Eating Clean - No Such Thing

I'd like to clear this up once and for all. Lately, the forums have been plagued with people claiming that they are "eating clean" and it's getting quite annoying.

There is no such thing as “clean" food.

There is no such thing as “dirty" food.

You can eat processed foods. You can eat chocolate, poptarts, hotdogs, drink soda. Go ahead and even have a nice big juicey burger from McDonalds if you wish!

The key is to fit it in to your macronutrients. Make food work for you instead of cowering in fear like the mass majority. You can still enjoy the foods you love. Yes it’s in moderation. You can still even lose fat, eat at a caloric deficit, gain muscle mass and eat poptarts. I promise.

I wish everyone would stop the fear mongering with carbs, processed foods and paleo bullcrap.

FOODS LIKE THESE DO NOT MAKE YOU FAT. OVER EATING THEM DOES.

Thank you.

WRONG! I hope your not feeding any kids that information.

I'm also going to peek in for the drama. I find it interestig how people get so worked up by how other people eat. Why does it matter if person A. wants to spend 300 dollars at Organics R Us while person B wants to spend 80 at Super Cheap Processed Bulk Food Stuff. To each their own.

I think the main thing about eating clean is that it's easier to limit 'clean' foods than it is to limit 'unclean' ones. When I eat things like cookies or fast food, I have an urge to eat a lot more than when I'm given an apple or spinach. 'Clean' foods are also less calorie-dense. Ever tried to eat 2000 cals of kale? It's not easy.

That said, it doesn't mean people who occasionally eat ice cream or a hot dog are killing themselves or something, or that they can't lose weight. People who 'eat clean' just get excited because they have found a way that is easy for them to lose weight, while also getting in a lot more nutrients than they would otherwise. I don't think there's anything wrong with them talking about it, just like there's nothing wrong with having a poptart or an Oreo if you feel like it. Everything in moderation.

when was the last anyone saw an obese person who eats clean?

Obese people are obese because they are eating above their daily calorie intake. Not because of what they eat. Seriously..... I give up.

i know this. its harder to go over ur cals when eating clean foods. u dont need so much self control. but when eating bonbons and poptarts its hard to stop.

I see we've never met. I was an overweight teen eating home cooked more or less clean foods. My mom made all of her good from scratch, starting with the most basic of ingredients.

And then I ate it all. And then I was 15 and 200+ pounds and had no idea how I got there, because I wasn't even really allowed to eat processed stuff, which is what I'd always heard made people get fat. Surly I didn't get fat eating carrot sticks and homemade chicken stew! ...except that is exactly what happened.

And then I started eating less, my mom loosened up and let me become a brownie a day eater, and I lost all kinds of weight. Then I got married and started eating like a man and put a bit back on, and now I'm losing again (While still being a brownie and ice cream everyday eater.)

Amen!!!

Some people are concerned about more than fat loss, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, etc. Eating crap food at a deficit will indeed cause weight loss but it doesn't necessarily equal physical health.

So can you present some evidence of blood markers of health significantly worsening after losing a bunch of weight but achieved it by eating "crap food"?

The health benefits of weight loss itself would likely outwiegh the food eaten in the short term. But I know thin people with health problems due to poor diet.

Some people are concerned about more than fat loss, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, etc. Eating crap food at a deficit will indeed cause weight loss but it doesn't necessarily equal physical health.

So can you present some evidence of blood markers of health significantly worsening after losing a bunch of weight but achieved it by eating "crap food"?

Oh goodness, somehow you got off 'ignore'. Thank goodness I stumbled on this post.

I know. Seeing his abs really makes it hard for me to go back to focusing at work too!

Congrats on your opinion and stating it to the mass of people who are either going to agree or disagree with you.

Right? Next up: a forum on whether or not abortion is wrong! MINDS WILL BE CHANGED! I JUST KNOW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is no such thing as "clean" food? Eating clean just means eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. It excludes fast foods, processed foods, etc. That's all. It really is a term.

This.

Some people are concerned about more than fat loss, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, etc. Eating crap food at a deficit will indeed cause weight loss but it doesn't necessarily equal physical health.

Eating "crap" at a deficit doesn't equal poor physical healthy either.

lately?

Still waiting for jonnythan to show up in this thread haha

I 99% agree. The 1% comes from the fact that I did try out paleo for about a month, and I did absolutely love it. I'm not continuing right now because it was too hard to maintain (college lifestyle) but I felt a million times better when I was eating paleo. More energetic, less bloated, etc.

I completely agree with you that eliminating certain foods has no impact on weight loss though. (And if it does, it's water/glycogen weight, not actual fat). I have no problem with people eating clean or paleo whatever if that's what makes them feel best. The problem comes when those people try to tell others that they HAVE to eat "clean" if they want to lose weight. It's simply not true, and there are hundreds of success stories here on MFP that prove it.

And, my pretzel burger pushing aside, this is how I feel. I'm not sucking down Wendy's every day (Hell, I had a chicken salad for breakfast. I'm thinking a homemade turkey burger and salad for lunch. Black bean chili for dinner. Super dirty) and I'm all for people eating whatever they want...until they start demonizing food and tearing down other people are trying to insist that we're all full of toxins and demons and little aliens who cause negative emotion.

Whlie I agree with your fundamental (all caps) point, perhaps not everyone talking about eating clean is worried only about losing weight. I don't think of "eating clean" as a weight loss strategy as much as I think of it as a way to eat more healthfully... weight is not the only thing to consider in overall health.

All that being said, I don't necessarily "eat clean" nor eliminate all processed food from my diet...

I totally agree! I eat "mostly" healthy. I do want to lose weight, but my number 1 goal was to lower my blood pressure and come off my medications. As much as I would like to enjoy processed foods, fast foods etc more often, I can't.

I'm tired of some people thinking it is a one size fit all. It's not. There are more things to take into consideration than IIFYM.

Some people are concerned about more than fat loss, such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels, etc. Eating crap food at a deficit will indeed cause weight loss but it doesn't necessarily equal physical health.

Works great for me... I hate to eat healthy all the time.

Good work, op