First
off , what "exactly" is Clean Eating? Well, it's basically that. It's
eliminating the crap, the bad fats, the sugars, the preservatives, the white
foods. In a nutshell, if you can't pronounce it... DON'T EAT IT :).
Clean
Eating can take on various levels based on how light or intense you want to be
in your routine. The most important thing is just to START. You don't have to
be all drastic starting off, especially if you have spent a good amount of time
eating unhealthy. You're going to have to take "baby steps". If you
don't make changes that you can actually stick with, your going to fail before
you get started anyway. Follow
these basic rules for ultimate success:
- Plan & Prep - this is perhaps the most crucial step in this journey. Planning and prepping your meals is vital. Life gets crazy. There are never enough minutes in the day to breathe much less do anything else. You can save so much time by pre-planning your meals. I have found that this not only saves me money but eliminates the excuses of running to whatever is in the kitchen when things get busy during the week. You will feel sooooo much better when you can actually stick to a set routine.
- Eat Frequently - Yes this may sound crazy when your are trying to eat healthy, especially if your goal is to lose weight. The truth of the matter is, how often you eat isn't as important as what you eat. Once you start incorporating a healthy eating habits, everything that you once believed about food, nutrition and your body will soon become a myth. We are taught to believe that eating too much too soon will make us blow up. Well yes that's true if you are eating crap, however if you're eating lean meats and proteins, your body will actually start working for you instead of against you. Eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Good rule of thumb is to eat every 2.5 - 3 hours. Not only will this help you keep your appetite in check but it will keep your body fueled and your metabolism at its peak performance level at all times.
- Eliminate the Sweetness - Avoid the Soda, the Alcohol, the Juices, the refined sugars. I know, I know :). This one is gonna be a BEAST, especially if you suffer from that ruthless sweet and alcohol tooth :). Sorry but, it's a necessary evil that has to be done. But don't worry, you'll be surprised how much better food tastes when all that processed, crappy crap is removed. There are so many delicious recipes out there that you can start to create and once your pallet gets used to the good stuff, you'll never want to revert :).
- Water, Water, Water - C'mon you knew this was coming :) Drink up. When they say "water does a body good", it's the absolute truth. Hydration is so important. I personally try to drink a gallon a day but a good rule of thumb is to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces. If you're not a "water" fan and it's hard for you to get the good stuff down, then you're going to have to get creative. Get an infuser and jazz it up with some strawberries, lemons, oranges, cucumbers, limes, etc. Do whatever is necessary to get that water in you. Your body will thank you, Trust Me :).
- Peep Those Labels - Everything on the label is important, but some things are more important than others. Always check and double check the nutritional value and ingredients. Try to avoid foods with white flour, sugar and sugar substitutes, saturated fats and trans-fats. Rule of thumb, if its' white.....it ain't right (lol). If you can't understand or pronounce it.....then (dueces). Run don't walk to the produce section as fast as you can The main things to look for and avoid:
- High Fructose
- Corn Syrups
- Aspartame\
- Sucralose
- Maltodextrin
- MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
- Enriched
- Modified, Genetically-modified, etc.
- From concentrate
Cool Tip: If it says, diet, sugar-free, lite, etc., chances are it contains fake sweeteners like Saccharin or Aspartame which is like Cyanide to your Body....Let it Go!!!
So now you
know the basics and what to avoid, lets jump straight to the good stuff.
- Eat your Veggies - Load up. Variety is key. Eat a constant mixture of dark leafy
greens, peppers, carrots, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, sweet potatoes, you name it. They are a free for all.
- Eat your Fruits - Be careful, even though fruits are healthy, some are loaded with sugar.
- Lean Meats - Try to get your meat from grass-fed animals whenever possible, it is more expensive, but it’s also healthier. Your next route would be to go Organic or Free Range. For the budget conscience consumer, you can always supplement your meat for other high protein options such as beans, fewer, but higher quality meat-eating days.
- Good Fats - Some fats are actually good for you! Yes, those awesome high-quality, saturated fats. You can get healthy fats from fish (e.g. anchovies and sardines), nuts and seeds (e.g. walnuts, almonds, chia seeds), avocados, eggs, oils (olive oil, coconut oil), dairy products and grass-fed beef.
- Good Carbs - Yes there is such a thing :). I know if you are like I used to be, you probably think carbs are just potatoes and anything made in the potatoes family right (lol). I was oblivious to the fact that carbs lived in other foods or there was even such a thing as a good carbohydrate. The fact is, there are tons of good carbs in that big wide world of nutrition. The best are actually "whole” carbs. These are foods in their most natural and unrefined form. They contain foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains (such as oatmeal, quinoa, amaranth, barley, etc), corn, peas, legumes(beans), sweet potatoes, etc. are all “whole” food carbohydrates. These carbs also contain other good-for-you stuff such as fiber, antioxidants, , vitamins, etc. Be sure not to avoid these as they are great tools in your physical fitness arsenal as well.
- Control your Portions - Learn what a normal "portion" actually is. What you think it is and what it actually is will shock you. You are probably eating well about your average portion size on the regular. Just making that one adjustment can actually have amazing results. Once you've mastered the portion size, measure out your calories. Once you have that locked down, you can prep your 5-6 meals out accordingly. Here is a good measurement:
- Hands cupped together= 1 cup of raw veggies
- Your fist= 1 medium piece of fruit
- Top of your thumb= 1 oz cube of cheese
- Palm of your hand= 1/4 cup of nuts
- Cheat a Little - Yes your heard me. Indulge a little. No one can go hardcore 24/7. Cheat meals were created to keep you on track. The actually help boost your metabolism and your motivation to make to the end of the week. Knowing you can be a little bad while still being good is freaking AWESOME. The key is "NOT" to go overboard. Don't sabotage all of your hard work with one day or one moment of cheating. It's so not worth it. Study, research and take the time to understand what a cheat day is, what it does to your body, and how to incorporate it in your new lifestyle. Before long it will be your secret weapon in battling plateaus and ultimately carving out the body you've always dreamed of.
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