Clean Eating (Experience?)
NeahF
Posts: 49 Member
Hey, so with clean eating, which is mostly natural, earth stuff, right? So veggies, fruits, and meats and things you don't have to add to, they just are? Well, how strict is clean eating? If you've tried it or currently eat clean, why do you like it? How did your body or mental health change? Big emphasis on mental health... Do you feel "better"? Thanks in advance!!
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Replies
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Clean eating is just a fancy term used by people who wanna make themselves sound better then someone else.43
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KrissFlavored wrote: »Clean eating is just a fancy term used by people who wanna make themselves sound better then someone else.
Woah, was not expecting this! But thanks for that input 😂 Seems like you have some dirt on clean eaters.8 -
KrissFlavored wrote: »Clean eating is just a fancy term used by people who wanna make themselves sound better then someone else.
Some people like to focus on eating more whole foods and less processed stuff. I am vegetarian and although you can be a veggie and eat junk, I try my best to eat a mostly plant based (non-junk) diet. That's sort of what I think "clean eating" is. For example, I usually don't eat potato chips, fried foods, oils during cooking, etc., but I'm nowhere near perfect with it. One of my weaknesses is Walden Farms syrup which is, shall we say, quite UNclean based on the long list of ingredients. Lol. I in no way think I am better than someone who doesn't eat "clean". No offense, but you sort of rubbed a nerve there.
Another reason I attempt to eat "clean" is because I'm a volume eater, and to do that requires lots of low calorie foods. 😁18 -
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Some people like to focus on eating more whole foods and less processed stuff. I am vegetarian and although you can be a veggie and eat junk, I try my best to eat a mostly plant based (non-junk) diet. That's sort of what I think "clean eating" is.
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Another reason I attempt to eat "clean" is because I'm a volume eater, and to do that requires lots of low calorie foods. 😁[/quote]
Ooh, I like that you added there being a long list of ingredients on the UNclean item. So clean is more simple. Simple ingredients, too. Makes sense! And yes, that's awesome that you are a volume eater and can focus on clean foods. Thanks for your input!8 -
Clean eating is a vague, amorphous term with no universally accepted definition. It is generally used by those virtue signalling what good eaters they are.40
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When I used to eat clean or natural (whatever that meant for me) it caused me to put food into good and bad categories, I had anxiety around eating, it caused me to give up, cry over my food choices, overeat and not reach my goals. Now that I have a more flexible approach I'm healthier, more fit, I look better and I make progress whether I'm leaning out, maintaining, or bulking.33
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chris89topher wrote: »KrissFlavored wrote: »Clean eating is just a fancy term used by people who wanna make themselves sound better then someone else.
Some people like to focus on eating more whole foods and less processed stuff. I am vegetarian and although you can be a veggie and eat junk, I try my best to eat a mostly plant based (non-junk) diet. That's sort of what I think "clean eating" is. For example, I usually don't eat potato chips, fried foods, oils during cooking, etc., but I'm nowhere near perfect with it. One of my weaknesses is Walden Farms syrup which is, shall we say, quite UNclean based on the long list of ingredients. Lol. I in no way think I am better than someone who doesn't eat "clean". No offense, but you sort of rubbed a nerve there.
Another reason I attempt to eat "clean" is because I'm a volume eater, and to do that requires lots of low calorie foods. 😁
No offense taken. Honestly if people dont spend their time rubbing it in someone's face about how clean they eat all the time, then I guess my comment doesnt apply therefore those people shouldnt be bothered by what I said. But, you cant deny there are people out there who use it to stroke their own ego.13 -
For me clean eating is not eating food with dirt on it.24
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My homegrown radishes and carrots are super dirty. Not clean at all. Hosed off, they aren’t too bad.
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The term is so ill-defined it's meaningless.
Good well-rounded nutrition is important for health, but that goal is better served by getting the right nutrients into our eating, rather than concerning ourselves with some arbitrary definition of foods as "clean" and "unclean", then avoiding "unclean" things and eating only "clean" ones. Health includes some aspects of mental health, of course, because it's all part of one body . . . but of course, there's more to mental health than just how we eat and exercise.
