Eating Clean - What does it mean?

**NYCmitch25** · 06-11-2008, 12:06 AM

Eating Clean - What does it mean?

I hear that moan and groan and I can see the look of despair on your face as you read the title of this article. The words 'eating clean' seem to conjure up horrific images of plain brown rice and chicken with steamed broccoli, plain boring and generally tasteless food that has to be eaten for necessity rather than pleasure.

So why eat clean in the first place?
Eating clean provides more nutrients, vitamins and minerals in their natural state then their processed and nutrient void counterparts. It is crucial for good health both inside and out. You get out what you put in, simply. Think of your body as a machine, the better quality fuel you give it the better your body performs. Give it what it needs to function properly and it will do what you want, give it things that it cannot use properly and it starts to misbehave.

Ever wonder why you may get ill more often when your diet slips off and more calories come from dirty sources rather than clean sources? Or why you may gain more fat on the same amount of calories or if you cannot lose fat despite eating less than you normally would? Food choice affects everything from goals to how you feel on a daily basis, so eat to suit your needs.

So what exactly is eating clean then? In a nutshell it involves:

1. Avoiding trans fats and processed polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.
2. Avoiding heavily processed fibreless carbohydrates and eat wholegrain carbs for the majority of your intake.
3. Avoiding processed protein sources like chicken nuggets, reformed meats, turkey twizzlers etc; make your own burgers if necessary.
4. If you do have processed fibreless carbs, eat them with some fibrous veg. Remember variety in diet is the key.
5. Don't combine fast carbs and damaged or trans fats.

There, that doesn't look so hard does it? Pizza, cake, cookies and everything you enjoy can still be on the menu every day and still be clean. "Say what?!" I hear you say, blasphemy surely? No, not at all.

Example 1: Burgers & chips McDonalds style is dirtier than a £2 whore; however make your own burgers using lean mince, an egg and some spices, put it in a wholemeal bun with some cheese, onions and the works with a side of sweet potato wedges sprinkled with some cajun spice and it then becomes cleaner than a nun's conscience.

Example 2: Pizza - Pizza Hut or Dominos are great for the old taste buds but not ideal to have every day. All that's needed to make your own pizza is a few minor adjustments. Buy a ready made pizza base, use some reduced fat cheese, loads of spices, lean protein and plenty of fibrous veggies on it. Hey presto, one clean pizza!

Now I do appreciate that not everyone has the time or inclination to make 5+ different clean meals every day; let's face it we would all soon get sick of all that cooking and washing up pretty darn quickly, right?

Don't worry I know how you feel; the trick is to prepare things in advance and in large batches. Homemade protein bars, chili, sliced cooked chicken breast, cooked brown rice that's been frozen in individual portions, clean sauces and spices, etc are all key to having a sustainable diet that's quick and easy to prepare. Take some ready sliced cooked chicken and put it in wraps with some cheese and salad with some salsa and hey presto, chicken wraps in minutes.

So what about all the things that I used to enjoy before?
One of the most important things I also have to stress about eating clean is sustainability; even eating clean most of the time you will get urges for the old foods you used to enjoy that aren't considered clean. So where do these belong then? In your diet of course, a 90/10 rule I think is perfectly acceptable in terms of calories derived from clean to dirty foods. If you fancy a Mars bar or a chocolate croissant then work it into your daily macros; don't deprive yourself of the foods you love. Remember this is a lifestyle change and as long as the majority of your calories are sourced from clean foods a few dirty calories here and there will have little negative impact.

Of course, if you don't feel like doing that, then you can have the old tried and tested method of 100% clean the whole week and one cheat meal. This will work for some but not for others. The whole point being to keep your diet sustainable and get the majority of your calories from clean whole foods, the rest will take care of itself.

I have also included a list of 'clean' foods so it will help you make good food choices. Sauces can be made or bought as long as the rules of eating clean apply. Also as a side note there are a few recipes I have also attached to this article to give you an idea of just how easy eating clean really is and how you don't have to miss out on your favorite foods at all and how they can be adapted.

