How to Clean Eat?

Don't make it too complicated. It really is about limiting processed food and eating foods closer to their natural state. Cooking things yourself, fewer ingredients. If the ingredient list has just a few things in it and I can pronounce them all then I feel that's a pretty good thing.

But choosing natural foods. Nuts, seeds, etc...in lieu of other processed junk is an idea. I try to eat as clean as possible though it isn't always easy!

Take baby steps and do what you can.

In the beginning at least don't worry about clean eating too much. You will go crazy. The one and only thing you should want to focus on is that you're under your calories. Once you start focusing on that it will do two things:

1) it'll force you to eat a little bit healthy since veggies and leaner foods are low on calories
2) it'll allow you to eat a little bit dirty so you will have room to eat some junk food. In the long run, eating a little bit of junk food daily will prevent you from binging and will keep you sane by not having cravings.

Many on this site follow the formula of 80% "clean eating" and the rest of the 20% of your calories to go towards junk food.

Good luck on your adventures.

I've been on a lot of forums and 'clean eating' is a term I've only heard here on MFP and it's quite the controversial one I think a better term would be whole foods-food that's close to it's natural form ie fresh or frozen produce instead of canned, a chicken breast instead of chicken nuggets etc.

I've also been transitioning to a whole 'clean' foods diet over the past few months, but for me that's meant going to a mostly whole foods, plant based diet, with the rest like meat and dairy, in moderation. I love how I eat now and feel amazing, but this is for ME, and doesn't mean it's going to be the best fit for someone else

A typical day for me-

large green smoothie with kale, spinach, chia or hemp seeds, a banana, frozen blueberries that I picked this summer, and then one more fruit (whatever is on sale/in season).

large dinner plate sized salad with veggies, black olives, ground flax seed and then either refried beans or things like croutons and ranch dressing.

I also usually eat a grain every day-my favorites are brown rice with veggies and mushrooms, or oatmeal with all kinds of add ins. This week I tried a fantastic combo-oats, ground flax seed, almonds, raisins, cinnamon sugar, pumpkin spice and pumpkin puree.

I do still eat meat and dairy, go out to eat several times a week and have an occasional cookie or doughnut. But those things are now about 10-20% of my diet and the rest is focused on the whole plant foods

So i have been, over the course of my journey, making small changes. I eat alot of fruits and veggies, dont drink calories unless its a protein shake...soda is out. I hear everyone talk about eatting clean what all does this intail, fruits & veggies or are there other things I can eat to? I dont want to go crazy with the idea of clean eating but i would like the majority of what I put into my body to be clean foods.

Honestly, my advice (for optimal health) would be to stop viewing foods as "clean" or "dirty". Food is food. Some of it has more nutrients than others. Focus on getting the nutrients you need, and avoiding any types of food that you're allergic to, or intolerant to, or make you ill, or make you feel physically bad, or you can't eat moderately, or make it difficult to meet your nutritional goals. Otherwise, eat the food you enjoy.

Be nice. I know for many old members it comes easy but most new members come in afte hearing tons of bro-science so try to be patient with them.

In a literal sense, meat, veggies, nuts and seeds. Zero sugar, some fruit and very little starch.

Be nice. I know for many old members it comes easy but most new members come in afte hearing tons of bro-science so try to be patient with them.

the search thread feature is useful...

The MFP search feature is also extremely lacking in usefulness. Besides, the admins of MFP actually encourage you to make reposts to keep more activity on the site. Not to mention that multiple threads of same topic usually means different information from different folks and more sharing of ideas.

Not to mention the fact that for a new user, they're a snowflake and have unique problems and most don't even know there is a search feature on the site

So is passing by a thread when you have nothing to add.

That was my thought....
If you see a post like "clean eating", and it ruffles your feathers, then pass on by.....

a lot of people that are new to the whole diet and tracking side of things, are usually coming in with a lot of good info as well as a lot of bad info.....
Help them understand the difference and explain why......
just dropping one-line zingers doesn't help them or further their knowledge on the subject. :drinker: