The NATURAL eating challenge!

This challenge is for people who (like me) would like to cut back on that pound-packing junk food (ie- cakes, chips, cookies, muffins, pop tarts, etc.). In this challenge, we are basically just getting rid of all processed, refined carbs, and replacing them with healthy fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Two sensible splurges per day are allowed to keep us from binging due to withdrawl, but I would reccommend trying to go without the splurges for three full days to kick off the challenge because that will make it a lot easier to avoid overdoing it on junk food.

Some helpful hints: 1. Drink at least 6-8 cups of water per day. 2. Tea and coffee help too (just drink decaf at night so that you don't have trouble sleeping). 3. Sleep 7-8 hours per night (or at least more than 6). Studies show that if you are less tired during the day, than you are much less likely to reach for junk food as a pick-me-up. 4. Fruits and veggies are unlimited (so eat tons of them to stay full). 5. It may be easier to eat 6-8 mini-meals because this keeps you satisfied at all times and you feel like you are eating all day. This may not work for some though, due to an inflexible schedule.

Note: All meats are allowed (just try to go for unprocessed meats such as pork tenderloin instead of hot dogs). All dairy is allowed too. Really, the only forbidden foods here are refined carbs (like non-organic tastycakes, pop tarts, etc.)

How it works: This challenge is open to anyone and it is pretty easy-going. Just post on how you are doing, and if you have any tips, feel free to share.

The challenge officially begins on Friday (11/30), but anyone can join at a later date as well. Just start posting. Keep track of how many days you have eaten all-natural according to these terms. Rather than aiming for total perfection, if you slip up one day, you don't need to totally restart because I find that to be quite discouraging.

Good luck to all!

omg i was thinking the same thing

i was planning to eat natural or minimally processed foots

like fruits, veggie, oats, post shredded wheat, milk,nuts, eggs, meat but nothing packaged or anything eating when im hungry & stopping once the hunger goes away ( i am a teen & still growing)

i think im going to start tomorrow. GOOD LUCK!!! :]

i pretty much eat this way already--but i'd like to join anyway (:

that sounds like fun! i won't say i'll never ever have them but i'll definitely cut back.

ewwxroflzz, do you count cals while you do that?

or do you just eat when your hungry & stop when the hunger subsides & still stay thin?

Original Post by peacelovehominy:

ewwxroflzz, do you count cals while you do that?

or do you just eat when your hungry & stop when the hunger subsides & still stay thin?

 it's kind of complicated; i counted calories when i did it for forever, and i wanted to stop but i have a history with a slight ed, and my dad wants me to keep counting to make sure i'm getting enough protein/good fat/etc.

so that's the only reason i still count.  

I'm in! This will curb my fast food addiction stat!

ewwroflzz but do you think itd be a good diet not counting cals with?

jc, what kinda ed did you have?

I basically eat this way too. I'm fortunate in that my family only buys foods from Whole Foods and local farmers markets so we never have anything processed in the house.

I still count because as wonderful and healthy as natural foods are, they can still be pretty calorie dense (bananas, peanut butter, any types of nuts, avocados, even little things like grapes and cherry tomatos add up). I definitely wish it were possible to eat these kinda things in unlimited quantities... but yesterday I almost went over my limit because I snacked on 3 apples, a banana, and a pomegranate throughout the day...

I'd like to join! I've been meaning to eat more naturally lately and I have been semi- successful except when I have had snack attacks. And I agree with the sleeping thing. Sleep has been linked to decrease in chances of becoming overweight and appetite control! so lots of sleep for me!

Original Post by peacelovehominy:

ewwroflzz but do you think itd be a good diet not counting cals with?

jc, what kinda ed did you have?

 yeah, sure, but you have to keep in mind that calories are calories. as in, you could eat 1200 calories of chocolate cake and nothing else, and it would be no different than having a balanced 1200 of whole grain bread, fruit, etc. if that makes sense.

basically i don't limit my calories though, i don't overeat or binge, i just eat when i'm hungry and stop when i'm not.

i wasn't diagnosed but i had all the symptoms of anorexia/body dysmorphic disorder. my mom still wants to send me to therapy :/ 

i really wanna do this too!! i keep binging on horrible foods!! omg i'm sooo sick of this!!!

I'll join!  I'm sick of processed foods too.

I did a lot better than usual today and I think it was because I ate naturally. The biggest thing I did was to avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup at all costs. For my nighttime snack instead of eating a least 700 cals in binge food (and sometimes exceeding 1000), I had some Kashi cereal and cheerios with light soy milk and my portions eventually added up to 580 cals (just for my nighttime snack). Still, that is a lot better than usual. My daily total was around 2800 cals which is not too bad, considering that I went to a party tonight (a lot of times on party nights, my total ends up around 3500). The only junk I ate there was 2 brownies and 1 cheese puff. That was all my junk for the day.

this is the way i have been eating for about a week now...i eat all natural, only fruit, veggies, beans whole grains like spelt, millet , whole wheat, soy milk, tofu, small amounts of fish and lots of leafy greens. i am looking forward to seeing some serious weight loss. it was really hard at first, but lentils filled me up, and the beans take away alot of craving i get for bad stuff. my skin seems to be clearing up too.

I'm definitely only eating natural food. Processed foods and certain fruits and vegetables have high GIs and increase your insulin so rapidly that you still feel hungry after eating them. I'm avoiding those foods, too.

Original Post by ewwxroflzz:

yeah, sure, but you have to keep in mind that calories are calories. as in, you could eat 1200 calories of chocolate cake and nothing else, and it would be no different than having a balanced 1200 of whole grain bread, fruit, etc. if that makes sense.

 That's not really true. calories are calories, but certain calories are far worse for your insulin levels and causing more hunger afterwards. cake will definitely cause a huge spike in insulin with the white flour and syrups involved.

Original Post by mollyduckpond:

Original Post by ewwxroflzz:

yeah, sure, but you have to keep in mind that calories are calories. as in, you could eat 1200 calories of chocolate cake and nothing else, and it would be no different than having a balanced 1200 of whole grain bread, fruit, etc. if that makes sense.

That's not really true. calories are calories, but certain calories are far worse for your insulin levels and causing more hunger afterwards. cake will definitely cause a huge spike in insulin with the white flour and syrups involved.

 well yeah, i didn't mean it wasn't BAD for you, i just meant that you couldn't gain weight (:

Mollyduckpond, you are definitely right about certain foods causing hunger after eating them. I ate about 400 calories less than I normally would today because of this natural eating. I love this!

Ewwwxroflzz, you do have a good point about the calories. That's why I avoid some foods that are still natural, like granola and nuts, because they are loaded with cals!

shorelover, yeah totally--although you have to keep in mind that the calories in nuts are from good fats. and nuts are considered a natural food too (: however, everything in moderation. granola is really sugary alot of times though, i think.

and yeah, i find i can snack whenever i want throughout the day, if i eat stuff like carrots and apples etc it barely adds up and at the end of the day i have to force myself to get to 1200 sometimes. 

I want to join! Even though this is how I eat every day anyways, I have to say its definitely the best way to go. Though I am recovering from AN-R...I am trying to add calories in a healthy way (such as good fats, etc) opposed to junk food or processed foods which I have not had in probably a couple of years.

Natural is the way to go :D