Clean Eating Question

Options
145791016

Replies

  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    Options
    My non-cheat day today included: baked apple, granola, yogurt, steamed broccoli, pork tenderloin, baked potato, pot roast, a green salad with vinaigrette, a nectarine, an a fudgsicle. Right at my maintenance calories.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Options
    I am far from a clean eater and am interested in why eating "processed" foods, in a balanced diet, is inherently bad?

    My two sample days:

    Yesterday
    Breakfast: Special K Breakfast sandwich, coffee with liquid creamer
    Lunch: leftovers which included jambalaya from a box, sautéed veggies, chicken and andouille sausage
    Dinner: (total change of plans and last minute dinner at home) frozen fish fillets, noodles from a package, sautéed asparagus
    Extras: bakery cookie, wine

    Today:
    Breakfast: Greek yogurt, Kashi bar, coffee with liquid creamer
    Lunch: grilled chicken sandwich with cheese on wheat bun from work cafeteria
    Dinner: Whole wheat Rigatoni with homemade tomato sauce and store bought garlic bread.
    Extras: macarons from a bakery and wine

    Both days under my calorie goal. I'm sure I could eat more veggies. Not a big fruit eater. But what is inherently unhealthy about my meals?

    Everyone always assumes if you say you don't eat clean you are sitting around eating nothing but donuts and Doritos. I definitely don't do that. I have a busy life and convenience foods are just that, convenient. I lost my weight and am maintenance and my health markers are great. So why is it that because I dare to enter the middle aisles of the grocery store, is my food "junk"?

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    When I first started on MFP and saw all this "Clean eating" talk, I quickly figured out they weren't talking kosher v not, so I googled, but came up with no real definition. Then, I started a thread to ask what, specifically, it meant.

    Holy God, did I ask the wrong question. I didn't realize what would ensue, lol.

    "Clean" means a variety of things to different people. So does "in moderation." Both terms are used a LOT, but neither one actually means anything. If you want to know what someone means, you have to ask...but best to not. The fur will fly. Best to just think of "clean" as "my definition of healthy" and "in moderation" as "my definition of a healthy amount." :)

    I'm so sorry you're getting baited and attacked.

    That shouldn't happen. It's technically against the MFP rules.

    Stick with what the dietitian gave you. The world will not end and you aren't doomed to being fat if you eliminate chips. People have successfully lost weight without them. :)
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    Post deleted.

    It's just not worth it.
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
    Options
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    Options
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    I hate the "stuff I can pronounce" argument. Do you even know what fruits are composed of?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    Options
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    This fascinates me. I have a few frozen meals in the freezer for a quick lunch at work if I don't have any leftovers to bring. I don't find them filling so I usually supplement with a salad, or extra veggies or protein from my work cafeteria, but they work in a pinch.

    Here's a Healthy choice dinner and its ingredients. What exactly is so evil on this list, that wouldn't be also in the common ingredients one would use at home if you made baked ziti from scratch? Because I made rigatoni and meat sauce at home last night and I used pretty much the exact same ingredients: canned tomato sauces, rigatoni noodles, Italian sausage and ground beef, dried and fresh spices, fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

    3ue492w9um0i.jpg
    zrb7eveng29q.jpg

  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    Options
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    I hate the "stuff I can pronounce" argument. Do you even know what fruits are composed of?

    Let's just skip straight to cutting out nasty dhmo. Inhaling it can kill you, it's used in industrial solvent, and its full name is scary sounding.
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
    Options
    Kruggeri wrote: »
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    This fascinates me. I have a few frozen meals in the freezer for a quick lunch at work if I don't have any leftovers to bring. I don't find them filling so I usually supplement with a salad, or extra veggies or protein from my work cafeteria, but they work in a pinch.

