Cleaning up my diet

C

cyclecat

Active Member
I have a question about cleaner eating, which has always been my downfall and I think is also the reason that I never get results as quickly as I'd like. How do you all keep a balance between healthy eating and working out and "going off the wagon" occasionally? Or is there none of that to be had if one wants to be really fit? I remember reading somewhere once that the Rock followed a strict diet 6 days a week and then ate nothing but pizza and Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the 7th. I guess what I'm really wondering is, is there any chance for someone like me, who really LOVES food (both the bad-for-you kind and the good-for-you kind) to achieve health and still enjoy stuff that's not so good for me? Thanks!
Laurie
 
I have been good on my eating but the last 4 days I did fall off the wagon, I couldn't keep my hands off the M&M's and then there was the taco's from Taco Time with a churro on one day. Then a Hamburger on another day. So today I am going to start over again and hopefully I don't fall off the wagon this time :) I would love to know how everyone stays on the wagon also.
 
BFL

With BFL I eat clean and strict 6 days a week and on the 7th day it's my free day to eat whatever I so desire. Saturday's free day was a regular BFL breakfast, bean burrito with sour cream and nacho cheese sauce, chicken sandwich, munchos and trail mix for dinner. So far at the end of week 8 I've lost 2.5" in my waist, 2.75 in my hips, 2 in my abdomen and 4 lbs on the scale. So free day definitely hasn't hurt my progress.

Colleen
 
Hi Laurie! Nobody's perfect least of all me. I enjoy my wine on Sat. nites & will have 2 glasses. Life is so short its to be lived but I do keep in mind moderation. I make sure I eat all the "good stuff" first & then if I want a little "Nips" treat I don't feel so bad. If your eating very "clean" 6 days a week having a small treat on the 7th day isn't going to do much damage. HTH, Kathy:D
 
Why not aim for 80-90 clean eating, with a bit of fudge factor so you can treat yourself once in a while? As long as the "treat" doesn't start to get bigger and bigger each time! The problem some people may have with "going off the wagon" is that they have certain foods that are triggers to binge eating. For me, if I get a bag of chips at home, I will be likely to eat the whole thing in one or two sittings, no matter how big it is (and where have all the small "snack size" bags gone to?).
 
I'm with Kathryn. I eat clean most of the time knowing that it's not only ok to blow it occasionally, I can do so with impunity. I tend to crave salty things more often than swwet but I only buy treats for my family that don't relly tempt me. I eat dark choclate most nights, 1 small peice and I have gotten to the point where that's enough for me. I think it's so improtant to demystify foods. I know they are all out there and I can go and buy and indulge in any I chose but I chose not to.
 
I try to eat clean as MUCH as I can. If I fall off the wagon, I try to make amends in the next meal, and if I fall off there, too, I try yet AGAIN in the next meal. I find that I'm prone to bad eating during that time of the month and whenever I'm stressed/angry/frustrated. Nothing tastes better than chips or cheese balls when my moods are awry. It's the hormones and all...:)

I find clean eating to be like exercise. Just do your best as often and as much as you can. If you fail, there's always a next time. If I get off this mindset, everything goes down the drain for me.

Pinky
 
Hi Pinky,

I totally agree with everything you said. I try to eat well the majority of the time, but if I told myself that I was never "allowed" to have pizza or a piece of birthday cake again, I don't think I'd be able to stick with it. I was feeling really anxious yesterday and craved carbs (and ate them) like crazy. I was kind of bummed about that, so thanks for reminding me that there's always next time. Time to reset my mindset! Thanks Pinky!

Gina
 
I LOVE junk food (unfortunately) so I hear what you're saying. What I do is keep a food diary. I allow myself something slightly unhealthy like an order of fries or a Pepsi once or twice a day (depending on if I exercised). I highlight the foods that I shouldn't have eaten. So if only one thing is highlighted, I feel better than seeing a whole page of yellow! It can be frustrating at first but you get used to it after a week or so. Don't give up!Eating poorly one day doesn't mean you have to eat poorly the next!
 
