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| Breakfast: Plain Greek yogurt, blueberries raspberries, cashews, 1 pack of truvia |
There are so many healthy eating tips out there it is hard to know where to make changes in your diet. Eating clean is a great place to start. A little research quickly reveals that there are several different definitions for what eating clean really means. When I personally talk about eating clean it means sticking with whole foods in their most natural form as much as possible and avoiding added chemicals, sugars, added sodium and unnatural ingredients.
Here's an example of the types of food I eat regularly:
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| Lunch: Steel cut oats, egg whites, red peppers, mushrooms |
Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, green beans, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, spinach, bell peppers
Fruits: (whenever possible opting for those low in sugar) blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, pears, apples, bananas
Lean Proteins: Ground turkey, chicken, egg whites, fish
Healthy fats: unsalted nuts, avocado, olive oil, salmon
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| Dinner: Sweet potato, lean ground turkey, low fat cottage cheese |
In addition to eating clean, I am also an advocate for drinking clean! Often times we consume a lot of unnecessary chemicals in the form of liquid, which detracts from the amount of water we consume. Water is essential for our health and helps with our metabolism, so it's important we consume enough every day. If you like to sip on things, try a smoothie for lunch made with fresh blueberries, raspberries, ice, plain Greek yogurt, a banana and honey.
The most important thing you can do when you are changing your diet is to pay attention to you body. While one person might react adversely to dairy, others may tolerate it well. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat certain foods. The foods above are an excellent starting point to construct your daily eating plan. Combining these food groups within each meal will give you the healthy balance of nutrition you need to fuel yourself through the day.
One of my favorite sites to find recipes on eating clean is http://eatingcleanrecipes.com/ If you have recipes you like or other sites you frequent for ideas, feel free to share them. Happy eating!
I have frequently tried to eat clean, but I generally find I have one of two problems. First, I can't stick with it for more than a week. Do you have any thoughts on how to stay "motivated" when eating clean... especially when everyone around you is choosing french fries? Second, I find it hard to transition into clean eating? How did you get started?
ReplyDeleteI think a recent blog post I read by Gretchen Rubin might help you get started on clean eating.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/01/quiz-are-you-a-moderator-or-an-abstainer.html She discusses whether you are an abstainer or a moderator, which basically means do you do better giving up something cold turkey or slowly easing into it allowing yourself room to make exceptions. Knowing this about yourself will help you determine a strategy. With that, the best advice I have is try not to put yourself in situations where you are tempted. Keep off limits food out of your home, never grocery shop when hungry, when you go out pick places with many healthy options, and when you are at a party where everyone is munching step away from the hor devours table. Out of sight, out of mind!
I am loving your blog Kim!
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to tell your followers about my favorite eating clean mentor...Tosca Reno. She is the author of The Eat Clean Diet and you can find her on www.eatcleandiet.com. She has a truly inspiring story of transformation!
When I was at my lowest point about a year ago, my friend Brenda recommended this site to me. The day I bought her book my life changed and I haven't looked back since!
I love the eating clean lifestyle and it's made all the difference in the world for my fitness goals!!