    Here's a Healthy choice dinner and its ingredients. What exactly is so evil on this list, that wouldn't be also in the common ingredients one would use at home if you made baked ziti from scratch? Because I made rigatoni and meat sauce at home last night and I used pretty much the exact same ingredients: canned tomato sauces, rigatoni noodles, Italian sausage and ground beef, dried and fresh spices, fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

    3ue492w9um0i.jpg
    zrb7eveng29q.jpg

    Yes, that's one reason it's called "healthy choice". lol. You'll notice that I began my comment with the words "for me". So I'm happy that you are choosing pre-made meals that have good things in them. I wasn't. So FOR ME clean eating means cutting out processed food which lots of chemical-sounding ingredients. So instead of buying a box of Hamburger Helper which includes things like MSG, "disodium guanylate" (no I didn't have that memorized, I looked it up), a large amount of salt, and several dyes, I can make it at home with meat, fresh or canned tomatoes depending on the season, tomato paste (ingredients: tomatoes), spices and the pasta of my choice.

    And for whoever said they hate the "ingredients I can pronounce" argument, I'm wondering why? FOR ME I like to understand what I'm eating. Why does that bother you? You are free to buy boxed meals, and packaged cookies if you wish. Why are you so defensive about what *I* choose to do?
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Options
    Kruggeri wrote: »
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    This fascinates me. I have a few frozen meals in the freezer for a quick lunch at work if I don't have any leftovers to bring. I don't find them filling so I usually supplement with a salad, or extra veggies or protein from my work cafeteria, but they work in a pinch.

    Here's a Healthy choice dinner and its ingredients. What exactly is so evil on this list, that wouldn't be also in the common ingredients one would use at home if you made baked ziti from scratch? Because I made rigatoni and meat sauce at home last night and I used pretty much the exact same ingredients: canned tomato sauces, rigatoni noodles, Italian sausage and ground beef, dried and fresh spices, fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

    3ue492w9um0i.jpg
    zrb7eveng29q.jpg

    Yes, that's one reason it's called "healthy choice". lol. You'll notice that I began my comment with the words "for me". So I'm happy that you are choosing pre-made meals that have good things in them. I wasn't. So FOR ME clean eating means cutting out processed food which lots of chemical-sounding ingredients. So instead of buying a box of Hamburger Helper which includes things like MSG, "disodium guanylate" (no I didn't have that memorized, I looked it up), a large amount of salt, and several dyes, I can make it at home with meat, fresh or canned tomatoes depending on the season, tomato paste (ingredients: tomatoes), spices and the pasta of my choice.

    And for whoever said they hate the "ingredients I can pronounce" argument, I'm wondering why? FOR ME I like to understand what I'm eating. Why does that bother you? You are free to buy boxed meals, and packaged cookies if you wish. Why are you so defensive about what *I* choose to do?

    You could start learning what things mean that you don't know yet instead of rejecting them outright.
    Do you know what riboflavin is? Or Ascorbic acid?
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
    Options
    Kruggeri wrote: »
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    This fascinates me. I have a few frozen meals in the freezer for a quick lunch at work if I don't have any leftovers to bring. I don't find them filling so I usually supplement with a salad, or extra veggies or protein from my work cafeteria, but they work in a pinch.

    Here's a Healthy choice dinner and its ingredients. What exactly is so evil on this list, that wouldn't be also in the common ingredients one would use at home if you made baked ziti from scratch? Because I made rigatoni and meat sauce at home last night and I used pretty much the exact same ingredients: canned tomato sauces, rigatoni noodles, Italian sausage and ground beef, dried and fresh spices, fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

    3ue492w9um0i.jpg
    zrb7eveng29q.jpg

    Yes, that's one reason it's called "healthy choice". lol. You'll notice that I began my comment with the words "for me". So I'm happy that you are choosing pre-made meals that have good things in them. I wasn't. So FOR ME clean eating means cutting out processed food which lots of chemical-sounding ingredients. So instead of buying a box of Hamburger Helper which includes things like MSG, "disodium guanylate" (no I didn't have that memorized, I looked it up), a large amount of salt, and several dyes, I can make it at home with meat, fresh or canned tomatoes depending on the season, tomato paste (ingredients: tomatoes), spices and the pasta of my choice.

    And for whoever said they hate the "ingredients I can pronounce" argument, I'm wondering why? FOR ME I like to understand what I'm eating. Why does that bother you? You are free to buy boxed meals, and packaged cookies if you wish. Why are you so defensive about what *I* choose to do?

