Clean Eating Success Stories, I want to hear them!

What is eating clean?

I eat mostly grains but not a lot of bread things like pasta. Also i eat a lot of beans for protein because i recently stopped eating meat. I also eat fish and drink 8 cups of water a day. I don't eat any junk food at all except when I reach my 2 week goal i'll have a small treat (chocolate ) Also i never eat back my exercise calories. All snacks are fruit and sometimes a few crackers to hold me until dinner. And Kashi Go Lean cereal is the best. It keeps you full for hours and has lots of protein. I've already lost 6 pounds

I am new to clean eating about 1 month in (i eat about 80%clean)
I love it the differences in how i feel is amazing! And i have started to feel
like the shrinking woman :laugh: A great source is clean eating Magazine

its true my stomach is definitely getting flatter

Clean eating has reduced my bloating, and most importantly my skin is 100% clear now when a month ago I had acne all over my chin and jaw. It really is incredible to live by the simple rules of eating whole, clean foods There is no downside to eating clean so just do it! haha

PS my definition of Eating Clean is fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains like quinoa and brown rice, beans, etc. (I'm also vegan, but non-vegeterians can eat clean too by incorporating these foods with their lean protein, eggs, etc) I basically think it means nothing processed!

http://eatingcleanworks.com/what-is-eating-clean.html

In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: "if man made it, don't eat it."

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

Eliminates refined sugar
Cooks healthy meals
Packs healthy meals
Makes healthy choices when dining out
Drinks a lot of water
Eats 5-6 small meals per day
Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
Always eats breakfast
Eating clean can be a major transition for a majority of people due to addictions to sugar, white bread, and fast food. It takes discipline in order to make eating clean a habit but it is possible and has so many long-term health benefits.

Everyone seems to have a different definition of Eating Clean. What is the STRICT Definition of Eating Clean so we will know.

clean eating is to eat only foods that are fresh/frozen without chemicals added, no ingredients that you can't buy in the market and assemble yourself. Some go so far as no sugars/gluten/artificial sweeteners.
I personally strive to eat fresh/frozen animal proteins, fats that are only found in nature or from natural by-products (dairy/eggs), nuts and other veggies and fruits. I don't eat much fruit because I just don't like them. But if I did they would be acceptable in small quantities (after weight loss, no limits). As you can see from my avatar, "animals and plants, with water on the side."

Thank-You. Is this type of Eating Plan sustainable on 1400-1500 calories per day?

I eat clean except for the tbsp of sweet chili sauce I allow myself every day.
It makes everything better
That being said you could probably make your own version using something like apricot puree and a natural sweetener!

Everyone seems to have a different definition of Eating Clean. What is the STRICT Definition of Eating Clean so we will know.

clean eating is to eat only foods that are fresh/frozen without chemicals added, no ingredients that you can't buy in the market and assemble yourself. Some go so far as no sugars/gluten/artificial sweeteners.
I personally strive to eat fresh/frozen animal proteins, fats that are only found in nature or from natural by-products (dairy/eggs), nuts and other veggies and fruits. I don't eat much fruit because I just don't like them. But if I did they would be acceptable in small quantities (after weight loss, no limits). As you can see from my avatar, "animals and plants, with water on the side."

Thank-You. Is this type of Eating Plan sustainable on 1400-1500 calories per day?

Any eating plan can be planned around a number. I suggest you find what works for you.

When I started MFP I had never heard of eating clean. I guess I ended up doing it pretty much by coincidence. We all know that processed foods and fast foods are some of the culprits that got us overweight in the first place, so I just eliminated them all from my diet.

From day 1, some of my rules have been:

Nothing from a jar, can, box or pouch (except canned tuna)

No fast food.

No soda or beverages other than water or unsweetened iced tea (I use sweet and low).

Fresh veggies every day, though I use frozen to make soups with.

Very little red meat, very little pork, so I use a lot of chicken and turkey.

Nothing fried, plus I do not use oil, even olive oil (cooking spray only).

No sauces.

No added salt and I don't use seasoning that contain salt.

No white breads or pastas and actually hardly every pasta at all.

Salad every day. Lots of veggies at every oppotunity.

Fruit is ok, but I watch for the calories because it adds up. I shoot for a banana, apple and orange every day though I typically only have 2 out of the 3.

Very little dairy, except with cereal (FiberPlus).


This has been incredibly successful for me, not only in terms of losing weight but in feeling better and a big benefit of both these is the dramatic improvement in bloodwork results.

I know these rules sound restrictive but is is possible to follow them and eat really well. You can see some examples here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/249225-what-do-your-meals-look-like-let-me-see-pics

These are all low cal meals, though not everyone has submitted "clean" meals. Most are pretty clean, though.

Clean eating will mean different things to different people. But the basics are always the same.

You want to eat small, frequent meals (about every 2-3 hours) and what you eat should be unaltered. Just as nature intended it.

So when you read a label, look at each individual ingredient. If there is one on there that you would not buy as a separate item to cook with in your own kitchen, then it's not clean.

For example, if I buy a jar of spaghetti sauce that has the following ingredients: tomatoes, basil, onions, garlic and dextrose.

Yes, I would buy tomatoes separately and cook with them. Same for the basil, onions, and garlic. But nobody goes to the store to pick up a package of dextrose to cook with at home (Well, they do, but it's called splenda or equal and it's NOT clean or good for you in any way). So this particular jar of spaghetti sauce would not be clean. But if all it contained was the first few ingredients, then it would be clean.

Clean eaters generally avoid the white stuff too. White flour and sugar in it's refined forms. Sugars such as maple syrup or honey are considered clean because that's how they come from nature. They are unaltered and far healthier for you than the white stuff (in moderation, of course)

I have a ton of clean eating recipes on my blog. www.TheGraciousPantry.com if you want to try a few out. I totally recommend the strawberry salsa to start with. It's quick, easy, and totally yummy!

Your website is AWESOME! The Oatmeal Project is Wonderful!

I eat pretty clean...chicken, fish, fruits, veggies

I attribute that to my weight loss more than exercise. I've heard it's 80% diet 20% exercise.

But I've lost 22lbs in 2 months.

http://eatingcleanworks.com/what-is-eating-clean.html

In a nutshell, eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the junk that typically makes up the Standard American Diet (S.A.D) These types of food include man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, white bread, and any other ingredients that are unnecessary. An easy way to remember if a food is clean is: "if man made it, don't eat it."

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

Eliminates refined sugar
Cooks healthy meals
Packs healthy meals
Makes healthy choices when dining out
Drinks a lot of water
Eats 5-6 small meals per day
Eliminates alcoholic beverages (or significantly limits it)
Always eats breakfast
Eating clean can be a major transition for a majority of people due to addictions to sugar, white bread, and fast food. It takes discipline in order to make eating clean a habit but it is possible and has so many long-term health benefits.

EXCELLANT! THNK YOU

I started eating clean last month. No processed foods, no sugar unless it's honey or fruit (nature's sugar, not chemically engineered from corn). I've lost 9 pounds which is a lot because I wasn't heavy to begin with (128). Eating clean is the way to go. I feel 100% better too!