Moderation vs Clean Eating
Replies
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I eat moderately clean.
More whole foods from scratch than prepared foods, but I'm not at all above eating convenience foods or even fast food. I mean, I love fresh pasta and bread, but I don't always have the time. And while I have an ice cream maker, I can't get the same consistency that the store-bought, processed, packaged ice cream full of emulsifiers and stabilizers has. Plus, I don't have the equipment to make yogurt or pickles, and I'm fine with packaged tomato sauce because I eat a lot of it and I buy high quality tomatoes for salad/sandwiches, so it would get expensive and time consuming.
I also tend to eat a lot of Mediterranean and Asian, so I feel my diet is pretty healthy, even if I do eat the occasional protein bar or frozen veggie.0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »I eat moderately clean.
More whole foods from scratch than prepared foods, but I'm not at all above eating convenience foods or even fast food. I mean, I love fresh pasta and bread, but I don't always have the time. And while I have an ice cream maker, I can't get the same consistency that the store-bought, processed, packaged ice cream full of emulsifiers and stabilizers has. Plus, I don't have the equipment to make yogurt or pickles, and I'm fine with packaged tomato sauce because I eat a lot of it and I buy high quality tomatoes for salad/sandwiches, so it would get expensive and time consuming.
I also tend to eat a lot of Mediterranean and Asian, so I feel my diet is pretty healthy, even if I do eat the occasional protein bar or frozen veggie.
What on earth do you consider unhealthy about a frozen vegetable?0 -
Also let me clarify that a bit- I wasn't saying that low carb eating is "clean" eating. I was saying that I eat clean and part of that includes eating low carb maybe I should have included no processed carbs.... idk,, but again I think it can and is on an individual basis as @lemurcat12 says- we can have our own inclusions for what "clean" means to us
See, I just don't get the whole "clean" thing.
I could very well say that I eat clean too. I will try to play the lofty "name your way of eating game". I am basically a whole-foods vegetarian. Most of the time, the food I eat comes from the outer grocery store aisles, with just a few ingredients coming from the inner aisles like dried beans, nut butters, and canned tomatoes. I supplement my intake with quality protein bars and shakes. Every few months or so, I eat something that might be defined as a treat when I get the urge.
Yet, I just... eat what I like. So this is why I don't get the whole idea of labeling your diet "clean" or "dirty" or... anything, really.
I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
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janejellyroll wrote: »
Ah....thanks! I'm going to start making a list for reference.
There's already a thread with a list of acronyms. You could, you know, search for it.
edited because acronyms is plural
Yesterday was National Grammar Day--today you could have let it go and no one would have cared!0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
Yes! And that includes those who say they eat "moderately clean" or the like. What does this even mean? I mostly eat whole foods and like to cook, but I'd feel silly saying I eat clean since it means nothing and of course I do eat chocolate and ice cream and pie on holidays, etc., so I'd feel like a giant hypocrite or liar. Also, more importantly, what's the point?
I feel like it's intended to segregate or set you apart from the rest of us who seem to me to eat basically the same (or at least just as well), so I don't get it.
It's like the "looking for a clean eater to share recipes with" posts. Do you honestly think that because I eat holiday pie or the like my chicken and broccoli recipes will be contaminated?
I don't get it, so I end up being snider than I like, for which I apologize. But no one will ever actually address my questions and it's frustrating.
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janejellyroll wrote: »
Ah....thanks! I'm going to start making a list for reference.
There's already a thread with a list of acronyms. You could, you know, search for it.
edited because acronyms is plural
Yesterday was National Grammar Day--today you could have let it go and no one would have cared!
I'd have cared
I always care
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awarreningermany wrote: »I try to eat moderation and as clean as possible. I like to try and have clean sweets when I can as well, but in the end I wont give up or cut out any food groups unless I were to have a medical issue for doing so.
I feel like clean sweets is an oxymoron. Those two words don't belong in the same sentence together. What is a clean sweet?0 -
SnuggleSmacks wrote: »I eat moderately clean.
