Define "Clean Eating"
kshay89
Posts: 15 Member
What is clean eating for you? There's so many different definitions and interpretations.
Do you only steer clear of refined sugars and/or grains? Do you read labels? Do you only buy organic? Do you make everything from scratch? Do you still eat out?
My husband and I started eating clean only a month ago, but we dove in head first. I raided the pantry and fridge and either gave away or threw away anything that did not fit in with our new lifestyle. We went to the store and stocked up on everything we needed to succeed. While it hasn't been easy, it's been good. My husband is only 25, but was told he had high blood pressure and needs to monitor it. I'm just overweight in general and we're both risk for diabetes. We decided this is the route we want to take and already his blood pressure is back to normal and I've lost 12lbs.
We don't eat any refined sugar or grains. We buy organic when we can, but we're not religious about it. We do only purchase organic meat and milk, however. We read the labels on EVERYTHING and if we can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, we don't purchase it. I love to cook, so I bake 100% whole wheat bread for us and make as much as I possibly can from scratch. We eat tons of produce.
I've read several books and blogs and articles about clean eating and what all is in our food and it truly is eyeopening.
What about you?
PS Feel free to add me. I'm not perfect and I'm not an expert, but I'm motivated and passionate about this and would love some support and to be able to give some support.
Do you only steer clear of refined sugars and/or grains? Do you read labels? Do you only buy organic? Do you make everything from scratch? Do you still eat out?
My husband and I started eating clean only a month ago, but we dove in head first. I raided the pantry and fridge and either gave away or threw away anything that did not fit in with our new lifestyle. We went to the store and stocked up on everything we needed to succeed. While it hasn't been easy, it's been good. My husband is only 25, but was told he had high blood pressure and needs to monitor it. I'm just overweight in general and we're both risk for diabetes. We decided this is the route we want to take and already his blood pressure is back to normal and I've lost 12lbs.
We don't eat any refined sugar or grains. We buy organic when we can, but we're not religious about it. We do only purchase organic meat and milk, however. We read the labels on EVERYTHING and if we can't pronounce it or don't know what it is, we don't purchase it. I love to cook, so I bake 100% whole wheat bread for us and make as much as I possibly can from scratch. We eat tons of produce.
I've read several books and blogs and articles about clean eating and what all is in our food and it truly is eyeopening.
What about you?
PS Feel free to add me. I'm not perfect and I'm not an expert, but I'm motivated and passionate about this and would love some support and to be able to give some support.
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I try to eat an 80% raw diet, as much organic as I can afford.
I don't eat the bad white stuff - flour, sugar, rice, milk. I
don't eat many processed foods, but I won't say none, because I do love my Terra chips!
I peel anything that isn't organic that can be peeled, and stay away from "the dirty dozen" foods with the most pesticides.
I also stay away from GMO's and any industrial farm foods.
I use coconut oil for most of my cooking, but if I can't, I use organic, cold pressed cooking oil (doesn't matter what kind). I hate olive oil - sorry to all of you who love it, but the taste is too strong for me.
I try to stay away from meat as much as I can, but I call myself a "flexitarian," because I have to have meat sometimes, but it's maybe once a week, sometimes less.
I drink a LOT of water and fruit juice.
I'm restricted a lot by my budget, but I do the best I can to eat clean food. I'm starting to grow my own veggies, so I can be sure of what goes on them and into my mouth. If I had more space, I'd grow fruits too.0 -
It means different things to different people....but the bottom line is to try to avoid foods that are more processed and things with chemicals. The closer to natural...the better, and always go organic when possible. As with most of us, your diet will morph over time as you eliminate, add and change various elements based on new information, discoveries and preferences.
Best of luck and welcome aboard!0 -
Hi I just joined this group since it sounded interesting
I eat a plant-based whole foods diet for the most part. I eat vegetarian during the week but I allow meat on weekends. I make almost all my own food from scratch although we do eat out occasionally. I am not super strict about clean eating but I try to eat probably 85-90% clean and don't worry about the rest too much. I do let myself have wine on the weekends but not during the week. I juice daily and try to incorporate raw greens every day. Juicing has helped me eliminate most sweets and processed foods from my diet which helps me eat more cleanly.
Cheers! :flowerforyou:
Nikki0 -
I was introduced to the Clean Eating magazine by a friend and was amazing at how much food I could get for little calories. I try to keep things simple during the week because I work full time and go to school. I have found when I prepare on the weekends I am better off. I have learned to keep raw nuts on hand, string cheese and I prep as much as possible with fresh fruits and veggies.0
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If it has an ingredients list and I don't know what the ingredients are I don't eat it. I try to eat foods as close to the original form as possible to reduce processing. Lastly, when I can afford it I eat organic.
I'm not as strict as I could be, but I don't want food to overcome my life. I'm working towards healthy eating one step at a time
Great thread btw.
edit - I avoid GMOs too. There are some crazy videos on Youtube about GMOs that scared the crap out of me.0 -
I joined this group to find out more about clean eating and was hoping that there might be some other people in my situation. I am not going to go 100% organic at this time but some day I might. Right now my version of clean eating is to eat real food. I eat whole grains and fruits and veggies and meat and try to limit highly refined foods. I try not to buy anything for myself that has a long list of ingredients.