We've heard dozens of definitions of "clean eating" here - anything from "no white foods" to "only things that grow in the ground or come from animals" to "shop the perimeter of the grocery store" to "no more than 5 ingredients" to "nothing in a bag, box or can" and more. One could follow most of those rules, and still get poor overall nutrition. It's a complete red herring. It just isn't a helpful term, because it's so poorly defined. Everyone has his/her own definition.
I believe in getting good nutrition. I think everyone would be better off if they tried to do that, and I think there are many paths to that goal that can work, not just one. I would never refer to myself as a "clean eater", because I have no idea what it would mean.
Therefore, I have no idea whether "clean eating" would make me feel better, worse, or about the same. But I feel fine now, my blood tests & blood pressure and all that stuff are good (especially for a li'l ol' lady), so I'm pretty happy eating in the way I eat: Get enough protein (with attention to essential amino acids); get enough fats (especially monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, with attention to Omega-3/Omega-6 balance); eat a boatload of varied, colorful fruits and veggies for micronutrients and fiber; have a treat now and then for fun. That seems to work fine, for me.
Clean? Don't know, don't care.28 -
I have had periods of my life when I've kept to some of the dictates of "clean eating" (there are so many dictates and some of them conflict, so I don't think anyone can truly say they're living up to some objective definition of it). I didn't notice any physical differences, just that I was spending more on groceries that I usually do.
Mentally, it's terrible for me, as having food rules is a giant trigger for my disordered eating. It never ends well.
Now I just focus on eating a variety of foods that meet my nutritional needs. I'm much happier, my weight management is easier, and I spend a reasonable amount of groceries.19 -
When I used to eat clean or natural (whatever that meant for me) it caused me to put food into good and bad categories, I had anxiety around eating, it caused me to give up, cry over my food choices, overeat and not reach my goals. Now that I have a more flexible approach I'm healthier, more fit, I look better and I make progress whether I'm leaning out, maintaining, or bulking.
Wow, thank you for sharing. That makes sense how labeling things as clean and unclean can be a big pitfall for anxiety and not following through with goals when eating.11 -
I eat clean by thoroughly rinsing my fruits and vegetables prior to eating to get the dirt off, washing my rice, and washing my hands before and sometimes after meals.
Also I don't use the five second rule. Any food that hits the ground for any amount of time is garbage.
To more specifically answer your question, since there is no definition for clean eating, it can be whatever you want it to be. If coming up with a strict plan for only fresh foods with no additives helps you, go for it.8 -
Agree that the definition is vague to the point of nonexistence. I see friends on FB “only eating clean!” but also selling some protein powder and energy “fizzy” drink that doesn’t seem to follow their “unprocessed! Whole Foods!” line.
I commented to one lady IRL that I used to make delicious pumpkin muffins w coconut flour when a gf friend used to frequent my playgroup, but I switched back to my regular recipe bc it’s also tasty, cheaper, and fewer calories. Her comment: well, the coconut flour is more natural. I’m not sure how a coconut dried and ground into a flour is more “natural” than wheat dried and ground into flour 🤷♀️
Anyway, eating more fruits/veg/Whole Foods is generally good, but making it such a hard rule that you make yourself crazy rigid is generally not so good. Also, you can overeat on “clean” foods (nuts, anyone?), so it’s not an automatic weight management plan.
I eat plenty of processed foods and in many ways that helps me eat more healthy foods because it cuts my prep time, thereby ensuring I actually eat the food instead of having grand cooking plans that never happen. I eat more fish when I buy the frozen salmon patties at Costco instead of only buying actual fish....though I guess the least processed version would be the whole fish, and I have no desire to deal with that. I eat more veggies when I buy prebagged greens, or the frozen “steamers” veggies I can throw in the microwave for a quick low-cal lunch. Clif Builders Bars or Rx bars help me (pescatarian) satisfy my sweet tooth in a way that helps me hit my protein goal.
