Learn What it means to "Eat Clean"
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megginanderson
Posts: 276 Member
People ask me all of the time what Clean Eating is, like its this foreign notion or new Fitness Craze!
The term “Eat Clean” has been thrown around throughout the Fitness and Bodybuilding Community for some time. Fitness competitors are known for their strict diet to gain muscle mass in order to achieve their desired results.
But what does this mean..? Eating clean is simply the practice of avoiding processed and refined foods and basing your diet on whole foods. But there’s much more to this plan. You can structure your diet to get proper nutrition, help manage diseases, avoid developing diseases in the first place, lose weight, remove toxins, and just feel better.
Eating clean involves not only choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available.
It got me thinking that there may be more people on MFP that could benefit from a little bit of Clean Eating 101 and help with meal planning and recipes.
If you think that you could use a little bit of help in this area, let me know. We could create a little Accountability Group and work together to try and achieve your health & fitness goals a little bit faster with this change to your nutrition.
Weightloss is 80% nutrition, 10% Fitness and 10% Genetics!
The term “Eat Clean” has been thrown around throughout the Fitness and Bodybuilding Community for some time. Fitness competitors are known for their strict diet to gain muscle mass in order to achieve their desired results.
But what does this mean..? Eating clean is simply the practice of avoiding processed and refined foods and basing your diet on whole foods. But there’s much more to this plan. You can structure your diet to get proper nutrition, help manage diseases, avoid developing diseases in the first place, lose weight, remove toxins, and just feel better.
Eating clean involves not only choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available.
It got me thinking that there may be more people on MFP that could benefit from a little bit of Clean Eating 101 and help with meal planning and recipes.
If you think that you could use a little bit of help in this area, let me know. We could create a little Accountability Group and work together to try and achieve your health & fitness goals a little bit faster with this change to your nutrition.
Weightloss is 80% nutrition, 10% Fitness and 10% Genetics!
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Replies
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Perhaps this is off topic, and I most certainly don't want to go into thread locking territory of a Clean Eating discussion, but it seems as though you're placing a fair bit of emphasis on being healthy (as opposed to just weight loss). I think that's great.
One might argue that the impact of physical activity on health is greater than 10%. I realize you prefaced that sentence with weight loss, but it sounds like you're more interested in being healthy.0 -
I feel so much better, and even clear headed when I eat clean. But I need a lot of guidence and help with recipes. I would love a group to help with recipe ideas and the ins and outs of eating clean. I need like a clean eating for dummies or something lol.0
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So Ive been at this whole weightloss and eating "thing" for quite a few years. I have 3 kids, so Ive tried it all and have been successful some years and others not so much.
I think that I can attest that it wasnt until i changed my eating habits did i REALLY start to lose weight AND feel amazing and healthy.
I was one of those persons who for years worked out to the highest intesity programs and just about killed myself all week so that i could go out to restaurants and bars all weekend. I felt like crap and my weight never changed.
Earlier this year when I FINALLY changed my eating habits the weight just fell off and additionally I feel awesome and have SO much more energy!
I think I would just like to spread the word that its what you eat that is going to make the biggest difference and of course Exercise helps in aiding a healthy body and weightloss.0 -
I have some great meal planners and recipes, happy to help!0
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I'd love to see what meal plans and recipes you have! Also, is wheat bread considered clean? I'm thinking not, right? Are only natural foods (one ingredient) considered "clean". I'm sure I sound like a tool, but hey, it's an honest question. lol0
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My issue with this is where do you draw the line at "processed" and inevitably everyone has a different line...which is why I think the term is pretty ridiculous. Am I "bad" because I opened up a can of black beans instead of buying dry beans and spending all day cooking them? They're processed and canned afterall. How about bread...any bread you get, whether it's whole grain or white bleached flour with HFCS is processed. How about those protein shakes and recovery shakes...almost everyone I know who touts "clean eating" also consumes these supplements which are highly processed foods. Is my quinoa that comes in a package from Costco any different than the bulk Quinoa at Sprouts Market?
I definitely agree that a nutrient dense diet that is rich in naturally occuring whole foods is the way to go...but these terms like "clean" are incredibly arbitrary and open to ones personal interpretation. And when I look at my can of black beans (beans, salt, dried onion) the ingredients aren't any different than if I were to do it myself...save for I'd probably use fresh onion. So where is the line drawn at processed, "unclean" food?0 -
but these terms like "clean" are incredibly arbitrary and open to ones personal interpretation.
Yep. Either that or restricting to the point of silliness. If people are trying to eat clean, that's great. Fresh veg, whole foods.. good stuff. But trying to draw a line in the sand is pointless.0 -
Honestly, I think that is up to the individual, dont you? What sort of means do you have or are willing to do? How important or unimportant are making beans?
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Everyone situation is different. I know plenty of friend who were not raised in an environment that did not consume twinkies, doritos or cheese puffs on a continual basis and there for need a bit of guidance when looking to make a change in eating habits.
I agree with what you are saying, and i think giving a good baseline is what is important. A basic understanding of what it means to eat healthy - if you dont like the term, leave it out:)
1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.0 -
1) "low fat dairy". Dairy does not come out of a cow "low fat". It has to be processed to become low fat.
