~ Clean Eaters Thread ~

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  • spotter
    spotter Posts: 4
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    I just read through some of the threads and will need to check out the Clean magazine you have been talking about. I saw some posts about breakfast ideas. I have been drinking Green Smoothies for breakfast. I have found when I start my day with them I eat better for the whole day. It also eliminates the need for coffee! And I when I am in coffee mode, I drink expresso only! Here's a basic recipe from Martha Stewart, but you can add or delete to your own tastes.

    In a blender mix
    2 oz of spinach-I use much more spinach-a huge punch !
    1 celery stalk
    1 cucumber-I usually use 1/2
    1/2 apple
    1/4 fennel bulb
    1" ginger root
    3 springs of parsley
    3/4C honeydew melon-I often use frozen mango or pineapple,my husband always adds a banana-but this adds additional calories

    another version: I add 1/2 fresh beet and strawberries-delicious!!!!!
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Spotter - welcome to our thread and MFP!! :drinker: This site is very helpful.

    Susie, thank you for your input. I believe you when you say that clean eating does not require calorie counting, measuring, etc but how do you monitor what is necessary to meet your nutrition goals to accomplish a goal being maintaining your weight, losing or for some people gaining. Also if one is doing a fitness program, such as P90X, that requires a certain amount of nutrients, how would you monitor? To be honest with you I would love to follow the clean eating approach of not counting calories. I am becoming frustrated and a little tired of it. My main concern is that I might not be meeting my nutrition requirements if I don't monitor. I have always heard that your body will give you signs of what is lacking but how do I differentiate from what is truly needed by my body or just a craving? Also, let's say your goal is to lose and you are gaining instead, how do you know what and how much to cut back that might be causing the weight gain?

    I have been doing very well today!! My husband is going to grill later but it is a good selection of healthy meats. Jess, I need to try the sweet potatoes with cottage cheese and cinnamon, that sounds so good. Maybe I can have my husband grill the sweet potatoes.

    Have a great day!! :flowerforyou:
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    I'm so excited about this thread! This type of support seems to be exactly what I have been looking for! I have tried many different ways of eating/diets,but even when I am eating healthy I am not losing weight. It took me a long while to realize that eating "clean" doesn't necessarily mean eating less calories as many raw foods eaters are eating tons of nuts,which are high in calories. I have a collection of recipes that are "clean"(never heard that terminology before-but I like it) but had no idea how many calories they contained. Yesterday I went on line to try to figure this out and I found myfitnesspal. And today I found this thread! I feel so happy. Eating healthy and losing weight-what could be better. I'm weighing myself tomorrow and I'm ready to start losing that 37 lbs.

    Welcome, Spotter, and congratulations on getting healthy! :smile:
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    My breakfast for today was a concoction I made... it was supposed to be an omelette but I cooked it too high and put too many veggies in it so that I couldn't fold it over... so it was more like scrambled eggs with a lot of veggies and some turkey and cheese. :laugh: I put salsa on top and it tasted so good and was so filling I couldn't eat it all and have some leftovers. Here is what it was:

    3 eggs
    1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
    1 vine tomato, chopped
    Little bit of onion, sliced
    1 oz natural mozzarella cheese, cubed
    3 slices deli turkey breast (I try to make fresh roasted turkey but I didn't have any left today)
    1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
    2 Tbsp salsa

    Yummy it was a great way to start off the day. I also had 1.5 cups black coffee and a glass of water.
  • neeterskeeter
    neeterskeeter Posts: 571 Member
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    Just a friendly comment--clean eating doesn't require measuring, counting calories, or any of the usual burdensome chores of "dieting." One naturally loses, maintains, or gains by eating properly.

    :flowerforyou:

    This is true. However I am not used to eating the right way and I tended to over-eat calories before I was a clean eater. Now I tend to under-eat because I still have the "diet" mindset and I can't believe I can eat all of these healthy foods and always be full! :laugh: So I've gotten the best results, most recently, when I eat clean AND make sure I stay at about 1225 net calories (which includes eating all or most of my exercise calories which tend to be about 200 - 600 a day). Sometimes I really have to stretch to take in those extra calories -- green beans and pumpkin seeeds before bed, etc. Other days, when I don't stick to the clean diet as is ideal, I have to calculate calories to make sure I don't go over, because going over on calories on non-clean foods is what really wrecks my weight loss and fitness results.

    Eventually my goal is to just eat naturally healthy and clean, and maintain, and not need to calculate and measure etc. But while I am still getting used to everything, for me it works best to stay on track by keeping track of calories as well as protein and fiber. It motivates me and teaches me that in the past I had *no* idea what a proper portion size or daily calorie amount was, etc., and now I am learning more every day. :smile: So I plan to keep up with the calorie tracking until I reach my goal weight (another 11 pounds to lose) and then maintain that weight for maybe a month or so until it really does feel natural and second-nature.

