Okay, maybe it's just me... (a long vent!)

montana_girl

...but doesn't it seem like people on the message boards are bickering a lot more than they used to about "IIFMM" vs "clean eating." Or is it because I've just recently started eating more whole/natural foods that notice it?

I'm afraid to post in threads anymore because I will be shot down for what is works for me. I would never say someone else should eat a certain way, but I think it should be okay to point out what has worked for me to lose and keep the weight off.

I didn't start off eating healthy. Heck, I lost 113 pounds eating junk... fast food, sweets, processed foods, etc. And yes, I kept that weight off for three years but it was a constant struggle to keep my weight near goal.

Then I saw some posts that talked about various documentaries (Hungry for Change, Fork over Knives, etc) and decided to watch them. I was still thinking over what I had heard/seen in the videos when I went through a rough patch, spent a day binge eating, and decided at bedtime that something had to change. I decided to try clean eating for a day or two to see if I could get some of the chemicals and toxins out of body from the binge. Something incredible happened. I felt awesome after just a day or two eating clean so I decided to finish out the week that way. Then I re-watched several of the videos with my husband, starting reading books, websites, blogs, joined this group, and started listening to podcasts on various aspects of clean eating because I wanted to learn more.

I have now been eating clean for over a month. I feel great. AND I have lost 6.2 pounds in four week. I never thought I could lose that much weight, that fast since I was so close to goal.

I made this change for me. I don't feel deprived or that I'm missing out on anything. No, I don't eat 100% clean (just a glance at my food diary will tell you that), but I try to eat about 70% to 80% clean most days. I still eat out two or three times a week and on my long run days I will eat *gasp* a burger and fries at the local sports bar. I still enjoy some processed snacks, but I am always on the hunt for snacks with 5 to 7 ingredients and are as close to nature as possible. But if I want a cookie, then by gosh, I'mgoing to have myself a good old fashioned cookie!

The only thing I have eliminated 100% from my diet (again, totally a personal choice) is diet pop. I had my last diet pop on April 3rd (the day of my major binge) and I now know that the diet pop was what caused a lot of my sugar cravings (and binges both big and small). I know that for me, that's one thing I can't have, more for the sake of my sanity than for health reasons.

I guess what my ramblings come down to is, I'm tired of feeling like I have to hide my weight loss journey (yes, I said journey - another hot topic debate on the threads!) and my own realization that yes, you can lose weight continuing to eat heavily processed food... and you can maintain a weight loss doing that, but it's a lot less work if I just eat clean and focus on more whole, natural foods.

I think it's sad that I can't share my story without feeling like I will be raked over the coals for having an opinion.

Thanks for letting me vent!!

conniedj

First of all, Congratulations! On your weight loss, on choosing to be a healthier you and in the pursuit to educate yourself! I would say that you should just hold your head high, and say what is in your heart when you are posting. Haters will hate.....doesn't mean you have to recieve what they are dishing out. If you post....be willing to post and walk away. And if you are posting respectfully, you have a right to your opinion regardless of the fact that it differs from someone who doesn't care to "get it/you".

I just choose not to go to the regular forums because there is so much dis-information, it really boggles the mind.....

I like facebook for finding groups, blogs and such about clean eating.....and many many many good things/information about non-gmo....it's just a whole different mindset. But I think that as people become more aware that eating whole food is just what is required to stay healthy.....It will slowly change. And it is slowing changing--at least now there is a conversation about it!

Think of yourself as a trailblazer! You have been hacking away at the wild unruly way....and now you have cleared a path for others to follow. You're just still ahead of the pack! : )

jannemarie74

i totally agree with both the above posters. I dont have wise or witty words to give you, but just know that i support the fact that you are trying your best for you, in the same way that i am doing the best for me. I started looking into clean eating about 1 month ago and i am gradually swapping my cupboard and fridge and freezer over to increasingly more clean eating. I notice a more cheerful disposition especially after eating berries!! lol.

congratulations on your weight loss. well done on your clean eating and good luck for the future. x

libertygirlfla

I also stay away from the regular forums. There are SO MANY people out there just looking for a fight (to start one or be in one). If I thought a single word I typed would get through to them, I'd bother to answer or respond to some of the nonsense, but I'm not that naive.

There are thousands of ways to lose weight and eat healthfully and I FULLY believe that there is no ONE-RIGHT-WAY! If you feel great and your weight is doing what you want it to, then it's right for you! I eat (organic) dairy and (organic) eggs as well as meats that do not have hormones, etc.. That doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me. Some people eat nothing but raw and that works great for them.

