~ Clean Eaters Thread ~

curvykatie

hi everyone
i have a question
how would one go about starting to eat clean? i know that might sound odd but i've read JM master your metabolism and looked through a few posts on here but how do you start off? ive tried a couple of times but i always go in full force and then end up bingeing on sugar after a couple of days - to a week.
ive already stopped having fizzy drinks and micro-meals but thats as far as ive got

katie
x

mushy2

Good for you, I limit my girls to the amount of crisps and choc they eat. they have 1 choc bar & a couple of sweets per week and 1/2 pkt crisps every other day. I always keep plenty of fruit in and if they feel hungry they always go for the fruit.

The problem is me, I dont eat fruit much, I dont drink much and need to change my eating habits. I snack while they are at school or in bed I did really well at slimming world was really dedicated then i couldn't go anymore due to change of work and my motivation has gone even the kids dont motivate me but they should.

jessmomof3

hi everyone
i have a question
how would one go about starting to eat clean? i know that might sound odd but i've read JM master your metabolism and looked through a few posts on here but how do you start off? ive tried a couple of times but i always go in full force and then end up bingeing on sugar after a couple of days - to a week.
ive already stopped having fizzy drinks and micro-meals but thats as far as ive got

katie
x

I would start by reading labels. What are you eating? Is it real food or *Frankenfood* as Jillian says?
Try just keeping tabs on each meal, and then trying to make it *cleaner*. Maybe just start with breakfast, then once you get breakfast down, move to lunch, etc. If you feel like sugar, try fruit! Sounds simple, and I know it can be difficult at times, but just do what you can!

jessmomof3

I did take advantage of the weekend and extra time to make a fabulous veggie frittata this morning, YUM!!! Very clean, all natural, very filling.

Now spending my morning cleaning and organizing my kitchen. Can't believe how dirty a refrigerator gets - YUCK!!! Getting rid of all the bad sauces, dressings, spreads that have been living there unused for a while. Gonna be great when I get it done.

Hope everyone has a great day!!

I love frittatas! Yum! I did that last week, cleaned out the fridge and tossed some *old* stuff. Happy cleaning! :drinker:

jessmomof3

Snack:
1 c. plain yogurt + 1/2 c. blueberries + 1/4 c. Vanilla crunch cereal (Cascadian Farms)

Lunch:
Chicken quesadilla ~ 3oz chicken breast, Laughing cow light cheese, 2% colby jack, on WW tortilla
Broccoli & tomato
Peach w/ 1/2 c. cottage cheese + cinnamon

curvykatie

hi everyone
i have a question
how would one go about starting to eat clean? i know that might sound odd but i've read JM master your metabolism and looked through a few posts on here but how do you start off? ive tried a couple of times but i always go in full force and then end up bingeing on sugar after a couple of days - to a week.
ive already stopped having fizzy drinks and micro-meals but thats as far as ive got

katie
x

I would start by reading labels. What are you eating? Is it real food or *Frankenfood* as Jillian says?
Try just keeping tabs on each meal, and then trying to make it *cleaner*. Maybe just start with breakfast, then once you get breakfast down, move to lunch, etc. If you feel like sugar, try fruit! Sounds simple, and I know it can be difficult at times, but just do what you can!

At the moment i have either bran flakes with semi skimmed milk or quaker oatmeal with semi-skimmed milk and chocolate chips - i know i should take the chocolate away but i need something sweet to give more taste to the oatmeal

lilangel7671

Hey everyone! I ended up getting the grilled chili-lime chicken salad at applebees (carside to go! we ran outta time-haha) I had treated myself to new pair of kicks though- Nike Shox+! That definitely helped my run today:happy: I was pumped haha! Quick thought- anybody want to share their post-workout recovery drinks? or snacks?, whatever you like to do-I'd like some ideas. Going running is new to me and I just decided to add in a recovery drink (ex: today I did skim milk with hershey sugar free chocolate syrup-:blushing: ) and some whey protein powder because I heard chocolate milk is very good post-workout..any other suggestions?

alf1163

Happy Saturday!! :drinker: :drinker: My husband and I went out for a jog/walk this morning and did 12 miles. :noway: 1,111 cals burned. :drinker: :noway: So, lots to eat today....:laugh: BUT confession time...went to Cracker Barrel :devil: I went for lunch but I wanted breakfast. I did not eat all my pancakes, that was good. But I had a couple of corn muffins...:noway: So, that was my not clean meal today.

