Anyone 'eat clean'?

[Romcom]

I'm considering this to lose my baby weight and try and sort my sugar addiction. Wondering how doable it is, any success stories? Great amazon reviews!

I do the Harcombe diet which is also sugar-free and about concentrating on real foods. It's great - as of today I'm 4 stone lighter :)

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1907797114?pc_redir=1396963527&robot_redir=1

Thanks! I may purchase that instead, looks less americanised.

I eat clen but don't follow recipe books/diet books.....just eat clean unprocessed foods as often as I can.

5 stone down and fit! (I took up exercise)

I suppose 'clean eating' is what I am doing.
I turn 40 this year and after 25 years of failing at diets I decided just over 7 weeks ago something had to change.
I knew that the more carbs I eat the more I crave, especially sugar. I also had a serious addiction to diet coke. I decided to cut out sugar, sweetners and limit white carbs (potatoe, rice, pasta). I am already gluten free 99% of the time as my DC are coeliac. My initial aim was to get rid of all sweeteners and only eat sugar occasionally (a bit of cake at the kids party, dessert at big family dinners etc)
7 and a half weeks later and I have lost 17lbs (got 3.5 stone to lose so still a way to go).
The first week I was ill, it was like I had flu for 4 days (headaches, achy) but strangely rather than wanting to give in it made me more determined. I felt quite tired the first 4 weeks (could have easily had an afternoon nap each day which is unlike me). But this week I have really started to feel more energetic. I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and wake up naturally just before the kids each morning.
Strangest of all despite 2 kids parties (one of which was for my own DS and I baked all the treats my self) I haven't had any sweet treats, not even chocolate! (I was on at least a bar a day).
My weakness is the occasional bit of tomato ketchup and I have made marinades which have sugar in them, so I've not been completely sugar free.
I eat loads of fruit (2 apples, 2 and a pear already today). Have lots of omelettes/ salads / soups for lunch, meat/ fish with veg and pulses for dinner (allow myself potatoes / pasta at the weekend or when eating out). I also eat lots of nuts and seeds.
The first 4 weeks I ate a lot (I didn't want to limit how much I can eat because that makes me obsess about food) but the past 3 weeks my appetite has really started to reduce. For the first time that I can remember food doesn't have a hold on me.
Long term my plan is to eat this way during the week and allow myself more freedom at the weekend (though I don't crave any of my 'banned' foods.)
I'm still in the early days but it really feels sustainable.

Joules68 - how long did it take you to lose your 5 stone?

charm your post has just motivated me to start today?! I don't know anything about the clean living diet but your way of eating sounds just up my street. my sugar and carb addiction is so out of contrail it's unreal. Any more tips would be appreciated !

Don't worry about how much you are eating, instead focus on what you are eating. I ate loads the first 4 weeks, my body was craving something (it was so used to getting a quick high from processed sugar & sweeteners), so I snacked lots - apples, oranges, pears , nuts, eggs, peanut butter, sandwiches with lettuce leaves for bread. Remember your body is already dealing with the loss of processed sugars, sweeteners (and in my case caffeine). To force it into portion restriction as well might be too much. I lost 7lb the first week, but only 3lbs in the following 3 weeks. I then lost 6lbs in the 3 weeks after that. As I said before I've really noticed my appetite started to reduce after 4 weeks.
I've also noticed I often have very little for dinner. I think it's because the types of food I've eaten during the day have filled and nourished me. I still notice occasionally I can find myself in the kitchen at around 9pmish looking fair a snack (even though I know I'm not hungry), but I have an apple or two.
Small apples and crunchy peanut butter are my friends.
Drink loads of water. This is something I have to make a real effort to do. Put in slices of lime and lemon if you need to. I also occasionally put a small amount of fruit juice in my water in the first weeks when I was craving fizzy drinks. I treat myself to bottles of fizzy water when out.
Most importantly do this for you. I haven't told anyone I'm trying to lose weight. DH has noticed I've cut out the crap, but as yet no one has commented on my weight loss (but to be fair I don't see it yet when I look in the mirror). However I am starting to reclaim my wardrobe (I have so many clothes that don't fit!).
I am also keeping a record of my BMI. I'm currently half way to being overweight. My aim is to get to healthy weight.
Finally if you want a bit of chocolate at Easter have it, but only if you want to. That's been my mantra that's got me through birthday parties and I'll use it at Easter as well.

Took me about a year, and kept it off for 6 months so far, but I'm not 100% clean, just 'mostly'. Exercise is crucial for me.

I also switched to using coconut oil for cooking.

These days I do lots of juicing as well

Sounds very doable charm I am drinking hot water and lemon as we speak. i am on one now!

Good luck Dosey! You'll feel so much better if you kick the sugar addiction :)

Dds have just come back from gps laden with sweets. Dd1 is tucking into haribo right under my nose. I am not going to have any though I had my fill yesterday. I am drinking hot water and lemon instead!

I am done with dieting or restrictive eating in any shape or form. For the last ten years I have eaten mindfully. I eat whatever I want. The thing is though that I have to be properly hungry and stop when I am satisfied. Ive tried eating "Clean" before but as the outcome I was after was still weight loss I started to feel deprived on some level and found myself craving and then bingeing on foods that I wouldn't normally have bothered with. I now eat normally like a person with no diet or food or weight issues and it has freed me from continual obsession and thoughts with food totally. And the best bit...weight loss.

Come and join us on the Eating Better thread (in Food), no diets, but a desire to make sustainable healthy changes - we all love great food but aim to eat unprocessed, minimal sugar etc most of the time and mindfully all the time (similar approach to Jemima and Joules etc above). Some great recipe ideas and fantastic support there .

I eat so so dirty. I need to do this!

Hi sleep I will check your thread out later thank you.

I had a food day yesterday, we had friends round who brought lots of sweet treats with them and I managed to not have any. I have now hidden them out of sight. I have my positive head on today, just had porridge, banana, nuts and seeds with a cup of green tea for breakfast. I will have hot water and lemon at the first sign of cravings.