Carbohydrates
Post workout (PWO)
Dextrose
Maltodextrin
Waxy maize starch
Rice flour

Slow Starchy Carbs
Lentils
Amaranth
Rye
Spelt
Oats
Sweet potato
Plain potato
Wholegrain bread
Basmati / long grain rice brown
Wholewheat pasta
Wholemeal pittas
New boiled potatoes
Yams
Muesli (natural, no sugar added)
Natural bean soups
Chickpeas
Split beans
Black beans
Barley
Weetabix
Shredded wheat
Semolina
Oat bran
Millet
Quinoa
Red kidney beans
Haricot beans
Butter beans
Couscous
Tapioca
Flours: soya, potato, rice, oat and wheat
Butternut squash
Swede
Pumpkin

Fruit
Nectarines
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Bananas
Honey
Watermelon
Pineapple
Cherries
Apples
Pears
Oranges
Peaches
Plums
Grapes
Apricots
Mango
Guava
Papaya
Persimmon
Sharon fruit
Kiwi
Figs
All dried fruit
Carrots

Fibrous Carbs
Celeriac
Beetroot
Onions
Tomatoes
Radishes
Spinach
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Aubergine
Courgette
Peppers
Celery
Beansprouts
Bok Choy
Water Chestnuts
Cabbage
Asparagus
Lettuce
Cucumber
Mushrooms
Green beans
Brussel sprouts

Protein
Chicken (skin & bones removed), breast ideally
Lean red meat
Tuna
Mackerel
Salmon
Low fat cottage cheese
Quark
Coley
Haddock
Turkey (skinless)
Sardines
Kippers
Pilchards
Whey protein shakes
Veal
Venison
Soya milk
Tofu
Quorn
TVP (textured vegetable protein)
Tempeh
Natural low fat fromage frais
Low fat, sugar free yogurts
Lentils
Seeds
Egg whites & whole eggs
Shellfish
Buttermilk
Bacon back
Halibut
Herring
Trout
Monkfish
Lean pork
Low fat cheeses & dairy

Good Fats (+ essential fats)
Olives
Olive oil
Flax seeds / linseeds
Flax oil
Almonds
Cashews
Nut Butters (hazel/almond/cashew/peanut)
Fatty fish (kippers/sardines/mackerel/salmon/pilchards)
Avocados
Nut oils
Columbus eggs/DHA eggs
Sunflower & pumpkin seeds
Macadamia nuts
Coconut products such as oil and desiccated coconut
Natural free range butter
Oil blends
Fish oils
NKO oil

Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:
4 slices thick granary bread
3 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp sweetener (Splenda)

Method:
1. Combine everything except the bread in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
2. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and dry fry in a good nonstick pan that's been preheated and is hot for around 30 seconds either side until egg has been cooked and it starts to brown.
3. Serve with fruit, golden syrup, maple syrup or honey.

Serves 1.

Nutritional content per serving:
Energy (kcal) 648
Carb (g) 85.0
Fat (g) 17.7
Protein (g) 35.0
Fibre (g) 6.8

Meatloaf

Ingredients:
500g lean steak mince
200g grated onion
1 whole egg
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 crushed weetabix

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or your hands.
2. Transfer mixture into a nonstick loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Serves 3. Note: You can use pork mince, turkey mince, lamb mince or even TVP to make this meatloaf.

Nutritional content per serving:
Energy (kcal) 400
Carb (g) 17.0
Fat (g) 18.6
Protein (g) 40.0
Fibre (g) 2.4

**Ikaika** · 06-11-2008, 12:10 AM

so basically you're saying I can't eat chicken nuggets anymore?

**NYCmitch25** · 06-11-2008, 12:20 AM

hahahaha

CJay · 06-11-2008, 12:09 PM

Since when is honey a fruit?

**DJSTARER** · 06-11-2008, 02:46 PM

since it is dense in fructose.

CJay · 06-11-2008, 04:38 PM

I guess it depends on how you define fruit....

**powerman2000** · 06-11-2008, 04:40 PM

Good stuff mitch.

I moved this to our Nutrition forum.

**b-boy** · 06-16-2008, 10:17 PM

Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:
4 slices thick granary bread
3 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp sweetener (Splenda)

Method:
1. Combine everything except the bread in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
2. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and dry fry in a good nonstick pan that's been preheated and is hot for around 30 seconds either side until egg has been cooked and it starts to brown.
3. Serve with fruit, golden syrup, maple syrup or honey.

damn that sounds good as hell right now...LOL

**Ikaika** · 06-17-2008, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b-boy

Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:
4 slices thick granary bread
3 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp sweetener (Splenda)

Method:
1. Combine everything except the bread in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.
2. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and dry fry in a good nonstick pan that's been preheated and is hot for around 30 seconds either side until egg has been cooked and it starts to brown.
3. Serve with fruit, golden syrup, maple syrup or honey.

damn that sounds good as hell right now...LOL

**DJSTARER** · 06-17-2008, 03:07 AM

i make that recipe about 2-3X per week, but only with whites, and 1 egg.