Pre-workout - sm banana and 1/4 of a prot bar.
Breakfast - plum, steel cut oats, walnuts and chocolate protein powder. coffe with skim milk and agave nectar.

Lunch - :devil: Cracker Barrel :devil: Also had 2 eggs and turkey sausage patties with my pancakes...:noway:

Snack - homemade trail mix, 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder ( so yummy!!!)

I dont know what I will eat for dinner and I still have a lot of cals to eat.

lilangel, a recovery drink is not really necessary after a workout. You can have a clean balanced meal with good carbs, lean protein and good fat. I usually have my usual breakfast after I workout like the one mentioned above. Or you can drink just a regular protein shake if you dont want to eat more. Or if I workout after breakfast I usually have a whole grain english muffin with 1 tbsp of natural peanut butter or almond butter and perhaps a protein shake. You may also have a protein shake with milk and fruit all mixed together.

Curvykatie, welcome, just take it one day at a time. Start slow but be as consistent as possible. You can get a lot of questions answered here by the members who are 100% clean eaters. I am not but I am getting there.

Take care! :flowerforyou:

ctmom1

Well, as of today, I'm back on track with eating right and exercising! I'm back to following the advice in Mark Bittman's book "Food Matters" For breakfast I had...

1/2 c oatmeal
20 blueberries
10 roasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon blueberry syrup

1 large cup of coffee with 1 teaspoon sugar in the raw and 2 tablespoons organic half and half

I feel good!

jessmomof3

Well, as of today, I'm back on track with eating right and exercising! I'm back to following the advice in Mark Bittman's book "Food Matters" For breakfast I had...

1/2 c oatmeal
20 blueberries
10 roasted almonds
1/2 teaspoon blueberry syrup

1 large cup of coffee with 1 teaspoon sugar in the raw and 2 tablespoons organic half and half

I feel good!

Good for you! I love starting my day w/ a healthy bowl of oatmeal! :bigsmile: I've never heard of Food Matters. Is it a good one??

jessmomof3

Hey everyone! I ended up getting the grilled chili-lime chicken salad at applebees (carside to go! we ran outta time-haha) I had treated myself to new pair of kicks though- Nike Shox+! That definitely helped my run today:happy: I was pumped haha! Quick thought- anybody want to share their post-workout recovery drinks? or snacks?, whatever you like to do-I'd like some ideas. Going running is new to me and I just decided to add in a recovery drink (ex: today I did skim milk with hershey sugar free chocolate syrup-:blushing: ) and some whey protein powder because I heard chocolate milk is very good post-workout..any other suggestions?

Yes, chocolate milk is a good post workout drink. I usually only use a recovery drink when I am running a lot of miles. Otherwise I just like to eat. :bigsmile:

Also, be careful w/ the Shox, I have heard a *lot* of runners that have had injuries from them.

I just like my usual oatmeal and a banana for my recovery food.

lilangel7671

OO thanks for the heads up Jess-I really don't want to get an injury! :noway: I am glad to hear chocolate milk is an appropriate "snack" for after a run though, sometimes I just don't want food right away and that helps I don't always eat the cleanest, but I'd say majority of the time-lots of fruits, veggies, and recipes that I like to put together at home..I'm not much for the packaged "meals" so I'd rather throw whatever I think might be good together and give it a try!:laugh: Tonight I made a tofu and veggie stir-fry kinda thing over buckwheat pasta-was pretty dang tasty!:happy: I oatmeal for breakfast! This upcoming week I think I am going to again put together my steel cut oats in the slow cooker for one morning, and then keep the leftovers for next breakfasts! YUM! Any favorite things to add to steel cut oatmeal? I've done agave nectar, greek yogurt, fruit..yum!
One other question-I don't know if its true, but is eating whole wheat pastas or brown rices only supposed to be "once in awhile" kind of things? I always heard that carb-y things like that aren't that good to have alot:huh:

kelly_a

evenin clean eaters..

busy weekend helping my parents with their flooded basement. had one clean meal yesterday and 2 today. i was able to go to town yesterday am, and get a few new organic foods. i wish i had more time and was only able to get to one store. still searchin for tortillas. i did get some kashi...it could also be used as a snack! since i have started eating clean i am down at least 6 lbs!! :happy: i am so happy and i can't believe how energetic i feel, my mind is clearer, and i am not craving the carbs/sugars. i'm lovin it! i think this has been the best thing by far that i have ever done for my body! i am so excited to continue learning about this new lifestyle. thanks everyone for your ideas and support! you truly have been helpful!