3) Stevia is not at all natural, it is typically processed with ethanol.0 -
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Hey, I get it. You have an opinion about this. But let's just agree that this statement is highly debatable. Please don't communicate it as if it's Truth.
[/quote]1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds..
For the sake of avoiding arguments, let's just leave it at eating whole foods. We can all agree that nutrient-dense foods are generally preferable.2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
I'm honestly shocked that organic chemists live past 40.3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
Again, at best this is debatable.4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
The whole rev'ing up your metabolism thing has been debunked into massive oblivion by now. But it if helps you control your meals and feel sated, go for it.5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
All in for cooking at home. I dislike doing it, but it's much easier to log things accurately when I'm the one weighing things out.6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
Again, this is really just personal preference, but I'm glad it works for you.0 -
Honestly, I think that is up to the individual, dont you? What sort of means do you have or are willing to do? How important or unimportant are making beans?
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Everyone situation is different. I know plenty of friend who were not raised in an environment that did not consume twinkies, doritos or cheese puffs on a continual basis and there for need a bit of guidance when looking to make a change in eating habits.
I agree with what you are saying, and i think giving a good baseline is what is important. A basic understanding of what it means to eat healthy - if you dont like the term, leave it out:)
1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
Lol and can you elaborate why diet soda and lean cuisines are so bad?0 -
Honestly, I think that is up to the individual, dont you? What sort of means do you have or are willing to do? How important or unimportant are making beans?
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Everyone situation is different. I know plenty of friend who were not raised in an environment that did not consume twinkies, doritos or cheese puffs on a continual basis and there for need a bit of guidance when looking to make a change in eating habits.
I agree with what you are saying, and i think giving a good baseline is what is important. A basic understanding of what it means to eat healthy - if you dont like the term, leave it out:)
1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
5-6 meals a day to "rev" up metabolism has been debunked as a myth. Meal timing and metabolism have nothing to do with one another..you can eat three meals, one big, meal or 24 meals spaced out every hour and it does not matter...
is this a cut and paste from womans health or something...??0 -
I am just starting to explore eating "cleaner" and would love to join a group to learn as I go!0
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I feel so much better, and even clear headed when I eat clean. But I need a lot of guidence and help with recipes. I would love a group to help with recipe ideas and the ins and outs of eating clean. I need like a clean eating for dummies or something lol.
when I eat clean, I can conquer the world; when I do not eat clean, the world conquers me ....bahahahahahahahahaha0 -
Honestly, I think that is up to the individual, dont you? What sort of means do you have or are willing to do? How important or unimportant are making beans?
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Everyone situation is different. I know plenty of friend who were not raised in an environment that did not consume twinkies, doritos or cheese puffs on a continual basis and there for need a bit of guidance when looking to make a change in eating habits.
I agree with what you are saying, and i think giving a good baseline is what is important. A basic understanding of what it means to eat healthy - if you dont like the term, leave it out:)
1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
most of this is complete BS...and can someone explain to me why bread is unclean, but freakin' Stevia is a-OK?
Arbitrary rules are arbitrary.0 -
Honestly, I think that is up to the individual, dont you? What sort of means do you have or are willing to do? How important or unimportant are making beans?
I think that more people know how dangerous it is to consume things like diet soda and Lean cuisines to lose weight.
Everyone situation is different. I know plenty of friend who were not raised in an environment that did not consume twinkies, doritos or cheese puffs on a continual basis and there for need a bit of guidance when looking to make a change in eating habits.
I agree with what you are saying, and i think giving a good baseline is what is important. A basic understanding of what it means to eat healthy - if you dont like the term, leave it out:)
1) Eat Whole Foods - whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.
2) Avoid Processed Foods – Put simply, if you cant pronounce it, don’t eat it.
3) Eliminate Refined Sugar – refined sugar is nothing but calories. You can use sweetners like Stevia, but avoid aspartame, Splenda, Sweet N Low and similar.
4) Eat 5-6 small meals per day - By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Doritos or Oreos rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat.
5) Cook your own meals - Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love.
6) Combine protein with carbs - When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs.
most of this is complete BS...and can someone explain to me why bread is unclean, but freakin' Stevia is a-OK?
Arbitrary rules are arbitrary.
OH OH I CAN!!!
Because op is simply regurgitating information she read on some female fitness website as opposed to actually doing research.
Y U Have to Be So Smart! :laugh:0 -
Why are these "clean" eaters hell-bent on preaching to everyone how their way is the best?
shfkjshagksrbnfhlrfwe kjfelr!0 -
Reminds me of a conversation I heard in a store.
Customer: "The package says all natural?"
Clerk: "Yeah?"
Customer: "So why do you add sodium chloride? And what the hell is sodium bicarbonate!?!"
Clerk: "Salt. And Baking Soda."0 -
Weightloss is 80% nutrition, 10% Fitness and 10% Genetics!
I agree with this statement.
Unfortunately the rest of the post is bogus.0 -
In
to learn what toxins clean eating removes.0
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