How do you keep your food intake "Clean"?

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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.
    This isn't a good "criteria" for avoiding food. What if someone sucks in reading? Chemical makeup of whole foods have multiple chemicals that many can't pronounce.
    Clean eating typically increases performance.
    "Dirty" eating that meets one's macro/micro nutrient profile wouldn't hinder performance. Many Olympians aren't "clean" eaters since their calorie demands are very high.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I have been on my journey for the past 4 months with awesome results. As i begin my new workout regiment that a RL buddy is helping me put together for Strength Training, I keep hearing him, and others through research, mention "keeping it clean". Now being the noob i am, i assume i know what they are all saying cause no one ever really says what they mean, but, I want to get a feel from my new extended family.....

    What does "keeping it clean" mean for you in terms of nutritional intake?!?!

    CK

    It means nothing. Don't be pressured into not eating foods you want to eat.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    absolutely nothing, there is no such thing as a "clean" food. you can have what you want in moderation
    THIS. If you talk to anyone who has a certain belief in eating, they all may have different views on what's "clean".

    Vegans think meat isn't clean
    Paleo thinks that legumes aren't clean
    Bodybuilders think that bread and dairy aren't clean
    Low carbers think any "white" product isn't clean

    and on and on.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
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  • SoTiredOfMe
    SoTiredOfMe Posts: 6 Member
    Organic fruits and veggies. Meat that hasn't been "cleaned" with chemicals. Cooking with a very limited amount of oils. NOT eating something that comes out of a box. NOT something that is dehydrated.

    I'm not looking to start a debate on what "diet" is "better" or "worse". All I'm saying is that this works for me and I feel amazing from my way of eating. If you do enjoy "eating clean", great. If you don't, wonderful. However, don't down someone else's success.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    I try and follow as close to Paleo nutrition as possible = try and eat as little or no processed food as possible. Paleo = if a caveman was alive how or what would he eat. No grocery store bag food etc. I too have had great success with this down 40 pounds and 25 inches. I also watch my carb intake, but with working out we still need 150g minimum or so porbably more for a guy. Good Luck on continued sucess!!! You got this! Read the websit "Mark's Daily Apple".

    Sandy
    Lol, cavemen drank untreated water and sucked marrow out of bones.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I try and follow as close to Paleo nutrition as possible = try and eat as little or no processed food as possible. Paleo = if a caveman was alive how or what would he eat. No grocery store bag food etc. I too have had great success with this down 40 pounds and 25 inches. I also watch my carb intake, but with working out we still need 150g minimum or so porbably more for a guy. Good Luck on continued sucess!!! You got this! Read the websit "Mark's Daily Apple".

    Sandy

    WOOOT GRUBS!!!!
  • No more (or minimalize) processed crap! If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    I think if you're going to evaluate foods in that manner, then you do need to know what you're talking about to an extent. Your average person will look at pyridoxal phosphate and think it's an evil preservative when, in fact, it's vitamin B6, which is incredibly important for multiple reactions in amino acid metabolism. Likewise, tocopheryl acetate? That's vitamin E, folks.

    Realize that the entire world is made up of chemicals. You're eating a whole fruit, almond milk, or a plain steak? Entirely composed of chemicals - while some chemical compounds are naturally occurring and others are synthesized (sometimes a chemical is naturally occurring, but industrial synthesis is actually less expensive), that's what things are made of. Chemicals don't HAVE to be evil and scary, but unfortunately, to many people they are due to school systems falling short in science education.

    I personally prefer to cook with things that don't come out of boxes, but realize that even the foods you consider "clean" are still composed of chemicals.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    kitchen sink
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    I disagree. Eating clean means eating mostly non-processed foods, meaning that there IS something called clean eating.
    All food on the market goes through processing of some sort. From pesticides to anti bacterial washing to packaging. Vegans would considered processed foods (like bread) fine while meat a no no and bad. So no, there really isn't a definition for eating "clean".

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Paleo = if a caveman was alive how or what would he eat.