have a great week all! :flowerforyou:

jessmomof3

evenin clean eaters..

busy weekend helping my parents with their flooded basement. had one clean meal yesterday and 2 today. i was able to go to town yesterday am, and get a few new organic foods. i wish i had more time and was only able to get to one store. still searchin for tortillas. i did get some kashi...it could also be used as a snack! since i have started eating clean i am down at least 6 lbs!! :happy: i am so happy and i can't believe how energetic i feel, my mind is clearer, and i am not craving the carbs/sugars. i'm lovin it! i think this has been the best thing by far that i have ever done for my body! i am so excited to continue learning about this new lifestyle. thanks everyone for your ideas and support! you truly have been helpful!

have a great week all! :flowerforyou:

Sorry about your parent's basement! What a pain! Good for you!! Down 6# and feeling better! What can be better than that?? :flowerforyou:

jessmomof3

OO thanks for the heads up Jess-I really don't want to get an injury! :noway: I am glad to hear chocolate milk is an appropriate "snack" for after a run though, sometimes I just don't want food right away and that helps I don't always eat the cleanest, but I'd say majority of the time-lots of fruits, veggies, and recipes that I like to put together at home..I'm not much for the packaged "meals" so I'd rather throw whatever I think might be good together and give it a try!:laugh: Tonight I made a tofu and veggie stir-fry kinda thing over buckwheat pasta-was pretty dang tasty!:happy: I oatmeal for breakfast! This upcoming week I think I am going to again put together my steel cut oats in the slow cooker for one morning, and then keep the leftovers for next breakfasts! YUM! Any favorite things to add to steel cut oatmeal? I've done agave nectar, greek yogurt, fruit..yum!
One other question-I don't know if its true, but is eating whole wheat pastas or brown rices only supposed to be "once in awhile" kind of things? I always heard that carb-y things like that aren't that good to have alot:huh:

Just a warning. They might work for you. But from other runners, most of them do not run in Nike. I prefer Asics, but that's just me.

I loooove buckwheat/ soba noodles! Yum! Stir fry is a fav of mine too.

My family loves steel cut oats too. You can make it ahead of time and then just reheat. It's my 6yo's favorite breakfast.

I prefer my usual oatmeal, I add choc. protein powder, ground flaxseed (sometimes wheat germ, but I am out right now!), and cottage cheese (adds protein and makes it creamy!). Oh, and blueberries or other berries are great to add too! It seems everyone likes to add different things to it.
My 6yo likes hers w/ a little honey, milk, and cinnamon. My 8yo likes hers w/ sliced banana, and brown sugar. (or sometimes a spoonful of PB) My 10yo likes hers w/ vanilla protein powder, walnuts, and honey. So you can have it however you like it. :bigsmile:

Oh, and I do eat whole grain carbs, but find that I like to eat them earlier in the day. I try not to eat a lot of carb for dinner. And also, a serving of carb is a LOT smaller than most people realize. After using my scale, I've seen that for sure!! :huh:

jessmomof3

I had a yummy snack/ dinner. Usually Sunday nights are just kind of a leftover/ easy meal night.

I had...
1 small nectarine and 1 small apple, chopped into pieces
Warmed in microwave for 3 minutes
Added in 1 c. plain yogurt, cinnamon, and 1/2 oz walnuts

Tastes like a yummy dessert! :bigsmile:

jessmomof3

Happy Saturday!! :drinker: :drinker: My husband and I went out for a jog/walk this morning and did 12 miles. :noway: 1,111 cals burned. :drinker: :noway: So, lots to eat today....:laugh: BUT confession time...went to Cracker Barrel :devil: I went for lunch but I wanted breakfast. I did not eat all my pancakes, that was good. But I had a couple of corn muffins...:noway: So, that was my not clean meal today.

Pre-workout - sm banana and 1/4 of a prot bar.
Breakfast - plum, steel cut oats, walnuts and chocolate protein powder. coffe with skim milk and agave nectar.

