Want to lose weight, feel better, remove toxins and have more energy?
Then it time for some clean eatin’.
So what is clean eating you ask? Is this somehow different from dirty eatin?
“Eating clean” basically means avoiding processed and refined foods and basing your diet on whole foods. Sometimes its easy to do and sometimes its not. It really all depends on your lifestyle. For example, it’s harder to “eat clean” at a restaurant than eating at home. You aren’t in control of ingredients. But I’ll cover some strategies in the future to help you there.
You’ll need to make this change if you want to…
- Feel your best and keep from gaining weight
- Support hormone balance
- Stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels
- Reduce inflammation
This is a journey we can take together. The best part is the recipes you will find on this site will make it easy for you. Both Steph and I try follow this clean eating principle. Here’s how it basically works.
The Basic Principles of Eating Clean
Eating clean means choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available.
- Eat whole foods: Whole foods are foods that haven’t been tampered with, with no or limited artificial ingredients. The foods you eat on this plan are basically straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, fish, low fat dairy products, nuts, and seeds. But there are some exceptions, of course. We aim to simplify not make your life more complicated. So when you need to buy a processed food, read #2.
- Limit (avoid when possible) processed foods: Processed foods are any food that has a label. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses or peanut butter) but a good rule of thumb is, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, or you need a lab to figure it out, you probably shouldn’t put that food in your shopping cart.
- Eliminate refined sugar. Refined sugar provides nothing but calories. And sugar can be found in surprising places. So make sure to read labels. Other sweeteners can be used in limited amounts like honey, real maple syrup, and molasses. Also avoid all artificial sweeteners. Read more about my thoughts on Stevia.
- Cook your own meals. Instead of buying meals in a box, or eating out most days, try and cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love. We will show you how.
- Combine protein with carbs. When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. Like Chicken + Veggie+ Fruit. When you do this, you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, and you’ll stay fuller longer. It also will lower the overall glycemic effect on your blood sugar.
- Listen to your stomach. Eat until your 80% full. Once you feel content, stop eating. Portion sizes do matter. The truth is you can overeat healthy, clean food and not lose weight. Listen to your body.
Heidi
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