So if “clean” (however you define it) helps you make food choices that align with your goals, go for it.15 -
You have just gone for a swim in shark infested waters. 😎 Lots of well meaning folk, each with very personal perspectives have shared with you.
You will have to define what you consider "clean" or "eating well" or however you want to consider it, for yourself.
However there are accepted recommendations and avoidances. Some of these have been shared. It is generally acteped that to be healthy you have to eat healthy. But that is really dependant on your starting point.
We would all suggest you start logging everything you eat and drink to learn where you are and what you may be missing or over eating in your daily menu. From there you can adjust bad habits and add good habits.8 -
Clean eating is a vague, amorphous term with no universally accepted definition. It is generally used by those virtue signalling what good eaters they are.
This, and also what Ann said and some others.
I mostly cook from whole ingredients and care about nutrition. Keeping clean to me doesn't mean better nutrition, so I don't consider it a valuable thing to do or a helpful term (although those with looser definitions would probably think I was a clean eater). I never used the term, but at one point was on an "all natural" kick that was basically the same thing, and it mostly just involved some kind of rigid and not actually helpful rules (like at one point pasta was okay if I made it from scratch, at other times flour was out, I had to make tomato sauce with whole tomatoes rather than buy canned even out of season, no premade sauces of any type). Those rules made cooking harder and less fun, and didn't actually correlate with weight loss or better nutrition. I eat better nutrition now, and cooking/eating much less stressful.
I think often the "clean" approach can be something those insecure about learning about nutrition -- or overwhelmed with what seems to be conflicting information -- adopt as an alternative, but I think for some of us it can be obsessive and it's also easy to focus on the wrong things. (I've seen people boast about giving up supposedly unclean foods like bread while continuing to eat few vegetables.)
Mostly it's just dieting jargon that isn't helpful or clear IMO.11 -
I personally think there is a place for all kinds of food in my life. I do eat a lot of minimally touched foods. The other day I was working my rear off and while I was off running an errand I grabbed some fast food. I was grateful to have it because what I needed in that moment was calories to keep powering through the day.
I don't think everyone who tries to eat "clean" is virtue signalling. I think it can happen. When it does I like to remind them that it is a privilege to eat whatever they decided "clean" means.
Since I am also privileged I like to set a limit on how much processed food makes up my weekly diet. I want the bulk of my calories to come from food I prepare myself. An odd day will occur like the recent day I had fast food and Subway in the same day. I do not worry about it or the days a meal goes south on me and I pull something from the freezer. Flexibility in food means greater adherence and sustainability which helps me mentally and physically.13 -
I mainly eat plant based whole foods for health reasons (I don't eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy)
But if I choose to eat a little processed food on occasions its no big deal5 -
Clean eating can be as strict or as loose as you want it to be because, really, it doesn't have any one definition. It's basically "in the eye of the beholder". It's vague at best and the best definition is basically "eating in a way that makes me feel good about my food intake for reasons I believe are good". Everyone interprets it the way they "feel" it should be.
Oil is a processed product, but some clean eaters consider it natural because it's just one ingredient. Some people's definition of clean is so loose that McDonald's hamburger is clean by their definition. Some go the opposite way, where even ground grains are considered processed and if it doesn't look the way it did when you grew it, it's not clean.
My personal take on this: giving it a name puts unnecessary restrictions on your diet because if it has a name it must have rules. I'm a big fan of "adding instead of removing". By adding a lot of vegetables and nutritious foods to your diet, you're basically set nutritionally, even if you eat some less nutritious foods. Clean eating, depending on how someone defines it, can actually result in removing nutrients. I track all of my nutrients consistently and my main source of vitamin E is sunflower oil, which is usually considered processed.
Instead of looking for some random set of rules, make your own rules based on your needs and habits, and balance your food intake in a way that fits your life, not someone else's.16 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »My personal take on this: giving it a name puts unnecessary restrictions on your diet because if it has a name it must have rules. I'm a big fan of "adding instead of removing". By adding a lot of vegetables and nutritious foods to your diet, you're basically set nutritionally, even if you eat some less nutritious foods. Clean eating, depending on how someone defines it, can actually result in removing nutrients. I track all of my nutrients consistently and my main source of vitamin E is sunflower oil, which is usually considered processed.