Lunch - :devil: Cracker Barrel :devil: Also had 2 eggs and turkey sausage patties with my pancakes...:noway:

Snack - homemade trail mix, 1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese, 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder

Good job on the long run!!! Cracker Barrel is an evil place! :devil: I don't think they have very many healthy things on the menu. I used to love their chicken & dumplings and corn muffins/ biscuits are like carb heaven! :laugh: How are you feeling today?

lilangel7671

Thank you so much Jess! Running is new to me-I like them so far, but I'll keep that in mind, especially if I get more into it..mostly shorter distances right now though. Thanks for the ideas for oatmeal too! They all sound YUMMY I am glad to hear I made a good choice with the soba pasta! It IS really good!! I'll have to pick up some more hehehe...anyway I do have a food scale myself because I was wondering the amounts on things-it does make you a bit surprised! I found I was going a little over with things like PB and spreads, under on meats, but just about right with other things It's pitiful but I even weighed my pasta for tonight's dinner--haha a very good idea and I am happy to do it! No lying for me!! Just wish you could measure out fruits/veggies easier-any suggestions? For example-how would I figure out how much 1c. green beans would be other than in a measuring cup:huh: lol Is there some veggie weight standard? :laugh:

astridfeline

hi everyone
i have a question
how would one go about starting to eat clean? i know that might sound odd but i've read JM master your metabolism and looked through a few posts on here but how do you start off? ive tried a couple of times but i always go in full force and then end up bingeing on sugar after a couple of days - to a week.
ive already stopped having fizzy drinks and micro-meals but thats as far as ive got

katie
x

I would start by reading labels. What are you eating? Is it real food or *Frankenfood* as Jillian says?
Try just keeping tabs on each meal, and then trying to make it *cleaner*. Maybe just start with breakfast, then once you get breakfast down, move to lunch, etc. If you feel like sugar, try fruit! Sounds simple, and I know it can be difficult at times, but just do what you can!

At the moment i have either bran flakes with semi skimmed milk or quaker oatmeal with semi-skimmed milk and chocolate chips - i know i should take the chocolate away but i need something sweet to give more taste to the oatmeal

Hi Curvykatie,
Guess what? Dark chocolate is so clean!! Your breakfast sounds good to me. Remember to do what is sustainable for you and gradually make changes. For example, jessmomo mentioned reading labels--you could try eliminating just HFCS and MSG first. Add more fruits & vegies. Eventually your taste buds will change and you will start to crave healthier foods. Also, giving up the sodas is a major advance! Keep up the hard work, you are definitely moving in the right direction. :flowerforyou:

astridfeline

Thank you so much Jess! Running is new to me-I like them so far, but I'll keep that in mind, especially if I get more into it..mostly shorter distances right now though. Thanks for the ideas for oatmeal too! They all sound YUMMY I am glad to hear I made a good choice with the soba pasta! It IS really good!! I'll have to pick up some more hehehe...anyway I do have a food scale myself because I was wondering the amounts on things-it does make you a bit surprised! I found I was going a little over with things like PB and spreads, under on meats, but just about right with other things It's pitiful but I even weighed my pasta for tonight's dinner--haha a very good idea and I am happy to do it! No lying for me!! Just wish you could measure out fruits/veggies easier-any suggestions? For example-how would I figure out how much 1c. green beans would be other than in a measuring cup:huh: lol Is there some veggie weight standard? :laugh:

Yes, as a matter of fact! A digital food scale is invaluable for weighing fruit & veg and everything else! :happy:

artichoke

picked up my first issue of clean eating magazine today, thanks to this thread....love it, LOVE it. thanks all, for the tip.

Happyoceangirl

Hi all - I'm new to this thread, but interested, hope you don't mind if I join in? This is new to me - although, I think that I was eating "clean' without realizing that's what it was called - when I went on a major detox starting in June. I basically eliminated caffeine, processed sugars/sweets, alcohol, dairy (had to)..... and was AMAZED at how much better i felt, eating CRAP FREE.

Any suggestions for quick and easy take to work snacks? I had a stash of walnuts and blueberries in my snack drawer, dried cherries too. Any other suggestions?

curvykatie

Hi Curvykatie,
Guess what? Dark chocolate is so clean!! Your breakfast sounds good to me. Remember to do what is sustainable for you and gradually make changes. For example, jessmomo mentioned reading labels--you could try eliminating just HFCS and MSG first. Add more fruits & vegies. Eventually your taste buds will change and you will start to crave healthier foods. Also, giving up the sodas is a major advance! Keep up the hard work, you are definitely moving in the right direction. :flowerforyou:

im trying to convert myself to dark chocolate, but it tastes meety/medicinial to me :laugh: im getting slowly use to the taste

lilangel7671

Hey astridfeline- it's great advice about measuring the fruits/veggies-but how would one go about doing it? haha-do I just weigh it and enter that amount? Usually it's like 1/2 cup amounts or something, is there a conversion?

astridfeline

Hey astridfeline- it's great advice about measuring the fruits/veggies-but how would one go about doing it? haha-do I just weigh it and enter that amount? Usually it's like 1/2 cup amounts or something, is there a conversion?

