting? Then what gain it all back? I think and I'm sure many will agree a commitemnt to lifelong change is key to lifelong weight loss and mainting a weight and body that is weight. I truly don't think the mentality of losing it anyhow then figuring out what's healthy after you lost is sustainble. I know I tried it! I went low cal low cal low everything ... lost 50lbs ... but once I got "there" to the finishline thinking I have arrived ... I can start eating regular food the pounds came back with a vengence!

Moderatoring or abstaining this too ... saying one is better then the other is too cookie cutter for me. And many have already we aren't all the same. Our bodies, genetic makeup, habits, envoriment, lifsetyle etc so to say one is better then the other is not fair. I think in beginning of the "chang" everyone needs to figure by trail and error which works for them! If you can do well with moderate eating GREAT! If not try abstaining ...

And about clean eating ... you can have your fav comfort foods ... by eating the ones prepared from all natural ingredients whether from trusted chefs or better yet at home. Cooking isn't something only the elite can achieve. Believe me I didn't know to cook eggs a few years ago, now I'm making almost everything from scratch.

Also time and money shouldn't be an issue either ... it takes just as much time to grill up some meat and steam some veg as it does to hit the McD drive throu! And you shop smart, it will probably cost you less in the short and long term too!

And making a change from eating a mostly processed diet filled with simple carbs and sugar then going to a cleaner diet of whole, real, natural food with ingredients you can pronounce will give you instant results in your mood, skin, hair, stamina ... but the scale takes a bit longer to move. Your body will thank you for eating clean(er) ...

Also there is something called the 80/20principle which says you should aim to eat healthy 80% of the time and leave 20% for error and anything that may come up! This is key! I think making prefection the goal is what misleds many people and in fact leads people into binge fests. And the 80/20 easily applys for both moderators and abstainers too!

Again to sum all what I said ... the authoe looks to me had tendencies towards ED which they need to address, not blame on healthy lifestyle or eating clean. And eating a clean meals is much better for you all around then replying on prepackaged so called "healthy diet foods" ...

People who disagree try reading a label next time you buy one of these products ... and come how ingredients it has and out of them how you actually can idenify and tell me where it comes from ...

Thanks for reafding! And have a great day!

SabrinaJL

This is an interesting discussion. I don't think clean eating is bad and I don't think moderation is bad. I think whatever gets us healthier is a good thing. I actually am interested in clean eating, but it is DEFINITELY something I'd have to work my way into. Every time I've tried to do a strict diet where I could only eat certain things, I've failed. So far, moderation and baby steps are working for me. If jumping right into clean eating is what works for someone else, I'm happy for them and will cheer them on. I do have to reply to this comment though...

"Modification does not = change."

Not only do I disagree with that, the dictionary does too.

"change

10. to become altered or modified"

The beauty of being an individual is that YOU are the one that gets to decide what works for YOU and what constitutes change, not a random stranger on the internet.

stenochick

bump, to read later

mazomama

well this conversation made me think about a few different things! good post to go through

chezmama

This is an interesting discussion. I don't think clean eating is bad and I don't think moderation is bad. I think whatever gets us healthier is a good thing. I actually am interested in clean eating, but it is DEFINITELY something I'd have to work my way into. Every time I've tried to do a strict diet where I could only eat certain things, I've failed. So far, moderation and baby steps are working for me. If jumping right into clean eating is what works for someone else, I'm happy for them and will cheer them on. I do have to reply to this comment though...

"Modification does not = change."

Not only do I disagree with that, the dictionary does too.

"change

10. to become altered or modified"

The beauty of being an individual is that YOU are the one that gets to decide what works for YOU and what constitutes change, not a random stranger on the internet.

EXCELLENT!

lauralovestolift

id just like to say that ever since I started eating clean 4 years ago, I have slowly started binge eating from mid last year, and food has become my enemy, I never used to have extreme binges on my cheat sundays because I never restricted myself so much, Clean eating has mentally retarded my views on foods, and has made me gain 7kgs