"clean foods"

ilovemybuggy

Thanks for this topic.... I was mis-informed. I always thought "eating clean" was taking a shower before supper!

:laugh: you made me giggle.

sobriquet84

basically stay away from processed foods, and "fake foods". or, in other words, cook your own meals, using fresh produce/meats/ect.

and folks... don't go and say "well olive oil and dairy is processed, har har har". yes, its *techinically* processed, but saying that is just being a smart *kitten*, and you know it.

everything is processed.

read my second sentence.

\

read my ONLY sentence

i was unaware that harvesting something made it "processed".

_SpeshK_

clean foods are a myth. calories in and calories out is what counts to lose weight.

Twinkie Diet: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html

just my two cents.

Your two cents are worthless. Good luck dying in 2 years from eating toxic waste.

jsj024519

basically stay away from processed foods, and "fake foods". or, in other words, cook your own meals, using fresh produce/meats/ect.

and folks... don't go and say "well olive oil and dairy is processed, har har har". yes, its *techinically* processed, but saying that is just being a smart *kitten*, and you know it.

everything is processed.

Not true. Processed foods have a longer shelf-life. Things like meat, dairy, vegetables, items that need to be eaten within a short time span are not processed.

meat that is from farm animals pumped up with steroids and the veggies sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers? so much for that being "clean"

auria17

Hi,

Here is a shopping list from the Primal eating shopping list

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-shopping-list/#axzz21Z6eXv88

I would also do some research on super foods, complete proteins, cacao nibs, honey, and healthy spices.

For those that think all calories are made alike, I say this, we don't just eat to stay thin we eat to maintain the highest level of health and longivity. Eating as clean as possible with the least amount of sodium, trans fats, hormones, dyes, GMO, pestisides and preservatives, will create optimum health and wellness throughout all stages of our lives and as a side product create a very attractive body type.

sthrnchick

"Clean foods are a myth...bwahahaa!!!" Sorry, I got distracted...simple version- clean foods do not come out of a box or package, they are usually whole foods, in a close as possible natural state...NO processed garbage. You can eat much more "Clean" foods if you are restricting your cals because they are usually much less carb dense. I actually have trouble many days getting enough cals in eating clean and I eat ALL day long!!

No to start a huge debate....but if you by the notion cals are cals...fine...but would you rather eat a cheeseburger OR a steak with sweet potato, brocolli, nice salad, and a few cups of watermelon for dessert...about the same cals...

sobriquet84

wow, you're really angsty, aren't you?

no, just sick and tired of hearing clean food is great when it is a bunch of crap

so, you're basically saying that eating healthier food is a load of sh-t.

wow. what planet are you from?

micahnelson

Weight loss is calories in, calories out- end of story.

That said...

Fiber:
Junk food doesn't have any of it, and without it you will feel hungry all the time. "Whole" foods are full of fiber, and you will feel fuller, faster, and with less calories.

Hidden Calories:
With junk food, did you record the ketchup? From a calorie standpoint a ketchup packet is like a fun size candy bar. (Try malt vinegar instead btw). Did you really eat just ONE serving of french fries? An extra couple carrots is maybe 2 calories, an extra couple french fries could be 100 calories. If you eat junk food there is no margin for error in recording calories.

Water Gain:
Processed foods tend to contain massive amounts of sodium, which will give you a significant water gain. The guy earlier who said he gained 2lbs in 3 days... that isn't possible unless he ate roughly 7000 calories in addition to his BMR. I have personally seen fast food give me an extra pound overnight even when calories were in line. Water weight, east come easy go.

chivalryder

The second post here: it's not a myth. Calories in does not equal calories out.

I've done a "clean" diet for food allergies for the past month and lost 17 lbs from it, without cutting calories anywhere. I was eating my maintenance number of calories with only a bit of walking to and from work. If calories in and calories out equalled weight loss, why did I lose 17 lbs.

On top of that: This weekend I started eating some of my old, regular diet. The first time I ate something pre-packaged and frozen.

I gained 2 lbs over 3 days, again, eating the same number of calories.

So if you think "clean foods" is a myth, then explain that to me.

To answer the OP: IMO, "clean foods" are anything that don't come out of a box, can, plastic bag, etc. If its raw, and you're making your food from scratch, it's clean.

For a comparison: Home made cranberry sports drink vs a bottle coca cola. What do you think is "clean"?

You lost weight because you ate in a consistent caloric deficit. Unless of course you are a wizard and own a pet unicorn since the laws of the universe would clearly not apply to you then

HAHA LOL. Boom exactly.

Sorry for being slow to get back to this, but:

I'm eating 2000-2500 calories every day (my TDEE is 2500 calories/day), with a deficit from 0-500 calories most days. I've only done this for 4 weeks so far, so I should have only lost about 4 lbs at most.

So where did the calorie deficit for the last 13 lbs come from?

And yes, I do intend on not eating as much out of a box as possible.

mikeyboy

the clean food myth is such bs. I eat out several times per week, eat chocolate, etc etc etc. Yeah it's healthier to eat "clean" foods but as far as body composition it doesn't matter

its a choice, not a requirement.

do i feel better when i eat cleaner? yes.
do i have more energy when i cleaner? yes.
do i lose weight easier when i eat cleaner? yes.
can i not eat clean and still lose weight? yes.

it is a choice that needs to be banished.

wow, you're really angsty, aren't you?

no, just sick and tired of hearing clean food is great when it is a bunch of crap

Clean food is great if you prepare it with just the right amount of seasonings.