More whole foods from scratch than prepared foods, but I'm not at all above eating convenience foods or even fast food. I mean, I love fresh pasta and bread, but I don't always have the time. And while I have an ice cream maker, I can't get the same consistency that the store-bought, processed, packaged ice cream full of emulsifiers and stabilizers has. Plus, I don't have the equipment to make yogurt or pickles, and I'm fine with packaged tomato sauce because I eat a lot of it and I buy high quality tomatoes for salad/sandwiches, so it would get expensive and time consuming.
I also tend to eat a lot of Mediterranean and Asian, so I feel my diet is pretty healthy, even if I do eat the occasional protein bar or frozen veggie.
So we need to add frozen vegetables to the unclean list...
Actually frozen veg tends to have more nutrients than fresh.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
Yes! And that includes those who say they eat "moderately clean" or the like. What does this even mean? I mostly eat whole foods and like to cook, but I'd feel silly saying I eat clean since it means nothing and of course I do eat chocolate and ice cream and pie on holidays, etc., so I'd feel like a giant hypocrite or liar. Also, more importantly, what's the point?
I feel like it's intended to segregate or set you apart from the rest of us who seem to me to eat basically the same (or at least just as well), so I don't get it.
It's like the "looking for a clean eater to share recipes with" posts. Do you honestly think that because I eat holiday pie or the like my chicken and broccoli recipes will be contaminated?
I don't get it, so I end up being snider than I like, for which I apologize. But no one will ever actually address my questions and it's frustrating.
I know! There are so many of us moderates who actually eat relatively "clean", but we don't self-define that way. I'd love to know what's the motivation behind that definition, because I really don't get it.
I think... on some level... I understand defining the way you eat in broad terms. I'm a vegetarian, you cook from scratch (so do I), etc. I just don't get "clean". Maybe it's the part of me that has a cane to wave at the kids on my lawn and reacts to the latest fad thing, because "clean" is sure all the rage. Anything that's all the rage is bound to make my skin crawl. I'm one of those people.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Also let me clarify that a bit- I wasn't saying that low carb eating is "clean" eating. I was saying that I eat clean and part of that includes eating low carb maybe I should have included no processed carbs.... idk,, but again I think it can and is on an individual basis as @lemurcat12 says- we can have our own inclusions for what "clean" means to us
See, I just don't get the whole "clean" thing.
I could very well say that I eat clean too. I will try to play the lofty "name your way of eating game". I am basically a whole-foods vegetarian. Most of the time, the food I eat comes from the outer grocery store aisles, with just a few ingredients coming from the inner aisles like dried beans, nut butters, and canned tomatoes. I supplement my intake with quality protein bars and shakes. Every few months or so, I eat something that might be defined as a treat when I get the urge.
Yet, I just... eat what I like. So this is why I don't get the whole idea of labeling your diet "clean" or "dirty" or... anything, really.
I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
I understand and I just do like you but I try to eat whole foods for reasons I think we covered in another forum- lol and because it is what my doc/nutritionist gave me that I could eat for my conditions.......
I don't really understand the reason for labeling it either- I just say its clean because I try not to have processed stuff in it, eat for my med conditions, etc.
I don't think it really matters what or if you "label" your eating- I am no different from the way you eat- from the outsides of the store with a few inclusions from the insides- dry beans, nut butters- except that I have to limit my carbs every day.
It is a very big change from how I ate before- it wasn't necessarily unclean or "dirty" I don't think any food is "bad" or "dirty". But it did include a lot of processed foods from the inside aisle and a lot of "junk" food. I cant say why EVERYONE labels their way of eating as "clean" I can only say what I think it is and why I say it. There is no purpose to it- and no reason for it. It is a personal preference.
I do know though that some people label themselves as "clean" eaters because they buy only organic, nothing extra like gmo's, pesticides, etc. - so that is what it means to them.
But again- I think it means something different to everyone- as it can. Just like moderation can. I would not say eating a whole pizza is moderation- but someone else might- and that is fine. Whatever works for them.
