Clean eating here I come.....

You know what would be a better response to the op?

"OP- I'm not sure if you're aware of this but "clean eating" can mean different things to different people. Can you clarify what you mean or give an example? Thanks! ;thumbsup"

Peloton73 wrote: »

Oh c'mon....you guys have over 1,000 posts on this site. I'm generalizing, although someone in a private group did make the same claim. I know you have seen posts about people bragging how they just had a Big Mac and still met their calories.

After years of thinking that I had to eat "perfectly" to lose weight, it was relevatory for me to come to this site and see all the personal experiences about how calorie counting works and I could have whatever I wanted as long as I planned for it. What you see as "bragging" was actually incredibly helpful for me. I've lost twenty-five pounds and it's been the easiest (in terms of simplicity -- not saying there weren't hard days!) and least angsty weight loss experience I've ever had. And eliminating the "bad foods" concept has kept me from feeling my restricted eating kick-up, something that was always a struggle for me before when I was losing weight.

I've gone over three months on this weight loss attempt without a single binge, something that has never happened to me in twenty years.

There may be a couple of bad egg posts that I haven't seen, but no. I don't see the people talking about how they can balance their diet through moderation as bragging. They're sharing information that has been very valuable to me, information that I needed to hear and has helped me significantly.

Peloton73 wrote: »

Oh c'mon....you guys have over 1,000 posts on this site. I'm generalizing, although someone in a private group did make the same claim. I know you have seen posts about people bragging how they just had a Big Mac and still met their calories.

You're missing the point.

People may say they just had a Big Mac and met their calories and are still going to lose weight. that's true, people say that all the time. These same people often eat a primarily nutrient dense diet overall and still manage to fit in fast food, or ice cream, or even Twinkies in moderation.

That's different than the straw man argument of: people claim they ONLY eat Big Macs or Twinkies and recommend that others do the same.

see the difference? Scenario 1 happens all the time. Scenario 2 is what the clean eaters misinterpret the statement to be.

janejellyroll wrote: »

Peloton73 wrote: »

Oh c'mon....you guys have over 1,000 posts on this site. I'm generalizing, although someone in a private group did make the same claim. I know you have seen posts about people bragging how they just had a Big Mac and still met their calories.

After years of thinking that I had to eat "perfectly" to lose weight, it was relevatory for me to come to this site and see all the personal experiences about how calorie counting works and I could have whatever I wanted as long as I planned for it. What you see as "bragging" was actually incredibly helpful for me. I've lost twenty-five pounds and it's been the easiest (in terms of simplicity -- not saying there weren't hard days!) and least angsty weight loss experience I've ever had. And eliminating the "bad foods" concept has kept me from feeling my restricted eating kick-up, something that was always a struggle for me before when I was losing weight.

I've gone over three months on this weight loss attempt without a single binge, something that has never happened to me in twenty years.

There may be a couple of bad egg posts that I haven't seen, but no. I don't see the people talking about how they can balance their diet through moderation as bragging. They're sharing information that has been very valuable to me, information that I needed to hear and has helped me significantly.

Oh God, this!

I agree @rabbitjb . I find it liberating to eat food that makes me energetic, ie; some fresh spinach with some wild rice, a bit of chicken, with some homemade dressing I just created, some great yogurt and a handful of raspberries....then eat some burger that will just sit in my body doing really nothing but giving me grief.

Peloton73 wrote: »

The general observation I am making is in these clean eating threads, which...since you have over 20K posts....you know are pretty common around here, usually by the end of the first page there are references to how someone lost 40lbs while still eating Big Macs in their diet. You and I both know those types of replies happen.

So?

What's wrong with someone saying that they lost weight by incorporating their favorite foods (even foods that are considered "bad" or "unhealthy") into their diet?

I am fairly new here. I have never seen those posts as "bragging" or "condescending". I applaud those who don't demonize food and who advocate moderation. That is what I strive for myself in my diet.

Rather, I bristle at posts where people are deliberately obtuse. If someone has to twist a person's words (i.e., "I still eat Twinkies" becomes "I eat nothing but Twinkies 24/7") to make their point, then they must not have much of an argument to begin with.

booksandchocolate12 wrote: »

Peloton73 wrote: »

The general observation I am making is in these clean eating threads, which...since you have over 20K posts....you know are pretty common around here, usually by the end of the first page there are references to how someone lost 40lbs while still eating Big Macs in their diet. You and I both know those types of replies happen.

So?

What's wrong with someone saying that they lost weight by incorporating their favorite foods (even foods that are considered "bad" or "unhealthy") into their diet?

I am fairly new here. I have never seen those posts as "bragging" or "condescending". I applaud those who don't demonize food and who advocate moderation. That is what I strive for myself in my diet.

Rather, I bristle at posts where people are deliberately obtuse. If someone has to twist a person's words (i.e., "I still eat Twinkies" becomes "I eat nothing but Twinkies 24/7") to make their point, then they must not have much of an argument to begin with.

Yes.

Kruggeri wrote: »

Annr wrote: »

I agree @rabbitjb . I find it liberating to eat food that makes me energetic, ie; some fresh spinach with some wild rice, a bit of chicken, with some homemade dressing I just created, some great yogurt and a handful of raspberries....then eat some burger that will just sit in my body doing really nothing but giving me grief.

Then you are eating the wrong kinds of burgers...

Agreed. Man I feel great after a good burger. Like I could conquer the world and dead lift all the weight.

blamundson wrote: »

I agree with everyone's love of cookbooks. I have hundreds, plus numerous nutrition text books and research journals remaining from school that are now available online. There's so much information out there however, that it can be overwhelming to someone looking for new changes. Often a smaller magazine is a good way to start and expand from there. Figure out what's right for you and no one else! Good luck!

I don't really think a magazine is a good way to start. I'd recommend a website with a decent selection of recipes (I like to recommend epicurious and 101cookbooks, but there are tons), or--ideally--a good started cookbook. My favorite for that purpose is Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, and I also like vegetable-themed cookbooks for those relatively new to cooking/eating veggies--two good options are the classic Greene on Greens and Barbara Kafka's Vegetable Love, but again there are tons. Seasonal or farmer's market themed cookbooks are also good and often fun because they focus on what's likely to be available/fresh at a particular time of year, but are generally less comprehensive and sometimes more likely to presume some cooking experience.

(I forget who we are actually making recommendations to and if she's said what her cooking background is. OP?)