Paleo vs. Clean eating?

So I've been reading up on Paleo.. it looks pretty interesting? Do any of you do Paleo? or Eat Clean.. Im having a little bit trouble finding the true definition of Eating Clean.. Correct me if I'm wrong.. does it mean no processed food... as in nothing coming from a box? or is it something else?

I'm hesitant to jump on the band wagon since i have a lot of stuff in my pantry but I'm really fascinated by it. Can anyone of you give me some insight or share your experience how you started or transitioned in to Paleo or Eating Clean

Thank you
Happy

I'm all for doing what interests you. If paleo or cleaner eating means you'll adhere or learn for the duration that you do it, then do it.

I've picked and modified from many different approaches along the way to keep it interesting. I've taken a little of something from each be it as simple as a recipe or a new behavioural approach while fundamentally understanding that I need a deficit to lose weight. I had the thought at the beginning, given the plethora of diet books out there, I could just follow one per week and 100 books would equal 50kg Didn't happen but what I got from that thought was "keep it interesting". Drew the line at the lemon detox diet, diet pills, shakes and Atkins too (but that was because my MIL was on it and therefore has more to do with how I feel about her lol).

Most of the time I find people who aspire to eat clean are really just looking for a way to get more nutritional value out of their calories. There's no harm in that sort of learning.

The problem with ANY method is the belief it's the ONLY method which in my view makes the ride rather boring. But even that depends. Those at the extreme end of clean eating, for example, I find are people whose idea of clean eating closely aligns with their principles (environmental concerns, self sufficiency for starters) so based on others' context they can seem hardcore and rigid whereas in their world, it's perfect. It may be scientifically incorrect but their belief helps with adherence.

What you end up with, whatever you choose, if you are flexible, is something tailored to you.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. It's what is going to work best for YOU that matters. There are many paths up the mountain. Some are the lucky ones and can choose any path to get to the tope. Others, for a variety of reasons, only have one or two ways that will work for them.

I tried paleo for about 6 months because my wife had a gluten intolerance from a heart condition. Personally, i found the diet way to restrictive and costly, if you follow the book. Additionally, there were many restrictions of foods I personally loved. Due to all that, I found myself binging more often and preventing me from reaching my goals. I find when I eat bread, Chipotle Burritos and other stuff in moderation, i have done much better. My overall goal is making sure I hit my protein and fat goals or come close and then let the rest be carbs. I eat 2500 ish calories a day, and aim for 30-50g of fiber. I eat a lot of lean meats, fruits, veggies, and throw in breads and rices almost daily.

Having said that, if something is working, it wouldn't be wise to switch. If you want to make some small substitutions of processed foods to whole foods (however it's defined) then it's great. Realistically, you should be looking to eat foods rich in nutrients; both from a macornutrient and micronutrient level.

It would certainly be sensible to cut or reduce foods containing processed carbs (grains, added sugar, certain starches) as these are the food that can increase inflammation and oxidation in the body.

Personally I would suggest low carb high fat (including saturated fat, but excluding trans fats). Also a medium level of protein.

You should be able to change your macros in to accommodate this healthier lifestyle diet!!!

This style of diet should reduce your overall appetite so you will probably find you will not have to deal with the restriction of having to stop eating once you hit you calorie target when you are still hungry.

I can't do low carb for several reason. First, it comes down to restricting foods that I love such as rice and breads; restriction for me leads to binges. Second, I have intense workouts and when I don't average 200g of carbs a day, I feel lethargic and can't push as hard during my workouts (same thing also happens when I workout fasted).

Like I mentioned, and you can look at my diary, my goal is eating protein and fats. I just so happen to eat 200 - 300g of carbs a day and constantly lose 1 lb a week. Also for the most part, I limit saturate fats based on some research I have done (such as the below).

Honestly, I feel plenty full with the way I eat. And considering I lose weight, my cholesterol numbers are constantly declining, my HR is 70, bp is 110/70.. i honestly can't see a reason to change.

Also, if you can provide some studies or information on the grains causing inflammation on healthy people without medical conditions (from a reputable source), I would love to read it and may take it into consideration.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/diet-and-weight/

I eat Paleo/Primal, and I love it! I mostly eat this way because I enjoy how I feel without the processed foods and chemicals going into my system. I am not as strict as many Paleos, especially now that I've been eating this way for several months. For instance, most Paleos won't eat dairy or legumes. I eat both, which is why I'm really more in the Primal category. To me, Paleo is avoiding any chemicals and processed foods. (If it has a chemical or more than five ingredients, or if you can't pronounce any of them, it's probably a no-no). Likewise, any grains or gluten is pretty much off limits. This usually includes rice, etc, but it differs from person to person.