    If a caveman was alive today he'd be shoveling in the processed food as quickly as he could. He was on opportunist who ate whatever he could get his hands on, as often as possible.

    He would eat beans and ice cream and pizza and probably live at the drive thru where the nice people handed him a bag full of hot food out a window.
    Ha, I think this is my favorite response to the Paleo diet ever.

    There is no clear definition of "clean" eating because many people who claim to eat cleanly eat completely different things from each other. Which is fine because eating clean isn't necessary for weight loss (or for health even). Eat at a calorie deficit, eat a lot of nutrient dense foods, but don't say no to foods because someone called them "bad" or "dirty". Eat them in moderation and budget them into your calorie goals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    basically eating nutrient dense whole foods that have not been or have only been minimally processed. i really don't worry too much about it...i eat a well balanced diet and get in my 4-6 servings of veg per day...a good couple servings of fruit...plenty of lean protein and i get my healthy fats from things like almonds, avocados, olives and olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc...but i also enjoy some delicious pasta a couple times per week...i like having ice cream for desert on occasion...jelly beans are awesome...etc, etc, etc.

    for me, being clean means staying away from things like Lean Cuisines and what not...mostly because they're just nasty and I'm a foodie and like good food.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    <<<<<<< I am 45 years old and do believe I look way better and younger than I did at 35 due to my "clean" diet.

    How do I keep my food intake clean? Lots and lots of planning and being organized. I do not eat processed foods like hamburger helper or the kraft mac and cheese with the neon orange powder, if I want mac and cheese, I make it with real milk, butter and cheese. I go for as organic as I can afford and if I do buy a prepackaged food, I make sure I know what all the ingredients are, any chemical that I can not pronounce is not going into my body. I batch cook things like quinoa, chicken, sweet potatoes and steel cut oat meal. I wash all my fruits and vegetables at the time I bring them home from the market so they are ready to go when it is time to cook them or make a salad.

    It is harder and takes more time to do this but I really have no choice, I have an auto immune disease that basically will cripple me if I eat processed and refined crap. It is not for weight loss but for over all health, the fact that I look like I do does not hurt though.

    I, personally believe, that how we treat our bodies when we are young will dictate how we will spend our golden years. I do not want to be sitting in a nursing home at 68 crapping myself, I want to be on a hike to Monti Picchu. Now there are going to be dozens of people that are things like gym teachers, stay at home dads and car sales men that are going to come into this thread and tout that "science" does not suggest that eating kale is better than eating doritos and that will fight tooth and nail that a cheeseburger from 5 guys is just as healthy as a spinach salad. I laugh and move on. I have personal experience that eating processed crap gives me inflammation and causes me pain. There is no such thing as junk food, there is junk and there is food.
  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    Vegans think meat isn't clean
    Paleo thinks that legumes aren't clean
    Bodybuilders think that bread and dairy aren't clean
    Low carbers think any "white" product isn't clean

    and on and on.

    THISSSSSSSSSSS
  • This content has been removed.
  • SoTiredOfMe
    SoTiredOfMe Posts: 6 Member
    There's a vast difference between the chemical composition of something and the chemicals added to it that weren't already in/ on the product.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    Organic fruits and veggies. Meat that hasn't been "cleaned" with chemicals. Cooking with a very limited amount of oils. NOT eating something that comes out of a box. NOT something that is dehydrated.

    I'm not looking to start a debate on what "diet" is "better" or "worse". All I'm saying is that this works for me and I feel amazing from my way of eating. If you do enjoy "eating clean", great. If you don't, wonderful. However, don't down someone else's success.
    In other words your definition of "clean" is your definition which is fine. Again a vegetarian wouldn't think of any animal product being "clean" in their diet.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • Would you eat this?

