Clean Food

Clean eating is a concept that stresses healthy, whole, unprocessed foods. 

Eating clean food is eating food as nature intended. It is not a diet, it is a lifestyle! It can be adapted to fit any kind of routine. You can take eating clean to an extreme level where you don’t put anything bad in your mouth, or you can choose to make clean food decisions that are simple and easy to implement. I’m a busy wife, mom, and entrepreneur so I choose the latter, and I will talk about 7 simple ways to start eating clean!

Eating clean made simple.

1. Choose natural foods and avoid processed foods

I call it shopping the perimeter of the grocery store. Think fruits, vegetables, bread, meat, fish, milk, eggs and cheese. The fresh foods are located on the perimeter, while the processed foods are located in the inside lanes of the grocery store. Processed foods are normally in a box, package, or can. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, like whole grain pasta, rice, quinoa and other items, however for a general rule, your main purchases should be fresh foods from the perimeter of the grocery store.

2. Choose organic foods, when possible

Organic foods are the best option because they don’t have added chemicals or preservatives, however an organic lifestyle can get expensive. I’m not going to lie, I don’t buy everything organic so I suggest buying organic food for certain items. I recommend buying organic fruit if it has a skin that you eat, buying organic produce, and buying organic milk. Also, I recommend you choose meat that does not have added chemicals or antibiotics. Clean food means fresh food, but also without added chemicals, additives, or antibiotics.

3. Avoid foods that have sugar added

Many food manufactures are adding sugar to enhance the taste of our foods, however too much sugar is bad for our bodies and has unwanted extra calories. Choose foods that do not have added sugars. For example, choose Greek yogurt vs regular high sugar yogurt. Choose a whole grain cereal over sugar cereals. Did you know they even add sugar to wine? Learn more about clean-crafted wine which does not have added sugar and is less in calories.

4. Learn to read labels

It's important to learn how to read food labels. Pay attention to serving size, calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, fiber and sodium. I recommend you look at these items to help with weight loss. Learn more about how to lose weight by keeping track of macronutrients.

5. Track your macronutrients - carbs, protein, and fat

Your body needs a certain percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to perform at an optimal level which promotes weight loss and muscle building.

Carbohydrates

Choose unrefined vs refined carbs when possible. Refined foods undergo processing, which removes many essential vitamins and minerals. Unrefined foods are natural foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and uncooked vegetables. Foods that are unrefined and healthier, usually have a higher fiber content, so read that label!

Whole grains are a great source of carbohydrates and they have high fiber content. A general rule of thumb is to choose brown vs white (ex. brown rice/bread vs white rice/bread etc.). Other good sources of whole grains are whole wheat, quinoa, barley, whole oats, buckwheat, and bulgar.

Other good sources of carbohydrates are fruits and vegetables. Beans. legumes, low-fat milk, and yogurt are both good sources of carbohydrates with a high source of protein.

Protein

Choose foods that are high in protein, but low in fat. For example, chicken, eggs, ground turkey meat and fish are high in protein and low in fat. Pork and red meat are high in protein but have a higher fat content. (Pork tenderloin can be a healthier option). When choosing meats make sure to avoid any foods with chemicals, preservatives, and antibiotics.

Other good sources of protein are: beans, soy, low-fat dairy, eggs, nuts and seeds. (Note: nuts and seeds can be high in fat)

 

Fat

Guess what? Healthy fats are not bad! Contrary to what many people think, our bodies need fat for weight loss. When eating fats, choose healthy fats. For example, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can have a positive effect on your health, when eaten in moderation. The bad fats like saturated fats and trans fats are the fats your should avoid.

Good sources of healthy fats are seeds, nuts, nut butters, olives, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, fish, and avocadoes.

Macronutrients, also called macros, are proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Learn how to count macros for muscle gain and weight loss.

6. Drink clean

Just as we want to eat clean food, we also want to put clean liquids into our bodies. Drink lots of water! However drinking water can get boring, so I recommend drinking sparkling water to add some variety.

What about soda and alcohol? Obviously everything is best in moderation! If you are going to drink a soda I recommend 1 a week. (Remember you are drinking empty calories and chemicals.) Alcohol is bad for our bodies, but if you are going to have a drink with friends, I recommend drinking clean wine which doesn’t have added chemicals, no added sugar, and low levels of sulfites.

7. Exercise

Get moving! Exercise is very important to staying healthy. A good rule of thumb is to exercise at least 4 times a week. You can do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or Low Intensity Steady State Cardio (LISS). Whether you want to do a hard workout or an easy workout, it’s just important to get moving!