06-11-2008, 12:06 AM	#1
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,117 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 52	Eating Clean - What does it mean? Eating Clean - What does it mean? I hear that moan and groan and I can see the look of despair on your face as you read the title of this article. The words 'eating clean' seem to conjure up horrific images of plain brown rice and chicken with steamed broccoli, plain boring and generally tasteless food that has to be eaten for necessity rather than pleasure. So why eat clean in the first place? Eating clean provides more nutrients, vitamins and minerals in their natural state then their processed and nutrient void counterparts. It is crucial for good health both inside and out. You get out what you put in, simply. Think of your body as a machine, the better quality fuel you give it the better your body performs. Give it what it needs to function properly and it will do what you want, give it things that it cannot use properly and it starts to misbehave. Ever wonder why you may get ill more often when your diet slips off and more calories come from dirty sources rather than clean sources? Or why you may gain more fat on the same amount of calories or if you cannot lose fat despite eating less than you normally would? Food choice affects everything from goals to how you feel on a daily basis, so eat to suit your needs. So what exactly is eating clean then? In a nutshell it involves: 1. Avoiding trans fats and processed polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. 2. Avoiding heavily processed fibreless carbohydrates and eat wholegrain carbs for the majority of your intake. 3. Avoiding processed protein sources like chicken nuggets, reformed meats, turkey twizzlers etc; make your own burgers if necessary. 4. If you do have processed fibreless carbs, eat them with some fibrous veg. Remember variety in diet is the key. 5. Don't combine fast carbs and damaged or trans fats. There, that doesn't look so hard does it? Pizza, cake, cookies and everything you enjoy can still be on the menu every day and still be clean. "Say what?!" I hear you say, blasphemy surely? No, not at all. Example 1: Burgers & chips McDonalds style is dirtier than a £2 whore; however make your own burgers using lean mince, an egg and some spices, put it in a wholemeal bun with some cheese, onions and the works with a side of sweet potato wedges sprinkled with some cajun spice and it then becomes cleaner than a nun's conscience. Example 2: Pizza - Pizza Hut or Dominos are great for the old taste buds but not ideal to have every day. All that's needed to make your own pizza is a few minor adjustments. Buy a ready made pizza base, use some reduced fat cheese, loads of spices, lean protein and plenty of fibrous veggies on it. Hey presto, one clean pizza! Now I do appreciate that not everyone has the time or inclination to make 5+ different clean meals every day; let's face it we would all soon get sick of all that cooking and washing up pretty darn quickly, right? Don't worry I know how you feel; the trick is to prepare things in advance and in large batches. Homemade protein bars, chili, sliced cooked chicken breast, cooked brown rice that's been frozen in individual portions, clean sauces and spices, etc are all key to having a sustainable diet that's quick and easy to prepare. Take some ready sliced cooked chicken and put it in wraps with some cheese and salad with some salsa and hey presto, chicken wraps in minutes. So what about all the things that I used to enjoy before? One of the most important things I also have to stress about eating clean is sustainability; even eating clean most of the time you will get urges for the old foods you used to enjoy that aren't considered clean. So where do these belong then? In your diet of course, a 90/10 rule I think is perfectly acceptable in terms of calories derived from clean to dirty foods. If you fancy a Mars bar or a chocolate croissant then work it into your daily macros; don't deprive yourself of the foods you love. Remember this is a lifestyle change and as long as the majority of your calories are sourced from clean foods a few dirty calories here and there will have little negative impact. Of course, if you don't feel like doing that, then you can have the old tried and tested method of 100% clean the whole week and one cheat meal. This will work for some but not for others. The whole point being to keep your diet sustainable and get the majority of your calories from clean whole foods, the rest will take care of itself. I have also included a list of 'clean' foods so it will help you make good food choices. Sauces can be made or bought as long as the rules of eating clean apply. Also as a side note there are a few recipes I have also attached to this article to give you an idea of just how easy eating clean really is and how you don't have to miss out on your favorite foods at all and how they can be adapted. Carbohydrates Post workout (PWO) Dextrose Maltodextrin Waxy maize starch Rice flour Slow Starchy Carbs Lentils Amaranth Rye Spelt Oats Sweet potato Plain potato Wholegrain bread Basmati / long grain rice brown Wholewheat pasta Wholemeal pittas New boiled potatoes Yams Muesli (natural, no sugar added) Natural bean soups Chickpeas Split beans Black beans Barley Weetabix Shredded wheat Semolina Oat bran Millet Quinoa Red kidney beans Haricot beans Butter beans Couscous Tapioca Flours: soya, potato, rice, oat and wheat Butternut squash Swede Pumpkin Fruit Nectarines Strawberries Blueberries Raspberries Bananas Honey Watermelon Pineapple Cherries Apples Pears Oranges Peaches Plums Grapes Apricots Mango Guava Papaya Persimmon Sharon fruit Kiwi Figs All dried fruit Carrots Fibrous Carbs Celeriac Beetroot Onions Tomatoes Radishes Spinach Broccoli Cauliflower Aubergine Courgette Peppers Celery Beansprouts Bok Choy Water Chestnuts Cabbage Asparagus Lettuce Cucumber Mushrooms Green beans Brussel sprouts Protein Chicken (skin & bones removed), breast ideally Lean red meat Tuna Mackerel Salmon Low fat cottage cheese Quark Coley Haddock Turkey (skinless) Sardines Kippers Pilchards Whey protein shakes Veal Venison Soya milk Tofu Quorn TVP (textured vegetable protein) Tempeh Natural low fat fromage frais Low fat, sugar free yogurts Lentils Seeds Egg whites & whole eggs Shellfish Buttermilk Bacon back Halibut Herring Trout Monkfish Lean pork Low fat cheeses & dairy Good Fats (+ essential fats) Olives Olive oil Flax seeds / linseeds Flax oil Almonds Cashews Nut Butters (hazel/almond/cashew/peanut) Fatty fish (kippers/sardines/mackerel/salmon/pilchards) Avocados Nut oils Columbus eggs/DHA eggs Sunflower & pumpkin seeds Macadamia nuts Coconut products such as oil and desiccated coconut Natural free range butter Oil blends Fish oils NKO oil Cinnamon French Toast Ingredients: 4 slices thick granary bread 3 whole eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 4 tbsp sweetener (Splenda) Method: 1. Combine everything except the bread in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. 2. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and dry fry in a good nonstick pan that's been preheated and is hot for around 30 seconds either side until egg has been cooked and it starts to brown. 3. Serve with fruit, golden syrup, maple syrup or honey. Serves 1. Nutritional content per serving: Energy (kcal) 648 Carb (g) 85.0 Fat (g) 17.7 Protein (g) 35.0 Fibre (g) 6.8 Meatloaf Ingredients: 500g lean steak mince 200g grated onion 1 whole egg 1 tsp dried rosemary 2 tsp dried garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp tomato puree 2 crushed weetabix Method: 1. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon or your hands. 2. Transfer mixture into a nonstick loaf tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear. Serves 3. Note: You can use pork mince, turkey mince, lamb mince or even TVP to make this meatloaf. Nutritional content per serving: Energy (kcal) 400 Carb (g) 17.0 Fat (g) 18.6 Protein (g) 40.0 Fibre (g) 2.4 __________________ "I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." - Rollins