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I am all down for eating clean, i wash my hands before every meal 0
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Also let me clarify that a bit- I wasn't saying that low carb eating is "clean" eating. I was saying that I eat clean and part of that includes eating low carb maybe I should have included no processed carbs.... idk,, but again I think it can and is on an individual basis as @lemurcat12 says- we can have our own inclusions for what "clean" means to us
See, I just don't get the whole "clean" thing.
I could very well say that I eat clean too. I will try to play the lofty "name your way of eating game". I am basically a whole-foods vegetarian. Most of the time, the food I eat comes from the outer grocery store aisles, with just a few ingredients coming from the inner aisles like dried beans, nut butters, and canned tomatoes. I supplement my intake with quality protein bars and shakes. Every few months or so, I eat something that might be defined as a treat when I get the urge.
Yet, I just... eat what I like. So this is why I don't get the whole idea of labeling your diet "clean" or "dirty" or... anything, really.
I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
I understand and I just do like you but I try to eat whole foods for reasons I think we covered in another forum- lol and because it is what my doc/nutritionist gave me that I could eat for my conditions.......
I don't really understand the reason for labeling it either- I just say its clean because I try not to have processed stuff in it, eat for my med conditions, etc.
I don't think it really matters what or if you "label" your eating- I am no different from the way you eat- from the outsides of the store with a few inclusions from the insides- dry beans, nut butters- except that I have to limit my carbs every day.
It is a very big change from how I ate before- it wasn't necessarily unclean or "dirty" I don't think any food is "bad" or "dirty". But it did include a lot of processed foods from the inside aisle and a lot of "junk" food. I cant say why EVERYONE labels their way of eating as "clean" I can only say what I think it is and why I say it. There is no purpose to it- and no reason for it. It is a personal preference.
I do know though that some people label themselves as "clean" eaters because they buy only organic, nothing extra like gmo's, pesticides, etc. - so that is what it means to them.
But again- I think it means something different to everyone- as it can. Just like moderation can. I would not say eating a whole pizza is moderation- but someone else might- and that is fine. Whatever works for them.
Gotcha. Thanks for explaining what it means to you.
For the record? I eat the way I do because of medical conditions too. I have celiac disease. Packaged food is expensive for my condition and not as tasty as what I can cook. I'd rather make it myself, because I'm a damned good cook. I'm also a vegetarian. It's easier to just buy whole food and cook it from scratch.
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I would imagine that if you eat in moderation/under your energy limit you would have better weight loss.
But I also imagine that eating would require moderation as well. You can't eat 4000 cal of clean good and expect to lose weight as a sedatary person.
So bother methods are moderation. Just one is more restrictive in the food it allows.
Or can you over eat clean foods and still lose weight?0 -
I seem to work well with recording/moderation. I am yet to successfully try clean/exclusion dieting but I can understand how that could work for someone.
If you can stick to 'healthy' or low calorie foods you probably could manage your weight without having to track your intake because you'd be within your calorie limit 'by accident'. I can never get that working for myself because if I'm not tracking I spiral into bingeing.
Find out what works for you as long as it's healthy
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Refer to this thread:deannaxsmithx wrote: »are you more successful with your weight loss when eating foods in moderation or eating strictly healthy foods?
moderation in this case meaning eating whatever you'd like as long as it's within your calorie goal. following serving sizes. weighing your food.
clean eating meaning eating only healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, organic products, etc
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103056/lets-clear-up-a-misconception/p1
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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mamapeach910 wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »Also let me clarify that a bit- I wasn't saying that low carb eating is "clean" eating. I was saying that I eat clean and part of that includes eating low carb maybe I should have included no processed carbs.... idk,, but again I think it can and is on an individual basis as @lemurcat12 says- we can have our own inclusions for what "clean" means to us
See, I just don't get the whole "clean" thing.
I could very well say that I eat clean too. I will try to play the lofty "name your way of eating game". I am basically a whole-foods vegetarian. Most of the time, the food I eat comes from the outer grocery store aisles, with just a few ingredients coming from the inner aisles like dried beans, nut butters, and canned tomatoes. I supplement my intake with quality protein bars and shakes. Every few months or so, I eat something that might be defined as a treat when I get the urge.
