Use of the term “clean eating” needs to stop. I’ll tell you why.
The term “clean eating” itself is heavily ambiguous. Does it imply that you wash your food? What foods are considered “dirty”? While we’re at it, what constitutes as a processed food and what doesn’t? The exact meaning of “clean eating” differs depending on who you ask; that’s probably the biggest gripe I have against the term.
I think we can all agree that dieting sucks. Dieting doesn’t lead to long term change; it instead leads to binge eating, cravings, and a whole lot of negative self talk. There is substantive research showing that dieting is a predictor is weight gain, not weight loss as the fitness industry would love for us to believe. In a society overcome with dieting propaganda, it’s difficult to know what course of action to take when trying to obtain long term wellness. The intuitive eating movement is attempting to overcome this dieting barrier to actually help people reach their ultimate health goals and maintain them.
How much physical activity do I need? This is a question I have continuously received throughout my career as a personal trainer, and it is a loaded one. The honest answer is that it depends. If we were to get really specific, how much daily physical activity you need is dependent on what your goals are and your current fitness level. Although the exact level is different for every person, there are helpful, research based physical activity guidelines available to make answering this question much easier for the everyday public.
Moderate alcohol consumption has not been significantly associated with weight gain in the overall population. In cases where moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with weight gain, it has been found that those who drink are more likely to choose unhealthy, fatty foods while intoxicated compared to those who are sober. This brings up the question of whether the weight gain these individuals experience is due to the excess calories from the alcohol, the fatty food, or both.