I also eat moderately low carb, which many Paleos don't, because I tend to have an easier time losing weight on a higher fat/protein diet. Carbs just don't help me any, they really tend to make me want to binge, especially the grains/sugars. This is the real reason Paleo works so well for me, it naturally avoids my trigger foods! It's not really a lifestyle that's centered on losing weight, it's really all about finding what's healthy for your body. I count calories to lose my weight, but I'll be eating Paleo forever, even when I reach my goal. It's always worth giving Paleo a try if you are a fan of whole foods and lean protein, you'll really enjoy it. The first week or two is the hardest, but after that most people feel great. Hope you find what works for you!

Yes I agree, try it, if you feel fantastic, more energy to work out, clearer thinking and an overall sense of well being then you will automatically want to continue. I suffered low energy and headaches all the time. Then I started to eat for my blood type O and I have not gone back. When I cheat I feel horrible again and it just confirms what works. Keep trying new things you will in time find what you can live with for good not just till you loose the weight. Enjoy the journey.

IIFYM

I have a gif for that but sadly I think it will be deleted - all gifs 'in moderation' right.

I think I have posted - a number of times - I am not anti calorie counting (it just is not for me) I understand it works for a lot of people and that's great.

IIFYM is certainly one way of achieving your goal. If you are unable to cut back on your carbs and your happy and healthy with that then that's another way. If you want to eat low carb, high fat that again is another way.

All and yes I will use the words ALL diets have restrictions - some cannot live with the restriction of cutting out certain foods and that's fine.

I personally cannot live with the restriction of having to stop eating when I am still hungry, because have reached my calorie target for the day!!! Different horses for different courses.

All diets require a sacrifice - you just chose the one that's easier to bear.

Well I think I'm face palmed out for the evening.

Night all.

Honestly, if you are hungry, you should eat even if that means going over. One day won't hurt. There are weeks I do not lose weight because it's more important to me to enjoy foods. For me, this is a long term goal, not a short term thing. For example, in two weeks we are having a going away party for a colleague of mine. It is going to be an all you can eat Korean buffet. I would be heart broken if I don't hit 10,000 calories. I am getting my moneys worth. It may be my only meal that day, but its soooo worth it.

Can't you eat 'clean' and be 'paleo'? It seems they have rather similar ideals, actually.

Paleos eat "clean," but not all "clean-eaters" eat Paleo, if that makes sense

True, but the point is that they're not mutually exclusive.

ETA: OP, it's your body, but I find that restricting foods for non-medical reasons isn't the best idea. Whatever you do, choose something you can do for life. If you want to quit eating a trigger food, that's a different story, but a whole group of items? No thanks. Best of luck! :drinker:

For the debate of restriction vs. no restriction, I personally find that the decision turns on what the benefits you receive from the restriction -- whether that result makes it worth it to you. If you can achieve the same goal in a different manner, you may opt to ditch the restriction. But if the restriction gives you what you want, you often will stick with it due to that positive feedback loop.

For example, when I went Paleo/Primal, I was shocked by how much better I felt. Just shocked. So, it was easy for me to keep eating that way because I just felt so much better than I did before -- my whole concept of "normal" for me shifted dramatically. And when I go back to eating grains, I go back to feeling poorly. So, that's an easy restriction for me to adopt into a lifestyle.

I now know I have an underlying condition that probably contributed to that or was the sole cause as I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis -- an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Research isn't definitive, but some thyroid specialists believe that gluten or other items in grains set it off -- just as it is suspected to do for other autoimmune disorders like Celiac, certain rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Are there other things I avoid that maybe I don't need to avoid? Maybe. I started to add back in dairy and found I had no problems with it, so that's when I shifted from stricter Paleo to the more permissive Primal. I don't generally eat legumes, but they aren't generally things I miss. The only exception is peanut butter. But I like almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts just as much if not more, so the substitution is an easy on for me.

I had a similar experience when I started to cut back the carbs, and then later learned I was insulin resistant. And a low carb diet is specifically recommended for that disorder. Again, the diagnosis came long after the diet change (and, man, do I wish I'd known about these issues 10+ years ago -- would have saved me a LOT of grief).

So, my guess for a lot of people that love Paleo/Primal, keto, low carb, etc. lifestyles it's because there is a real reason they react so much better to those diets -- some reasons that they know about, some that they don't and some that they may never know about (i.e. disorders/sensitivities that are too mild for a formal diagnosis or whose symptoms largely clear up with the different diet). After all, I was told for YEARS everything was fine by my doctors. My fiance feels similarly. He doesn't have any issues that we know of but he says he just feels a ton better eating Primally, especially without the grains. He doesn't know what it is specifically that does it -- but the combo works great for him and he saw increases in his sports performance which was the big deal (he comes from some serious genetic freaks in that department).

Others without any sensitivities or underlying conditions try the diets and go "what's the big deal?" because they feel the same on them as they did on their previous diet. So, to those people that have the luck to be able to tolerate different diets rather well, the restriction seems silly, faulty or just plain not worth it.