Yet, I just... eat what I like. So this is why I don't get the whole idea of labeling your diet "clean" or "dirty" or... anything, really.
I've tried to have this discussion with someone else before, and they didn't understand why I was asking, so maybe I'll get somewhere with you.
What does it mean to you when you say to yourself that you eat "clean"? Is it a big change from how you ate before, or are you, like me, simply eating food you like? Why are you choosing that word to describe your food choices? I'm not asking this in antagonizing way, I'm genuinely curious.
I understand and I just do like you but I try to eat whole foods for reasons I think we covered in another forum- lol and because it is what my doc/nutritionist gave me that I could eat for my conditions.......
I don't really understand the reason for labeling it either- I just say its clean because I try not to have processed stuff in it, eat for my med conditions, etc.
I don't think it really matters what or if you "label" your eating- I am no different from the way you eat- from the outsides of the store with a few inclusions from the insides- dry beans, nut butters- except that I have to limit my carbs every day.
It is a very big change from how I ate before- it wasn't necessarily unclean or "dirty" I don't think any food is "bad" or "dirty". But it did include a lot of processed foods from the inside aisle and a lot of "junk" food. I cant say why EVERYONE labels their way of eating as "clean" I can only say what I think it is and why I say it. There is no purpose to it- and no reason for it. It is a personal preference.
I do know though that some people label themselves as "clean" eaters because they buy only organic, nothing extra like gmo's, pesticides, etc. - so that is what it means to them.
But again- I think it means something different to everyone- as it can. Just like moderation can. I would not say eating a whole pizza is moderation- but someone else might- and that is fine. Whatever works for them.
Gotcha. Thanks for explaining what it means to you.
For the record? I eat the way I do because of medical conditions too. I have celiac disease. Packaged food is expensive for my condition and not as tasty as what I can cook. I'd rather make it myself, because I'm a damned good cook. I'm also a vegetarian. It's easier to just buy whole food and cook it from scratch.
Welcome- same here- a damn good cook, and also my son has the same medical conditions as I do- not PCOS but insulin resistance and hypothyroidism so its better for everyone if I cook and eat the way we do.0 -
I don't particularly like the term "clean eating" as it's ambiguous, and often defames certain foods for being unhealthy.
I eat whole, nutrient-dense foods, foods that I in turn cook into meals myself, as opposed to buying pre-made, packaged meals. This is a personal preference, based on taste and how I prefer to enjoy my food. I also eat in moderation, however. I believe that beyond providing our body fuel, food is something to really savour and appreciate. As such, I eat what I enjoy, as it fits in my macros.
I'm going to call myself a DIY eater, because it sounds way cooler than eating clean.0 -
I don't particularly like the term "clean eating" as it's ambiguous, and often defames certain foods for being unhealthy.
I eat whole, nutrient-dense foods, foods that I in turn cook into meals myself, as opposed to buying pre-made, packaged meals. This is a personal preference, based on taste and how I prefer to enjoy my food. I also eat in moderation, however. I believe that beyond providing our body fuel, food is something to really savour and appreciate. As such, I eat what I enjoy, as it fits in my macros.
I'm going to call myself a DIY eater, because it sounds way cooler than eating clean.
Ohhhh, I like DIY eater! Can I borrow it?
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Sure! DIY-eaters unite! I'll start making t-shirts.0
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OP - maybe you should search topics before digging this up again ....there are about a million topics on this...
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I think when people sign up for this site they need to receive a message from MFP detectives, telling them to search before they post, cause otherwise - people want to post topics on their forum just like every one else. Millions of the same topics are posted over time but we can participate and try to help that person or ignore the post.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »
Right fist pump, double high five, left fist pump, criss-cross double hand high five, clap, right hand high-five, keep hands touching and do-si-do, stop, go into low lunge position, and spirit fingers. Got it?0 -
Moderation. Most of what I eat is whole foods - lots of chicken, fish and vegetables, usually snack on fresh fruit - but I have a jalapeno cheddar bagel for breakfast most mornings, no problem fitting rice and pasta into my meals, chocolate milk every night, pizza at least once a week, and a pack of Raspberry Zingers every weekend.0
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alighterday wrote: »OP - maybe you should search topics before digging this up again ....there are about a million topics on this...
