Clean eating

Ok, so I am doing good with my calorie counting and working out...not so good with the "clean" eating. How many of you are clean eaters? We have so much processed food in our house its ridiculous. I am embarassed to admit it, but its the truth. Dinner tonight will be tostados with lean hamburger, low fat refried beans and chopped tomatoes with salsa...it sounds delicious but I am thinking its not any part of clean eating. Being raised in a household that ate mac n cheese, chili dogs, spaghetti and all the other American foods, I am teaching myself to eat better. We do not eat those items above very often atall...I enjoy making home made meals for my family. Chicken Teriyaki stir fry...home made mac n cheese... home made tacos... and more. Any suggestions or pointers to eliminate the fear of improper eating??

Replies

  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    <---- clean eater all the way.
  • <---- clean eater all the way.

    ok.so what is clean eating in your perspective? I am looking for helpful info.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    <---- clean eater all the way.

    ok.so what is clean eating in your perspective? I am looking for helpful info.

    Sure thing. For me it's eating fresh foods that are free of additives and lots of "junk". I rely on a mix of good lean meats, good carbs, fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy fats.

    Most of the condiments I use are made by brands that are natural and organic ingredients. If you want to view my diet you can send a friend request and see mine.

    For me its eating things from nature.
    Things with less than 8 or so ingredients in its list.
    Healthy grains that have not been broken down (think brown rice, quinoa)

    Clean = Not eating overly/processed foods.
    Reading the labels, knowing what is in the foods you eat.
    I don't use any salt in my food, ever.
    Going with natural sweeteners and fats instead of biproducts.
    no alcohol minus an occasional glass of red wine here or there
  • rllewell
    rllewell Posts: 234
    <---- clean eater all the way.

    ok.so what is clean eating in your perspective? I am looking for helpful info.

    Sure thing. For me it's eating fresh foods that are free of additives and lots of "junk". I rely on a mix of good lean meats, good carbs, fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy fats.

    Most of the condiments I use are made by brands that are natural and organic ingredients. If you want to view my diet you can send a friend request and see mine.

    For me its eating things from nature.
    Things with less than 8 or so ingredients in its list.
    Healthy grains that have not been broken down (think brown rice, quinoa)

    Clean = Not eating overly/processed foods.
    Reading the labels, knowing what is in the foods you eat.
    Going with natural sweeteners and fats instead of biproducts

    Agree. Eating clean is healthy food that is grown organically, prepared and eaten fresh and not exposed to preservatives, stabilizers or emulsifiers.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Any suggestions or pointers to eliminate the fear of improper eating??

    Yes, seek professional help, as that is irrational
  • sandviper888
    sandviper888 Posts: 10 Member
    i wont say i eat clean...i do eat as healthy as possible.
    I keep carbs/sugars to less than 50 grams a day
    i eat 4-6oz of grilled or baked protien or seafood/fish at all meals with steamed veggies or a salads no dressing...i use the meat as my flavouring.
    eat almonds and pistachios and 1 fruit a day as snacks

    i also had your problem with processed foods and bad foods but i gave it all away to my sister and bro hahaa
    i only buy fresh and frozen whole veggies and fruits...nothing processed.
    i dont keep rice or bread or any starchy foods at home...
    i live alone so i have total control of whats in my fridge, freezer and pantry...
    ive been eating clean since feb 2013 and feeling awsm and fat is just falling off with nothing more than walking 1-2 hours a day....i use a weight scale with calculates fat and muscle and although maybe not 100 precise as long as its going the right way down for fat and up for muscle im good...

    i love eating this way and its my lifestyle not a diet...thats why i did the purge...i never want to eat a lot of foods i used to eat....

    i used to say 30-35 lbs to lost but now i use 9% body fat to lose to be at 18% bodyfat...i started at 37.4% BF and currently at 27.0% BF and want to be at 18% BF to be happy
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    <---- clean eater all the way.

    ok.so what is clean eating in your perspective? I am looking for helpful info.

    Sure thing. For me it's eating fresh foods that are free of additives and lots of "junk". I rely on a mix of good lean meats, good carbs, fresh vegetables and fruits and healthy fats.

    Most of the condiments I use are made by brands that are natural and organic ingredients. If you want to view my diet you can send a friend request and see mine.

    For me its eating things from nature.
    Things with less than 8 or so ingredients in its list.
    Healthy grains that have not been broken down (think brown rice, quinoa)

    Clean = Not eating overly/processed foods.
    Reading the labels, knowing what is in the foods you eat.
    Going with natural sweeteners and fats instead of biproducts

    Agree. Eating clean is healthy food that is grown organically, prepared and eaten fresh and not exposed to preservatives, stabilizers or emulsifiers.

    :)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member

    For me its eating things from nature.
    Things with less than 8 or so ingredients in its list.
    Healthy grains that have not been broken down (think brown rice, quinoa)

    Clean = Not eating overly/processed foods.
    Reading the labels, knowing what is in the foods you eat.
    I don't use any salt in my food, ever.
    Going with natural sweeteners and fats instead of biproducts.