But, at least for me, I never would have realized that a change in my diet could lead to feeling SO SO much better. And, it is what ultimately pushed me to push my doctors on figuring out what was up with me as for the previous 6-8 years, they told me everything was "fine" when it really wasn't and I'm finally getting the treatment that is needed and on the best diet for my situation. I think you'll find a lot of similar stories on Paleo/Primal websites -- people just feeling much better or having previous issues just clear up or get remarkably better, and they never really know why necessarily.

Everyone has their own definition. Paleo is "what cavemen eat" no one truly knows exactly what we ate since 1) bones last forever and 2) evolution is an amazing thing guys and not all of you suffer from celiac disease. Clean eating on the other hand also has a ton of silly things like people who include artificial sweeteners and others who include processed whey (seriously some paleo people do this too).

My 2 cents:
Ditch the "diet fads" and just eat minimally processed whole foods. That includes your protein powder, it's kind of overrated.

So I've been reading up on Paleo.. it looks pretty interesting? Do any of you do Paleo? or Eat Clean.. Im having a little bit trouble finding the true definition of Eating Clean.. Correct me if I'm wrong.. does it mean no processed food... as in nothing coming from a box? or is it something else?

I'm hesitant to jump on the band wagon since i have a lot of stuff in my pantry but I'm really fascinated by it. Can anyone of you give me some insight or share your experience how you started or transitioned in to Paleo or Eating Clean

Thank you
Happy

Our friends' daughter and her family eat Paleo. Her kids are the same age as our grandkids. They eat Paleo while our grandkids eat like us, pretty much clean most of the time. Her kids are always sick! I honestly can't believe how often they are sick whereas our grandkids are seldom sick. As far as clean goes, we were eating that way before it became trendy and I hesitate to call it clean eating. We rely heavily on locally produced foods free of food additives and avoid artificial anything. We prefer home grown, organic and organic foods. We buy directly from food producers so very little of our food dollar is spent at a conventional grocery store. We do try to adhere to foods produced within a 100 mile radius of our home. Our meat is bought directly from the farmer. It is grass-fed and hormone free. A large portion of the fish we eat is locally caught. We preserve our own foods by drying, freezing and canning when in season to get us through the rest of the year. We very rarely eat fast food, about once a year. So, our diet is fairly clean. Again, this is how we have always been. It would likely be a big change for someone who relies heavily on the grocery store and processed foods though.

So if I've got this correct today I should eat 800g of carbs .... mmmmmmm carbs?

Please can you send me a list of what foods I need to include in those 800g.

The list involves all foods high in carbs; utilise to meet your other macros while you're at it.
Actually, may be best to avoid too many of the 'whole grains' and vegetables high in fibre, consider 'white alternatives'*.

And yes, if you are planning to do an ultra-marathon on the day after and weigh about the same as me, eating 800g of carbs is a pretty decent idea, I'd say!

*Having a lot of fibre the day before a long run may not be ideal for your guts!

And sadly, yes, I probably COULD document my weight loss and so on, claim that it's purely the food *I* like to eat that did it, get some decent marketing and sell loads of copies.

But when the reality is I haven't seen any decent evidence that food choices make a big difference (apart from intolerances/allergies/etc), I'd feel a bit bad getting people to cough up as it could be condensed to...
"Calorie deficit. Get enough protein and micronutrients. Do exercise if you want to be generally fit too."
So, there you go - my book, for you, for free!

Could you explain what nutrients are missing from a McDonalds burger that you would get in the same weight of meat you eat?

So if I've got this correct today I should eat 800g of carbs .... mmmmmmm carbs?

Please can you send me a list of what foods I need to include in those 800g.

The list involves all foods high in carbs; utilise to meet your other macros while you're at it.
Actually, may be best to avoid too many of the 'whole grains' and vegetables high in fibre, consider 'white alternatives'*.

And yes, if you are planning to do an ultra-marathon on the day after and weigh about the same as me, eating 800g of carbs is a pretty decent idea, I'd say!

*Having a lot of fibre the day before a long run may not be ideal for your guts!

And sadly, yes, I probably COULD document my weight loss and so on, claim that it's purely the food *I* like to eat that did it, get some decent marketing and sell loads of copies.

But when the reality is I haven't seen any decent evidence that food choices make a big difference (apart from intolerances/allergies/etc), I'd feel a bit bad getting people to cough up as it could be condensed to...
"Calorie deficit. Get enough protein and micronutrients. Do exercise if you want to be generally fit too."
So, there you go - my book, for you, for free!

Could you explain what nutrients are missing from a McDonalds burger that you would get in the same weight of meat you eat?

For the calories you consume I think there are plenty of MICRO nutrients missing - compared to more nutrient efficient alternatives.

But hey Guru Gee if you say I have to chug a McDondald's then that's what I'll do - If it fits my Macros - right!!!

Do you assume there is no macro or micronutrient benefit from a mcdonalds egg mcmuffin sandwhich? Because it's just egg, cheese, canadian bacon and an english muffin.

Also, carb loading is very conducive towards his exercise needs.