    Ethanol
    Propyl acetate
    2-Methylpropyl acetate
    Propanol
    n-Butyl acetate
    2-Methylpropanol
    2-Methylbutyl acetate
    n-Butyl propanoate
    n-Butanol
    n-Pentyl acetate
    2-Methylbut-3-enyl acetate
    2-Methylbutanol
    3-Methylbut-3-enyl acetate
    3-Methylbut-3-enol
    3-Methylbut-2-enyl acetate
    n-Pentanol
    n-Hexyl acetate
    E-Hex-3-enyl acetate
    Z-Hex-3-enyl acetate
    Hex-4-enyl acetate
    E-Hex-2-enyl acetate
    n-Hexanol
    Z-Hex-3-enol
    E-Hex-2-enol
    n-Hexyl-2-methylbutanoate
    n-Heptanol
    Camphor
    n-Octanol
    n-Oct-2-enol
    1 -Methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-benzene


    that's an apple

    You forgot quite a few. 4,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpyridin-3-ol (pyridoxine), 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,5,7-trihydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one (quercetin), 1,3,3-Trimethyl-2-[3,7,12,16-tetramethyl-18-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl)octadeca-1,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17-nonaen-1-yl]cyclohex-1-ene (β-carotene), I could really go on for quite a while. There are a number of polyphenolics which are excellent antioxidants.
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
    <<<<<<< I am 45 years old and do believe I look way better and younger than I did at 35 due to my "clean" diet.

    How do I keep my food intake clean? Lots and lots of planning and being organized. I do not eat processed foods like hamburger helper or the kraft mac and cheese with the neon orange powder, if I want mac and cheese, I make it with real milk, butter and cheese. I go for as organic as I can afford and if I do buy a prepackaged food, I make sure I know what all the ingredients are, any chemical that I can not pronounce is not going into my body. I batch cook things like quinoa, chicken, sweet potatoes and steel cut oat meal. I wash all my fruits and vegetables at the time I bring them home from the market so they are ready to go when it is time to cook them or make a salad.

    It is harder and takes more time to do this but I really have no choice, I have an auto immune disease that basically will cripple me if I eat processed and refined crap. It is not for weight loss but for over all health, the fact that I look like I do does not hurt though.



    I, personally believe, that how we treat our bodies when we are young will dictate how we will spend our golden years. I do not want to be sitting in a nursing home at 68 crapping myself, I want to be on a hike to Monti Picchu. Now there are going to be dozens of people that are things like gym teachers, stay at home dads and car sales men that are going to come into this thread and tout that "science" does not suggest that eating kale is better than eating doritos and that will fight tooth and nail that a cheeseburger from 5 guys is just as healthy as a spinach salad. I laugh and move on. I have personal experience that eating processed crap gives me inflammation and causes me pain. There is no such thing as junk food, there is junk and there is food.

    such post. strong logic. no care
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    There's a vast difference between the chemical composition of something and the chemicals added to it that weren't already in/ on the product.

    Please tell us the difference.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    There's a vast difference between the chemical composition of something and the chemicals added to it that weren't already in/ on the product.
    So you're saying the body can distinguish vitamin c from an orange vs vitamin c from a supplement?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
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  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
    oh man, the butthurt on this thread from "clean" eaters is going to be EPIC
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.

    it's called the internet and science
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.

    Take a biochemistry or organic chemistry class. Any organism is filled to the brim with unpronouncable chemicals.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.
    If they listed ARSENIC as part of the actual ingredient, do you think many may think twice about eating it?

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.

    it's called the internet and science

    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,148 Member
    in-image55.jpg

    I don't worry about "clean" food. I have better things to be anxious over.
  • I am staying away from things like potatoes, corn, bread, pasta, juice, sodas, sugars, rice, condiments, and any other processed foods. I try to eat grilled, baked, or broiled meats, fresh veggies, and fresh fruits. I only drink water. And I limit the oils I use to prepare meals. To me that's eating clean.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

    Then what do you eat??? Even fruits and veggies are made up of things I can't pronounce....

    Wow, where do you shop? I have yet to see the ingredient list of chemicals on the side of an apple.

    here you go...

    Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, and Silver, Vitamin A, B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Pottassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc, Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine and Trace amounts of Boron and Cobalt

    I'd suggest steering clear of you apple until you figure out what all of these things are...