How do YOU eat?!

Some people are so f'ing rude! Obviously the OP is asking for a reason...and I'm pretty sure it's not for dumb *kitten* replies!!

I eat about every 3 hours. I tried low carb and it worked OK til my workouts became more intense and I started running. Now I eat as balanced as possible, with little processed foods and lots of water.

Some people are just joking to lighten the mood.

^^ THIS ^^

I eat the evidence based common sense diet...

By George I think the noob's got it..... ha

Just trying to figure out how everyone else is dieting... I'm currently researching CLEAN eating...but either with or without actual meat.

Through your research, if you happen upon a definitive definition of "clean" eating, please report back and share this well hidden meaning with the rest of the world. I have a feeling you will be looking a long, long time.

I try to eat clean, avoiding refined flour and sugar, but I'm not anal about it. Though I don't call it a diet, since it wasn't for weight loss reasons that I started this (just a bonus), but reading about all the chemicals in our food, I changed for long term health reasons.

To quote Crystal_Pistol: if it isn't dragged in dog *kitten*, it's clean!

I try to eat clean. Mostly leaves and veggies. Lots of meat, including about 1/2 fish. And fresh fruit.

I drink most of my fruit and veggies in a green smoothie each day, made in a Vitamix.

I eat a very healthy sized dinner of meat and grilled veggies, sometimes bread. Or salad. Or sometimes soups.

Try to avoid at all cost because they result in binge: pizza, beer/wine, creamy pastas, fried foods, baked deserts

I keep an open food diary if anyone wants to see what the above translates to.

I'm slowly changing my eating habits. I used to drink soda all day, eat fast food, and candy. Thats it. Then I started cooking more at home rather than going out to eat and drinking more water. Then I started to count calories and eat whatever as long as it stayed within my calorie limit. Then I started looking at my sodium and trying to limit how much I was getting (hence eating cleaner). Then I started to make sure I had enough fruits and veggies in my diet and less carbs and fat. So now my eating habits are: Generally eating a well balanced diet of fruits/veggies/meats/a little carb and dairy. I'm trying to stay within my macros. Looking forward, we bought a juicer so that will help me get fruits/veg in, and I'll try to get my diet cleaner and cleaner as I get used to it. Less fast food, less binging!

Sorry that you don't like some of snarkier replies. Some are being literal in an attempt to be cute. Others are just plain snarky in an oddly self-righteous way, but the question as stated is a little annoying--to me at least.

I have no doubt that it was no way intended to be annoying (I assume the opposite), but that doesn't make it less annoying. If I had to guess, I'm say that's why you're getting some of the responses here.

Technically, yes, the way we eat is considered a diet, But asking someone else how they're dieting can rub people the wrong way sometimes because they don't consider what they do "a diet" in a broader, more commonly used sense of the word.

"Diets" can frequently refer to crazy fad diets, or kooky ideas of food that have only slight basis in reality. And I think that's what people are picking up on. Instead of "dieting" they just watch what they eat without stressing about it. They count calories and/or find a macronutrient combinations that help them attain their goal. They don't really consider the process "dieting" as such; it's just eating and living.

Perhaps a better phrasing might have been: "So what other strategies are people using for their weight loss and fitness goals?"

Maybe that would have been just as likely to get some of these responses, but I tend to doubt it.

Pretty well, actually. Full-flavour everything, healthy fats, bacon, chocolate, etc.

I'm blessed to have good food and good taste :drinker:

Pretty clean. But not for weight loss reasons. Mostly for environmental, economic, and paranoia reasons. I am probably about 80%. I shop pretty clean, but I get sucked in to the "unclean" when I go out to eat some times. When things are very slammed, I tend to have fast food, or convenience items. I try to avoid, but it happens a few times a month.

I try to buy local, seasonal, mostly organic, and minimally processed around 85% of the time. I just think it is tastier. I also try to keep my components local too. Local produce. Local bread. Local rice. Locally processed spices. Local olive oil. Local chocolate. Mostly local dairy.

