EAT CLEAN BASICS

Surprise...you are not the only one that has no clue about eating clean!

There are so many people who have no idea how to eat clean or where to start.  How many times a day they should eat.  What a complex carbohydrate is and that there is healthy fats you should eat everyday.  So hopefully this will clear the air just a bit!  A great book to read is, "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Rena. In this book she breaks down different meal plans depending on what results you are looking to achieve. So today I am focusing on her Cooler meal plan #2, which is for steady weight loss and maintenance.  This will give you a good idea of what to eat and when. 

What is eating clean:

Clean eating is a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being mindful of the food's pathway between its origin and your plate. At its simplest, clean eating is about eating whole foods, or "real" foods — those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible. 

***The occasional treat (glass of wine, piece of chocolate, ect) is permitted in limited amounts.  Unhealthy sugars and fats are not recommended ***

How it works:

Follow the eat clean principles as listed below. Do this year round for steady, healthy weight loss.  But this plan can also be used for maintenance.  Here's why: when your body begins to approach its set point (its genetically predetermined healthy weight) you will find that weight loss will stop or slow. This plan will help you maintain and continue building lean muscle even though the scale may not move at that point. 

What to do:

• Eat five to six small meals each day.
• Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
• Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal
• Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
• Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day. So you don't cheat on your plan and eat crap.
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
• Adhere to proper portion sizes

What to Avoid:

• Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and sugar.
• Avoid all chemically charge foods.
• Avoid foods containing preservatives.
• Avoid artificial sugars.
• Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices.
• Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.
• Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.
• Avoid large portion meals.

Complex Carbohydrates from Fruit and Vegetables:

6 portions each day.  An example portion is:

• 1 cupped handful or a piece of fruit such as berries, grapefruit, melon, apples and mangoes.
• 2 cupped handfuls of vegetables including broth based/vegetable puree soups.

Complex Carbohydrates from whole grains and starchy carbohydrates: 

2-4 portions each day.  An example portion is:
1 scant handful of high-protein, sugar-free cold cereals, such as clean muesli or granola.
1 handful of cooked cereal
1 piece of whole grain bread or wrap (Sante Fe tortilla wraps from Costco are a great option)
1 handful sized serving of sweet potato, yam, banana, corn, carrots or squash

Lean Protein:

6 portions each day.  An example portion is:

• 1 cup or handful of dairy products such as low fat soy, almond, hemp, rice, or skim milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt cheese or plain fat free sugar free yogurt.
• 1 scant handful of raw, unsalted nuts (also a healthy fat)
• 2 tablespoons of all natural nut butters such as almond or peanut butter (also a healthy fat).
• 1 palm sized portion of lean meats
• good quality, sugar- and chemical- free protein powder (hemp, soy or whey)

Beverages:

• 2-3 liters per day of water 
• Clear herbal tea (unsweetened)
• Black coffee in moderation
• Green/Black tea

Sweeteners:  Use in moderation.  Avoid Artificial Sweeteners.

• Agave Nectar 
• Brown Sugar
• Raw Honey
• Raw Sugar

Hopefully this blog post help shed some light on eating clean. If you have any questions post it in the comments below. If you would like help with meal planning and getting back to you desired weight head over to my site and sign up. I'd love to provide you with daily motivation and support to help you accomplish your health and weight loss goals. I have personally lost over 20 pounds and been able to keep it off for over 2 years. Follow me on all forms of social media and don't forget to sign up for my free newsletter. Cheers to a healthier you!