06-11-2008, 12:10 AM	#2
Ikaika resident degen Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,899 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 221	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? so basically you're saying I can't eat chicken nuggets anymore? __________________ No supplement can make up for the lack of a strong work ethic.

06-11-2008, 12:20 AM	#3
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,117 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 52	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? hahahaha __________________ "I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds." - Rollins

06-11-2008, 12:09 PM	#4
CJay Pro Stature Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 101 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 7	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? Since when is honey a fruit? __________________ IMPC 2008 Novice Division Never fear opposition; adversity builds strength.

06-11-2008, 02:46 PM	#5
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 4,165 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 116	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? since it is dense in fructose. __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

06-11-2008, 04:38 PM	#6
CJay Pro Stature Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 101 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 7	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? I guess it depends on how you define fruit.... __________________ IMPC 2008 Novice Division Never fear opposition; adversity builds strength.

06-11-2008, 04:40 PM	#7
powerman2000 The Old Moderator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 4,247 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 203	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? Good stuff mitch. I moved this to our Nutrition forum. __________________ Don't forget to periodize Best BP 507 lbs competitive Best Squat 705 lbs competitive Best DL 650 lbs competitive Guns don't kill people, men who come home early do. My workout log http://www.ironmass.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6247

06-16-2008, 10:17 PM	#8
b-boy Gold Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 563 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 42	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? Cinnamon French Toast Ingredients: 4 slices thick granary bread 3 whole eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon 4 tbsp sweetener (Splenda) Method: 1. Combine everything except the bread in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. 2. Dip the bread slices into the egg mixture and dry fry in a good nonstick pan that's been preheated and is hot for around 30 seconds either side until egg has been cooked and it starts to brown. 3. Serve with fruit, golden syrup, maple syrup or honey. damn that sounds good as hell right now...LOL

06-17-2008, 03:07 AM	#10
DJSTARER eating more folate... Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: State College, PA Posts: 4,165 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 116	Re: Eating Clean - What does it mean? i make that recipe about 2-3X per week, but only with whites, and 1 egg. __________________ My philosophies on training: "Extreme training yields extreme results" "Just because you can, does not mean you should" "The best program is the one you are not doing" Penn State Powerlifting-181 lb weightclass PGA Professional of America Current Stats: 474 Squat 601 Deadlift 320 Bench Goals for next training cycle: 500lbs squat and a total over 1400 in competition

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