I think I missed the Clean Eating memo...
novembersuse
Posts: 77 Member
I watched a few various healthy-eating/fit-lifestyle videos recently, presented by fitness/nutrition experts, and was genuinely surprised that my own healthy options are a no-go for these people.
The advice on weight loss was stuff like 'steer clear of spaghetti bolognese, because it piles on the weight. Swap it for kale soup, it's just as filling and oh-so-healthy'. That threw me, because spaghetti bolognese is one of my 'healthy' options. Spag bol means I didn't get a pizza out the freezer, or eat at the pub. It means I chopped up onion, garlic, dry-fried some lean mince, added tomatoes and seasoning, cooked it, and had it with some pasta (while secretly wishing dinner was a cheeseburger instead). And I was honestly shocked that it's considered by some to be bad news.
Similarly, breakfast cereal. And not Frosties or Coco Pops, but Special K or Shreddies and the news is that it's full of sugar, and other crap, and generally awful for you. And breakfast should really be a smoothie or egg whites or something (I stopped paying attention). But for me, tea and toast is what I normally would have, if I want a treat it's a bacon roll, and if I'm on a regime it's Shreddies.
Anyway, I found it half disheartening and half daft that my idea of eating well - being cereal for breakfast, a chicken sandwich for lunch, and something homemade and not crazy-fattening for dinner, with no snacking and only drinking at weekends - turns out to be a nutritionist's idea of the 'before' menu.
For my part, there is no way I could ever get by on vitamin shakes and cruciferous veg. If that's how we're doing it now, I'd rather just stay overweight. But I got the impression that pizzas/red wine/chocolate bars and all the stuff that got me overweight in the first place might equally blow the minds of folk who think Cornflakes is the problem.
The advice on weight loss was stuff like 'steer clear of spaghetti bolognese, because it piles on the weight. Swap it for kale soup, it's just as filling and oh-so-healthy'. That threw me, because spaghetti bolognese is one of my 'healthy' options. Spag bol means I didn't get a pizza out the freezer, or eat at the pub. It means I chopped up onion, garlic, dry-fried some lean mince, added tomatoes and seasoning, cooked it, and had it with some pasta (while secretly wishing dinner was a cheeseburger instead). And I was honestly shocked that it's considered by some to be bad news.
Similarly, breakfast cereal. And not Frosties or Coco Pops, but Special K or Shreddies and the news is that it's full of sugar, and other crap, and generally awful for you. And breakfast should really be a smoothie or egg whites or something (I stopped paying attention). But for me, tea and toast is what I normally would have, if I want a treat it's a bacon roll, and if I'm on a regime it's Shreddies.
Anyway, I found it half disheartening and half daft that my idea of eating well - being cereal for breakfast, a chicken sandwich for lunch, and something homemade and not crazy-fattening for dinner, with no snacking and only drinking at weekends - turns out to be a nutritionist's idea of the 'before' menu.
For my part, there is no way I could ever get by on vitamin shakes and cruciferous veg. If that's how we're doing it now, I'd rather just stay overweight. But I got the impression that pizzas/red wine/chocolate bars and all the stuff that got me overweight in the first place might equally blow the minds of folk who think Cornflakes is the problem.
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What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight. You just do you and forget what someone else thinks taste good/is healthy. The diet industry is full of conflicting information.
I eat all things considered healthy by the media, not because I have to but because I enjoy the taste of those foods. My friends try to copy me to lose weight but they abandon their diet two weeks in because they don't like the taste of my food.0 -
If you stick around you'll see alot of fads come and go. The diet industry has to make money. So, eat what you like, stay within your daily calorie goal, and weigh and measure everything you eat. You'll get some new ideas on MFP. Try them sometimes and see what works. Best.0
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Don't worry, the memo want issued by anyone official. Many people find that it's easier to control calories when they cook their own foods and fill the majority of their diet with whole foods. Others don't, and they can still make it work.
The key is eating food that keep you satiated, low you to stay within your calorie goal, leave you feeling good, and help you reach your goals.0 -
I hate programmes like that. They're how people start developing eating disorders because they're told what they're doing is wrong. Do what works for you. Eat within your calories and work hard at the gym. Don't just eat kale and egg whites, unless that's what you like? Eat a healthy spaghetti bolognese, there's definitely nothing wrong with that.0
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Spag Bol is also one of my healthy meals - I have courgette ribbons instead of pasta on the days I'm not exercising.
Maybe they mean the jars of sauce are bad, because they are full of preservatives and sugar? I can't see how homemade would be bad though...
With regards to cereals though yeah, I can see how they would be considered as 'bad'.
Lots of sugar, very low nutritional content. But at the same time, if you're not bothered about that and just want to count calories then it's OK, they're not high cal fat so it's not going to interfere with weight loss.
Losing weight and eating healthy can be 2 very different things - like, you could eat just chocolate for a week but if it's under your daily calorie goal you probably wouldn't gain weight.
