what exactly is to "eat clean"?

TEDRICKP!! I love your ticker!! LMAO!!!

:happy:

People may not like my answer but for me to "eat clean" means: Eating in such a way that you hit your food / nutritonal goals. So someone that is Vegan may have a different definition of eating clean then myself. Also a powerlifter will probably have a different diet and nutritional plan then an elite marathoner or cycler, etc.. For myself, just an average guy, eating clean means setting my dietary goals and eating to meet them. At this time it means weight loss with some lifting and cardio. At some point in time I would like to do more lifting and my dietary goals will change and eating clean may mean something else at that point.

Quote from Layne Norton

"I find the whole idea of ‘clean eating’ pretentious. What exactly defines a food as ‘clean’? Do you spray windex on it? Rub soap on it? I find it a bit preposterous. I’ve been in debates with people promoting ‘clean eating’ but when I ask for a specific scientific definition of what makes a food ‘clean’ they are silent. I think the restrictive diets where you can only eat a half dozen or so foods are not only unhealthy because they don’t give you a diverse intake of nutrients but I believe they promote eating disorders and binging. I see people who ‘eat clean’ during most of the week and then binge on cheesecake, ice cream, and donuts because it’s a ‘cheat’ meal. Oh yea… that is way healthier than eating ‘unclean’ foods in moderation to a hit a specific macronutrient target. *rolleyes* Now that said, I do believe that many IIFYMers (I find it funny that something myself and others been promoting for years gets an acronym attached to it and is now this ‘new’ way of eating LOL) actually go too far in one direction. Most people who origionally promoted targeting macronutrient intakes instead of obsessing about food choices actually eat ‘clean’ foods 95% of the time, we just don’t agonize over having a homemade burrito with a low carb wrap or some reduced calorie ice cream. We see the value of a controlled intake in order to prevent uncontrolled binging. But I do see IIFYM followers who eat as much sugary, high fat foods as they can and wear it like a badge of honor. That is not the point. If you are following a macronutrient intake that is friendly for body composition you will be eating a lot of ‘clean’ foods by default because you will not be able to hit a protein, carb, fat, and fiber intake conducive to body composition improvement if all you eat are high sugar/fat foods. The point is it’s ok to have these foods in small amounts if you are still hitting your goal macronutrient intake."

http://www.shreddedknowledge.com/home/a-talk-with-the-doc-dr-layne-norton/

simply it is

if it didn't come from a mom, a tree or the ground don't eat it

Well I'm a mom, and I make some awesome toll house cookies. So....you can eat them.

I like my clean ice cream. Get ice cream. Wash with 1tbls of dish soap (Lemon flavor is the best).

Wash with hot water, mix. refreeze. Eat.

Sorry.

And to think here in my country we do have the so called "dirty ice cream" but it doesn't taste dirty though!

Quote from Layne Norton

"I find the whole idea of ‘clean eating’ pretentious. What exactly defines a food as ‘clean’? Do you spray windex on it? Rub soap on it? I find it a bit preposterous. I’ve been in debates with people promoting ‘clean eating’ but when I ask for a specific scientific definition of what makes a food ‘clean’ they are silent. I think the restrictive diets where you can only eat a half dozen or so foods are not only unhealthy because they don’t give you a diverse intake of nutrients but I believe they promote eating disorders and binging. I see people who ‘eat clean’ during most of the week and then binge on cheesecake, ice cream, and donuts because it’s a ‘cheat’ meal. Oh yea… that is way healthier than eating ‘unclean’ foods in moderation to a hit a specific macronutrient target. *rolleyes* Now that said, I do believe that many IIFYMers (I find it funny that something myself and others been promoting for years gets an acronym attached to it and is now this ‘new’ way of eating LOL) actually go too far in one direction. Most people who origionally promoted targeting macronutrient intakes instead of obsessing about food choices actually eat ‘clean’ foods 95% of the time, we just don’t agonize over having a homemade burrito with a low carb wrap or some reduced calorie ice cream. We see the value of a controlled intake in order to prevent uncontrolled binging. But I do see IIFYM followers who eat as much sugary, high fat foods as they can and wear it like a badge of honor. That is not the point. If you are following a macronutrient intake that is friendly for body composition you will be eating a lot of ‘clean’ foods by default because you will not be able to hit a protein, carb, fat, and fiber intake conducive to body composition improvement if all you eat are high sugar/fat foods. The point is it’s ok to have these foods in small amounts if you are still hitting your goal macronutrient intake."

http://www.shreddedknowledge.com/home/a-talk-with-the-doc-dr-layne-norton/

and
The fitness & nutrition world is a breeding ground for obsessive-compulsive behavior. The irony is that many things people worry about simply have no impact on results either way, and therefore aren’t worth an ounce of concern.
-Alan Aragon

i wash my hands before a meal. Viola! clean eating.

i do enjoy watching people who promote a clean eating lifestyle disagreeing on what that lifestyle entails.

I don't like the term "clean eating" because it does have a superior connotation, when there is nothing to support that it is, in fact, superior. but that's just semantics.

Myself Ive always thought of it as eating whole foods 1 and only 1 ingredient. Strawberries, banannas, apples, fish, chicken, hamburger, steak, lettace, oatmeal, walnuts, well you get the idea.

I actually think clean eating serves a very important purpose, having nothing to do with biology. Rather than contributing to a system of obsessive eating behavior, clean eating calms it-ironically. I think lots of people out in the world not only don't keep up with the ebb and flow of debated food science, but they also don't want to. Either they lack the capability, desire, time, or resources to do their own research. And even when people do look at the research (that researchers themselves debate), they're probably misinterpreting it.

Clean eating, as it's usually used, provides people with a simplified way of eating and thinking about food that probably won't hurt them. If you look at it in terms of strict definitions, there's a lot that could go wrong, but that's not how belief systems work.

So there you have it. Clean eating is a belief system. It's definitely not ideal, but it could be worse.

Thats a thoughtful and great response iMO - food for thought for sure.

My only issue is "Clean eating as it is usually used". That's the crux of the problem - I don't know if I have pinned down how it is "usually used".

From this small thread alone:

* It means eating natural foods with only natural ingredients. (basically nothing artificial or with added chemicals/preservatives.)

* A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

* Pasta and rice are things you can be clean foods depending on who you ask and what kind they are.

* I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

* Don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product.

* If it has a label, it probably isn't "clean".

* Also see Paleo Diet

* reshly snapped green beans = clean canned/frozen green beans = not so clean

*if it didn't come from a mom, a tree or the ground don't eat it
_________________

I am not disagreeing or agreeing with these people at all - Im just showcasing that it is a very difficult concept to pin down. Is it all of the above things? Some of the above things? Not at all any of the above things?

to me I'd rather place faith in things like Calorie Deficit and IIFYM. At least those belief systems have a real definition.

Maybe this is my own hang up though, and I am looking too much into it.... That has been known to happen...

A good trick is to shop the outside perimeter of your supermarket. Produce, dairy, meat, fish, and bread are located there. Processed and junk food are in all the rows. Not perfect advice, but helpful.

I shop at tesco... that wouldnt work

Well not unless i wanted to eat cd's, dvd's, gardening equipment, fresh cream cakes (not half!! but so not good for the diet) and glass (wine bottles)