How do you keep your food intake "Clean"?

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Replies

  • Losing_Sarah
    Losing_Sarah Posts: 279 Member
    There are multiple interpretations of eating clean.

    I don't personally follow a strictly clean eating plan, but I do 95% of the time eat whole foods and cook my meals from scratch. I stay away from highly processed foods. I keep a large garden in the warmer months and grow using organic principles, and grow extra so I can preserve enough so I am eating my own frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes, and no or low sugar fruit preserves most or all of the year. I also buy local produce, eggs, and meat most of the time from small producers that either are organic or follow organic principles.
  • 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.
    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

    Arsenic is in the seeds, do you eat the seeds? They are pretty bitter to me, so I do not eat them. I also take them out before I use them in a smoothie or juice, because, you know, the arsenic.
  • 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

    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)

    uhhh no, we are talking about the ingredients in foods, whether or not it has a label
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
    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.

    dear god that sounds horrible
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Problem with "clean" is it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

    Clean to a vegan and primal eater are quite at odds. Some people go organic or whole foods as a definition of clean. Some people want no processing, or minimal processing, or only ingredients you can pronounce, or only local. Or only free-range meat and dairy .. or grass- fed .. Some say nothing white is clean .... and on and on and on

    You see what I'm getting at.

    For example .. I consider frito-lay fritos clean (ingredients: Corn, corn oil, salt) I've seen how they're made in the factory - whole grain corn is ground and pressed with a little corn oil and salt. You could make fritos at home. But there's some people who would say they are unclean because they come in a colorful bag from a factory and are fairly well processed and considered junk food (because chips). Others would say corn is inherently unclean.

    Potato chips are another thing I'd call clean. Potatoes; fried and salted. But the "no white stuff" crowd says nope....

    anyhow. I could go on and on and on .. but I think you see what I'm saying.

    Eat how it makes sense to you to eat, not how someone tells you you "have" to eat.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,148 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. :)
    Actually, it's about "ingredients or the list takes up half the label", so the chemicals that make up an apple or what have you is important.
  • 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.

    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...

    What stores show this on their labels?
  • 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

    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)
    Actually, it's about "ingredients or the list takes up half the label", so the chemicals that make up an apple or what have you is important.

    ^this
  • 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.

    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. :)

    I thought we were talking about what the food actually contained, not what's on the label.

    Silly me.
  • 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

    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)

    I thought we were talking about what the food actually contained, not what's on the label.

    Silly me.

    apparently I was mistaken as well, time to drown my sorrows in a pop tart
  • neelia
    neelia Posts: 750 Member
    Here is a link to a blog I wrote (with pics) about my husband losing 63 lbs by eating cleanER. Notice I didn't say 100% clean...just cleanER.

    Hope this helps.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/neelia/view/how-my-husband-lost-63-lbs-the-hard-way-608105
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 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

    Arsenic is in the seeds, do you eat the seeds? They are pretty bitter to me, so I do not eat them. I also take them out before I use them in a smoothie or juice, because, you know, the arsenic.

    I've eaten whole apples. Even the core. Okay, I threw the stem away. I seem to be okay. I think?
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Bleach!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 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. :)

    I thought we were talking about what the food actually contained, not what's on the label.

    Silly me.

    apparently I was mistaken as well, time to drown my sorrows in a pop tart
    Ignorance is bliss...
  • 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

    Arsenic is in the seeds, do you eat the seeds? They are pretty bitter to me, so I do not eat them. I also take them out before I use them in a smoothie or juice, because, you know, the arsenic.
    Lol, so you don't think the seeds grow into trees and produce more apples with seeds in them? That you won't find traces of arsenic in ANY part of the apple besides the seeds?

    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
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    It doesn't mean anything to me.

    I eat foods that help me meet my goals. Usually that means they fit my calorie and macro goals, as well as fiber, but I also eat foods that help me maintain good mental health. I don't believe in making foods off limits.
  • 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...

    What stores show this on their labels?

    so it only matters if it has a label? the chemical properties of a food don't exist an/or don't matter if there is no label? sounds legit...
  • Arranna1212
    Arranna1212 Posts: 143 Member
    I mainly eat whatever I want, I just choose healthier things that some people. To me, it means that you don't eat already made dinners that have fillers and tons of sodium in them or any kind of "junk" very often. I still eat something sugary pretty much every morning and a small something that is fried every lunch. I've been on here a little less than a month and I've already lost 7 pounds. So yea you can switch to completely eating nothing but fresh everything, but you really don't need to, to lose weight.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)
    GMO isn't listed on labels. Do you have an issue with that?

    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
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    And here's how this plays out...each and every time.

    Person(s) A: I want to eat clean.
    Person(s) B: What you mean?
    Person(s) A: No processed food! No junk! No chemicals!
    Person(s) B: Everything is made of chemicals. What do you mean by junk? What processes are referring to specifically?
    Person(s) A: I meant artificial chemicals. And by junk I mean that the food has no nutritional value. I can't actually specify the processing I'm talking about in an articulate way, but basically mean anything that's packaged in a box and stored with artificial preservatives.
    Person(s) B: Do you have some compelling evidence that these "artificial" chemicals have adverse reactions to humans that's based in credible, peer-reviewed science? Also, anything with either a macro or micronutrient has nutritional value; for that matter, water has neither, but we still need it. Again, what's your problem with packaged items and their preservatives.

