A "no processed food" diet?

RachelSRoach1

So I have been toying with the idea of a generally no processed food diet for a while. But after having basically a yucky food hangover this morning I'm even more keen on the idea.

Has anyone else ever done this? I'm not going to commit to something long term because I don't want to quite half way through or something but just commit to about a weeks time minus thanksgiving.

Fruits, veggies, and meats but like no canned or processed anything.. no cheese even. Butter might happen.. but nothing too severe.

Anyway... I'm wondering what kind of outcome I can expect? If anyone would like to try this with me? What the worst and best parts might be?

Not even sure if this is a good idea or not lol

BeautyFromPain

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tmarie2715

So I have been toying with the idea of a generally no processed food diet for a while. But after having basically a yucky food hangover this morning I'm even more keen on the idea.

Has anyone else ever done this? I'm not going to commit to something long term because I don't want to quite half way through or something but just commit to about a weeks time minus thanksgiving.

Fruits, veggies, and meats but like no canned or processed anything.. no cheese even. Butter might happen.. but nothing too severe.

Anyway... I'm wondering what kind of outcome I can expect? If anyone would like to try this with me? What the worst and best parts might be?

Not even sure if this is a good idea or not lol

You could easily shake up your own butter from heavy cream-- no colors, salts, etc. I am not sure how long it keeps, though.

I think it is a great idea! I think it will take some getting used to, and I personally could never give up my overprocessed soy bacon and veggie burgers, but cheers to you!

Katefab26

It is a good idea!!! I had to switch to a no processed foods diet because I have problems with IBS, but I'm glad I did anyway! Your body is able to digest the foods much more easily and I feel much better personally. If you want to add me, my diary is open to my friends so you can see what I generally eat.

DKBelle

I am cooking healthy eating smaller portions and loosing weight
Check out this site:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooking-ideasHomemade-Healthy-Foods/179121125503371

applebobbrush

There is a great website called 100 days of real food, google it. She does challenges on 10 day with no processed foods and doing a low budget challenge. She has some awesome recipes on there that my family loves.

Panda86

I've been doing something very similar, and I highly recommend it. I lose weight much easier when i am eating whole, unprocessed, natural foods. I feel better, I don't have to eat as much because those foods are naturally more filling. I do still have processed stuff from time to time, such as soup, but I generally stay away from cheese except for on homemade pizza, and then in small amounts. I actually really LIKE eating this way, and I actually intend on eating this way forever I do try to be reasonable, there are days when its easier said than done, but as a general rule, I do keep my eating as "clean" as possible. Definitely give it a try!!

jellyfishjen

I would like to try this with you. After the past few days of very poor eating didn't even log am too embrassed, and I used the excuse of stress for my food choices, and yet healthier food choices would have helped me with the stress.

getsveltEagain

There is a great website called 100 days of real food, google it. She does challenges on 10 day with no processed foods and doing a low budget challenge. She has some awesome recipes on there that my family loves.

I will check this out!thanks for sharing

curlyclo

This is incredibly hard to do in the U.S. I lived in Chile for 3 months in 2010, and for the most part only ate what my host mother made. No processed foods whatsoever - she had never even tasted peanut butter. The results? I lost 20 lbs in 3 months and was healthier than ever. Zero bad side-effects.

romping

I haven´t had process food in about 3 months and really feel great. I don´t really count cheese as processed so maybe I´m not totally on board. I live in South America and hit the open market for all my fruits, vegetables, meats and such. Typical day for me are eggs, cheese, bright colored vegetables, apples and strawberries only as fruit, meat, chicken, fish, pork, nuts, good oils, beans and lots of water. I do eat some whole grain bread and every now and then whole wheat pasta. I really like this food pyrimad that I try to follow.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://0.tqn.com/d/lowcarbdiets/1/0/V/2/-/-/lowcarbpyramid1.IG.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/ig/Low-Carb-Food-Pyramid/lowcarbpyramid1-IG.htm&h=750&w=784&sz=77&tbnid=hXyJXKbmcw_YyM:&tbnh=81&tbnw=85&zoom=1&docid=H5cTTPlgkG5k1M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=yinITuCsAdDtgge4--VH&sqi=2&ved=0CEgQ9QEwBA&dur=2194

Go for it and good luck!