    You could start learning what things mean that you don't know yet instead of rejecting them outright.
    Do you know what riboflavin is? Or Ascorbic acid?

    Lol, yes of course I do. But I didn't mention either of those, did I? I said "MSG" and "disodium guanylate" and lots of sodium, and several dyes. :)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    newfutures wrote: »
    newfutures wrote: »
    So, how do you guys define clean?
    I basically would define it as getting rid of all bad carbs and processed foods. Just stick with veggies, fruits, beans, and meat! Basically most of the food in the middle Section of grocery store is a no. It's pretty strict but I was looking up clean eating meals on pinterest and it doesn't look to bad. I think I could do it. I just no that I would occasionally want a cookie or potatoes lol

    What is a bad carb?

    Basically junk like potato chips, crackers and so on. You get your good carbs from fruits and so forth

    But wait... all of the foods you just listed come from 'good carb' sources right?

    Potato chips evidently come from potatoes, good carb, right?

    Crackers can have multiple ingredients; barley, rye and wheat. Good carbs, right?

    A carb, is a carb. They all have the same molecular formula. They're the same on a molecular level. Nothing differentiates a carb from a carb, no?

    No there are fast carbs and slow carbs. the names refer to how fast the body breaks them down. molecularly they are different. potatoes are actually considered a slow carb (bad) because they break down very quickly and cause your blood sugar to spike. the crackers are also black listed because they are from refined grains and your body break them down fast as well. Some fruits are slow carbs and most veggies. Beans are great carbs because they are slow in the breaking down process and the variety of beans is awesome. not to mention the ways to prepare them are endless. Oatmeal is also a great carb. hope that helps

    Don't you see that there are no good carbs or bad carbs? It really comes down to which carb you want; slow release, or fast release.

    Say, I want to get some heavy lifting done at the gym. I'll be wanting my monosaccharides; i.e. glucose. It doesn't need to be hydrolysed down into anything else - it can't. Before that, I'll have my slow release carbohydrates etc.

    And insulin spiking... I'm pretty sure I read somewhere on here that it was good @ndj1979 . I think it might've been you who mentioned something about insulin spiking and something moving into the muscles? I can't remember.

    Yet another thing I need to teach myself I guess.

    The carb itself is not bad. its just labled bad because its counterproductive to most diet and health goals and definitely bad for diabetics. Blood sugar spikes are unhealthy because it causes fluctuations in your insulin production. when your blood sugar spikes so does your insulin. that is not healthy and overtime causes diabetes. from what i understand (not saying im right) there are no positive if any affects to muscle tissues. The majority of the carbs and starches consumed should be "complex" carbs simply because they are the healthiest for the body. They are broken down and used slower causing your insulin to stay steady. It wont spike and then crash. Now i love monster pops and noodles. I don't deprive myself of those but i use caution and moderation. For being a bad carb doughnuts sure do taste good.

    Blood sugar and insulin spikes DO NOT cause diabetes. They are the main SYMPTOM of diabetes. Diabetes is caused when the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. There are several reasons for this (and can vary depending on if you are talking about T1Dm or T2Dm) but the actual cause is unknown. Scientists do not know what actually triggers it in people, but the known risk factors are:
    • Genetics
    • Obesity
    • Age
    • Long term use of certain medications (especially antidepressants and statins)
    • Possible environmental factors like arsenic and other pesticides and herbicides. There seems to be a correlation but there is NOT a proven causation to these

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Options
    So instead of buying a box of Hamburger Helper which includes things like MSG, "disodium guanylate" (no I didn't have that memorized, I looked it up), a large amount of salt, and several dyes

    So what is wrong with MSG? It is a naturally occurring amino acid extracted from seaweed. You eat it all the time if you eat much turkey (including organic free range turkeys or even wild ones since it is created in their bodies and is in the meat).

  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
    Options
    Try to fit all the food you love into your daily allowance. Just eat smaller portions of them. Good luck!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Options
    mantium999 wrote: »
    Hate to tell you, but calorie deficit, not eating "clean" is how your neighbor lost weight. Now, eating clean might have accidentally caused a deficit, but in the end, that's all that really happened

    ^This.