I try not to have stuff out of season. It is a challenge. I almost never eat out of season berries (they are so crappy). Rarely out of season tomatoes (these aren't tasty either). The hard ones for me are the tropical fruits. CA mangoes are very expensive and hard to find. CA avocados can be pretty pricey too. I go off and on for bananas. They are great but that is a lot of miles traveled to get a banana to the US.

It is a philosophy for me! The less miles traveled the tastier it is.

It would be very hard if I didn't live in CA to follow this philosophy. I can easily get locally grown staples like potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic all year round. Salad greens too.

In terms of processed foods? Generally I only have coconut water, protein powder, almond milk, coconut milk, pasta, tofu, chocolate, dairy, and a few brands of crackers. Sometimes I'll get sucked in by doritos or something.

I try to avoid transfat like the plague. It sneaks in once and a while, when it is out of my control. [I can't seem to get my parents to go transfat free....so I try and cheat and drop off replacement groceries when I visit. ]

I also try to mostly patronage places that also serve "good" ingredients too. The tough time for me is like 10pm any night of the week. If I am eating dinner that late, and have no energy to cook, minimally processed options are limited.

Food wise, I am aiming for a ratio of 45/25/30 for carbs/protein/fat. I am getting better at it, but it takes concentration to hit my goal.

The most important food philosophy is one you can stick with.

The biggest dietary change I have made on the journey is around portion control and macro ratios. I was already eating this way before I started. And I am evidence that eating clean isn't a magic bullet for weight loss. I do think it helps with general health measures, comparing myself to my sister. (Who didn't eat many veggies.) My heaviest weight was around 20-30 pounds more than hers (we have a similar height and body shape and she probably got more activity than I did since she doesn't drive). But she has had to worry about "obesity related diseases" and also some joint pain, and this hasn't been a problem for me at all. Even at my heaviest weight -- I had normal blood sugar, low cholesterol, normal blood pressure. I blame the olive oil (this is my number one oil of choice!).

Eat for health and maximum nutrition. Manage your portions for weight loss.

Honestly I eat Gluten free because I am celiac. I refuse to limit myself in any other way other than my calorie goal.

Some people go with "IIFYM" or If it fits you macros. Basically eat whatever you want if it fits your carbs, protein and fats. I do clean eating. I just feel better and fuller and healthier. I eat small meals 6 to 7 times a day. I basically eat every 2 hours. It just works for me better. It is a personal preference tho.

For clean eating, there are some many changes that you can make while still being able satiate craving.

I am not one to say "eat high this and low that" because I feel like everyone's bodies react different to different things at different phases in their journey (for example I did low carbs for a while and helped until I was at a plateau and needed carbs to get to the next level."

Listen to your body! Good luck!

any advice on where i can find a formula to find my nec. macros??

Here is a great post for that: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Edited to add: My rough numbers came out to 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein which if I'm not mistaken is used by a lot of members since those percentages tend to match up for people when you calculate it all out.

I would also look here. I found out that my body mass and my goals affect mine (for example guys need more protein per pound their weight especially if active) I know women are less. I did a quick search and found this:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/708128-women-macros

Once again everyones is different, and everyone has an opinion about it, so ultimately listen to your body (as you can tell im a fan of that saying haha)

I attempt eating foods as unprocessed as possible -- I prefer to do any processing myself, if any (I cook largely from scratch -- as much as is possible without a grain mill, garden, my own personal slaughter house, etc.); fruits, vegetables*, lean proteins, generally low-fat dairy while not skimping on fats from avocados, nuts, oils, etc. Ideally I eat grains (preferably whole grains) 1-3x/wk., and sweets/baked goods rarely. Of course, my diet isn't always ideal (I heart a good burger), I'm afraid I'm only human (and perhaps one of the worst when it comes to self-control!) ;p Currently I am on a self-imposed grain- and sugar-free diet for the next 2 weeks.

*http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/867082-vegging-on-veg

How I eat, visually: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761105-foodography