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I think when people sign up for this site they need to receive a message from MFP detectives, telling them to search before they post, cause otherwise - people want to post topics on their forum just like every one else. Millions of the same topics are posted over time but we can participate and try to help that person or ignore the post.
Being a part of a conversation as opposed to "searching a topic" are two very different experiences. If there are a million topics on this then perhaps it is because people are interested in the topic. Searching is tedious and people like to feel involved in the subject.
As alighterday suggested, we can choose to participate or simply ignore the post. We have a choice. A new member posts a subject that is of interest to them today, I see no problem in that.0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »
Right fist pump, double high five, left fist pump, criss-cross double hand high five, clap, right hand high-five, keep hands touching and do-si-do, stop, go into low lunge position, and spirit fingers. Got it?
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Wondering how low carb got mixed into "clean" and the like. I'm very low carb, but I'd never call it clean eating. Unless babybels and Jack Links go in the clean category this week?0
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Wondering how low carb got mixed into "clean" and the like. I'm very low carb, but I'd never call it clean eating. Unless babybels and Jack Links go in the clean category this week?
What are Jack Links?
You've just hit on one of the issues some of us have with a nebulous label like clean. It's not even that I have a problem with it. Aside from my knee-jerk "ewwww, it's trendy reaction, it's just all over the place and pointless.
When someone says they low-carb, or are a vegan, or a vegetarian... you can at least understand in broad strokes exactly what they mean. But "clean"? It could mean anything. It's all self-defined.
Now there's nothing wrong with considering how you eat to be "clean", it's just that your clean and the next guy's "clean" could cause the two of you to come out with pistols at dawn on at the OK Corral of Diet Purity. If you're into that. Much.
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Moderation is the key for me.0
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Wondering how low carb got mixed into "clean" and the like. I'm very low carb, but I'd never call it clean eating. Unless babybels and Jack Links go in the clean category this week?
What are Jack Links?
You've just hit on one of the issues some of us have with a nebulous label like clean. It's not even that I have a problem with it. Aside from my knee-jerk "ewwww, it's trendy reaction, it's just all over the place and pointless.
When someone says they low-carb, or are a vegan, or a vegetarian... you can at least understand in broad strokes exactly what they mean. But "clean"? It could mean anything. It's all self-defined.
Now there's nothing wrong with considering how you eat to be "clean", it's just that your clean and the next guy's "clean" could cause the two of you to come out with pistols at dawn on at the OK Corral of Diet Purity. If you're into that. Much.
They make other stuff like jerky and slim jim type beef sticks.
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Wondering how low carb got mixed into "clean" and the like. I'm very low carb, but I'd never call it clean eating. Unless babybels and Jack Links go in the clean category this week?
What are Jack Links?
You've just hit on one of the issues some of us have with a nebulous label like clean. It's not even that I have a problem with it. Aside from my knee-jerk "ewwww, it's trendy reaction, it's just all over the place and pointless.
When someone says they low-carb, or are a vegan, or a vegetarian... you can at least understand in broad strokes exactly what they mean. But "clean"? It could mean anything. It's all self-defined.
Now there's nothing wrong with considering how you eat to be "clean", it's just that your clean and the next guy's "clean" could cause the two of you to come out with pistols at dawn on at the OK Corral of Diet Purity. If you're into that. Much.
They make other stuff like jerky and slim jim type beef sticks.
Ah! There's a reason I didn't know what they were. Gluten. In the teriyaki. When I was low carbing and doing paleo, I made my own jerky. Most commercial jerky has soy sauce in it, with wheat. I never bothered looking around for it.
Thanks for filling me in.
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This discussion has been closed.
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