The largest problem I have with this is that my hubby is not on board and buys what he wants to eat. I have to give him credit as he is eating a lot healthier than he used to so I am not actually upset with him or anything. It is just going to be a little harder to eat right all the time...especially since he cooks dinner a few nights a week. I am trying not to complain since it is not horribly bad for me most of the time and it is nice to have dinner ready when I get home from a work out.
So for me clean eating will be to eat as much organic fruits and veggies as I can afford and to pay close attention to food labels and stay away from highly processed foods.0 -
"Clean Eating" in the strictest term is along the lines of the Whole 30 program. No grains, no added sugar of any kind (including stevia, honey, maple), no dairy, no legumes, and no "paleo-fied desserts." This is what I personally consider "clean eating."
If I see others use the phrase "clean eating" I assume they at least mean "all natural and/or organic and unrefined."
I do mostly steer clear of refined anything, but I'm going to enjoy desserts with refined sugar and flour. I do buy organic and all natural, but am a bit lax with "grassfed" meat. I do make most things from scratch and dine out rarely. :bigsmile:0 -
In my house (of a husband and 2 kids) eating clean it starting with raw food and ending with a meal. we have meat every day but Wen (during Lent) and Friday. We just try to keep food at close to its original form as we can. We don't use anything canned. Make our own stocks. out dinner looks like a peace of meat, raw or lightly steamed veggies and quinua or red jasmine rice. I'm gluten intalorent but before i went gluten-free we also did a lot of bulger wheat. Lentils are another staple for us. as are fresh peas. We have a budget to stay on, but once you get the hang of starting everything RAW, you realize how much less you will eat to get full. same the leftovers for lunch the next day. i like to put whatever is left on some greens and take it to work the next day. It does not have to be complicated. If God gave it to us, eat it. If man gave it to us, it's crap. If you want to use butter, use REAL butter, not the fake crap. If you want to be bad on something sweet, go for it! Just avoid artificial sweeteners and dyes.
So, thats how we roll. I know it's not 100% clean eating, but i have a 4 and 5 year old that put up with our modified clean eating!0 -
Eat as close to nature as possible. Add in whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, seeds... and meats if you choose. Stay away from processed foods and limit eating out. This doesn't mean you have to eat a salad every meal. I read EACH and EVERY food label. For myself, I choose foods that have 5 items or less listed, and I only if I know what they are. If I don't, I look them up to see what I'm putting in my body.
I didn't always eat this way... for sure! I was a processed food junk-aholic.... but I am now a Holistic Health Coach and loving it. I've learned so much about nutrition and "clean eating" and I learn more and more every day as I continue to research. 0 -
Also, keep in mind that it is a slow process. Baby steps and small changes at first will change your behaviors for a lifetime. It's pretty amazing when you forgo the second helping of pizza and go for a salad instead without even thinking of it while at a party. Last night that is something that actually happened and when I realized it, I was pretty damn proud! :happy:0
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Clean eating for me is trying to move away from processed foods, ready meals, junk food and towards food closest to its original state. Make meals from scratch as often as possible, but don't get obsessed and don't let it get i the way of your social life.0
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i agree with the last 2 posters views.0
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To me clean eating is like most of you here that have posted. No refined sugars, whole grains, fresh produce and lean meats. Look for food items with just the basic raw ingredient. I try do by organic for fruits and veggies when possible, but for other things I will read labels and buy the item with a single ingredient. I have replaced Spenda for Stevia in the raw, I have replaced "I can't believe it's chemicals" for Coconut Oil and "Carb Countdown" dairy beverage for Unsweetened Almond Milk. I read the book "Clean Eating for Dummies" good book I also read about food paring so I make a a lot of stir fry's with Broccoli and Tomato's I eat Bison instead of steak, and Wild Rice, Farro, and Quiona instead of Uncle Ben's 0
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Wow! Sounds pretty similar to my idea about "Clean Eating", the only thing that I'd like to add is food miles & ethical farming. I try to eat local produce (I use my local farm shop every week) and with the ever improving labelling here in the UK you can know where most of your food comes from.0
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To me clean eating is like most of you here that have posted. No refined sugars, whole grains, fresh produce and lean meats. Look for food items with just the basic raw ingredient. I try do by organic for fruits and veggies when possible, but for other things I will read labels and buy the item with a single ingredient. I have replaced Spenda for Stevia in the raw, I have replaced "I can't believe it's chemicals" for Coconut Oil and "Carb Countdown" dairy beverage for Unsweetened Almond Milk. I read the book "Clean Eating for Dummies" good book I also read about food paring so I make a a lot of stir fry's with Broccoli and Tomato's I eat Bison instead of steak, and Wild Rice, Farro, and Quiona instead of Uncle Ben's
This sounds like me... right down to reading "Clean Eating for Dummies"! LOL Definitely a good read for those of us that have little to no understanding of what it means to eat clean.