    Thanks for sharing all the recipes and advice. :smile:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Just a friendly comment--clean eating doesn't require measuring, counting calories, or any of the usual burdensome chores of "dieting." One naturally loses, maintains, or gains by eating properly.

    :flowerforyou:

    I agree that clean eating is not dieting. But... it's also easy to overeat *clean* foods if you aren't tracking either. I have found what works for me, and it might not work for someone else. I know because when I feel like I'm *comfortable* eating clean and not tracking as strictly, I tend to put on a few pounds. :wink:

    So... to each their own! :drinker:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I'm here! Sundays are my rest days and I needed it!!

    Breakfast:
    Usual oatmeal

    Lunch (met extended family after church at Logan's Roadhouse):
    I had the 6oz chicken breast (with no rice or sauce)
    Baked sweet potato (plain)
    Veggie skewers (tomato, zucchini, onion, mushrooms)
    And I had NO rolls!!!

    Snack:
    1 c. plain yogurt + 1/2 c. blueberries

    Cals are a bit lower today since it's my rest day. :wink:

    Dinner:
    Not sure yet, need to decide sometime soon!
  • re_define
    re_define Posts: 39
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    I'm here! Sundays are my rest days and I needed it!!

    Breakfast:
    Usual oatmeal

    Lunch (met extended family after church at Logan's Roadhouse):
    I had the 6oz chicken breast (with no rice or sauce)
    Baked sweet potato (plain)
    Veggie skewers (tomato, zucchini, onion, mushrooms)
    And I had NO rolls!!!

    Snack:
    1 c. plain yogurt + 1/2 c. blueberries

    Cals are a bit lower today since it's my rest day. :wink:

    Dinner:
    Not sure yet, need to decide sometime soon!

    You are a better woman than I am! I could never say no to Logan's Roadhouse rolls. Bread at the table is one of my major weaknesses when going out to eat. I make sure I tell the waiter NOT to bring it to my table.
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    You are a better woman than I am! I could never say no to Logan's Roadhouse rolls. Bread at the table is one of my major weaknesses when going out to eat. I make sure I tell the waiter NOT to bring it to my table.

    My kids love them!! I can't tell you the last time I ate white bread or rolls.
    It used to be a huge weakness of mine, I could eat a meal of just bread. I just learned to say NO and not even start with it!!!

    I just ask them to make things how I like them. :laugh: Plain chicken breast, plain baked sweet potato, etc. :wink:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Options
    Spotter - welcome to our thread and MFP!! :drinker: This site is very helpful.

    Susie, thank you for your input. I believe you when you say that clean eating does not require calorie counting, measuring, etc but how do you monitor what is necessary to meet your nutrition goals to accomplish a goal being maintaining your weight, losing or for some people gaining. Also if one is doing a fitness program, such as P90X, that requires a certain amount of nutrients, how would you monitor? To be honest with you I would love to follow the clean eating approach of not counting calories. I am becoming frustrated and a little tired of it. My main concern is that I might not be meeting my nutrition requirements if I don't monitor. I have always heard that your body will give you signs of what is lacking but how do I differentiate from what is truly needed by my body or just a craving? Also, let's say your goal is to lose and you are gaining instead, how do you know what and how much to cut back that might be causing the weight gain?

    I have been doing very well today!! My husband is going to grill later but it is a good selection of healthy meats. Jess, I need to try the sweet potatoes with cottage cheese and cinnamon, that sounds so good. Maybe I can have my husband grill the sweet potatoes.

    Have a great day!! :flowerforyou:

    That is why I track too, Annette. I need to know my amounts and it makes it hard for me *not* to track.

    I loooove my baked sweet potatoes w/ cottage cheese & cinnamon. Sounds strange, but hey, I put cottage cheese in my oatmeal too. :laugh: It makes it kind of creamy. Yum!
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
    Options
    I'm so excited about this thread! This type of support seems to be exactly what I have been looking for! I have tried many different ways of eating/diets,but even when I am eating healthy I am not losing weight. It took me a long while to realize that eating "clean" doesn't necessarily mean eating less calories as many raw foods eaters are eating tons of nuts,which are high in calories. I have a collection of recipes that are "clean"(never heard that terminology before-but I like it) but had no idea how many calories they contained. Yesterday I went on line to try to figure this out and I found myfitnesspal. And today I found this thread! I feel so happy. Eating healthy and losing weight-what could be better. I'm weighing myself tomorrow and I'm ready to start losing that 37 lbs.

