I've been reading a lot about the cleaner eating (i.e. no processed foods) and it's very intriguing to me. I know a lot of the advice from our NUT say to use sugar free this, low fat that, etc which is not in line with clean eating at all.

So, I'm just curious, is anyone doing clean eating? How is it working for your overall health and well-being? And of course, do you feel it's helped your weight loss?

Thanks!!

I am pre-op & have tinkered w/ the idea of trying to eat clean post-op. I have incorporated it a little so far. My surgery date is 9.20.12.

i'm pre-op.. i eat clean. to me, it's common sense. processed foods are usually GMO (genetically modified) & there's all sorts of chemicals and junk in the "food" (if you can really even call it that due to it having little nutritional value).. i don't want that gunk in my body. y'know?

so.. i eat clean. it's not hard. when i do make breads & stuff, i try to make 'em myself.. so that limits how much i eat them. lol

I am 5 months post op. I generally eat 90% non processed foods. The way out post op diet and nutritional needs are, there really shouldn't be much room for much else. I usually try not to get anything that requires being bagged or boxed with the exception of frozen veggies.

I try to focus on clean-eating for sure. It's about an 80/20 approach because of the limits with sugar. I don't have a sugar sensitivity but for instance my protein shake I wouldn't really consider "clean". Plus, where I live it's hard to find a lot of organic products (dairy, eggs, meat etc)

i'm pre-op.. i eat clean. to me, it's common sense. processed foods are usually GMO (genetically modified) & there's all sorts of chemicals and junk in the "food" (if you can really even call it that due to it having little nutritional value).. i don't want that gunk in my body. y'know?

so.. i eat clean. it's not hard. when i do make breads & stuff, i try to make 'em myself.. so that limits how much i eat them. lol

You're right. It was just funny to me that I'm reading over my pre-op diet and it has all of these sugar free items as "free" so you can eat them as much as you want. I'd really like to move to no processed foods, the reading I'm doing is downright frightening but makes SO much sense.

Most things that I eat are clean. I do love my Premier shakes and I have 1 a day,sometimes 2. Other times I'm eating nuts and an occasional protein bar. I will only eat organic now but find that to be somewhat limited at times. I now am looking for variety at meals and enjoying my salads.

I used to think it was easier for me as a single person to eat quickly prepared foods. But since my surgery, I found that to be exactly the oposite. I rarely eat out at a fast food place anymore. I prepare meals and snacks with whole foods so much more often (at least 80% of the time). It's more of an awareness to keep sugar and fat out of my daily routine that keeps me eating 'clean' foods.

I don't agree with my program that encourages everything fat free and sugar free. It's just garbage! I didn't do any low fat or fat free anything and made goal. :-)

I don't eat processed packaged foods, but do eat minimally processed foods like cheese and yogurt. I also use SF syrups in my shakes and baking.

I just do not do well with refined sugar or corn syrup. Empty calories to me. The tend to make me stall too. Where I can I use fruit to sweeten. In nut butters (I make my own) I use coconut oil and it give it the slightly sweet taste.

You might say that I am a modified paleo-diet. I eat lots of meats, vegetables, berries and nuts. I obviously to not do lowfat except that I do eat lowfat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and 2% milk. They taste better to me than the full fat versions.

You're right. It was just funny to me that I'm reading over my pre-op diet and it has all of these sugar free items as "free" so you can eat them as much as you want. I'd really like to move to no processed foods, the reading I'm doing is downright frightening but makes SO much sense.

it IS scary..

a perfect example is ANYTHING that uses Aspartame... like... Crystal light... sugar free chewing gum... diet soda pop.. etc...

source of image: http://galleryqui.wo...sume-aspartame/

image source: unknown (collected it a while back from a nutritional group on facebook)

that's just one ingredient.... there's countless others just like it... and the company that's behind most of the horrible things is Monsanto..... they own our food... y'know that saying "it's not paranoia if they really ARE out to get you"?.. that's how i feel about Monsanto. lol

Aspartame poisoning symptoms & side effects of Aspartame:

"I know it’s such strong news and seems to come out of left field, but it’s not. What is in left field is the publics awareness towards the sugar free killer that was FDA approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated soda in 1983. There were 5 deaths attributed to Aspartame prior to 1987 and since then fatality figures have not been made public. Likely because it would leave a bad taste in the mouth of the consumers not to mention it may remind you about any one of the 92 common symptoms you complain about often enough:

A

Abdominal Pain

Anxiety attacks

arthritis

asthma

Asthmatic Reactions

B

Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)

Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)

Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)

Breathing difficulties

burning eyes or throat

Burning Urination

C

can’t think straight

Chest Pains

chronic cough

Chronic Fatigue

Confusion

D

Death

Depression

Diarrhea

Dizziness

E

Excessive Thirst or Hunger

F

fatigue

feel unreal

flushing of face

H

hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair

Headaches/Migraines dizziness

Hearing Loss

Heart palpitations

Hives (Urticaria)

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

I

Impotency and Sexual Problems

inability to concentrate

Infection Susceptibility

Insomnia

Irritability

Itching

J

Joint Pains

L

laryngitis

“like thinking in a fog”

M

Marked Personality Changes

Memory loss

Menstrual Problems or Changes

Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)

Muscle spasms

N

Nausea or Vomiting

Numbness or Tingling of Extremities

O

Other Allergic-Like Reactions

P

Panic Attacks

Phobias

poor memory

R

Rapid Heart Beat

Rashes

S

Seizures and Convulsions

Slurring of Speech

Swallowing Pain

T

Tachycardia

Tremors

Tinnitus

V

Vertigo

Vision Loss

This also applies to cases of fibromyalgia. If you are using ASPARTAME (Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc) you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!"