What's all the fuss about clean eating?

So we've all heard people talk about clean eating but what does that actually mean?

I spent many years working on eating less, cutting back on carbs, and trying to eat healthy but ultimately was doing all that without a lot of direction. Last winter I finally did some digging into what foods I should be eating and which ones I should be skipping and based on what I learned, really began revamping and cleaning up my family's diet and habits.

In plain speak, what clean eating involves is eating foods that are as minimally processed as possible. That means eating foods that come from nature rather than from a factory. This means avoiding foods like white flour, sugar, pre-packaged foods and artificially flavored foods. Think more fresh fruits and veggies, grains, dairy, and protein.

I'll admit, this sounded a bit intimidating at first. I had a lot of questions:

• What would the grocery bills look like? 
• How much more expensive would this be? 
• What would a day of eating look like? 
• Would it mean making separate meals or could you get your spouse and kids on board for something like this?
• I've tried dieting and it just doesn't work. Could I keep this up?

Now, a year after my introduction to clean eatings, I can tell you eating clean has been a life and diet-changer for me. Why? 

Well, not only do I get to eat every 2 ½-3 hours which is awesome (yay food!), but I’m eating food that keeps me full and satisfied far longer than my old regulars. I no longer skip breakfast or grab a donut or dry cereal on the way to work, don't eat again until noon when I'm ravenous and then snack my way through the afternoon on sugary, packaged snacks before overdoing it at dinner before going to bed on a super full stomach.

Clean eating is not a starvation diet. It's eating to fuel your body.

Here's what I've learned about clean eating:

1. Eat 5-6 small meals a day.

• This one took me a while to really make happen. We're so programmed to eat 3 meals that it took a bit of work to retrain my brain to remember to eat my snacks. If you're stuck in that place try setting a reminder on your phone - it worked for me!\

2. Drink at least half of your body weight in water each day. (If you weigh 150 lbs. that means you should be drinking 75 ozs. of water per day.)

• A lot of people mistake hunger for thirst. Very few people actually drink as much water as recommended. Try the phone reminder or fill a gallon jug with your daily water requirement and don't go to bed until it's emptied.

3. Avoid processed and refined foods.

• This means no white flour, white sugar, bread, pasta.
• Swap out these processed options for whole wheat flour, whole grain bread or Ezekiel bread (which is found in the freezer aisles), natural or organic sugars. If you're a big baker like me, swap out that white flour for natural sugars like honey, agave, or organic maple syrup.

4. Avoid saturated fats and transfats.

• If you haven't tried coconut oil, I'd recommend it. It has a Crisco-like look but it's so much better for you than vegetable oil and tastes great too.
• Many of the foods we fry taste just as good baked. For instance, instead of fried chicken, make a oven-baked chicken. 

5. If you can, buy organic meat, eggs and dairy. If you can swing the organic produce, that's great too. If you can't, make sure you clean your fruits and veggies well with a cleaning solution.

6. Snacks are your friend. Never be caught unprepared without snacks. Instead of munching on chips, or vending machine fare, keep some unsalted peanuts or almonds in your bag. Try an apple with peanut butter or some raw veggies and 2 Tbls of hummus. If you're desperate, try one of the healthier protein bars on the market (but be careful! So many of these bars appear healthy but are loaded with sugar.) The other option is to make a batch of homemade protein bars on the weekend and pop them in the freezer pre-cut and easy to grab on the way out the door. If you're looking for some other snack ideas, check out the link for healthy snacks under the Clean Eating Recipes tab above.

7. Make eating clean a family affair. You do not have to do this alone. It's MUCH easier to eat clean if you get your family on board. This doesn't mean everything in a box has to go but you certainly can make better choices around what you bring into your house.

• Take the kids with you to the store and give them some options for healthy snacks. 
• Keep fresh veggies and fruit washed, cut up in little baggies in the fridge so they become go-to snacks for the kids. Also make sure the food that is eye-level is healthy (this is how grocery stores get kids' attention right? Next time you're at the store notice the placement of cereal in the cereal aisle. Sugar cereals are all on the waist high and below shelves while the healthy options are all out of sight on the top shelf.) You can retrain the mind with a little bit of work.
• Get your kids or partner in on the meal planning and cooking. They're more likely to try new things and to approach their food with an open-mind if they have a hand in choosing it and making it. It's true. My daughter actually said the other day after making dinner for the family (with my help), "mom, it really is true that food tastes better when you cook it yourself." Give it a try!
• Don't torture yourself where you don't have to. If you know you can't resist Oreos, don't buy them. The kids will deal.

8. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. The healthiest options are on the outside - dairy, meat, produce, fish.

• As much as possible, try to make sure that the bulk of your cart is filled with foods from the outside of the store. 
• If you need to venture into the center aisles, do so with purpose and clarity. Don't go in hungry and without a list. If you're making chili, make a bee-line for the canned beans and tomato sauce. You do NOT need the flour tortillas (which are loaded with sugar.) If you need cereal for the kids, ditch the cart at the end of the aisle and run down to grab the box you need. Don't amble your way down the aisles - that's a recipe for disaster.

Eating clean is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix diet. I subscribe to the 80/20 rule. Eat clean 80% of the time and the other 20% of the time I eat food that is not always clean but that I want but in moderation. A little bit of "cheating" isn't a bad thing. It actually helps you stay on track the other 80% of the time. I do generally suggest planning for one "cheat" meal a week. Any more than that and you're undoing your hard work.

What are the benefits of clean eating?

• Weight loss
• Increased energy
• Better moods
• Sounder sleep
• Greater endurance in workout
• Healthier and more natural looking skin
• Improved brain function

Given all of this, why wouldn't you want to eat clean?

If you're interested in clean eating and would like support in cleaning up your diet please fill out the form below and let's talk!

Fill out my online form.

There are tons of Wufoo features to help make your forms awesome.