What is "eating clean"?

tracyt14

I could be a little slow on the uptake-- but alot of you girls mention "eating clean".  What is that?  I read that one girl said she ate 80-90% of her meals clean but then sometimes only her breakfast was "clean"?  Can someone please clarify for me?!  I'm confused...

raynes

Here's a link from the site that goes with Tosca Reno's book that might help:
http://www.eatcleandiet.com/about_the_diet/what_is_eating_clean.aspx

Basically eating "clean" is all about avoiding processed food and focusing on real, whole, natural things.  Generally if you can't pronounce the ingredients it's not clean.

Processed things like white flour and sugars are not "clean".

Your comments about the 80-90% clean and only breakfast being clean are probably from me.  Monday to Friday I'd say that 85% of the meals/snacks I eat follow the "rules" of clean eating (and a few other "rules", like eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal) whereas on the weekends I usually don't do as well.  Mostly because I don't plan it out well enough and end up just eating whatever.

I was skeptical and a bit apprehensive about clean eating at the beginning, but I'm really starting to notice a difference in how I feel.  Eating a few meals in a row that aren't considered "clean" leaves me feeling sluggish and just blah.  And I'm also actually losing weight along with my inches for the first time in a while.

The book The Eat Clean Diet Recharged is a good read.

tracyt14

Awesome!!  Thank you so much for clearing that up!  I might give it a try to get these last 4 lbs off me! 

PhillyBride123

I can attest to eating clean...In the past I would still eat whatever I wanted but less of it but the weight would just come off a little bit and I mean a little bit and then I would plateau. But when I did a major overhaul with my food choices by eating "clean"  I FEEL so much better and the weight is just falling off like it has never done before...My fiance said to me out of the blue the other day "you're glowing".

StarfishNJellybean

I tried clean eating and gained weight. But then, everything makes me gain weight. The only time I've ever been even remotely thin was when I ate only 700 calories a day, chicken, oatmeal, and salad with lemon, and even then I was never below a size 8.

But it does make me feel and sleep better.

raynes

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_eating-clean?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:9784aebe-fa3b-401b-a6b7-c26663ae6684Post:b6656a16-1392-4759-a893-6d25ff91fcd3">Re: What is "eating clean"?</a>:
[QUOTE]I tried clean eating and gained weight. But then, everything makes me gain weight. The only time I've ever been even remotely thin was when I ate only 700 calories a day, chicken, oatmeal, and salad with lemon, and even then I was never below a size 8. But it does make me feel and sleep better.
Posted by StarfishNJellybean[/QUOTE]

Yeah, you might want to talk to a doctor. 

ebanezie

The Eat Clean Diet changed my life!!! I also started drinking Shakeology for breakfast its 140 cal and you get your daily vitamins and nutrients from it! I literally lost 19lbs this year by doing that...still want to lose about 4 more and have been really sticking to my workouts so hopefully in another month Ill be at my goal


I put up a youtube video to keep myself motivated lol

http://www.youtube.com/eastcoastfit

jtraczuk

I agree with everyone above. My sister introduced clean eating to me and recently completed the original Clean Eating Book by Tosca Reno. I am now reading "Recharged" by her and am able to follow the guidelines. I am not trying to lose weight but really wanted to change my eating habits. Biggest change...my skin, weirdly enough my eyes, and sleep. I have awfully dry skin...it is slowly getting better and allowing me to wear make up! My eyes...again, a few days I wake up with bloodshot eyes and begrudgingly grab for my glasses. I have seen docs for this mutliple times. I really think this has to do with how hydrated I am on clean eating! It is awesome...and simple. Sorry this is so long but I love it

iloveu4ever

4lbs that is it? I got like 50 to lose.

lolomilly

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_eating-clean?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:9784aebe-fa3b-401b-a6b7-c26663ae6684Post:b6656a16-1392-4759-a893-6d25ff91fcd3">Re: What is "eating clean"?</a>:
[QUOTE]I tried clean eating and gained weight. But then, everything makes me gain weight. The only time I've ever been even remotely thin was when I ate only 700 calories a day, chicken, oatmeal, and salad with lemon, and even then I was never below a size 8. But it does make me feel and sleep better.
Posted by StarfishNJellybean[/QUOTE]

When were you eating that many calories a day?  No matter your size, that is far fewer calories than your body can subsist on.  There's a chance that you are gaining weight because you are actually eating ENOUGH now.  When you are not eating enough, your body goes into survival mode and stores calories differently than it would were you eating normally.  In addition, your metabolism slows down.  If you spent a long time eating that few calories your metabolism has probably slowed down enough that eating normally is causing you to gain weight.  But, it is better to eat well - and enough- while gaining a little weight, than to continue to famish yourself but stay thinner.

By the way, being a size 8 is ok!  You can be in shape and have a feminine figure (aka wide hips, aka a bigger pants size) and still be BEAUTIFUL.  You can lose weight but you can't change your bone structure - being below a size 8 is unrealistic for many girls.