Clean Eating Club ~ February 2009

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  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    2BLean, my first suggestion if you need more calories would be to eat the whole English muffin and the whole apple :bigsmile: unless you felt like you were completely stuffed afterward.

    3 lbs is great, I think! Congrats! :happy:

    I would say the same thing, just eat a little more of the things you are eating. And yes, 3# is great!! You don't want to lose too much too fast otherwise you're burning muscle. :wink:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Monday Meals....

    Pre-workout:
    Small banana (90)

    Workout:
    ChaLean Extreme Lean Circuit #1

    Meal #1:
    1/4 c. multi grain hot cereal, 1/4 c. old fashioned oatmeal, 1/4 c. Fiber one
    1/2 scoop choc. protein powder, 1 T. NM PB, 1/4 c. cottage cheese = (345)
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    Hi everyone. I didn't have Internet access this weekend but I did eat clean and work out, yay. :smile: I am just loving this new lifestyle. I feel so much better and confident.

    Has anyone had Kashi Go Lean bars? I know they are not completely "clean" but they were on sale at Walgreens for 63 cents each so I bought some for when I'm in a rush. They have 12g of protein and 6g of fiber so I'm thinking they're better than some other bars out there.

    Also I'm really loving Nature's Own 100% whole wheat bread... it doesn't have artificial preservatives/HFCS and I can actually find it at pretty much any grocery store.

    Otherwise I've been making sure to eat a lot of natural food, especially fruit and veggies. Yesterday before I went to the gym I was going to stop and buy a protein bar. I thought, "no, you can get the same benefits from something natural, which you already have at home!!" So I toasted a piece of bread and added 2 ounces of tuna and some tomato and lettuce. Yay.
  • 2BLean
    2BLean Posts: 2,373 Member
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    Hey thanks you guys on thinking that 3lbs was good! That makes me feel better. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with whatever (it could have been zero) and never thought of it that way if it came off too fast I am sacrificing muscle. :tongue:

    Food for today:

    Pre Workout:
    Banana + 1/2 WW Eng Muffin w/ Organic PB

    Post Workout:
    3 Egg Whites + 1 Whole Egg w/ Spinach, Red Peppers & Goat Cheese

    Snack:
    1 Apple (whole) + Almonds
    Cottage Cheese (1/2 c)

    Lunch:
    Turkey, WW Tortilla, Spinach + Laughing Cow

    Snack:
    Greek yogurt + Kashi GoLEAN cereal on top
    Strawberries (2 LRG cut up)

    Dinner:
    Chicken Breast
    Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad

    Thanks for your support everyone! :smile: It's great to check in with people doing the same things!
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Meal #2:
    1.25 cup NF yogurt (175)
    1 T. NM PB (85)
    1/2 c. Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola (140) = 400

    Meal #3:
    La Tortilla small low-carb (50)
    Laughing Cow Light cheese (35)
    Lean pork loin (159)
    Fuji Apple (80) = 324

    Meal #4:
    Salad w/ spinach & romaine, multi colored peppers, onion, mushrooms,
    Lean sirloin, 2 T. FF sour cream, Pace picante, boiled egg white (353)

    Meal #5:
    SF hot cocoa (139)
    1/4 c. roasted soynuts (105) = 244

    Total: 1,756
  • candycaneps
    candycaneps Posts: 340 Member
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    I really need to do my clean eating research =D I feel like I should jump on it. Some of the foods ya'll post though don't seem like what I thought "clean" eating was.
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
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    :flowerforyou: I really need to do my clean eating research =D I feel like I should jump on it. Some of the foods ya'll post though don't seem like what I thought "clean" eating was.

    Here's a list that I've been wanting to post for some time -- Tom Venuto's top clean foods and top non-clean foods.

    :flowerforyou: Top Foods That Burn Fat
    1. Oatmeal
    2. Yams and sweet potatoes
    3. Potatoes, white or red
    4. Brown rice
    5. 100% whole wheat and whole grain products
    6. Green fibrous vegetables
    7. Fresh fruit
    8. Skim milk and nonfat dairy products
    9. Chicken and turkey breast
    10. Egg whites
    11. Fish and shellfish
    12. Lean red meat

    :flowerforyou: Top Foods That Turn to Fat
    1. Ice cream
    2. Fried foods
    3. Donuts and pastries
    4. White sugar, candy, chocolate, and sweets
    5. Soda
    6. Fruit drinks and other sugar sweetened beverages
    7. Bacon, sausage
    8. White bread
    9. Potato chips, nachos, corn chips
    10. Hot dogs, fast food burgers
    11. Cookies, cakes, pies
    12. Sugary breakfast cereals

    Does it mean that you can never eat the foods on the second list? No, it's up to each individual person. None of us are claiming to eat perfectly clean all the time. Few people manage that, and only the most dedicated want to. There will likely always be disagreement and controversy about whether certain foods are clean, as well -- such as white potatoes, red meat, artificial and natural sweeteners, chocolate, coffee, black tea, and brand foods in general. You don't have to eat perfectly, though, in order to experience the benefits! :happy: You just need to eat clean 80-90 percent of the time.
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
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    Bump in the road: I'm doing well with the clean eating (well, mostly! :laugh: ), but I'm having a very hard time making myself exercise, since getting sick gave me an excuse not to. I feel like I've reached the limit with what I can do with my body and I'm discouraged because I don't know what goals to set anymore. I feel like I've run as much as I'm going to be able to run, I've gotten as lean as I'm going to get (21% body fat?), and I've put on as much muscle as I'm going to put on. I guess I thought clean eating was going to be more of a miracle. The physical results and the healthy feeling you get from it ARE amazing, but I'm not looking quite like Tosca Reno :sad: :laugh:.

