You're on Instagram and you see someone post something like this....
"Today i'm eating clean!"
If you follow Fitspo instagram accounts, this term "eat clean" always pops out.
So... What does Eating Clean mean?
Think of it as eating non-processed, chemical-free, natural ingredients. Starting with whole food, clean eating incorporates healthy preparation methods and spices, single ingredient items for sauces, such as olive oil, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, and agave. A clean diet can also incorporate other natural products, like no salt seasoning blend, mustard and tomato sauce. Eating clean results in eating healthy, but it does indeed require a high level of discipline and planning.
There is no direct definition for "clean eating". Clean eating is NOT a diet - it is a lifestyle choice. Clean eating is not a new concept, as a matter of fact clean eating has been around for quite some time. Those involved with health, fitness or nutrition from competitors to personal trainers and health conscious individuals have been practicing "clean eating" for years.
Why do people Eat Clean?
1. Fat Loss
2. Weight Loss
3. Increased Energy
4. Clearer Skin
5. Shinier Hair
6. Better Sleep
7. Increased mental well-being
The basics of eating clean include - eating lots of fruits and vegetables. (Everyday i eat AT LEAST 3 different type of fruits!) These are straight from nature - the idea is to stay away from anything that may have been altered in any way.
Include meats, however; "whole" meats that you have chosen straight from the butcher or prepared yourself.
Enjoy whole grains - these are grains that are still complete and haven't been broken down in any form. Examples include: brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains. You will have to get used to reading over food labels. Just because a product says its "whole grain" does not mean it is. It also does not mean they have not added a bunch of other ingredients as well.
Simple Guidelines for Success:
- Eating small frequent meals 5-6 times per day to level blood sugar and prevent hunger
- Include lean protein, complex carbohydrates and heart healthy fats in each meal choice
- Avoid ALL processed and/or refined foods (sugar, baked goods, candies, white flour, white rice, etc)
- Avoid saturated and trans fats
- Avoid sodas, high calorie juices and other drinks that give your body no nutritional value and lots of unnecessary (unwanted) calories
- Avoid high calorie, non nutritious foods (i.e. junk food)
- Drink at least 8 cups of water per day
Here's a website for Clean Eating Recipes:
Give yourself time - I promise you, your body will LOVE you and you will reap the long term benefits!
I'm on DAY 5 of clean eating! It's really difficult to eat clean, especially if you don't have the time to prepare the meal yourself but i managed to do it for 5 days cus I've been having Subway for lunch everyday.
Not everything at Subway is under the "Clean Eating" category. For my sub, i'll pick the Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, i'll pick the Wrap or the Wheat bread. No Cheese. All veggies. A little bit of sweet onion sauce, just a little bit. But it's better if there's no sauce! And yeah, i've been having it for 5 days already. Lol. For dinner, my mom would prepare a healthy dish for me which consists of LOTSA veggies and for dessert, i'm so glad i've NOT BEEN EATING ICE CREAM THIS WEEK. Instead, when i feel i need something sweet, i'll have a kiwi, strawberry or watermelon. So proud of myself!!! :D
I've never been this disciplined until i did a few photo shoots recently and realize how much i really want a nicer body! Combined with a good workout plan (3-4 times a week), i really hope it'll pay off for my upcoming shoot in June. :D
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