    Welcome! Glad you joined us and good luck on your weight loss journey!
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    Susie's Strawberry Shortcake

    1 cup of fresh strawberries
    1/4 cup coconut milk
    1/2 Tbsp Blue Agave Nectar or Raw Honey
    2 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
    1/2 Tbsp almond meal (optional)

    (189 calories without the almond meal)

    YUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

    That sounds yummy! I've never had coconut milk or almond meal. I do love agave nectar as a sweetener though and love my ground flaxseed! :bigsmile:
  • jessmomof3
    jessmomof3 Posts: 4,590 Member
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    I'm on the Crap Free plan too :) Love that. It is so unfortunate that organics and healthy choices are so expensive, it is hard to change completely, but it is right that every little change makes a difference.

    Just a thought... organic and healthy choices may seem to be more expensive than their less nutritious counterparts, however, when eating out or buying prepackaged processed "crap," one is actually spending a whole lot more! Especially when the doctor bills pile up because of symptoms of metabolic syndrome! (hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, etc).

    I agree with that. A bag of chips for $3, or a bag of apples for $3. The apples are a lot more filling too! :wink: I hardly *ever* get sick anymore. *knock on wood* And my kids are much healthier too! I'm not spending money on prescription migraine medicine anymore! :bigsmile:
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
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    I'm on the Crap Free plan too :) Love that. It is so unfortunate that organics and healthy choices are so expensive, it is hard to change completely, but it is right that every little change makes a difference.

    Just a thought... organic and healthy choices may seem to be more expensive than their less nutritious counterparts, however, when eating out or buying prepackaged processed "crap," one is actually spending a whole lot more! Especially when the doctor bills pile up because of symptoms of metabolic syndrome! (hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, etc).

    I agree with that. A bag of chips for $3, or a bag of apples for $3. The apples are a lot more filling too! :wink: I hardly *ever* get sick anymore. *knock on wood* And my kids are much healthier too! I'm not spending money on prescription migraine medicine anymore! :bigsmile:

    Exactly! and when I need a chocolate fix, the smoothie I make is soooooo healthy and satisfying, not to mention pretty low in calories, that I don't even miss ice cream at all (posted in food forum)!! And I LOOOOOVE ice cream!!! In fact, I used to reeeeeeally love pizza! but I don't miss that either! I get wayyyyy more food and feel soooo much more energetic, even euphoric, from the whole foods that I consume! And we are legume/dairy/gluten free! (health issues that I've mentioned in other threads)

    To your health!! :drinker:
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    Susie, how do I find your chocolate smoothie? I could not find it. Could you post it here? Thanks! :flowerforyou:
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
    Options

    Just a friendly comment--clean eating doesn't require measuring, counting calories, or any of the usual burdensome chores of "dieting." One naturally loses, maintains, or gains by eating properly.

    :flowerforyou:

    This is true. However I am not used to eating the right way and I tended to over-eat calories before I was a clean eater. Now I tend to under-eat because I still have the "diet" mindset and I can't believe I can eat all of these healthy foods and always be full! :laugh: So I've gotten the best results, most recently, when I eat clean AND make sure I stay at about 1225 net calories (which includes eating all or most of my exercise calories which tend to be about 200 - 600 a day). Sometimes I really have to stretch to take in those extra calories -- green beans and pumpkin seeeds before bed, etc. Other days, when I don't stick to the clean diet as is ideal, I have to calculate calories to make sure I don't go over, because going over on calories on non-clean foods is what really wrecks my weight loss and fitness results.

    Eventually my goal is to just eat naturally healthy and clean, and maintain, and not need to calculate and measure etc. But while I am still getting used to everything, for me it works best to stay on track by keeping track of calories as well as protein and fiber. It motivates me and teaches me that in the past I had *no* idea what a proper portion size or daily calorie amount was, etc., and now I am learning more every day. :smile: So I plan to keep up with the calorie tracking until I reach my goal weight (another 11 pounds to lose) and then maintain that weight for maybe a month or so until it really does feel natural and second-nature.

    Thanks for sharing all the recipes and advice. :smile:

    I agree with all of you that you need to do what works for YOU!!! Ya gotta listen to your body and pay attention to your personality type! <smile!>

    I keep track of everything that goes into my mouth, including samples! I do this for many different reasons, some of which several of you have mentioned. And it's good to measure things so that you get the idea of how much the portion size is, so that you can eyeball it in the future.

    The main reason is that I need to do it is for accountability. I'm not too concerned about a few calories over or under, because the science of calories isn't exact due to variables in the environment. But it's good to have a ballpark figure to make sure you're getting what you need. Being a nutritionist, I am used to tracking the nutritional values of foods, and am teaching my children, by example, how to eat properly (two of them are on MFP in order to use the food diary and are currently in a college nutrition course); one is going into the field of Physical Education, and the other is training to be a Physician's Assistant. Also, my son, Josiah, age 23 (pictured in my ticker), is career Army, has gone from a Private First Class to an officer, and is currently in Ranger School. He needs to make the most of what he consumes to keep his body functioning properly when taxed by such physical exertion that is required of him as a soldier. I am constantly teaching him what is good and what is not expedient for his body.