Live and let live! You're doing a fantastic job and have discovered that you can feel even better than before by eating more cleanly! Diet soda was one of the last things to go for me...but now I can't even stand the thought of it, let alone, the taste. It's probably been a year since I've had one. Eating some less "clean" foods does not undo the good from the clean foods. In fact, the clean foods leave more energy for your body to process the less than ideal foods.

I continue to modify my diet as I become more educated and I've been at this clean eating stuff since high school (I'm 48 now).

Keep up the great work. Feel free to rant here and leave the riff raff out on the general forums to feed on themselves.

Congrats on the weight loss! Very impressive!!

Peace! :flowerforyou:

amd429

You guys all are inspirations to me! I just recently decided to eat clean, or as clean as I can. I am just like you montana_girl where I am trying eat 70-80% clean but there are some things still processed I eat. Plus there is just some dairy I can't live without. I've also started juicing. I would love for this lifestyle along with daily exercise to help me lose some weight but I'm hoping to just live healthy and feel better also...

Would love to know where you guys research your clean living.

dym123

I stay away from any thread that discuss "clean eating" in the regular forums, because no good can come from it. Even if you try to explain your reasoning for eating clean, such as for overall well being, not just weight loss, you're still told "you're wrong" so I gave up.

@amd429 a couple of months ago someone posted in a thread a list of clean eating websites for info and recipes, these websites range from total Raw to lightly processed foods, If you do a search you may be able to find it. Ones that the I use a lot is 100 days of Real Food, Clean Eat Diet and Clean Eating Magazine.

Carol_

Enjoyed reading this. Thank you. I am going to look into exactly what is included in 'clean eating' and what is not. I was surprised to see a recipe for Chicken on one member's post. Just never did think Chicken was very clean to eat. Goes to show, I am not exactly sure what is or isn't .

Thanks for writing the post.

Carol_

Me too.. Looking for more info.

Marga40

There's another thread in this group about what people consider clean eating to mean for them, and it varies pretty widely. Have a look through some older threads for lots of great information. As far as chicken goes, I eat it- but I buy pasture raised (not free-range- that designation can be used misleadingly sometimes) and make sure to get organic, hormone free, etc. Same thing with eggs. You can even find butter from grass-fed cows, things like that. There are degrees of cleanness, IMO.

And always feel free to post questions here, it's much nicer than the forums!

conniedj

To some people eating "clean" is more along the raw side of things. No processed. For some it is paleo, which is no grains. For some it is food in it's most natural state.

To me clean eating is food that is minimally processed, without chemical additives. To me I eat meat and dairy. I choose grass/free range/organic for meats--preferably from local sources. I eat whole grains like quinoa, farro( my fave!), brown rice. I use raw dairy from a local farm. I am also very adamant about eliminating GMO's from our diet, simply because the health benefits and possible dangers are completely un-studied. There are no long term studies to determine the effect of GMO's on health and environment. Not to mention the fact that I think it is inherently wrong for a corporation to "own" the right to grow food.

For me it has never ever been about weight loss. It is about the way I want my children to grow up--healthy and strong with intact immune systems. Legacy~if you will!

Your best info will come from your own pantry. What's in it? Is it all boxes and cans? What's in your fridge? stuff in packages, or an array of fresh stuff in many colors?

Your best first step is always going to be one that you are willing to take--and stick with! Focus on one area ( maybe snacks or soda) at a time. Eliminate that from your pantry, shopping trips, and eating out. Have a healthy alternative that works for you and your family. Once the change has been made, and is working, take the next step...and so on. There shouldn't be a whole lot of "I slipped and ate out...." etc......Clean eating is a process that doesn't demand perfection or guilt to be part of it! It's just you and your family getting the most nutrition you can out of food! HTH!

montana_girl

You guys all are inspirations to me! I just recently decided to eat clean, or as clean as I can. I am just like you montana_girl where I am trying eat 70-80% clean but there are some things still processed I eat. Plus there is just some dairy I can't live without. I've also started juicing. I would love for this lifestyle along with daily exercise to help me lose some weight but I'm hoping to just live healthy and feel better also...

Would love to know where you guys research your clean living.

I started with watching several documentaries ("Hungry for Change," "Food Matters," "Fork Over Knives") and let that information sink in, then I found this group which mentioned several blogs so I followed up with those. I also read "Eating Clean for Dummies" and started reading "Smarter Science of Slm" and "In Defense of Food."