I wouldn't imagine you'd feel too fantastic though!0 -
Kale soup? Sounds dreadful. Eat what you like, not what someone else says you should eat. Keep a calorie deficit. That's it.0
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In the UK, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist as it's not a protected title. I wouldn't put too much stake in what these online health "experts" say. They all seem to be heavily influenced by the latest health craze.
Spag bol can be a pretty healthy meal.0 -
kale is disgusting.
eat what you like. stay in a deficit. lose weight.
easy.0 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »kale is disgusting.
eat what you like. stay in a deficit. lose weight.
easy.
I much preferred when spinach was the super food.0 -
For whatever reason whenever some self appointed expert crows about something being healthy it makes me cringe. Also, anyone seriously suggesting kale soup instead of pasta is missing the point entirely. It's like those people who seriously suggest fruit as an alternative to ice cream as if that'll satisfy the craving someone has for ice cream.0
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Aw, thanks everyone! That's all good to hear. I'm definitely of the belief that if you just eat less you'll lose weight. And it's nice to know I'm not alone in that
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For whatever reason whenever some self appointed expert crows about something being healthy it makes me cringe. Also, anyone seriously suggesting kale soup instead of pasta is missing the point entirely. It's like those people who seriously suggest fruit as an alternative to ice cream as if that'll satisfy the craving someone has for ice cream.
Truth.0 -
novembersuse wrote: »Aw, thanks everyone! That's all good to hear. I'm definitely of the belief that if you just eat less you'll lose weight. And it's nice to know I'm not alone in that
You are definitely not alone! Imagine how boring life would be if we only ate what the 'nutritionists' told us!
Kale soup...erm, no thanks.
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I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight0 -
For whatever reason whenever some self appointed expert crows about something being healthy it makes me cringe. Also, anyone seriously suggesting kale soup instead of pasta is missing the point entirely. It's like those people who seriously suggest fruit as an alternative to ice cream as if that'll satisfy the craving someone has for ice cream.
Fruit is not an alternative to ice cream (because sugarz)
It's kale. It's always kale.0 -
muscleandbeard wrote: »
I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight
For weight loss it's literally, objectively true.
For optimum body composition and health, macro- and micronutrients, yadda, yadda, you know all of that.0 -
Don't worry about that kind of nonsense. There's nothing unhealthy about spag bol as you described it. Shows like that assume that people are eating too much or adding lots of oil and cheese and high fat meat, or not eating any veg with it, or who knows. I make a tasty kale soup (it also has white beans and sausage and some other veg) and lots of tasty pasta dinners (sometimes with lean ground beef, sometimes with other meat options) and the vegetable content, and overall macros and so on aren't that different. The idea that one would be healthier than the other seems absurd.
I think what makes sense is to figure out what works for you to feel satisfied, eat appropriate calories, and meet your understanding of healthy/your nutritional goals, and not worry that others are anti pasta or anti carb (trendy these days) or over the top in their hatred of anything from a store (like dried pasta or any cereal) or who knows.0 -
muscleandbeard wrote: »
I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight
However, true is true.0 -
Don't worry, the memo want issued by anyone official. Many people find that it's easier to control calories when they cook their own foods and fill the majority of their diet with whole foods. Others don't, and they can still make it work.
The key is eating food that keep you satiated, low you to stay within your calorie goal, leave you feeling good, and help you reach your goals.
Here's the official UK memo:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx[/quote]0 -
[/quote]kshama2001 wrote: »Don't worry, the memo want issued by anyone official. Many people find that it's easier to control calories when they cook their own foods and fill the majority of their diet with whole foods. Others don't, and they can still make it work.
The key is eating food that keep you satiated, low you to stay within your calorie goal, leave you feeling good, and help you reach your goals.
Here's the official UK memo:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx
Yup, and that memo doesn't state the word "clean" anywhere. Glad we're in agreement.0 -
muscleandbeard wrote: »
I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight
me too
homemade spaghetti bolognese may be lower in calories than pizza, but it's not much healthier...think about it: depending on the type of pasta, you're still getting processed, high glycemic carbs, just like from the pizza crust. if you use sauce from a jar, it's typically full of added sugar and sodium. and then most people make their bolognese sauce with ground beef (here's a recipe that i am using to make broad generalizations), and it's generally accepted that ground beef is not particularly healthy (although lean red meat is a good source of iron when used in moderation).
now, if you make your own sauce (to ensure no added sugar or excess salt), use lean ground turkey, add extra veggies (i add carrots, spinach and bell peppers to my red sauce) and pick a low-glycemic pasta (or use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash), then i would say that is a healthy spag bol.
please don't kid yourself that traditional spaghetti bolognese is healthy, though.
if you want to eat it, by all means, that's your prerogative, but be realistic about the nutritional value.
i'm not pretending that i have a picture perfect diet, but i also don't pretend that a bacon cheeseburger or lasagna is healthy just because i made it at home.
and i can't even get started on boxed cereal...