    There is a lot of information about how to make sure one is getting the proper nutrition and amount of food, when and what to consume, on the web. I recommend Zone: http://www.zonediet.com and Eat Clean: http://www.eatcleandiet.com. I'm sure there are many others, and I'll prolly come across them, since I'm always researching, and will share them in the future!

    To your health!! :drinker:
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
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    Susie, how do I find your chocolate smoothie? I could not find it. Could you post it here? Thanks! :flowerforyou:

    Susie's Ultra Chocolate High Fiber/High Protein Smoothie

    For 4 servings, blend together:

    1 can or 2 cups of organic coconut milk
    2 cups Pacific Natural Foods Organic Unsweetened Almond Milk
    4 Tbsp Trader Joe's Hemp Protein Powder (or alternative)
    4 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed Meal
    10 Tbsp Cinch Cocoa Powder (unsweetened, no cholesterol, no sodium)
    2 Tbsp Organic Blue Agave Nectar
    2 Tbsp Almond meal (optional)
    2-3 cups of ice

    252 calories per serving

    You can make it without the coconut milk and substitute almond, hemp, or rice milk
    You can add 2 Tbsp of sunflower butter to make it like a Reese's Peanut Butter cup
    You can freeze the almond milk and not add ice
    The variations are endless!

    Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo yummmmmmmmmmmmy, filling, and satisfying!!!

    Enjoy!
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
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    Spotter - welcome to our thread and MFP!! :drinker: This site is very helpful.

    Susie, thank you for your input. I believe you when you say that clean eating does not require calorie counting, measuring, etc but how do you monitor what is necessary to meet your nutrition goals to accomplish a goal being maintaining your weight, losing or for some people gaining. Also if one is doing a fitness program, such as P90X, that requires a certain amount of nutrients, how would you monitor? To be honest with you I would love to follow the clean eating approach of not counting calories. I am becoming frustrated and a little tired of it. My main concern is that I might not be meeting my nutrition requirements if I don't monitor. I have always heard that your body will give you signs of what is lacking but how do I differentiate from what is truly needed by my body or just a craving? Also, let's say your goal is to lose and you are gaining instead, how do you know what and how much to cut back that might be causing the weight gain?

    I have been doing very well today!! My husband is going to grill later but it is a good selection of healthy meats. Jess, I need to try the sweet potatoes with cottage cheese and cinnamon, that sounds so good. Maybe I can have my husband grill the sweet potatoes.

    Have a great day!! :flowerforyou:

    Alf, Zone and Eat Clean both teach one how to choose and portion one's foods without counting calories and just eyeballing the portions. I've posted the websites in another response. They can help you get started and give you the info you desire.

    Also, Jillian McKeith of "You are What You Eat" on BBC follows the same approach. You can google her and get the website. Check out the show; it's awesome!

    Good job on doing well today!! All the best on your journey!

    Hugssssssssssssssss to all my fellow MFP'ers!!!

    <smile!> :flowerforyou:
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
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    Susie's Strawberry Shortcake

    1 cup of fresh strawberries
    1/4 cup coconut milk
    1/2 Tbsp Blue Agave Nectar or Raw Honey
    2 Tbsp ground flaxseed meal
    1/2 Tbsp almond meal (optional)

    (189 calories without the almond meal)

    YUMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

    That sounds yummy! I've never had coconut milk or almond meal. I do love agave nectar as a sweetener though and love my ground flaxseed! :bigsmile:

    Oh my gosh! I totally love ground flaxseed too!! I put it on and in EVERYTHING!! and the agave nectar is perfect!
  • SusieSonshine
    SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
    Options
    I just read through some of the threads and will need to check out the Clean magazine you have been talking about. I saw some posts about breakfast ideas. I have been drinking Green Smoothies for breakfast. I have found when I start my day with them I eat better for the whole day. It also eliminates the need for coffee! And I when I am in coffee mode, I drink expresso only! Here's a basic recipe from Martha Stewart, but you can add or delete to your own tastes.

    In a blender mix
    2 oz of spinach-I use much more spinach-a huge punch !
    1 celery stalk
    1 cucumber-I usually use 1/2
    1/2 apple
    1/4 fennel bulb
    1" ginger root
    3 springs of parsley
    3/4C honeydew melon-I often use frozen mango or pineapple,my husband always adds a banana-but this adds additional calories

    another version: I add 1/2 fresh beet and strawberries-delicious!!!!!

    Thank you for the recipe!!! I'm gonna try it! Sounds very nutritious! :flowerforyou:

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