I may not agree with everything I've watched, read, or listened but the information that clicks with me I follow up on and incorporate into my lifestyle. As one of the previous posters have said, there is no one "right" diet for everyone. I know that what has worked and is now working for me, is not right for a lot of people. Sometimes its just a matter of weeding through the information to figure out what works for you, your family, and your lifestyle.

And I love that this group is so open-minded, realizing that everyone has there own version of eating clean, yet we can all learn from one another. It's just a shame that rest of the message boards can't be like that...

jynckz

I made the mistake of creating a post with the word "cleanse" in it.. I had to ask the moderators to delete it ..

Terry903

I want to thank everyone for their positive and encouraging posts! You all lifted me up! It's only 10am and this day has not gone well for me, but I feel better now at least about the dieting! Thank you also for the website list above! Will check it out. --- I have started by trying to eat food with ingredients I recognize without calling my sister, who is a chemist! I remember when food was just food, good grief Charlie Brown!

Terry903

thanks!

EmmaKarney

Some people think because they "can" lose weight eating poptarts and ice cream on a daily basis this is some sort of badge of honour?!?!

For me, I've always had a pretty "healthy" diet - I never really ate fast food. I gained weight from portion sizes and snacking (cheese and crackers, toast etc...)

But this year I went through some pretty tough personal issues with stress and anxiety (first year of being self employed) and as a result I had the WORST IBS ever. I sought help from a nutritionist that uses traditional Chinese medicine philosophy and since then I've been striving to eat as clean, unprocessed, organic and cooked from scratch as I possibly can to help my digestion.

It has really changed my life! I am so much more energised and my over all wellbeing has improved beyond what I could have ever expected.

Feel free to add me - I love to have other clean eaters in my friends list.

melwa

It's a pity you had that experience Montana-girl. Well ranted :-). I've noticed there can be some pretty vocal folks out there. Agree with other posters that there's lots of ways to lose weight (which is why it's a billion dollar industry) and we need to find what works for us individually. I plan and try to reduce the amount of processed food I intake. When I minimize it I feel better. Good in you for sharing your journey (yes, that word again).

lynn1982

Thank you so much for this post!! You took the words right out of my mouth! I had years of yoyo dieting while eating junk. It was only when I first started eating "clean" (and granted, it was a long and slow process of getting to that point) that my weight has not yoyo-ed. I do not eat clean 100% of the time, but I definitely eat cleaner than I did a year ago. Sometimes I read the forums and the people who say that they have lost weight by drinking diet coke and eating pop tarts all day long and think to myself, if only these people would try to eat as clean as they can for one week, would they really go back to the diet pop and other toxins?

KYT1121

I've missed the posts involving the bickering (thankfully) so I can't speak to that. However, I LOVE the way you are incorporating clean eating. I'm in the early stages of cleaning up my eating. My goal is to eat 70-80% clean each day. In various places I see the people who are 100% clean but I know that's not the lifestyle for me. Like you, if I want a burger or a cookie from time to time, then I'm going to have one! I think the key is moderation and doing what works for YOU!!! And by all means, don't let ANYONE make you feel bad about your amazing success!!

Carol_

There will always be mean people in the world. Please keep your journal. Enjoy the good comments..and ignore the rest. Easier said than done, I know...

Fivepts

Thanks OP and everyone else for your comments. I'm thrilled to see your successes especially doing it as clean as possible. I think the idea of eating clean is intimidating for most people who live in the West (of the world I mean) because it is often more expensive and the lists of toxins seem so overwhelming. Unless you have your own garden, cattle or live near a farmer's market you can trust, you don't really know who and what to believe regarding the cleanliness of your food. When my sister-in-laws first started eating clean it was difficult for me because everything seemed to be bad for you, including the types of dishes or pans I used. Also, I think that we just really don't want to believe that what we are eating is unhealthy for us in other ways that putting extra fat on our bodies. Having had 5 cases of cancer (4 of them quite thin people) in my family in recent years has caused us to seriously consider what eating clean/healthy means. If you haven't had some of these experiences (and sometimes if you have), you just don't want to hear it and want to believe all is well with your scaled back unhealthy diet. So, I'd say don't take it personal. Sometimes we are so tired of telling ourselves "no" we can't handle another personal restriction. I'm sure that innately they know that closer to nature is better but it's just too overwhelming and there isn't enough motivation (like chronic allergy problems in my case) to cause them to take you seriously.