    There's no real definition of the word "clean" when it comes to eating, which means it's a completely useless buzzword that should die a fiery death. Foods are not "good" and "bad" - food is food. Eating "processed" (another meaningless word) foods doesn't make you fat...eating too many calories makes you fat.

    There's nothing wrong with getting in plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, etc. in your diet. That's great. But if I want a donut and it fits into my macro goals, you bet your booty I'm going to eat it. And guess what? I'm not going to get fat from it, nor am I going to get cancer and die from eating foods I enjoy eating just because they're "processed."

    In short, eating clean means nothing, and it's unnecessary. Being "super strict" in your diet is essentially setting yourself up for failure. You're human and you need to give yourself some slack. Food isn't the enemy.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    Options
    For me, saying I'll eat "clean" or I'll "cut out processed foods" means getting rid of the things in my diet that have chemicals listed in the ingredients. I don't care what studies someone might throw at me to show that such-and-such additive in that boxed meal isn't bad for us... I want to cut them out. It makes me feel good to know that I'm cooking food for my family that doesn't have all those additives. Many boxed foods or mixes are also full of sodium and I'd rather cook from scratch, add a bit of salt, then have the eaters add their own salt or seasonings. This is how my family can even eat chili for example, with one who likes his chili SPICY(!) omg... and another who likes is "pretty spicy", and one who wants no spice, and one who would like a teeny bit. ugh. lol So I make my own, with all ingredients that I can pronounce.

    For the person up-thread who was arguing that beef is "processed" -- why do some of you just want to argue for the sake of arguing? Seems silly when you know very well what we're talking about when we say "processed food". Of course a steak in the store has been "processed" in some way -- the cow has been killed, then butchered, then packaged, and brought to the store. That's "processing". But obviously that's not the same thing as a frozen dinner or canned soup that has unpronounceable ingredients. lol

    lol...
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    JudithNYC wrote: »
    Seems like some people have their minds made up and just want to argue for the sake of arguing. Just eat whatever you want. If you want to subsist on potato chips and ice cream, go for it. It does not make a difference for others here.

    Hmm, I read the thread and didn't see any posts suggesting that people subsist on potato chips and ice cream. Care to point me to the post?
    But if you claim that potato chips are the same as a baked potato or that Ben and Jerry's Cherries Garcia count as a fruit, sorry, but you are being willfully ignorant.

    No one said the latter, and OP is the one who called all potatoes "bad carbs."

    (I don't believe in "bad carbs," but it's particularly funny also because the difference between a baked potato and chips has exactly zero to do with the carbs involved. Chips are more caloric, usually, because of the oil involved, and may--but do not always--include oils/fats that you would want to keep to a minimum.)

    For the record, my preexisting belief that "clean eating" is a fad buzz word and not a real thing with a consistent meaning that anyone actually applies in a serious fashion has been augmented by the current and hilarious Panera "clean eating" campaign. Apparently "clean eating" means avoiding the center of the supermarket with those scary foods like frozen veggies and instead eating at Panera.
  • tootiehas3
    tootiehas3 Posts: 9 Member
    Options
    I'll bet you didn't mean to start a big huge debate.

    I like eating clean. Clean to me, ( and it varies depending on who you ask), is as close to foods in their natural state as POSSIBLE, and little to no processed food. Now....let me say this: for MOST people, it's hard to do 100% of the time. I do the best I can, but it isn't always possible or even feasible, to do all the time. I like Hellman's mayo. I don't overdo, but I love having a little now and then. I love homemade also, but that isn't something I'm going to make regularly. Same thing with ketchup. I usually buy one with good ingredients, if I can. I don't eat a lot of it on a regular basis, so I don't sweat it. That applies to other things also. Diehards won't buy canned beans because of the sodium and cook dried. Some people bake their own breads and make sourdough starter, their own yogurt, etc etc. As with everything else, there are different degrees to anything.

    I have also never eaten clean to lose weight, but because IMHO (did you see that? IN MY HUMBLE OPINION) I think it's a healthier way to eat. It does NOT mean that I don't LOVE pizza, or chips, or a good ol' Corona Light (or 2 or 3) on a warm summer day. In fact, I DO. And I TREAT myself and indulge. BUT if I do, I take a longer walk that day and the next and am strict with calories the next day.

