Clean eating is like that mysterious cousin everyone talks about at family reunions—everyone's heard of it, but no one really knows what it means. When people chat about clean eating, they often act like it's some magical diet involving only kale and quinoa. Some folks think it means munching on whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and veggies. Others believe it's all about dodging processed foods or going full organic and non-GMO. And then there are those who think clean eating is just another word for being vegan or following the Paleo diet.
Sure, these ideas sound nice, but they're about as accurate as a weather forecast from your pet cat.
Clean eating is actually a delightful smorgasbord of ideas, including chomping on quality foods, timing your meals like a pro, keeping an eye on those pesky calories and macronutrients, and steering clear of low-quality grub. You can't just focus on one or two of these things and expect to become the next health guru.
Busting Myths
Over the years, we've heard some real doozies when it comes to clean eating. Here's a taste:
· I don't need to focus on nutrition because I don't eat processed foods
· I'm vegan, so I'm basically a nutritional wizard
· I only eat organic, non-GMO foods, so I'm practically invincible
Let's have a little chat about these gems.
I don't need to focus on nutrition because I don't eat processed foods
Avoiding processed foods is a noble quest. But let's not kid ourselves—all foods are processed to some degree. Even that apple you proudly picked up from the store was processed by being picked, sorted, and washed. And pasta? Yep, that's processed too, even the whole grain kind that people love to brag about.
When we talk about avoiding processed foods, we're suggesting you dodge things like frozen dinners and cakes. These are the culinary villains packed with extra ingredients and preservatives that your stomach would rather do without.
So, if you're avoiding processed foods but still eating too many calories, that's not clean eating. If you're skipping processed foods but not getting a variety of nutritious eats, like lean proteins and veggies, that's not clean eating. And if you're skipping meals all day only to devour everything in sight at dinner, well, you guessed it—that's not clean eating either.
I'm vegan, so I know I eat right
Being vegan can be a great way to cut calories, eat more fruits and veggies, and become more nutrition-savvy. But just because you're vegan doesn't mean you're automatically eating clean. There are some sneaky pitfalls to watch out for.
For instance, some vegans swap meat for nuts, which are higher in fat than a sumo wrestler's diet. We've seen folks gain weight on a vegan diet because they went a little nutty with the nuts.
And let's not forget the processed vegan foods—those veggie burgers and Tofurky brats might be convenient, but they're often as processed as a politician's answer during a debate.
Veganism can be a step toward clean eating, but you still need to think about food quality, timing, calories, and macronutrients.
I only eat organic, non-GMO foods, so my nutrition is fine
This is one of our favorite tall tales. Eating organic and non-GMO just means your food wasn't tampered with by mad scientists and is free of pesticides. It doesn't magically control your calories, meal timing, or food choices.
Summary
Dodging processed and GMO foods, being vegan, or eating organic doesn't mean you're eating clean. It's about calorie control, food choices, meal timing, and healthy habits, like not treating your stomach like a bottomless pit at dinner. These things can be part of the clean eating equation, but they're not the whole story.
We're not here to rain on your parade, just to shine a light on some common myths. There are plenty more out there, but they all fall into the same trap we mentioned.
What Clean Eating Really Is
As we've mentioned, clean eating is a delightful mix of munching on quality foods, timing your meals, keeping an eye on calories and macronutrients, and minimizing low-quality foods. Let's take a quick look at these topics. Our perspective is one of many, but even different viewpoints will have some focus on food quality, calories, and macronutrients.
Consuming Quality Foods
At Nathan DeMetz Personal Training, we think quality foods are lean proteins, grains, and fresh fruits and veggies. Frozen veggies and other minimally processed foods can join the party too.
We're not against using premade jarred pasta sauces, noodles, or yogurt. While going all fresh would be awesome, it's not always practical. Plus, the easier it is to prepare, the more likely you are to eat it.
We often recommend things like boneless, skinless chicken breast, lean beef, rice, potatoes, fresh peppers, onions, carrots, bananas, and more. The list of quality foods is as long as a giraffe's neck.
Meal Timing
Meal timing is all about spreading your food love throughout the day. There's no one-size-fits-all approach. Some folks prefer grazing like cows, nibbling every few hours. Others go for the big meal approach, eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner like clockwork. Some even fast for a chunk of the day and then feast during the rest.
All these methods can work for the right person. The key is finding what fits your goals, schedule, and dietary needs. For example, if you've had gastric bypass surgery, you might need to eat smaller meals more often. The goal is to find a meal timing strategy that works for you and is sustainable long-term.
Calorie/Macronutrient Control
This should be the easiest part, but thanks to media hype and those trying to sell the next big thing, it's often confusing.
Simply put, calorie control is crucial for weight loss, gain, or maintenance. Macronutrient control—keeping an eye on protein, fat, and carbs—is important for body composition and performance, and it can help with calorie control since macronutrients equal calories.
If you don't control your food, reaching your goals will be tougher than trying to teach a cat to fetch. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. It's science, folks. No matter how active you are, if you overeat, you'll never lose weight. The same goes for gaining weight—if you under-eat, you'll never bulk up.
Minimization of Low-Quality Foods
This should be straightforward, but people often struggle because they don't want to give up their guilty pleasures.
Eating junk like chips, cookies, and low-quality meats or constantly dining out and drinking will hold you back. We're not saying you can't enjoy these things, but they shouldn't make up the bulk of your diet. If you have specific goals, especially those that rely heavily on diet, consider cutting back on these low-quality foods temporarily.
We've talked about this before in newsletters, videos, social media posts, and client chats. You know the drill—skip the booze, pass on the double bacon cheeseburger, and say no to the cake and deep-fried delights. You can indulge occasionally, but if you have goals to reach, especially challenging ones, consider giving these foods a break.
Summary
Clean eating is like the unicorn of the health and fitness world—everyone talks about it, but few truly understand it. It's a combo of quality foods, meal timing, calorie and macronutrient control, and minimizing low-quality foods. Keep these in mind when making food choices, and you'll be on your way to becoming a clean-eating legend.
— Nathan DeMetz
Personal Trainer & Nutritionist
Nathan DeMetz Personal Training LLC
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