Clean Eating Club - Tuesday 11/18

cherapple

What is clean eating?

"In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: “if man made it, don’t eat it.”

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

* Eliminates refined sugar
* Cooks healthy meals
* Packs healthy meals
* Makes healthy choices when dining out
* Drinks a lot of water
* Eats 5-6 small meals per day
* Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
* Always eats breakfast."

~From http://www.eatingcleanworks.com

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This "club" is for anyone who wants to eat more natural, "cleaner" foods. Anyone is welcome to join, and anyone can start the thread each day. Just copy and past this first message into a "new topic." You don't have to follow the diet perfectly. I know it's not easy! Let's support each other in the quest to eat as nature intended. Will you join us?

cherapple

What is clean eating?

"In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: “if man made it, don’t eat it.”

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

* Eliminates refined sugar
* Cooks healthy meals
* Packs healthy meals
* Makes healthy choices when dining out
* Drinks a lot of water
* Eats 5-6 small meals per day
* Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
* Always eats breakfast."

~From http://www.eatingcleanworks.com

____
This "club" is for anyone who wants to eat more natural, "cleaner" foods. Anyone is welcome to join, and anyone can start the thread each day. Just copy and past this first message into a "new topic." You don't have to follow the diet perfectly. I know it's not easy! Let's support each other in the quest to eat as nature intended. Will you join us?

cherapple

I am on my third day of no sugar, and I feel like I've exorcised a demon. :devil: Well, three days isn't that many, of course, but I feel like I've made a major accomplishment. I have lots of energy and I feel physically and emotionally strong and happy. I've done this before -- I've gone for several weeks without refined sugar, but I've always fallen off the wagon. I'm also avoiding white flower and other processed foods. Things that I still need to tackle: Drinking more water and packing clean snacks when I leave the house.

I'm going for a sugar free holiday! Where are you in your eating clean journey?

Cheryl

shar140

That's pretty much what I've been trying to do - I just didn't know it had a name!

I know I feel so much better when I avoid all the refined foods.

hmo4

Maybe this will help me stay away from sugar. I'll join, what else do we have to do? Can 1 of you come over a slap me me when I reach for cookies and crap?:flowerforyou:

jessmomof3

I just posted on y'days thread, so I'll just repost here.

Ooh, love the CEC idea!! I've been eating *cleaner* for about 3 years now and have been amazed at the changes. I started about 4 years ago cutting out white flours and sugars and keep reading and learning more. I've read Tosca Reno's Clean Eating book, the Abs Diet, and am now reading Precision Nutrition. A lot of it is on *when* to eat also instead of just *what* to eat.

It's been a good thing for my family too. My kids know how to make healthy choices, my dh has lost weight, etc. I do use jarred and canned things, but try to buy the organic spaghetti sauce, and try not to buy anything w/ High fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or MSG. (migraine is an MSG trigger for me) I just feel better when I'm eating clean!

jessmomof3

Maybe this will help me stay away from sugar. I'll join, what else do we have to do? Can 1 of you come over a slap me me when I reach for cookies and crap?:flowerforyou:

I will, Kath!! J/k Or just pretend I'm smacking your hand away from the cookie jar! :laugh:

jessmomof3

My clean eats so far today...

First of all, I ran 4 miles at 5AM.

Post-run: (6:30)
1/2 c. Quaker multi grain hot cereal cooked
Add in 1/2 scoop choc. protein powder
1 T. Naturally More PB (this is my fav PB)
1/2 c. cottage cheese
1 T. flax, 1 T. wheat germ

Snack: (9:30, I try to eat every 3 hrs or so)
1 c. Dannon Plain Nonfat yogurt (I drain it so it's more like a Greek style yogurt)
1 T. NM PB (mixed in, it's yummy)
Apple

shar140

My clean eats so far today...

First of all, I ran 4 miles at 5AM.