_Sally_

You might want to read Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book, "Eat to Live"

If memory serves me, he recommends limiting processed foods (and even animal based foods) to like 10% of calories. His meal recommendations are heavy on veggies and beans.

Tori_356

I'd be interested in trying this, but some times it can be so easy to just grab a can of soup or something. i know, i know, no excuse, right? i'm gonna do some reading on this and see if i can find some decent meal plans.

Health_Gal

I try to make at least some of my food unprocessed. The amount varies from day to day, and I'm not sure I would ever really want to get to the point where I would totally refuse any of the processed foods I really like, but I think it's a great idea!

You might want to start with a short term goal, such as no processed food for a week and see how that goes.

juliesummers

I've essentially been doing this for over five years, with the exception of canned beans and the occasional wine.

daves160

I have been eating mostly natural and organic foods for several months. The closest thing I eat to "processed" is yogurt and cheese. Which by the way is something you should consider NOT cutting from your diet.

I feel better than ever and I do not plan on going back to any processed foods. My blog has some really good foods on it if you care to look;

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/daves160/view/aw-nuts-and-meat-and-eggs-and-veggies-and-153264

Katefab26

This is incredible hard to do in the U.S. I lived in Chile for 3 months in 2010, and for the most part only ate what my host mother made. No processed foods whatsoever - she had never even tasted peanut butter. The results? I lost 20 lbs in 3 months and was healthier than ever. Zero bad side-effects.

It's not as hard as you might think. I generally only shop the outside of the grocery store and avoid the aisles that contain processed foods. It's definitely been good for me!!

McHeather

Check out Jillian Micheals Master Your Metabolism book. It explains the reasons why you shouldn't have the processed stuff. It tells what the chemicals and preservatives do to you physically and emotionally. She explains what not to eat and the 10 power foods you should eat. Clean Eating Magazine is great too - they have a website to check out. I try to eat clean for the most part but there's some things I break down and buy packaged. Like perogies - they're my treat dinner and I just havent gotten around to making it from scratch. I make granola bars, soups, graham cookies all from scratch because I don't want my family consuming all the junk. Someone had asked me for my list of don't eats and I posted it in my blog, you could check it out. I know it makes me feel better to be limiting the preservatives. I highly recommend it.

tonyavanwinkle2

I have been trying this. What I can say about it is:

1. Baby steps. When you run out of something that is overly processed, replace it with something less processed, whole, or natural. Don't try to replace everything in your kitchen all at once - it's way too overwhelming! Plus, there will be some stuff you just don't like. You'll need to find what works for you. What you are willing to do, give up or gain, and spend more time preparing. No processed foods can equal more time in the kitchen, but you can find ways to manage that.

2. READ everything on the topic. You don't have to agree with it all. Apply what you believe and can handle to your lifestyle.

3. READ all lables. My friends tell me try to get less than 10-5 ingredients on the ingredients list.

4. Eating Cleaning magazine.

5. Freezer cooking.

You will probably get an OVERLOAD of information, but like I said BABY steps. I'm still trying to get the hang of it myself I figure as long as I'm progressing then I'm getting somewhere. I also feel better and fuller longer.

julie204

hi a friend of mine cut out processed foods and junk and lost 5 stone took her a year she ate loads of vegatables home made soup pasta jacket potatoes cous cous meat or qourn mince and sausages lentils and beans e ggs she did havesome days when she ate chocolate cakes etc but she made sure she exercice a lot too gym/ swimming / cycling / jogging hope it works for you i know the first 3 months she was 100 per cent on it thats when she lost about 4 to 5 pounds a week then it went to 2pounds a week at a steady loss

RachelSRoach1

I lived this way unofficially in the summer and felt SO GOOD. I miss feeling that good so as soon as the semester ends I will be back to the gym and I will try to take my eating back. I really really like skinny food.com or whatever it is. Google skinny gina or skinny food. Most of that is unprocessed yummy stuff so when I say butter I'm totally using her apple butter recipe etc... Anyway I'm glad to hear that so many have done this and kept doing it! I'm getting ready to go to the store with the kiddo to pick up the groceries needed to do this for the next 7 days minus Thanksgiving.

