clean eating

kariev

Cathlete
i would love to hear from those of you who eat clean, what did it do for you? did you lose weight, sleep better, have more energy, etc. did you jump into it cold turkey or did you slowly ease in.
 
I'm trying to stick to a "cleaner" diet. Mind you, I'm not near as strict as Tosca is but I've pretty much adhered to her major principles. Here's what I do...and I did do this cold turkey. After pigging out all week after Christmas, I ate a double Cheeseburger from McDonalds and felt like TOTAL CRAP. That was my last straw :eek:

I try to eat mini-meals every 3 hours. I start out with Oatmeal mixed with blueberries/flaxseed/walnuts and some agave syrup. I sometimes also have a piece of whole grain bread or a hard boiled egg.

Mid morning- plain Greek yoghurt mixed with fresh fruit and a few walnuts.
Lunch - Huge salad with 1/4 avocado
Snack - low fat cheese stick and apple or hummus and raw bell pepper
Dinner - lean protein (chicken/pork or venison), side of steamed veggies and small amount wild rice or brown rice.

I try to pair a complex carb with protein as much as I can, eat a good and hearty breakfast, and steer CLEAR of all processed grains/foods and sugar.

My cheats: half and half in my am coffee (have to have it, will not spare that detail), an occasional glass of wine/beer or raspberry lemon drop:p

I've been adhering to it pretty well for the last 10 days and do feel better. I haven't weighed myself but my clothes feel a bit looser and I don't have the crappy heavy feeling in my stomach after I eat (like I did with the McDonalds - those dang cheeseburgers taste so damn good, but the after effects just aren't worth it)

So, that's my "cleaner" eating - again, not as strict as Tosca, but it's what works for me!

Hope that helps - if you don't have her book, I recommend it.

Heidi
 
I eased into it, one meal at a time. I added mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks for a total of five "meals" a day about 2-3 hours apart. I did lose weight and it leveled off my energy over the course of the day. I used to slump around 2-3 p.m. Not any more! Also, it balanced my moods. As for sleep, that's still up and down. Mostly because of two beagles that can't sleep straight through the night! LOL!

I love the program! It's the only time I've stuck with an eating program of any kind! This truly IS a lifestyle and not a diet! I will tell you that I do have a cheat meal each weekend. I don't hit it 100%, but close enough!

Hope that helps!
 
I learned how to cook using fresh vegetables, grains, beans, and some soy products; meals that I could feel good about eating, without all the salt, sugar, and saturated fat.

It's work but I feel better when I eat better and I can not remember the last time I had a burger & fries, and that, at one time was my favorite diner-style food.

Linda
 
I agree with syzygy314..totally! Clean eating is definetely a lifestyle choice! I also have one cheat meal (usually pizza) each friday, but other than that my diet is very clean. It's amazing how once you switch you start to see the bad in all the foods that other people think are healthy!
 
Did you gals feel like you were missing some of the other foods despite how good you feel? I'm slowly trying to migrate toward cleaner eating but sometimes look at my biggest vice- cheese (low-fat) and think that I will really miss my old friend.
 
Well, geez, if that's your only weakness, go for it:p Seriously, I have a piece of low fat string cheese and an apple as an afternoon snack. There certainly are worse things out there. I agree, though, that cheese and salty things are my weakness, not the sweets.

When I attempted clean eating last year, I was WAY to strict. Only used vinegar and oil on salads and no dressings...well, I've lightened it up to a certain degree. I will get bottled dressings - I just am sure there is no MSG, HFCS or preservatives mostly and keep it low fat. So, I think there are ways to "cut corners" without violating clean eating altogether.

Heidi
 
Hi-
I've cleaned up my diet over the last 18 months ( I fall off the wagon quite a bit) but overall it has much improved. For me other than losing wt ( about 12 lbs) I've noticed I have more focus and clarity mentally. I also don't feel as high and low mood wise when I'm eating right.

And, I also have to say, I probably don't eat as clean when I am on track as other posters on this forum do. For me, eating clean is lean proteins, lots of fruits and veggies, and minimal "junk carbs." I still use artificial sweeteners, use too much salt, and don't eat organic foods. I just can't bring myself to give up these things yet, if ever. Quality of life for me is much higher if I can't partake of some of the "dirty" things! ;)

Take care, Lynn M.
 
I'm not 100% clean. I am easing into it. I started in 2007 (yikes its been a long time.) At first, I was just watching if I had whole grain versions of things and counted calories. I do occasionally have a couple of treats, like real ice cream without any HFCS, or garbage like StoneyField organic. I haven't given up all treats. Once a week I might have a gluten free cookie, but only one. When I first got sick the only thing I could eat was kefir and tings (which aren't clean at all.) Last fall I went off gluten due to IBS. Its a bit of a trick really.

I'm working through my gluten free treats/cereals but after those are gone, I don't plan to buy them again. For now, I'm letting myself finish the GF pastas one serving at a time. But, I think the whole fruits, vegetables, healthy fats (I'm a low carber.) and meats are plenty. I don't see a benefit to the processed foods. I can get the carbs I want in my diet from cuties, plums, berries, grapes or bananas. I just recently gave up dairy. I don't think it was helping, my black circles under my eyes and runny nose went away after that. I just use coconut milk now and take a probio supplement instead of yogurt. Also, I'm leaning towards giving up chocolate too. Caffeine keeps the liver from disposing of estrogen and for me that is really important, I have PCO.

How do I feel? Way better. My blood pressure is good, my cholesterol is improved, my bones are more supple and don't just break anymore. My hair and skin is nicer. As for weight loss, once the diet is clean and no longer prevents weight loss (watch for prescription drugs those don't help.) then its a matter of eating enough food, getting cardio, flexibility training, and remembering that food is not going to help. It can function just like a drug. Commercial food is designed to act just like cocaine in the brain. Use a journal for feelings not your plate.( my issue, I guess I'm projecting, sorry:eek:)
 

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