Clean Eating

Nlongenecker

Are there people out there doing the Clean Eating lifestyle? If so, how's it going for you? Was it a big adjustment? I am debating on whether to try it. It will be an adjustment, cuz I am all about convenience. But I am struggling with losing, so I think a change is needed. I would like to hear your thoughts.

Is there a thread with clean eaters?

AlmostHot

What is clean eating?

xsargex

What is clean eating?

running a second rinse cycle on your dishwasher.

AlmostHot

:laugh: Don't have a dishwasher but could get to rinse the dishes again manually!

KimberlyKurtz

I think clean eating is where you only eat raw foods, no prepared or processed foods.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Eating clean is basically eating items that are not processed and if reading a lable you are able to tell exactly what it is and what it's derived from...nothing fake or artificial.
I can't say that I eat 100% clean...it's not possible in todays world. I don't think I could ever give up cold cereal and the occasional bag of lays chips.
Ease into it slowly and don't beat yourself up over not eating clean all the time. I wouldn't survive and my husband would have a fit if there weren't some little debbie snacks in the house every once in a while. There are several good books out there. Also...check out vegetarian websites for new cooking ideas and ingredients. Many people forget that veg heads like myself often have a wider range for cooking/using ordinary items in an unusual way. Have fun with the experience. :flowerforyou:

TheMaidOfAstolat

I think clean eating is where you only eat raw foods, no prepared or processed foods.

Nope, not raw at all. Just no processed foods.

barbiecat

There is a clean eating thread somewhere on MFP and a clean eating website somewhere.

someone told me that clean eating is eating foods that grow in the ground or have a mother, but that's an oversimplification.

Staying away from processed foods is a major component of clean eating.

We have been eating an almost entirely "clean" diet and have had great success both in health and weight loss.

You can get there by taking baby steps and eliminating one food at a time and making one new addition at a time.

we do eat kashi cereal, butter spray, spray salad dressing and some other things that may not qualify, but mostly we eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, lean chicken turkey or fish and whole grains.

Nlongenecker

What is clean eating?

Here are two easy ways to remember it: "If it had a mother or came from the ground" - Jillian Michaels (sorry vegetarians out there). Or if it is man made or came from a box - don't eat it.

vanimami

I've been clean eating, but not all the way (I still eat some processed foods such as milk, cheese, etc.) However, I try to eat more fresh foods and cook everything fresh. I really like it, it's not that big of a change for me.

hammersshells

I started eating clean 4 weeks ago. My acne is gone (and I had tried every product on the market including some perscription meds to clear it up without success), I feel fantastic, more energy, better sex drive, and most definitely leaner! My weight loss my not look like much to chirp about, but I have been working out a lot and have gone down in pant size, and am getting tons of compliments about my changing shape. I absolutely recommend clean eating to anyone!

Two great books to get are "mastering you metabolism" by Jillian Michaels and "the eat-clean diet" by Tosca Reno. (jillian's book is far better in my opinion. It really explained in a thorough way what all those processed foods and diet cokes were doing to my hormones :sick: and I no longer have any interest in putting stuff like that in my mouth.) Good luck! Let us know how it goes!!

StiringWendel

I'm working at creating a clean eating lifestyle. I figure it will take me a number of months to get where I want. As others have indicated, clean eating is pretty much about not eating processed food. In the strictest sense, there is more to it than that (eating smaller meals 5-6 times a day, drinking lots of water, shopping humanely, savoring food, etc), but the nuts and bolts of it is eating real food that is good for you.

I've been making the changes slowly because every change I make I want to be a permanent change. So I give it awhile to figure out if I can live with it before I move on to the next step. For instance, my first step was to eliminate sugar and cream from my tea and coffee. That took awhile because I used to love my coffee to pretty much taste like coffee ice cream. :happy: But I did it, and it is a permanent change.

Then I went on to meals, starting with breakfast and so on. I've been working on this since January, and I would say that I eat about 70% clean. I think there are some areas where I will never totally be clean (some sauces, etc). But, for instance, I'm making my own bread now and absolutely love it! But I've tried making my own salad dressing and, for whatever reason, am not loving that so much. I'm still working on making my own granola bars, but I'm getting there and think I'll be able to make that change. But I'm still looking for an acceptable replacement for lunch meat (even though I eat nitrate-free lunch meat) that I seem to want to enjoy a couple of days a week because of the convenience factor.

For me, this isn't ever going to be an all or nothing thing, but I'm doing what I can in the areas I can, and it seems to be working. But I'm also willing to accept that I'm not going to be clean in all areas ever.

As far as the impact on my health/fitness/weight.....it is phenomenal. The cleaner my diet got, the easier it was for me to lose weight. I've been at my goal weight for about two months and continuing to refine my lifestyle diet has aided me tremendously in not only not gaining back the weight but in actually dropping more weight than I anticipated. I can eat so much more than I ever imagined, and I think the primary reason is simply because I'm putting good, clean healthy calories into my body. And another benefit is I'm absolutely bursting with energy most of the time.

As far as resources, I picked up the latest issue (July/August) of Clean Eating Magazine a couple of weeks ago, and I think I'll continue to get it when it comes out. There are some great articles and some terrific recipes in it. While I'm not even close to adopting all that is recommended in the magazine, I have a much better understanding of clean eating.

hammersshells

I've been clean eating, but not all the way (I still eat some processed foods such as milk, cheese, etc.) However, I try to eat more fresh foods and cook everything fresh. I really like it, it's not that big of a change for me.

Milk and cheese are ok on clean diet, according to the books I have.