That's a great thing to add, that limiting what you eat can actually REMOVE some essential nutrients. I also think it's smart to add the things we need instead of restricting ourselves from the "bad" stuff. Thanks for your input!!4 -
I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.6 -
I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.
If "clean eating" and "eating healthier" are truly referring to the same thing, then why did we need to invent a new term at all? And why do so many "clean eaters" disparage the way that others eat, even when those others are meeting their nutritional requirements and feeling happy about the way they eat?17 -
janejellyroll wrote: »I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.
If "clean eating" and "eating healthier" are truly referring to the same thing, then why did we need to invent a new term at all? And why do so many "clean eaters" disparage the way that others eat, even when those others are meeting their nutritional requirements and feeling happy about the way they eat?
Because it's the internet. New terms for the same thing are invented all the time. It's also just as common for "non-clean eaters" to knock "clean eaters" choices.6 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.
If "clean eating" and "eating healthier" are truly referring to the same thing, then why did we need to invent a new term at all? And why do so many "clean eaters" disparage the way that others eat, even when those others are meeting their nutritional requirements and feeling happy about the way they eat?
Because it's the internet. New terms for the same thing are invented all the time. It's also just as common for "non-clean eaters" to knock "clean eaters" choices.
We eat the same foods "clean eaters" do, we just aren't limiting ourselves to them. Nobody is calling their food choices "garbage," "junk," and "trash," like we commonly see them describe foods they choose not to eat (or, in most cases, are temporarily restricting from their diet).15 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.
If "clean eating" and "eating healthier" are truly referring to the same thing, then why did we need to invent a new term at all? And why do so many "clean eaters" disparage the way that others eat, even when those others are meeting their nutritional requirements and feeling happy about the way they eat?
Because it's the internet. New terms for the same thing are invented all the time. It's also just as common for "non-clean eaters" to knock "clean eaters" choices.
We eat the same foods "clean eaters" do, we just aren't limiting ourselves to them. Nobody is calling their food choices "garbage," "junk," and "trash," like we commonly see them describe foods they choose not to eat (or, in most cases, are temporarily restricting from their diet).
In my experience people who choose not to eat the "non-clean" items (doughnuts, cookies, cake, candy etc at work for example) get a lot more *kitten* than the "clean eaters" are giving the "non-clean" eaters.
Note, I'm a sample of 1, others experiences may vary.9 -
Theoldguy1 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Theoldguy1 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »I don't know why a simple term must cause such controversy. Seriously, its just a description and subject to opinion. It can mean so many things to different people. One person who feels they " eat clean" ( self boasting or subjecting to some criteria they feel they should) may not to another who thinks THIER diet is clean.
When rthis term is asked about, rather than go after it, say all kinds of negative comments, offer your way of being healthy without even quoting the term? 🤔
Getting back to the original question, what I do is aim for balance and keep calories in check. I prefer vegetables, healthy fats, adequate protein and am plant based. I think stating you want to eat healthier is probably a better analogy. If then, should you have a cookie its not a " deal breaker" on " eating clean" . It just means you had a cookie.
If "clean eating" and "eating healthier" are truly referring to the same thing, then why did we need to invent a new term at all? And why do so many "clean eaters" disparage the way that others eat, even when those others are meeting their nutritional requirements and feeling happy about the way they eat?
Because it's the internet. New terms for the same thing are invented all the time. It's also just as common for "non-clean eaters" to knock "clean eaters" choices.
We eat the same foods "clean eaters" do, we just aren't limiting ourselves to them. Nobody is calling their food choices "garbage," "junk," and "trash," like we commonly see them describe foods they choose not to eat (or, in most cases, are temporarily restricting from their diet).