I am slowly getting away from the processed foods. I think I probably eat about 50-70% clean. Not great, but considering where I started, it's pretty darn good. When I do need to buy packages foods, I scour the shelves for the foods with the most natural and least amount of ingredients. And I've replaced (most of) my processed snacks with fresh furits and veggies.
Been working on this for several weeks and immediately noticed I felt better and not as lethargic in the afternoons (that was definitely the processed snacks).
I also cut out the diet soda because even one can would trigger a craving for sugary, processed snacks.
And just this last week it's made a huge difference on the scale.0 -
for me it means eating and living well, lots of raw veggies and fruit and cooking not ordering. my fiance is not on the same page so we have found compromises. instead of regular pasta we buy whole grain/ancient grain pasta, instead of canned soup he helps me make soup, we buy organic when we can, more often in the summer than the winter as local produce is available and more affordable. we both still love our treats but i moderate mine now. if i want a cookie, i don't have to eat the whole batch i simply make half a batch and invite a few friends over so everyone has one. I refuse to let eating well interfere with enjoying life though I have known some people who would not go over to a friends house for supper or eat out on someones birthday because it did not fit with their version of eating well. The way i look at it no matter how healthy i am if i give up enjoying life i will regret it eventually but if i eat as well as i can afford on a daily basis then I can go out for a friends birthday and not feel guilty about it. 0
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When I think of "clean eating" I think of meats, veggies, fruits, ...things that do not come out of a box or with an ingredient list. As close to natural as possible.
And for me personally, my ideal way of eating doesn't include grains or dairy - not by choice, my body hates me lol. IF I ate that stuff, then quinoa, brown rice, whole grain bread and pasta, cheese, milk, butter etc. would be included in my version of "clean".0 -
Clean eating to me is taking the influence of all the things I ate that were fast and readily available, and making a tastier, healthier version at home. Not only do I know exactly what is in it for sure I reduce the chances of becoming sick by some transmittable disease. It is a win,win.
Clean eating to me is not jumping on a bandwagon and shuffling with the herd as it shifts left to right. It is asking questions and doing my own personal research to find what things are best for me......financially, health wise,etc.
Anything you make unless you throw that one item on a pan and cook it all by itself is going to have other ingredients. Alot or more ingredients isnt the issue to maintain clean eating. The quality and knowledge of the ingredient is what is important. Just because you cannot pronounce the ingredient doesn't necessarily mean it is bad for you. One example is the healthy bacteria in greek yogurt. Acidophillus. I wonder how many ppl have opted not to purchase it?
Clean eating for me is getting 90% of my groceries from the outside isles. I will eat at fast food places on occassion but it doesnt take away from or undo anything I have accomplished from clean eating.0 -
For me it generally means focusing on whole/real foods and avoiding highly processed stuff (which I consider to be anything I couldn't realistically reproduce in my kitchen). I limit refined sugar but eat small amounts of raw honey and real maple syrup. I pay attention to how foods make me feel and avoid things that bother my stomach or leave me feeling sluggish, but I don't adhere to a specific style of eating (paleo, primal, veg*n, whatever). I'm not hardcore about it, though. If I want something, I eat it, I just try to make sure that the majority of my food choices are good. Honestly I've found that my taste buds have drastically changed and that highly processed stuff just doesn't taste good anymore, which makes it easier to make good choices.0
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I'm working my way toward clean eating. I'm more learning about the changes I can make, will make. Kinda hard to clear out my kitchen when my husband has no desire to make any changes in his diet. That being said, I'm here to learn. New to site, as well.
Des0 -
Clean eating for me is trying to move away from processed foods, ready meals, junk food and towards food closest to its original state. Make meals from scratch as often as possible, but don't get obsessed and don't let it get i the way of your social life.
Same here.0 -
I'm not really, a "clean eater;" I joined the group to learn more about it. Right now my eating habits are very scattered. I have recently incorporated a lot more raw fruits and vegetables into my day. I eat two meals: one raw/ lean meal and one standard american meal. I try to choose a heathy sort of meal for my non-raw meal... I avoid crazy, unidentifiable ingredients and try eat a well balanced plate that emphasizes vegetables and minimizes grains/ starches. I eat whatever snacks I like in between these meals, mostly healthy snacks like raw coconut water or carrots, but at least one or two fattening snacks like a short latte or a cookie. I restrict my calorie consumption to 1400 calories a day or less. Also, I fast on days I feel up to it.
I don't know what I am, haha.0 -
No artificial sweeteners is how it began for me January of 2012, I decided after 2 months of exercising to give my body a 1 month break from diet soda. I really made no other changes to my diet. I noticed within 2 weeks what a horrible thing it had done to my body. It had been the major force behind my sweets/simple carbs cravings. I couldn't go a day without sweets/simple carbs feeling like a drug addict needing a fix. I stopped my 2 cans a day diet soda habit and a calmness came over me that I hadn't ever felt. Then I built upon that eating gradually more healthy month by month.0
