Take a deep breath and let me break some things down for you :-)
Soooo you’ve heard about Clean Eating right but maybe you aren’t sure what it really means.
All clean eating means is that you focus on eating whole foods. Thin about cavemen, they didn’t eat bagels and lattes right?
Ok so what should I do to eat clean?
- You should eat breakfast! You should have something to eat within an hour of you waking up to help kick start your metabolism
- You should eat 6 small meals a day. Eating more often means your body will know its being fueled properly and will begin to release the stored fat you so desperately want to get rid of.
- For every meal you eat make sure you are getting a combination of lean protein, complex carbs and healthy fats
- For each food group you are eating from make sure you are following a proper portion for each serving (portion control is one of the BIGGEST keys to your weight loss journey)
- DRINK WATER! (How much water??) Take your body weight and divide it by 2, this will give you a rough estimate of how much you should be consuming each day
- If you are a super busy person or just hate to cook each day prep your meals out so there is less of a chance of straying from your meal plan
- First off AVOID processed foods, white flower and sugary products
- If you can’t read or pronounce the ingredients on a label AVOID it!
- Artificial sugars and preservatives are a no no, they are bad all around
- Cut out the sodas, excessively creamed coffees, anything with loads of sugar. It doesn’t seem easy at first but in time you’re taste buds will change and these sugary drinks will taste bad
- Nix the fast food, rule of thumb- if it comes through a window it isn’t good for you
The thing is there is SOOOOOOO much you are able to eat, things like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. If these aren’t foods you are use to that’s ok now is your chance to find some new and tasty recipes. You may find a new recipe you just absolutely LOVE. I know that when Dave and I were doing the Ultimate Reset I was not a huge vegetable eater, and the program is largely based on your veggies. There was a Stir-fry dish that I fell in LOVE with and now I make it at least twice a week for dinner. So don’t knock a recipe until you try it ;-).
When you start to eat clean you’ll notice that you will NEVER feel hungry or deprived because you are eating a lot of food and its all so good for you. You may even think “I can’t eat all this food” but your body will truly thank you for it in the long run. When you first start out changing how you eat and the foods you’re eating you will probably notice that you have cravings for sugar or coffee or breads but in time those cravings dooooo pass! I know it doesn’t feel like it but I PROMISE they do.
Something to remember it IS ok to treat yourself from time to time. Depriving yourself from all your food joys in life will keep you from wanting to eat clean. There is nothing wrong with eating a cupcake or a slice of pizza from time to time, it’s all about finding that healthy balance. PLUS in time you’ll find healthier recipes to all your favorite treats. I find that planning my treats really helps me stay on track. For example, on Fridays Dave and I either have burgers or Pizza; it’s our end of week treat. I prep my meals on Sunday’s for the entire week but leave a place Friday nights to be able to splurge a little. The key is to not make the Cheat meal last all day or weekend. Don’t let the one or two slices of pizza turn into the whole pie!
Ok, so what are the steps to getting started?
- CLEAN OUT YOUR FRIDGE & PANTRY! When you keep only healthy foods inside your fridge & pantry you will only eat healthy foods. Plus, you may find foods that have ingredients that you can’t pronounce… they gotta go!
- Make A Grocery List! I personally don’t like to cook throughout the week, I like to be able to just grab and go. I sit down on Saturday and make my meal plan for the following week then Dave and I head to the grocery store and grab ONLY what’s on the list. Some things to add to your grocery list up front that will prevent your grocery bill from being so high later on would be Rice & Quinoa, buying these items in bulk will mean you don’t have to buy them every time you head to the grocery store (which cuts down on your grocery bill). Spices are another item you’ll want to stock up on. Spices can be kinnda expensive so these might be something you stock up on gradually, but once you have them you wont have to buy them each time you head to the grocery store. When at the grocery store buying your veggies and fruits from the freezer section make sure you are looking at the labels to assure there are no added preservatives. If you buy broccoli in a large bag make sure it says ONLY broccoli, same with frozen fruits (I use these in my shakeology every day) make sure you are getting the frozen fruit bag with NO added sugars. (Grocery shopping tip, NEVER go shopping hungry!)
- Schedule SPECIFIC Shopping & Prepping days! Having one day each week that you shop and meal prep can take a lot of stress out of the clean eating process. I realize that weekends aren’t ideal for everyone like they are at my house but pick a day that works best for you so that you can knock it all out and have less stress throughout the week. Before I was a full time Beachbody Coach I was working in corporate America and commuting 2 hours each way in and out of the city where I lived. Being able to grab my meals & snacks and throwing them in a lunch box saved me so much time AND money because I wasn’t stopping at a drive thru to pick up an over prices & overly processed meal. Packing your meals also helps you fight off those excuses for eating a crappy meal that will inevitably lead to you being sluggish with a few extra pounds around your waistline.
- Have Easy to Grab Snacks! There are days where you are going to want and extra snack. Having cut up veggies or fruit on hand and ready to go can save you time and calories. Portioning out some hummus, carrots, celery, broccoli, peppers, grapes, etc. can be an easy way to get an extra snack and still stay on track!
This is ALL a learning process and will take time to get the hang of. You won’t see dramatic weight loss in the first week, you wont see the inches just disappearing during your first week, you wont be able to stick to everything during your first week and THAT’S OK! Just like when you were learning to walk as a small kiddo, you stood and fell down, you got up and fell down, you held onto the table and stood a little longer and fell down… but in time you were walking, then running, and it’s the EXACT same thing with clean eating.
One BIG thing you’ll notice once you start to stick to a clean eating lifestyle is that you will start to have more energy, you’ll feel better, and you’re body will respond with weight loss and clearer skin!
If you have questions on how to get started I’d LOVE to hear from you! Click >> COACH << and register to get me as your FREE coach!
You CAN do this!!!
Xoxo,
Lauren