Hi lilangel,
My scale measures in both grams and ounces, you can switch from one to the other by pushing a button. I use grams most often b/c a lot of the foods in the database have a nutrional value entered for grams. Seems like for cheese I use ounces most often though. You're welcome to look at my food diary to see what the entries look like.

What you could do is fill your measuring cup to the amount desired and see how much that amount weighs--it's more accurate. I do have a link to the most amazing conversion calculator--scroll down for weights conversions, cups to tablespoons, etc.

http://www.curezone.com/conversions.asp

jessmomof3

Hi lilangel,
My scale measures in both grams and ounces, you can switch from one to the other by pushing a button. I use grams most often b/c a lot of the foods in the database have a nutrional value entered for grams. Seems like for cheese I use ounces most often though. You're welcome to look at my food diary to see what the entries look like.

What you could do is fill your measuring cup to the amount desired and see how much that amount weighs--it's more accurate. I do have a link to the most amazing conversion calculator--scroll down for weights conversions, cups to tablespoons, etc.

http://www.curezone.com/conversions.asp

Yep, my scale can change from grams to pounds to ounces. I love it!!! Fruit is easier for me to measure in grams, and most foods have how many grams is in a serving. (like 1/2 c. cottage cheese is 112 grams according to the container). My scale also came with a book that gives conversions for you. HTH!

jessmomof3

Hi all - I'm new to this thread, but interested, hope you don't mind if I join in? This is new to me - although, I think that I was eating "clean' without realizing that's what it was called - when I went on a major detox starting in June. I basically eliminated caffeine, processed sugars/sweets, alcohol, dairy (had to)..... and was AMAZED at how much better i felt, eating CRAP FREE.

Any suggestions for quick and easy take to work snacks? I had a stash of walnuts and blueberries in my snack drawer, dried cherries too. Any other suggestions?

Welcome!! Yep, I was eating clean before I knew the name for it! Crap free! :bigsmile:

Do you have access to a cooler/ fridge? Or do you want something that doesn't need to be refrigerated? For natural bars that are good, I love Larabars. They are all natural, just fruits and nuts made into a bar. I love the cherry pie and apple pie bars. The other ones are a little higher in fat. Or Kids Organic Clif bars are good too, they are smaller than a larger Clif bar and come in Chocolate brownie, chocolate chip, honey graham, and a couple other flavors. My kids love them!

Walnuts or almonds are great nuts to snack on (just watch the portion size!). Dried fruits are a little higher in sugar and cals. How about just an apple, peach, nectarine, plum, or even a banana to eat w/ the nuts? Cottage cheese or yogurt if you have a fridge to keep it cool.

SherryRueter

:glasses: I like this thread. It is just what I have been trying to do.

7:30am Brfast: Whole grain toast with Pnut butter (1T) and a protein shake
10:20 Snack: Fiber 1 bar & Coffee & diet pop

lilangel7671

Thanks for the tips about measuring! I will definitely be trying that out now.
I recently picked up an issue of CE, and I just tried out the Salmon Corn Chowder recipe-OMG delicious-I decided to split the recipe in half (so 4 servings not 8) and the best part is I had one serving for lunch, and put the other 3 into small lock-lid freezer safe dishes for meals when I'm in a time crunch! Just pull it out, defrost, heat and eat! YUM! Perfect size to take to work for lunches too! I also made the cornbread that is on the same page-that was good too, and apparently freezable as well I am doing their pesto pasta tonight for dinner and taking leftovers to work for lunch tomorrow-easy as cake!
Does anybody else do that regularly? Do you find it simpler? I find it easier to make recipes that are 1 serving (more accurate) but I guess I can't be too far off--right?:huh:

astridfeline

Yes, I often prepare a batch of chili or rice or whatever and freeze individual servings...my freezer is stocked up now. I hope it lasts a while since I will be so busy!!