    Brown rice is no healthier than white rice and salt is integral part of cooking, at least cooking good food.
    Agree. Eating clean is healthy food that is grown organically, prepared and eaten fresh and not exposed to preservatives, stabilizers or emulsifiers.

    So aiolis and mayos and other things that are exposed to emulsifiers like egg yolk, cream etc, are not clean? Lollercoaster
  • Gusman14
    Gusman14 Posts: 94
    I have cleaned up my eating but not a clean eater. The key for me is eating the same things and having portion control when I do it. My 24 oz ribeye steaks are now 8 oz ribeye steaks.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member

    For me its eating things from nature.
    Things with less than 8 or so ingredients in its list.
    Healthy grains that have not been broken down (think brown rice, quinoa)

    Clean = Not eating overly/processed foods.
    Reading the labels, knowing what is in the foods you eat.
    I don't use any salt in my food, ever.
    Going with natural sweeteners and fats instead of biproducts.

    Brown rice is no healthier than white rice and salt is integral part of cooking, at least cooking good food.
    Agree. Eating clean is healthy food that is grown organically, prepared and eaten fresh and not exposed to preservatives, stabilizers or emulsifiers.

    So aiolis and mayos and other things that are exposed to emulsifiers like egg yolk, cream etc, are not clean? Lollercoaster

    my food is good and i dont have to use salt :)
  • DawnOBRN
    DawnOBRN Posts: 290 Member
    http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/

    Awesome site for teaching clean eating and good recipes!!!
  • ay1978pa
    ay1978pa Posts: 142 Member
    I consider myself a clean eater. I eat everything but I cook most things myself. I never eat prepackaged meals, never have. I have pizza one or two nights a week and I know that my crust has four ingredients and not two dozen. I eat unprocessed meat or fish and not mystery body parts of a mystery animal that was ground to a mash, stuffed into dough, deep fried and smothered in greasy cheese. Yes, my 16 oz steak might have the same amount of calories but I know it comes from a cow. I know exactly what is in my sausage since I made it and froze it. I eat white rice, pasta and potatoes all the time but they don't come swimming in cheesy sauce, I cook them from raw.. I have a dessert pretty much with every meal. Oh and my food budget is $75 a week.

    I think you are doing fine. Just keep making good food choices. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things. Don't be afraid of an occasional slip. You are doing a great job just by pausing and thinking about what you eat.
  • Monny287
    Monny287 Posts: 109
    It all depends on your definition of eating clean. For me, that means eating as many whole foods as possible and avoiding processed ones. This is really easy for me, since I live alone and I have a really strict food budget. Since the processed foods tend to be twice as expensive as unprocessed ones in my grocery store, I'm much happier to buy the whole ingredients and make my own meals. Plus..leftovers! And I also try to avoid things with too many ingredients in them. That's not to say I don't have any processed foods in my house. But I just try to avoid them.
  • LillyBoots
    LillyBoots Posts: 114 Member
    Ok, so I am doing good with my calorie counting and working out...not so good with the "clean" eating. How many of you are clean eaters? We have so much processed food in our house its ridiculous. I am embarassed to admit it, but its the truth. Dinner tonight will be tostados with lean hamburger, low fat refried beans and chopped tomatoes with salsa...it sounds delicious but I am thinking its not any part of clean eating. Being raised in a household that ate mac n cheese, chili dogs, spaghetti and all the other American foods, I am teaching myself to eat better. We do not eat those items above very often atall...I enjoy making home made meals for my family. Chicken Teriyaki stir fry...home made mac n cheese... home made tacos... and more. Any suggestions or pointers to eliminate the fear of improper eating??

    I eat an organic wholefood diet when I'm at home and try to make healthy choices when I'm out. I choose to eat full fat dairy rather than low fat options and threw away anything in my cupboard that had sugar as the 1st or 2nd ingredient. I eat brown rice and wholemeal pasta instead of the white options and cook with olive/walnut/sesame oils rather than the unhealthier options. Your palette takes a little time to adjust. Just try to cook from scratch rather than buy stuff in jars. A good rule of thumb, if it has a list of ingredients that are not produce based - don't buy it. My diary is open.
  • StacieHof
    StacieHof Posts: 97 Member
    Any suggestions or pointers to eliminate the fear of improper eating??

    Yes, seek professional help, as that is irrational

    Good point! But in your ice cream picture where is the "Chubby Hubby"???
  • Clean eating for me is not having any carbs at all. I only eat freah or frozen veggies, 4 oz of protein. for lunch and dinner.IIn the morning I allow myself a piece of fruit that is not high in sugar. If I want a sugary treat then I drink vitamin zero water. I also drink tea with no sugar or just plain old water. The first two weeks of not eating any carbs was a terrible! BUT I now know that they were the problem of me not loosing any weight and causing my mood swings. I also generally look for items that have sugar as listed as the 5th ingredient since it seems that it has a lower sugar content. I stay away from fried foods, sugary drinks, processed foods, nuts and honey. I hope this helps you in choosing lifestyle change. Good Luck!