"Clean" Eating vs. Engineered Food

So on a triathlon board I'm on, there is a lot of talk about "clean" eating... which is basically not eating processed foods.

But then there is also a lot of talk about protein shakes and gels and protein bars and sports drinks. All that stuff is processed.

I have come to believe that processed food is responsible for a lot of society's ills. I mostly eat meat, dairy products, veggies, fruits and nuts. But, as I enter into maintenance, I want to start eating more things and so now it's time to consider what else I want to put into my body.

I haven't decided if I'm up for 100% clean eating. I want to be able to have a piece of candy once in a while and I don't like whole grain pasta. But I'd like to limit what I can.

Which makes me wonder if I should be looking for alternatives to all the engineered food I eat... and I eat a lot of it. I have a protein shake every day and usually at least one other item, such as protein hot chocolate or a sports drink or a protein bar.

So... what do you guys think? Do you even try to eat "clean"? If you do, do you avoid things like gels?

I eat a lot of the following
Egg beaters
Chicken
Shrimp
Tofu noodles
tuna fish
protein drink
protein bars
Greek Yogurt
2% cottage cheese
Laughing cow soft cheese
Sargento 2% cheese Sticks
Lean red beef
ground turkey and chicken.  I grind it myself.
Tilapia fillets
A variety of flavoring spices and hot sauces etc.  It helps change up the monotony. 

I do use gels and sports drinks

I eat a lot better than I used to, but I could never go 100% clean eating.  Mostly because i like the things I eat.  If someone else was preparing them for me, then yeah i could go with just all 100% natural products, nothing manufactured, but I don't have the time or energy to do that for myself, so I have the manufactured stuff mixed in with the clean foods.  It makes preperation much easier.

Scott

Our diets are pretty similar.

I am trying to figure out exactly how much work I am willing to do to eat less processed crap. I am finding the answer is: not very much. Sigh.

i fail at "clean" eating for sure..i jsut cant do it...i do eat healthier tho and thats all that matters to me

I eat "cleaner" than I used to but that's as far as I am willing to go at this point.

I do realize that processed food is really evil and bad for us, but I was deprived of "bad" food as a kid and sought it in secret, so given the easy availability, that's the last thing I want to do to my children........so unless everyone in the family is going clean, I'm not!

I already allow them many indulgences I don't eat, I just don't feel I can put in the effort to go further.  I would like to not feed them processed food on their sports nights but even that is hard......something to work on!

I use protein shakes and bars as needed, but not daily.  I get more than enough protein, I think most days.

I would like to figure out how to get the "healthy" grains into my diet though.

I think I could get the family to do whole grain bread, but they wouldn't be happy and I don't eat enough bread to buy myself a whole loaf. I'd just be throwing bread out all the time.

I have tried to get them to eat whole grain pasta and they all rose up in rebellion. I can't blame them -- it didn't taste very good. Plus, I don't like how pasta sits in my tummy so I haven't been eating it.

I guess my goal is to be as "clean" as possible and I love whole grains and use them to bake...actually have made some bars with no flour but do use protein powder. I can't imagine ever doing without the protein bars and shakes I use just because I don't seem to be able to keep my protein as high since I had my RNY. I am not into artificial sweetners and fake stuff anyway.

I do meat, eggs, fish and dairy with no problem. Fruit is easy, sometimes have to really encourage my vegie eating...so much easier if I go out or someone else prepares. I notice that carbs (grains) and dairy both cause gas....others have this issue?

When I make bars I use seeds and grains and nuts. Usually ground most of them into a meal. And use eggs and applesauce. I found them a good way to get fiber and protein but I don't have them everyday. When I do make them I freeze most of them and dole them out at one a day.

I still think that at some point there is a balance to eating. To strive for the best and what our body needs but to not overdo or beat ourselves up if we slip up. Just get back on track. I also think that excerise seems to make me want to eat better.

deb366

Well, today I bought organic whole wheat flour plus flax seeds and sesame seeds so I can make my own protein bars.

I'm still laughing at myself over it, but I thought it was worth a try.

HI folks, interesting topic. I am pre op but have been trying to do whole grains and get rid of the white stuff for awhile. Fortunatley i like whole grain bread.
There is one brand of whole grain pasta that is better than the others. I think its called nature's harvest or something like that.   Also, i sometimes make pasta that is one half the whole wheat stuff and one half the white stuff and you don't really notice the difference.

I have also been trying to use brown rice but have trouble cooking it soft enough in my cheapo rice cooker.  I was wondering if i could get the same result if i cooked white rice as normal and then added a spoon or two of rice bran into it. seems stupid but might be easier. Of course, I will soon be eating very few carbs so maybe i should just forget it.

Also have been cooking quinoa sometimes. Its quite good and easy to cook. just dump into boiling water for a few minutes. i add a dash of olive oil. i think its a healthy grain and tastes good. cous cous is also good but i think its quite refined.

Wild rice is wonderful but expensive. But we are worth it!

Let us know the recipe for your own protein bars and if they are good.  I hate most of the ones i have tried but would be willing to try my own.

diane s