Post-run: (6:30)
1/2 c. Quaker multi grain hot cereal cooked
Add in 1/2 scoop choc. protein powder
1 T. Naturally More PB (this is my fav PB)
1/2 c. cottage cheese
1 T. flax, 1 T. wheat germ

Snack: (9:30, I try to eat every 3 hrs or so)
1 c. Dannon Plain Nonfat yogurt (I drain it so it's more like a Greek style yogurt)
1 T. NM PB (mixed in, it's yummy)
Apple

Is there any secret to mixing PB into yogurt? Like heating up the PB so it is more, well, runny? When I tried this, I ended up making a mess!

jessmomof3

Is there any secret to mixing PB into yogurt? Like heating up the PB so it is more, well, runny? When I tried this, I ended up making a mess!

The Naturally More PB is runnier than regular PB, so it's perfect. I bet if you used regular PB, you could melt it a little in the microwave (maybe 5 sec?). Naturally More PB is the best stuff- EVER. Less fat, (11g for 2 T.), more protein (10g), and less cals (170) than regular PB. I get it at Super Wal*mart. HTH!

Jess

jessmomof3

I guess I can't edit my earlier post to add my food.

Lunch:
Broccoli & cauliflower w/ 2 T. Garlic hummus
1/2 c. FF cottage cheese + cinnamon + walnuts

Dinner plan:
Chicken breast
Baked sweet potato & some other veggies

cherapple

Okay, I'm doing great at cleaner eating, but there's one problem. I'm not hungry enough to eat all my calories! (I have over 800 to go after 4 p.m.) What a difference to my appetite a few days of no sugar and minimal refined foods makes.

I think I'll have to break into the peanut butter. Darn!

I have one question for the pros. I often see in clean eating menu suggestions that people eat oatmeal and egg whites for breakfast. Does that mean mixed together? :huh:

Cheryl

jessmomof3

Okay, I'm doing great at cleaner eating, but there's one problem. I'm not hungry enough to eat all my calories! (I have over 800 to go after 4 p.m.) What a difference to my appetite a few days of no sugar and minimal refined foods makes.

I think I'll have to break into the peanut butter. Darn!

I have one question for the pros. I often see in clean eating menu suggestions that people eat oatmeal and egg whites for breakfast. Does that mean mixed together? :huh:

Cheryl

It's amazing how much more you eat when you're eating clean. A big bunch of broccoli has a LOT fewer cals than a handful of chips!

I make protein pancakes w/ oatmeal, egg whites, & cottage cheese. I don't add eggwhites to my normal oatmeal though. Let me know and I'll post the recipe!

Jess

hmo4

Thanks Coach, I knew I could count on you!:happy:

cherapple

It's amazing how much more you eat when you're eating clean. A big bunch of broccoli has a LOT fewer cals than a handful of chips!

I make protein pancakes w/ oatmeal, egg whites, & cottage cheese. I don't add eggwhites to my normal oatmeal though. Let me know and I'll post the recipe!

Jess

I'd love the protein pancake recipe. I'm going to start building a collection of clean recipes. I'm just beginning!

I never did get to the peanut butter. I have over 300 calories remaining for my day, and it's after 8 p.m. I really don't want to eat so much fat so late, and I just had dinner a little while ago, after which I felt stuffed. This is a first! It's making me wonder whether I should cut down on the cardio or something. Who would have thought I'd be wondering what to do with all the calories, when before I looked forward to my cardio days so that I could eat more junk!

If you are not hungry, do you eat anyway? Did this happen to you when you first started eating clean?

Cheryl

jessmomof3

Thanks Coach, I knew I could count on you!:happy:

You know it! Back away from those cookies! :laugh:

jessmomof3

I'd love the protein pancake recipe. I'm going to start building a collection of clean recipes. I'm just beginning!

Protein pancakes:

1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1/2 c. cottage cheese
1/2 c. eggbeaters (or 4 eggwhites)
Dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Blend together oatmeal, cottage cheese, eggbeaters, & spices in small handychopper (or blender). Pour onto hot griddle and cook until done in the middle. Sometimes I make them w/out blending it up also, but I don't mind the cottage cheese a little lumpy. I also sometimes add 1/2 scoop of protein powder to them to add a little more protein.