In my experience people who choose not to eat the "non-clean" items (doughnuts, cookies, cake, candy etc at work for example) get a lot more *kitten* than the "clean eaters" are giving the "non-clean" eaters.
Note, I'm a sample of 1, others experiences may vary.
Another sample of one here. I'm not a "clean eater," but I'm vegan which means I'm frequently turning down cake, donuts, candy, and cookies in work and social settings. In my experience, nobody cares, especially when you don't give a reason and just say "no thanks." For all they know, you're just not hungry or you don't like that particular thing. It doesn't need to be a big pronouncement. If people are getting blowback for "clean eating," maybe it's because they're making it a bigger thing than is socially tactful (at least in some cases).19 -
Clean Eating is basically an old term. It's what filtered out to the general public decades ago before better strategies were created. It describes a highly restrictive diet that places foods in good and bad categories based on inaccurate and sometimes arbitrarily criteria. It's largely unsustainable and causes people to burn out and give up because it is too hard. Or they add cheat days... which means they're actually not "clean eating".
The newer thinking is that instead of focusing on foods being good or bad, focus how they contribute to your overall goals. Goals like macronutrients and micronutrients and your overall calorie goal. How much protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and vitamins you need per day. Your body can only absorb so many nutrients per day and you don't get extra points for more, your body just excretes them.
The newer less restrictive strategy is called flexible dieting. Once you've met your daily macronutrient and micronutrient goals, if you have calories left, it's perfectly fine to use them however you want. As long as you don't go over your calories and you've already met your nutrition goals, it won't have any negative effects and can have huge positive benefits for your mental health. Food is no longer good or bad, it either fits in your day or it doesn't. With clean eating, if you have a treat it was bad and you're a failure. Which can lead to disordered thinking about food.
When I first read about flexible dieting (it was called IIFYM or If It Fits Your Macros back then), years of hearing you had to eat clean made me think it sounded WAY to good to be true, so I tested it and it actually worked. 5 years later I'm still using it.
There's lots of eating strategies: clean eating, Paleo, low carb, etc, but flexible dieting seems like the most balanced approach. It accounts for calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, mental health and sustainability. Which is why I think so many people find success with it.13 -
I do not care if a person eats "clean" UNLESS it interferes with their bigger goals. I am a big believer in flexibility. I also believe that the lure of 'normal' wins more than it doesn't. In other words most people that try eating "clean" will abandon it. I just hope they do not abandon their weight loss goals, if they have any, with it.
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errollmaclean wrote: »Clean Eating is basically an old term. It's what filtered out to the general public decades ago before better strategies were created. It describes a highly restrictive diet that places foods in good and bad categories based on inaccurate and sometimes arbitrarily criteria. It's largely unsustainable and causes people to burn out and give up because it is too hard. Or they add cheat days... which means they're actually not "clean eating".
The newer thinking is that instead of focusing on foods being good or bad, focus how they contribute to your overall goals. Goals like macronutrients and micronutrients and your overall calorie goal. How much protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and vitamins you need per day. Your body can only absorb so many nutrients per day and you don't get extra points for more, your body just excretes them.
The newer less restrictive strategy is called flexible dieting. Once you've met your daily macronutrient and micronutrient goals, if you have calories left, it's perfectly fine to use them however you want. As long as you don't go over your calories and you've already met your nutrition goals, it won't have any negative effects and can have huge positive benefits for your mental health. Food is no longer good or bad, it either fits in your day or it doesn't. With clean eating, if you have a treat it was bad and you're a failure. Which can lead to disordered thinking about food.
When I first read about flexible dieting (it was called IIFYM or If It Fits Your Macros back then), years of hearing you had to eat clean made me think it sounded WAY to good to be true, so I tested it and it actually worked. 5 years later I'm still using it.
There's lots of eating strategies: clean eating, Paleo, low carb, etc, but flexible dieting seems like the most balanced approach. It accounts for calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, mental health and sustainability. Which is why I think so many people find success with it.
👏👏👏👏👏
This ^^^. Pretty good. Realistic.4
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