Well lets see....I believe I was off the wagon most of 2003! I am back following the Zone. I like Bobbi tend to crave salty things instead of sweets. Chips and Salsa being a favorite. When I was eating clean, every Sat night I'd cheat some as I normally did a 16 to 20 mile run on Sunday so I figured it was okay. Since my injury last Sep I haven't been able to run nearly as much and had gotten bored of weightlifting in about April of 2003. It sure was true for me when you quit lifting and eat badly...you loose definition. I am using Cathe's workouts now to get my definition back. Also eating more clean and drinking more water. I do feel most people tend to feel lots better when they eat good and exercise, but once in awhile cheating is completely fine I think...:)...Carole
 
If you really love food, it's much easier to keep a good diet. If you love what's good for you and what's bad for you, Laurie, then you really do love food, which is a great place to begin. Now you just have to work on loving the good stuff more than the bad stuff. I use mental imagery. When you eat a salad, think about how it's nourishing and restoring your body and about how good you're going to feel. If you eat M&Ms, try to picture your blood sugar spiking and the trans-fatty acids clogging up your arteries, and think about how tired you're going to feel in an hour. Over time, you'll start to choose more wisely because you want to, not because you feel you "should".

Another tip, as KathyH mentioned, is don't be too strict. If you love salsa and chips, for example, work them in. Get baked tortilla chips, and the salsa is actually good for you. Get organic low-fat popcorn. Get organic low-fat yogurt instead of ice cream. And so forth.
 
Nancy,

That is exactly what I do. I look at the food and picture how it's going to affect my body after I eat it. If it's sugary, I remember the last sugar high and then the energy crash. 99% of the time I decide it's not worth it and reach for a piece of fruit. If it's a fatty food, I actually picture my arteries clogging and think "YUK"!
Then I reach for some pistachios or almonds.

I also think of all the hard work doing cardio and lifting weights. It doesn't make logical or emotional sense to counteract this goodness with food that's bad for my body.

I started doing this a couple of years ago and it has worked for me!
 
I agree with ya KathyH, its all about moderation and the more I hear that sugar is like poison to us and what it really does to our bodies, the less of it I tend to want, the selfish side of me wants it, but I side of me that wants to be in shape wins out :7 .... I am finally getting the results I want, and I don't want to mess that up....... Rhonda :7

and salt tends to make me retain water if I eat to much of it ...
 
Hi Gina, you're welcome. I've eaten badly countless times ever since I started with my fitness quest. But because I consider my next meal (or meals) to be a chance for me to "reform":), I find myself eating clean most of the time. And you know what? I didn't get fat or sacrifice any of my fitness gains. So enjoy that pizza and the clean fare that'll come after.

Pinky:)
 
Thanks for confirming this, Candi. Sometimes when I tell people how I think about things they look at me funny.
-Nancy
 
I posted to a similar thread a few minutes ago. Here's my thoughts.

I used to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. And I looked like it, too. I can drop weight easily just by eating within normal ranges "for me". I know my normal range may not be normal for someone else. If I eat junk, I crave more junk. So, that means "to me", I need to stop eating junk in order to stop craving it. I eat clean 90-95% of the time.

Finding what works for you may take a while, but once you do, just stick to it and you will see results. If you fall off the wagon, forgive yourself and get back on it.
 
Thanks for the helpful comments. I guess I have to face the same fact as you, i.e., I eat what I want when I want and I look like it.
I'm trying harder to be in a state of mindfulness when I eat, but am still confused about what the definition of clean eating really is. Do I have to forgo all caffeine? Salt? Butter, etc.? I realize there are certain no-brainers like candy, chips, soda, white-flour food, but what about regular pasta? Whole-wheat pasta tastes awful!
A little butter instead of margarine? I don't like the idea of all
those trans-fats, although Smart Balance is one butter substitute that's really pretty good. But I made bran muffins this morning with 80 percent whole wheat flour and grated carrot and apple, but they had sugar in them, and I found myself wondering whether this was considered eating clean or not. Is there a place that defines this?
 
Rita, I agree with you, I had to try a few things before I found what worked, and thanks to Francine, freestyle training works for me ....
But it only works when I combine as clean eating as possible. I used to not touch fruit, NOW I eat alot of apples, I eat as much protein as my body can handle, I try to balance it out with fiber, and I drink LOTS of water, I have a large cup of cappuccino in the morning and a glass of orange juice in the morning, I also try to eat a protein bar every day.... being 44 now, I have to change alot of things to be fit.............. Rhonda :7
 
I keep asking people questions...
But your reply interested me because I'm 44 too. It sounds like you're on a low-carb variation diet, or getting most if not all your carbs from fruit and veggies, but no starches. Is this what works for you? I realize it's a personal thing for everyone, but am still trying to figure out what will work for me. Thanks!
Laurie
 
Yes cyclecat.... eating low carbs works for me.. I try only to eat good carbs and more protein, I don't eat much pasta at all, or rice or potatoes ....... mostly fruits and veggies, and I haven't touched any kind of coke product since christmas............ Rhonda:7
 
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