    And here's what never ever happens, but I really want it to.

    Person(s) A: This is a faith-based nutritional initiative that I attempt to support with unconvincing evidence, but when that falls through I retreat into a "All I'm saying is that this works for me" stance--even though, I've been speaking in general terms about everything up until now, indicating that it should work for most everyone. And in two seconds, I'll attempt to deflect from the actual conversation (because I have nothing to add) by commenting about how mean and unsupportive people are. I may also talk about some sort of lifestyle change and journey because I need to reify this whole philosophy at this point.


    EDIT: there may or may not be a side debate on what constitutes compelling evidence.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    I keep all of my food in wrappers... or boxes.

    6a00d8341c77ee53ef0148c870aa0d970c-800wi

    gty_big_mac_jef_120710_wblog.jpg

    121015_pizza_hut_605.jpg

    This seems to help my food stay pretty clean.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,973 Member
    And here's how this plays out...each and every time.

    Person(s) A: I want to eat clean.
    Person(s) B: What you mean?
    Person(s) A: No processed food! No junk! No chemicals!
    Person(s) B: Everything is made of chemicals. What do you mean by junk? What processes are referring to specifically?
    Person(s) A: I meant artificial chemicals. And by junk I mean that the food has no nutritional value. I can't actually specify the processing I'm talking about in an articulate way, but basically mean anything that's packaged in a box and stored with artificial preservatives.
    Person(s) B: Do you have some compelling evidence that these "artificial" chemicals have adverse reactions to humans that's based in credible, peer-reviewed science? Also, anything with either a macro or micronutrient has nutritional value; for that matter, water has neither, but we still need it. Again, what's your problem with packaged items and their preservatives.

    And here's what never ever happens, but I really want it to.

    Person(s) A: This is a faith-based nutritional initiative that I attempt to support with unconvincing evidence, but when that falls through I retreat into a "All I'm saying is that this works for me" stance--even though, I've been speaking in general terms about everything up until now, indicating that it should work for most everyone. And in two seconds, I'll attempt to deflect from the actual conversation (because I have nothing to add) by commenting about how mean and unsupportive people are. I may also talk about some sort of lifestyle change and journey because I need to reify this whole philosophy at this point.
    BOOM.

    Granted at one point in my career I fell into the "clean" eating thinking. Until I really studied it in depth and found out how physiology really works.

    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
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    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.

    There is no need to be so condescending.

    The chemicals in the natural foods will not be listed on any label. If I buy a bag of quinoa, the label will say "quinoa" not all the chemicals that make up the quinoa. Chemicals on a label are typically added by man. Vitamins or stabilizers or whatever, some people like to avoid those.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    So its not on the label then? That is what you are saying? We are talking about the label here, nothing else. :)
    GMO isn't listed on labels. Do you have an issue with that?

    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

    Sadly that is true (for now). But I have several foods in my house that have 'non-GMO' on the label.
  • WhoHa42
    WhoHa42 Posts: 1,270 Member
    soap
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I keep all of my food in wrappers... or boxes.

    6a00d8341c77ee53ef0148c870aa0d970c-800wi

    gty_big_mac_jef_120710_wblog.jpg

    121015_pizza_hut_605.jpg

    This seems to help my food stay pretty clean.

    hwiomg.jpg
    Me want
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    Eating clean is just making sure you have a varied and balanced diet: fruit, veggies, lean meats, complex carbs... and leaving out all the processed foods like mac'n'cheese and ramen. But that should only be a concern if you want healthy skin, hair, longevity and **** like that. If you want to lose weight, just watch how much you eat and eat in moderation.
    Personally, I like eating junk food. And the key to healthy eating is what you eat, not what you don't eat. You can eat a serving a hohos every day, and still be healthy, so long as you're eating veggies and fruit. So yeah, its making sure I get the nutrients my body needs to function well. I'm still going to eat poptarts though.

    I love this. So true. I wound up adding so many healthy things that I like that I don't have much room for pizza and ramen. Sometimes I still eat those things, but with all of the nutrient rich stuff I'm trying to get in, there is less room now. Every time I turn around these is another healthy food I want to fit in. I eventually stopped even buying that stuff, so we have to go get it if we want it bad enough. I also don't eat stuff like rice cakes. I don't want to waste my appetite and money on puffed air!
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    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.

    There is no need to be so condescending.

    The chemicals in the natural foods will not be listed on any label. If I buy a bag of quinoa, the label will say "quinoa" not all the chemicals that make up the quinoa. Chemicals on a label are typically added by man. Vitamins or stabilizers or whatever, some people like to avoid those.

    LOL, the people in this thread touting the God made chemicals are only amusing to each other. Dont let these people get to you. There is a time that we say what we honestly believe to be true and back out and let them gang up and bully people.

    Oh yea, to further blow peoples minds, I believe in God too. :flowerforyou:
  • judyde
    judyde Posts: 401 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".
    Lol, cavemen drank untreated water and sucked marrow out of bones.

    AND had a life expectancy of about 40 years...
  • stacierose777
    stacierose777 Posts: 9 Member
    Real food is clean food. making things from scratch. For example if you want chicken nuggets and French fries for dinner. Buy the chicken and bread them yourself. some might even say make your own bread crumbs and make your own French fries. sweet potato fries are so yummy with olive oil and some seasoning. Trying to keep the chemicals out of it, the less hands it touches the less processed it is.