Clean Eating

It really just means choosing the most natural, minimally processed foods as possible, closest to their most natural state. So the spectrum would be something like:

chicken mcnugget: way unclean
boneless skinless chicken breast: fairly clean, but still processed
whole chicken: very clean (but a purist would probably argue that you should have raised and killed the chicken yourself)

When I first started out I tried my best to eat fairly clean. It was a good way to stay mindful about food. At this stage, I don't really care too much about clean eating, but I do tend to go for things with less ingredients, less artificial stuff. And I have absolutely no qualms about eating ANYTHING as long as it fits into my overall nutrition goals.

http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

And no, calories are calories.

boneless skinless chicken breast: fairly clean, but still processed

How so?

Someone took it off the chicken, cut it up, cleaned it, often inject it with some salty water, etc. This is why "clean" eating is dumb. Unless you live on a farm, raise your own livestock, grow your own veggies, everything can be labeled "unclean".

It really just means choosing the most natural, minimally processed foods as possible, closest to their most natural state. So the spectrum would be something like:

chicken mcnugget: way unclean
boneless skinless chicken breast: fairly clean, but still processed
whole chicken: very clean (but a purist would probably argue that you should have raised and killed the chicken yourself)

When I first started out I tried my best to eat fairly clean. It was a good way to stay mindful about food. At this stage, I don't really care too much about clean eating, but I do tend to go for things with less ingredients, less artificial stuff. And I have absolutely no qualms about eating ANYTHING as long as it fits into my overall nutrition goals.

Not that this should come as a huge surprise, since he usually is, but Taso is correct and I wholeheartedly agree with him.

Also, if I drop my food on the ground, I try to brush off any little dust bunnies to make sure I am eating clean(ish) food.

You can't eat more calories, but since switching to minimally processed I am able to eat a larger volume of food because from my experience minimally processed foods tend to be less calorie dense. Focusing on eating a diet full of lean proteins, healthy fats, vegetables and some fruit has made me feel way more satisfied and energized. You have less of a chance of overeating when you are eating foods that aren't so calorie dense because you're going to reach that full feeling without as many calories.

Don't get me wrong, I treat myself to a fatty, greasy bacon cheeseburger, a pint of beer and some ice cream every once in a while too. It really all falls back to moderation in the long run. I don't think its healthy to completely deprive yourself of foods that you enjoy. I use them more as an incentive now to work out hard and eat healthy 80-90% of the time so that I can splurge 10-20% of the time.

Also, losing weight and being healthy are not synonymous. And while a calorie is a calorie, different types of food can lead to other healthy issues.

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Someone took it off the chicken, cut it up, cleaned it, often inject it with some salty water, etc. This is why "clean" eating is dumb. Unless you live on a farm, raise your own livestock, grow your own veggies, everything can be labeled "unclean".
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That is why it is important to read labels. We don't buy chicken that has salt water injected. We try to buy from stores that support locar farming.
There are times when this is not possible and we just try to eat as clean as possible (unprocessed, natural, organic, no artificial colors, fillers, etc). Also, if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it might not be "clean"

It really just means choosing the most natural, minimally processed foods as possible, closest to their most natural state. So the spectrum would be something like:

chicken mcnugget: way unclean
boneless skinless chicken breast: fairly clean, but still processed
whole chicken: very clean (but a purist would probably argue that you should have raised and killed the chicken yourself)

When I first started out I tried my best to eat fairly clean. It was a good way to stay mindful about food. At this stage, I don't really care too much about clean eating, but I do tend to go for things with less ingredients, less artificial stuff. And I have absolutely no qualms about eating ANYTHING as long as it fits into my overall nutrition goals.

Whole chicken can still be injected with the saline solution and be fed antibiotic food and steroids before butchering. Gotta watch those labels!!

Clean eating is avoiding foods that have been denatured by processing. This includes adding scientifically created preservatives, flavors, and sweeteners. A vegan diet by definition does not include any concept of being clean; it's only a matter of avoiding animal products while still being allowed a bag of Doritos (not clean).

No, it does not try to categorize foods as 'healthy' and others and 'not healthy.' It's a guideline. You're simply looking for food that's as close to natural as possible. Any food, animal or plant, that has been raised with chemical inputs (pesticides for plants or hormones for animals) would not be clean. The same is true for the processing of that food, whether turning that wheat into a loaf of Wonder bread (35 ingredients = not clean) or a chicken into a McNugget (is that really chicken?).

And the fact that many people on here are saying a calorie is a calorie is disappointing to read. 500 calories of spinach or kale does not equate to 500 calories of cookies, even in regards to losing or gaining weight. The main focus of clean eating is nutrient density...how much good do those 500 calories do for your body. It's nearly impossible to overeat on vegetables, while we all know that can't be said for junk food.

The cleanest foods of course are organic vegetables, followed by legumes, then fruits and finally whole grains. If you're meals are focused on those products in that order, with just a small portion of your plate for animal products (meat, dairy, etc), you'll have a hard time not achieving and maintaining your ideal weight.