    Since I started concentrating on fitness two and a half years ago, I put clean eating and Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle on pedestals that at first I didn't think I'd ever reach. So now that I have reached them, where do I go? What else is there to strive for? I've only been eating clean for a little over three months, and BFFM I just got a few weeks ago and had barely started the program (and then there's Cathe's STS). Admittedly, I am very weak on the most crucial ingredient according to Tom Venuto -- the goal setting. Am I expecting too much of both the programs and of myself? Is it realistic for most people to try to get into the teens with body fat? With my foot problems and other body issues, I don't think I'll be running any marathons, and even 5Ks are questionable now. Do I really need to be so consumed with my health and my body?... I just can't seem to stay focused and I'm losing sight. :indifferent: :frown:

    Jess, you've been doing this for five years. Have you ever experienced this? How do you stay so focused for so long? If anyone has any suggestions or input, I could really use them. I'm afraid I may lose (or give up) everything I've worked so hard to achieve.
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Jess, you've been doing this for five years. Have you ever experienced this? How do you stay so focused for so long? If anyone has any suggestions or input, I could really use them. I'm afraid I may lose (or give up) everything I've worked so hard to achieve.

    Hmm... that's a tough one! I often get asked how I'm so motivated, how I stick to it. Honestly, it's just all that I know now. For me, I have pictures to show me what I can go back to (70# heavier... NO thank you!). I have the fear of going back to what I used to be (unhappy, suffering with migraines, no self-confidence). I know how clean eating makes me feel. Eating junk just isn't appealing to me. Am I 100% perfect? Heck no! But I know what works for me. Finding that *key* is awesome! I've been clean eating for a while, but hadn't tracked much until I found MFP. (I had used sparkpeople and fitday on occasion, but hated their databases!) Now with eating clean AND tracking... the last few pounds are really coming off for me! :bigsmile:

    Do I have any advice? Be consistent. If you don't want to eat clean all of the time, then figure out what to do. Goals? Well, you are already lean and clean, girl! Sometimes just keeping that up is goal enough! Do what suits your needs and works for you. :flowerforyou:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I really need to do my clean eating research =D I feel like I should jump on it. Some of the foods ya'll post though don't seem like what I thought "clean" eating was.

    Welcome! Just do your best. Don't feel like it's either perfect or terrible. It was a whole change of what I was eating previously and it's taken time to figure out what works for me. It's different for each person! :bigsmile:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I'm off to the Y for my speedwork run so I'll check back in later!

    Pre-run:
    Small banana (90)
    Mela Access bar (110)
  • molsongirl
    molsongirl Posts: 1,373 Member
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    I would love to be able to join this, I love the concept, but it seems like quite the work..can anybody give me an idea on how to begin? I would love to see my kids involved with the clean eating idea, if I can pull them away from there oreos long enough to listen :grumble:
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    How could it be possible that I have *gained* weight, pretty significant weight (almost 5 pounds in a week) when I have been eating clean and working out daily??? I have been doing everything right and feeling great... wouldn't that be reflected on the scale? My body feels like I've been eating good stuff, because I have been, but the scale is showing that I've been binging on junk, which I haven't been!!


    :sad:

    I'm so frustrated!!! I am of course going to continue my healthy journey but I just wish I could understand the sudden weight *gain* from it. Does anyone have any insight?
  • cherapple
    cherapple Posts: 670 Member
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    How could it be possible that I have *gained* weight, pretty significant weight (almost 5 pounds in a week) when I have been eating clean and working out daily??? I have been doing everything right and feeling great... wouldn't that be reflected on the scale? My body feels like I've been eating good stuff, because I have been, but the scale is showing that I've been binging on junk, which I haven't been!!


    :sad:

    I'm so frustrated!!! I am of course going to continue my healthy journey but I just wish I could understand the sudden weight *gain* from it. Does anyone have any insight?

    Muscle gain, PMS, water weight.... What's most important is how you feel, and the fact that you're feeling good. The scale is just a number, and a kind of dumb number at that. :laugh: It doesn't tell you whether your weight changes are caused by muscle, fat, or water. It could just be your body adjusting to the changes. I'd keep doing what you're doing and wait a week to see what happens over a longer time period. The long term is what matters, so don't get worked up over what happens in the short term. You know you're doing everything you should, so what can you see over the long term but improvements?

    Hang in there! You're not alone in frustration. :grumble: :heart:
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    Thanks a lot cherapple. I don't mean to sound stupid but can people really "gain" muscle weight? I thought muscle and fat weighed the same, it was just a matter of muscle distributing itself better than fat and the body burning calories better when it had more muscle.