Goal: 1 week (minus holiday lol)

mrsgroove

My husband and I have really made the move to home made foods and we are loving it. He has lost 58 lbs and I haven't weighed in about two weeks but offically I'm down 25lbs but probably more than that now. Our problem is that our kids don't want to try to the new foods. Anyone have any thoughts on helping the 11 year old and 3 year old kick the processed food habit. I know it's our fault that they like those foods but we are trying to bring healthy choices into the house and I don't want to battle them. Would love some advice. Thanks.

servilia

hmm I guess I don't see how cheese and butter are "processed foods"? As long as it's not Kraft fat free with 100 ingredients. Real cheese is good and nutritious, and nothing's wrong with a little butter.
I generally shop around the outside of the supermarket, this is the best way to stay processed free..

patricia184

Sounds like a great idea. I'm interested

curlyclo

This is incredible hard to do in the U.S. I lived in Chile for 3 months in 2010, and for the most part only ate what my host mother made. No processed foods whatsoever - she had never even tasted peanut butter. The results? I lost 20 lbs in 3 months and was healthier than ever. Zero bad side-effects.

It's not as hard as you might think. I generally only shop the outside of the grocery store and avoid the aisles that contain processed foods. It's definitely been good for me!!

It is doable for sure and much easier if you educate yourself about what to look for. It is still tricky though because to the untrained eye many things that seem good aren't. In Chile it was much easier for me because those things weren't even sold in most stores.

Xtina_Beba

So I have been toying with the idea of a generally no processed food diet for a while. But after having basically a yucky food hangover this morning I'm even more keen on the idea.

Has anyone else ever done this? I'm not going to commit to something long term because I don't want to quite half way through or something but just commit to about a weeks time minus thanksgiving.

Fruits, veggies, and meats but like no canned or processed anything.. no cheese even. Butter might happen.. but nothing too severe.

Anyway... I'm wondering what kind of outcome I can expect? If anyone would like to try this with me? What the worst and best parts might be?

Not even sure if this is a good idea or not lol

I've been and currently still eating non-processed foods and the results are phenomenal. I'm dropping the weight, my energy levels have increased, my skin has vitality, hair is thick and shiny and I'm just a happier person in general.
I would suggest baby steps; ease your way into it.

RachelSRoach1

So I have been toying with the idea of a generally no processed food diet for a while. But after having basically a yucky food hangover this morning I'm even more keen on the idea.

Has anyone else ever done this? I'm not going to commit to something long term because I don't want to quite half way through or something but just commit to about a weeks time minus thanksgiving.

Fruits, veggies, and meats but like no canned or processed anything.. no cheese even. Butter might happen.. but nothing too severe.

Anyway... I'm wondering what kind of outcome I can expect? If anyone would like to try this with me? What the worst and best parts might be?

Not even sure if this is a good idea or not lol

I've been and currently still eating non-processed foods and the results are phenomenal. I'm dropping the weight, my energy levels have increased, my skin has vitality, hair is thick and shiny and I'm just a happier person in general.
I would suggest baby steps; ease your way into it.

The way I ease myself into it is to have the goal of about a week... then at the end of the week if all goes well I add another.. then another.. etc. One week at a time lol

blueimp

I've been eating very largely unprocessed food for nearly a year. I now shop at farmers' markets for meat, eggs and veggies (pastured and or pasture finished meats thus avoiding feed lot/factory farm contaminents, hormones, antibiotics and corn). I'm a big supporter of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) too; it's nice to know your farmer :-)
Because I work full time and have a pretty long commute, it is the prep time that has been challenging to me.
I actually enjoy eating this way. I have had some huge weight losses, but for the most part its been slow and steady.

Sweet_Potato

This is incredibly hard to do in the U.S. I lived in Chile for 3 months in 2010, and for the most part only ate what my host mother made. No processed foods whatsoever - she had never even tasted peanut butter. The results? I lost 20 lbs in 3 months and was healthier than ever. Zero bad side-effects.

Peanut butter's actually very easy to make, assuming you have access to peanuts and something to grind them up with.

mlh612

This is something our family is starting to try. Getting rid of processed foods and going natural... I have been getting a lot of ideas and recipes from one of our local blogs. If you get the time, definitely check it out - they did a 100 real food day challenge with their 2 kids. http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/

Best of Luck!

mlh612

There is a great website called 100 days of real food, google it. She does challenges on 10 day with no processed foods and doing a low budget challenge. She has some awesome recipes on there that my family loves.

I agree, great website and lots of info!!!