Can you really eat "clean" your whole life?

Eating clean is important for your health, not just weight loss.

If your diet consists of mainly processed, boxed "food" full of preservatives and additives, you will be unhealthy regardless of your weight.

Not only will you be unhealthy, but you will be supporting one of the most corrupt companies in the world. (Monsanto)

Do yourself a favor and eat what comes from the earth. It's not difficult to follow by any means, it's a lifestyle that was followed by our ancestors not so long ago.

Also, the majority of chicken sold in a public market is no where NEAR clean.

:huh: shure just wash all your food, cookware, dishes, and your self prior to eating. :bigsmile:

<----Exhibit one. No, you don't have to eat clean.

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And Exhibit two, for no you don't have to eat clean

So what did you mostly eat when trying to lose weight?

Sometimes I just don't have time to cook and I will eat a Smart One, people say they aren't that healthy but I don't go over in my Macros or Calories, so I don't see them as that bad, but I could be wrong.

When I was actively losing weight I ate fast food at least three times a week (and none of that subway 'healthy' stuff, I'm talking burgers and fries here lol), frozen entrees (mostly lean cuisines), guzzled diet soda, 'diet' foods (diet hot cocoas, 100 calorie packs etc). Oh and lots of cookies. I just counted calories and watched portion sizes.

Now I'm in maintenance and I still eat fast food 3-4 times a week, still guzzle diet soda and still eat cookies all. the. time. I no longer eat the frozen entrees or intentionally buy 'diet' food, because I have enough maintenance calories now to eat things like the 700 calorie hot dog lunch I had today

Sure, you can eat "clean" your whole life. If you think "eating clean" is some sort of crazy restrictive concept and you only eat raw asparagus from your backyard, that's on you.

Of course you can!

You don't have to though.

I'm curious,

I originally lost weight, went from 150 to 110 pounds a couple of years ago. I ate CLEAN, I mostly just ate salads, fruit salads, and chicken.

Then, I gained the weight back, not only was I not eating enough calories when I lost the weight, I was depriving myself of everything I loved. Pasta, burgers, Pizza etc.

Now, I'm losing weight again, I'm at 130 from 137 and I haven't been eating clean at all.

If I crave a burger, I will have one. I have cheat days on Saturdays.

I see some people say they eat egg whites, chicken for lunch (plain chicken), chicken for dinner EVERYDAY. How is that sustainable? If you can do it, good for you, but I would lose my mind.

I want to lose weight the right way this time, but can I actually achieve the body I want eating everything I want in moderation, or do I have to eat "clean"?

Weight loss and eating " clean " ( whatever that means ) having nothing to do with each other.
Since I am not part of the US culture and have lived all of my adult life in under developed countries I have always eaten a " natural " diet and after 45 years of doing so have no plans to change it. I gained a lot of weight from eating too much natural food and after figuring out the correct deficit have so far lost just over 45 pounds since April.
I have had a slice of pizza ( home made no less ) this weekend ; the first in over 20 years and discovered that I still don't care for it. If I would like and eat fast food I would also incorporate it into my diet, but since I don't care for fast food I don't. I have a wide variety of foods eating indian, thai, other Asian, German ( my home country ), mediterranean, mexican ( the country where I live now ), middle eastern and japanese food and it is beyond me why people assume that eating healthy/natural means restricting one's diet. If people do that, it is because that's what they chose and not what the diet demands.

No you don't have to eat "clean". No, I can't eat clean my whole life. I don't even think I could do it for a day.

Eating clean is important for your health, not just weight loss.

If your diet consists of mainly processed, boxed "food" full of preservatives and additives, you will be unhealthy regardless of your weight.

Not only will you be unhealthy, but you will be supporting one of the most corrupt companies in the world. (Monsanto)

Do yourself a favor and eat what comes from the earth. It's not difficult to follow by any means, it's a lifestyle that was followed by our ancestors not so long ago.

Also, the majority of chicken sold in a public market is no where NEAR clean.

Eating clean is important for your health, not just weight loss.

If your diet consists of mainly processed, boxed "food" full of preservatives and additives, you will be unhealthy regardless of your weight.

Not only will you be unhealthy, but you will be supporting one of the most corrupt companies in the world. (Monsanto)

Do yourself a favor and eat what comes from the earth. It's not difficult to follow by any means, it's a lifestyle that was followed by our ancestors not so long ago.

Also, the majority of chicken sold in a public market is no where NEAR clean.

Hmm...please tell me more about these vegetables and chickens you have in your backyard.

Eating clean is important for your health, not just weight loss.

If your diet consists of mainly processed, boxed "food" full of preservatives and additives, you will be unhealthy regardless of your weight.

Please tell how unhealthy I am. I would like to know. I don't feel unhealthy. I don't look unhealthy. I am at a healthy BMI, a healthy body fat percentage. I can pick up heavy things. I can ride mountain bikes up mountains. I haven't been sick with anything besides a cold in a very long time.... Enlighten me.