290 cals/ 34g carb/ 3g fat/ 30g protein/ 4g fiber

jessmomof3

I never did get to the peanut butter. I have over 300 calories remaining for my day, and it's after 8 p.m. I really don't want to eat so much fat so late, and I just had dinner a little while ago, after which I felt stuffed. This is a first! It's making me wonder whether I should cut down on the cardio or something. Who would have thought I'd be wondering what to do with all the calories, when before I looked forward to my cardio days so that I could eat more junk!

If you are not hungry, do you eat anyway? Did this happen to you when you first started eating clean?

Cheryl

It depends on the day. If I've worked out a lot, I try to get in more cals. But if it's a rest day or I'm just really not hungry, then I don't force myself to eat. What type of workouts are you doing?

Jess

jessmomof3

Dinner:
Big romaine salad w/ broccoli, 1/2 T. olive oil, 2 T. red wine vinegar, 4oz chicken breast
Sugar free hot cocoa (made w/ light soymilk & cocoa powder)

Snack:
1 c. Dannon Nonfat Plain yogurt
1 T. NM PB
Banana

That puts me at 1,873 cals, 233g carb, 60g fat, 130g protein, 54g fiber :bigsmile:

cherapple

What type of workouts are you doing?

Jess

My number one love is running, but I have not had a good year and cannot run right now :sad: , so I am doing mostly elliptical and sometimes step for my cardio 3x a week. I alternate that with strength training every other day and one day of rest each week. Today was a cardio day and I burned 539 cals., but sometimes I burn up to 800. One day a week is my long cardio day, to take the place of the long (for me) runs that I used to do.

Tomorrow I go see a new doctor, who is a runner herself, so she should understand how much I enjoy running and hopefully not dissuade me from it like my previous doctor used to. I'm hoping she'll also have some insight into what's going on with my body and will be able to get me running again by spring.

cherapple

Sugar free hot cocoa (made w/ light soymilk & cocoa powder)

Snack:
1 c. Dannon Nonfat Plain yogurt
1 T. NM PB
Banana

I like to see that you're still getting your chocolate in! I make mine with unsweetened cocoa powder, skim milk, and a few drops of Stevia. I haven't tried putting peanut butter in my yogurt -- that sounds yummy with banana!

Thanks for the pancake recipe. I can't wait to try it.
Cheryl

jessmomof3

Sugar free hot cocoa (made w/ light soymilk & cocoa powder)

Snack:
1 c. Dannon Nonfat Plain yogurt
1 T. NM PB
Banana

I like to see that you're still getting your chocolate in! I make mine with unsweetened cocoa powder, skim milk, and a few drops of Stevia. I haven't tried putting peanut butter in my yogurt -- that sounds yummy with banana!

Thanks for the pancake recipe. I can't wait to try it.
Cheryl

Oh yeah, I've gotta have some chocolate! :laugh: I use the unsweetened cocoa powder (or the Hershey's Dark powder, but I'm out of that right now!), 2 packets splenda (I can't use Stevia in it for some reason, I've tried), and light soymilk because regular milk gives me a tummy ache.

jessmomof3

My number one love is running, but I have not had a good year and cannot run right now :sad: , so I am doing mostly elliptical and sometimes step for my cardio 3x a week. I alternate that with strength training every other day and one day of rest each week. Today was a cardio day and I burned 539 cals., but sometimes I burn up to 800. One day a week is my long cardio day, to take the place of the long (for me) runs that I used to do.

Tomorrow I go see a new doctor, who is a runner herself, so she should understand how much I enjoy running and hopefully not dissuade me from it like my previous doctor used to. I'm hoping she'll also have some insight into what's going on with my body and will be able to get me running again by spring.

Oh no!! I can relate, I just got over a bout of achilles tendonitis and took about 5 weeks off from running. I used the elliptical, biked, and swam but it's just not the same. What kind of problems are you having? My Dr. is a runner also and he is great! He and I did the same triathlon this summer, which was fun. He referred me to a PT and I got some good stretches that really helped my achilles. Good luck!