    But I could see how, in doing this Making the Cut exercise for the past almost month, I would have "gained" some muscle and thus some weight. If that's possible then I think that *would* be the issue -- and I think I can balance it by adding back in more cardio.

    The strange thing is, my scale measures body fat too and it says mine went *up* by a percentage and a half. I would think that if I was gaining muscle and eating well, I'd be losing fat, not gaining. It boggles my mind! Thanks for the support.
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    I'm going to try to start posting what I eat. Feel free to give me suggestions for improvement!

    Breakfast (6am):

    1 cup Kashi Go Lean cereal
    1/2 cup 1% milk
    25 blueberries
    (I usually add 1/2 scoop of whey protein to this but I was in a rush this AM)

    Exercise (6:30am):

    2 mile run outside, 22 minutes
    (I am also going to the gym after work)

    Snack (8:30 am):
    1 piece whole wheat stone ground natural bread
    6 slices turkey breast lunchmeat
    1 oz. part skim mozzarella cheese

    Lunch (12 pm):
    (I will be eating this right now...)
    We are having a meeting at work and I ordered a chicken salad from a local deli which consists of:
    Grilled Chicken breast
    Belgian endive
    Blue cheese
    Green apple
    Grape tomato
    Arugula
    Light buttermilk dressing

    I'm going to eat half of that, I think, and save the rest for later, and I'm also going to eat strawberries and grapes that I brought from home.
  • 2BLean
    2BLean Posts: 2,373 Member
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    Sorry. i copied it twice. :ohwell:
  • 2BLean
    2BLean Posts: 2,373 Member
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    Bump in the road: I'm doing well with the clean eating (well, mostly! :laugh: ), but I'm having a very hard time making myself exercise, since getting sick gave me an excuse not to. I feel like I've reached the limit with what I can do with my body and I'm discouraged because I don't know what goals to set anymore. I feel like I've run as much as I'm going to be able to run, I've gotten as lean as I'm going to get (21% body fat?), and I've put on as much muscle as I'm going to put on. I guess I thought clean eating was going to be more of a miracle. The physical results and the healthy feeling you get from it ARE amazing, but I'm not looking quite like Tosca Reno :sad: :laugh:.

    Since I started concentrating on fitness two and a half years ago, I put clean eating and Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle on pedestals that at first I didn't think I'd ever reach. So now that I have reached them, where do I go? What else is there to strive for? I've only been eating clean for a little over three months, and BFFM I just got a few weeks ago and had barely started the program (and then there's Cathe's STS). Admittedly, I am very weak on the most crucial ingredient according to Tom Venuto -- the goal setting. Am I expecting too much of both the programs and of myself? Is it realistic for most people to try to get into the teens with body fat? With my foot problems and other body issues, I don't think I'll be running any marathons, and even 5Ks are questionable now. Do I really need to be so consumed with my health and my body?... I just can't seem to stay focused and I'm losing sight. :indifferent: :frown:
  • 2BLean
    2BLean Posts: 2,373 Member
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    Cheryl - I think your concerns and frustration are very understandable! :wink: I’ve been there myself and have sometimes wondered why I am so consumed when I don’t see the results I want to see. First as an outsider not knowing you I would absolutely say that your knowledge and efforts just from what I have read is great ~ that in itself is a huge accomplishment that you would acquire and put forth the effort. Also, being a runner and Cathe STS (I’m familiar with but haven’t tried that one .. yet!) is a great physical accomplishment. My thoughts go to my own personal experience of being maybe a little burned out on whatever program I am doing. There have been times where I wonder if it is worth all the efforts and I just exercise and go through the motions but not really excited about it, hence potentially sabotage myself with my attitude at that time. Through those times I continue to keep on keeping on and try to eat right so that everything doesn’t feel like a struggle all at once. Maybe you are simply feeling a bit burned out? Trying something completely different – even if it is one day or one piece of your workout to change things up a bit?!? I am not sure but I understand your feeling absolutely. How I stay focused is minimizing it or breaking it down to day-by-day and knowing I will feel WAY worse if I go off course and too far off course could be really hard to start again. I don’t know if this helps at all but I commend you on reaching out and your efforts day-to-day! :flowerforyou:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Hey CE'ers!! Busy day here!! I'll try to catch up now!

    Pre-run:
    banana (90)
    Mela Access bar (110) = 200

    Workout:
    4 mile speedwork run

    Meal #1:
    Multi Grain oatmeal breakfast (375)

    Meal #2:
    Chobani Greek Vanilla yogurt
    Cottage cheese
    Fuji Apple
    .5 oz mixed nuts = (375)

    Meal #3:
    La Tortilla low-carb tortilla
    Laughing cow light cheese
    2oz tuna in water
    Hard boiled egg = (170)

    Meal #4:
    1/2 c. NF yogurt
    1 T. NM PB
    1/4 c. Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola = (225)

    Meal #5:
    Chicken breast
    Baked sweet potato topped w/ 1/4 c. cottage cheese + cinnamon = (350)

    SF hot cocoa = (139)

    Total: 1,836

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