Hendrix7

Pretty sure the guy who did The Twinkie diet wasn't actually suggesting it as a effective long term nutritional strategy. Just proving a point.

alexis831

Thanks for this topic.... I was mis-informed. I always thought "eating clean" was taking a shower before supper!

Freakin funny

NoAdditives

the clean food myth is such bs. I eat out several times per week, eat chocolate, etc etc etc. Yeah it's healthier to eat "clean" foods but as far as body composition it doesn't matter

its a choice, not a requirement.

do i feel better when i eat cleaner? yes.
do i have more energy when i cleaner? yes.
do i lose weight easier when i eat cleaner? yes.
can i not eat clean and still lose weight? yes.

it is a choice that needs to be banished.

wow, you're really angsty, aren't you?

no, just sick and tired of hearing clean food is great when it is a bunch of crap

It's a healthier way to eat. If it's not a choice for you, fine. But it's not "a bunch of crap".

_SpeshK_

@OP - A lot of people find the book "The Eat Clean Diet" as tremendous help for eating clean. It is an eye opener on the kinds of crap we put in our bodies every day. If your ONLY concern is weight loss, then yes, you can count calories and eat as much garbage as you want. But if you want to get the most out of your workouts, fuel your body properly, and add years to your life, then changing your eating habits and eating "clean" is the best way to do it!

Acg67

No to start a huge debate....but if you by the notion cals are cals...fine...but would you rather eat a cheeseburger OR a steak with sweet potato, brocolli, nice salad, and a few cups of watermelon for dessert...about the same cals...

Terrible example, how large is the steak and how large is the burger? Portion sizes matter

jsj024519

wow, you're really angsty, aren't you?

no, just sick and tired of hearing clean food is great when it is a bunch of crap

so, you're basically saying that eating healthier food is a load of sh-t.

wow. what planet are you from?

define "healthy"

LorinaLynn

I consider "clean foods" as "in a mostly whole and natural form." IE, boneless skinless chicken breasts are a clean food. Chicken nuggets, where the texture of the meat more closely resembles wood pulp than chicken, are not.

I don't adhere to a strictly clean diet, but I do prefer to eat foods with fewer, more natural ingredients. But I don't think I'm going to die an instant and painful death if I add some yummy yummy barbecue sauce to my chicken, or if I crack open a can of Bush's Baked Beans instead of cooking my own beans from scratch.

Acg67

The second post here: it's not a myth. Calories in does not equal calories out.

I've done a "clean" diet for food allergies for the past month and lost 17 lbs from it, without cutting calories anywhere. I was eating my maintenance number of calories with only a bit of walking to and from work. If calories in and calories out equalled weight loss, why did I lose 17 lbs.

On top of that: This weekend I started eating some of my old, regular diet. The first time I ate something pre-packaged and frozen.

I gained 2 lbs over 3 days, again, eating the same number of calories.

So if you think "clean foods" is a myth, then explain that to me.

To answer the OP: IMO, "clean foods" are anything that don't come out of a box, can, plastic bag, etc. If its raw, and you're making your food from scratch, it's clean.

For a comparison: Home made cranberry sports drink vs a bottle coca cola. What do you think is "clean"?

You lost weight because you ate in a consistent caloric deficit. Unless of course you are a wizard and own a pet unicorn since the laws of the universe would clearly not apply to you then

HAHA LOL. Boom exactly.

Sorry for being slow to get back to this, but:

I'm eating 2000-2500 calories every day (my TDEE is 2500 calories/day), with a deficit from 0-500 calories most days. I've only done this for 4 weeks so far, so I should have only lost about 4 lbs at most.

So where did the calorie deficit for the last 13 lbs come from?

And yes, I do intend on not eating as much out of a box as possible.

Water/glycogen losses or your TDEE is much higher then whatever you're using to estimate it, or possibly wizardry

ilovemybuggy

Weight loss is calories in, calories out- end of story.

That said...

Fiber:
Junk food doesn't have any of it, and without it you will feel hungry all the time. "Whole" foods are full of fiber, and you will feel fuller, faster, and with less calories.

Hidden Calories:
With junk food, did you record the ketchup? From a calorie standpoint a ketchup packet is like a fun size candy bar. (Try malt vinegar instead btw). Did you really eat just ONE serving of french fries? An extra couple carrots is maybe 2 calories, an extra couple french fries could be 100 calories. If you eat junk food there is no margin for error in recording calories.

Water Gain:
Processed foods tend to contain massive amounts of sodium, which will give you a significant water gain. The guy earlier who said he gained 2lbs in 3 days... that isn't possible unless he ate roughly 7000 calories in addition to his BMR. I have personally seen fast food give me an extra pound overnight even when calories were in line. Water weight, east come easy go.

Thank you!

Kat120285

Clean, dirty, believe what you want. I grew up eating fresh fruit and veggies from my Grampas garden and to this day I prefer the healthier foods but I do love some processed things. I do go for the packaged foods that don't have a novel for a list of ingredients though, such as Cape Cod chips that have only 3 ingredients. Do what works for you and what makes you feel good. Alcohol surely isn't considered "clean" but I'm not going to give up drinks with my fiancé or friends, I just make sure I balance it all out with food and exercise.