    The whole "good carb/bad carb" debate is laughable (IHMO :)) I'm pretty sure that a tomato (unless you have a sensitivity) is better for you than a bag of Lay's Potato Chips. Does that mean you never eat a potato chip ever again? HELL NO. But most days I don't eat them. It's a trigger food for ME. "NO ONE CAN EAT JUST ONE"...So if I'm going to a picnic, guess what? I'm going to have what I want. But then I may not eat a chip for 3 weeks.

    When push comes to shove, you need to eat less than you burn. Bottom line. Make sure you are eating your nutrients. Get them from good quality lean protein sources, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. If you're over 40, you'll need to be careful with your grains. Portion DOES matter, even with healthy foods. Measure in the beginning until you get familiar with portion sizes. Yes, a scale helps. If you don't want to invest in a scale, use your hand as a guide (protein is the size of a deck of cards; a cupped hand for carbs/dairy; etc. There are lots of sources online.

    Do what works for YOU. You may need to experiment until you find what works. I agree though, that no matter what you do you need to indulge sometimes. If you don't, you'll binge. Better to give in once in a while than be white-knuckled ALL THE TIME. Discipline is important if you are trying to lose. I know myself, at almost 48 with 10-15 lbs. to lose, realistically it'll take time, patience, and consistency. I'm not going to let myself lose sleep over it though.

    Good luck!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    So, how do you guys define clean?
    I basically would define it as getting rid of all bad carbs and processed foods. Just stick with veggies, fruits, beans, and meat! Basically most of the food in the middle Section of grocery store is a no. It's pretty strict but I was looking up clean eating meals on pinterest and it doesn't look to bad. I think I could do it. I just no that I would occasionally want a cookie or potatoes lol

    What is a bad carb?

    Basically junk like potato chips, crackers and so on. You get your good carbs from fruits and so forth

    But wait... all of the foods you just listed come from 'good carb' sources right?

    Potato chips evidently come from potatoes, good carb, right?

    Crackers can have multiple ingredients; barley, rye and wheat. Good carbs, right?

    A carb, is a carb. They all have the same molecular formula. They're the same on a molecular level. Nothing differentiates a carb from a carb, no?

    I don't know. I just No That potato chips and icecream and crackers are harder for you to digest and they are not good for you. Potatoes are only good in increments. It's a starch and starchs are not good for you either

    Any studies supporting that claim?

    Why are you antagonizing her? She's simply trying to begin her weight loss journey and trying to learn what she can about food and nutrition.

    Thank you. I feel like I'm being attacked. I never claimed to be an expert. I just want advice. I just don't think stuffing my face with chips and icecream is what they should be telling me

    In which post were you told to stuff your face with chips and ice cream.

    Personally, I think "clean eating" is nonsensical, but I do think you should try to eat healthy and in accordance with sensible nutrition, which means getting adequate protein (at least some from leaner sources), trying to choose less processed/higher fiber versions of grains if you like them, and especially getting a good amount of fruits and veggies and including in your diet fats like olives/olive oil, avocado, those in fatty fish, etc. You know, basic boring stuff like any 8 year old knows. The problem is people think this is too mundane so want some trendy thing like "clean eating" (when normal cooking is mostly from whole foods anyway) or anti carb or sugar or raw or some such. No point unless you actually have preferences those line up with. If you eat way too much of what's normally considered "junk" food, the obvious response seems to be to eat less and eat more nutrient-dense stuff, not to find some special diet that cuts stuff out.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2015
    Options
    ccourcha wrote: »
    I try not to eat anything that is processed and comes in a package or wrapper

    Who sells you eggs without a carton or unwrapped meat? In my state (and I think most states), any meat sold commercially--including direct by a farm or through a farm-based CSA--also must be "processed" by a processor. But even if that weren't so I imagine they'd wrap it.

    If you raise your own meat I guess that's an exception. I live in a city, so zoning laws (among other things, like our condo regulations and space issues and perhaps past calumnies against cows) preclude that.
This discussion has been closed.