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Sounds like you're eating pretty healthy to me. Cooking at home is almost always better than eating out or eating processed. As far as cereal, I love my mini wheats. I know in the current "sugar is poison" fad, many people would say its terrible for me, but it's just that- a fad. Back in the 80s it was fat that was the poison and then they realized super low-fat wasnt good for you. Does your cereal have enough fiber to keep you full and prevent a sugar spike? Then youre doing just fine. Fads will come and go, but moderation of everything, cooking at home, and eating a diet thats not too extreme so that you actually maintain it for life, is always going to be whats best for you!0
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novembersuse wrote: »Aw, thanks everyone! That's all good to hear. I'm definitely of the belief that if you just eat less you'll lose weight. And it's nice to know I'm not alone in that
You are definitely not alone. The majority of those who have lost weight and kept it off did so by modifying their diet, not completely changing it. Finding "healthier" options for favorite foods and controlling portions instead of totally forgoing those foods is the way to create a deficit while still enjoying meals. Besides, "clean" is a meaningless term. Eat the majority of your foods from nutrition packed foods you enjoy and prepared yourself and you will be just fine.0 -
I made this and it was goooood. Spinach or kale, whatevs.
http://sharedappetite.com/recipes/rustic-tuscan-style-sausage-white-bean-and-kale-soup/0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »I made this and it was goooood. Spinach or kale, whatevs.
http://sharedappetite.com/recipes/rustic-tuscan-style-sausage-white-bean-and-kale-soup/
Portuguese Sausage and Kale soup is so popular here they include it in the soup bar in the supermarkets.0 -
ilovediatoms wrote: »muscleandbeard wrote: »
I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight me too
homemade spaghetti bolognese may be lower in calories than pizza, but it's not much healthier...think about it: depending on the type of pasta, you're still getting processed, high glycemic carbs, just like from the pizza crust. if you use sauce from a jar, it's typically full of added sugar and sodium. and then most people make their bolognese sauce with ground beef (here's a recipe that i am using to make broad generalizations), and it's generally accepted that ground beef is not particularly healthy (although lean red meat is a good source of iron when used in moderation).
now, if you make your own sauce (to ensure no added sugar or excess salt), use lean ground turkey, add extra veggies (i add carrots, spinach and bell peppers to my red sauce) and pick a low-glycemic pasta (or use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash), then i would say that is a healthy spag bol.
please don't kid yourself that traditional spaghetti bolognese is healthy, though.
if you want to eat it, by all means, that's your prerogative, but be realistic about the nutritional value.
i'm not pretending that i have a picture perfect diet, but i also don't pretend that a bacon cheeseburger or lasagna is healthy just because i made it at home.
and i can't even get started on boxed cereal...
FTR - Bolognese sauce is officially beef, pancetta, celery, onions, carrots, tomato paste, milk, red or white wine and salt and pepper.
No sugar. No other spices (although a little nutmeg is accepted by some). No ground turkey.
/foodie rant.
I still eat it.0 -
ilovediatoms wrote: »muscleandbeard wrote: »
I'm sorry but I literally cringe when I read stuff like this.What you eat doesn't really matter. You only need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight me too
homemade spaghetti bolognese may be lower in calories than pizza, but it's not much healthier...think about it: depending on the type of pasta, you're still getting processed, high glycemic carbs, just like from the pizza crust. if you use sauce from a jar, it's typically full of added sugar and sodium. and then most people make their bolognese sauce with ground beef (here's a recipe that i am using to make broad generalizations), and it's generally accepted that ground beef is not particularly healthy (although lean red meat is a good source of iron when used in moderation).
now, if you make your own sauce (to ensure no added sugar or excess salt), use lean ground turkey, add extra veggies (i add carrots, spinach and bell peppers to my red sauce) and pick a low-glycemic pasta (or use zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash), then i would say that is a healthy spag bol.
please don't kid yourself that traditional spaghetti bolognese is healthy, though.
if you want to eat it, by all means, that's your prerogative, but be realistic about the nutritional value.
i'm not pretending that i have a picture perfect diet, but i also don't pretend that a bacon cheeseburger or lasagna is healthy just because i made it at home.
and i can't even get started on boxed cereal...
Sorry, what's not healthy about it? You have a good mix of proteins, carbs, fats?0 -
if you clicked on the link i provided, that's what it says, minus the milk. i mentioned sugar because if you don't make your own sauce (many people don't), store-bought jars of sauce generally have added sugar.
and like i said before, eat what you want, just be objective about the nutrition0 -
if you clicked on the link i provided, that's what it says, minus the milk. i mentioned sugar because if you don't make your own sauce (many people don't), store-bought jars of sauce generally have added sugar.
and like i said before, eat what you want, just be objective about the nutrition0 -
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