What is "Eating Clean?"
Eating Clean Principles
- Eat 5 or 6 small meals every day. (Fruit, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy, whole grains)
- Eat every 2 to 3 hours.
- Combine lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
- Drink at least 2 liters, or 8 cups of water each day.
- Never miss a meal, especially breakfast.
- Carry a cooler loaded with Eat-Clean foods to get through the day.
- Avoid all over-processed, refined foods, especially white flour and sugar.
- Avoid saturated and trans fats.
- Avoid sugar-loaded colas and juices.
- Consume adequate healthy fats each day (olive oil, avocado,flax seed oil)
- Avoid alcohol, another form of sugar.
- Avoid all calorie-dense foods that contain little or no nutritional value.
- Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and enzymes.
- Stick to proper portion sizes - give up the super-sizing!
posted by Linda K. Hibbard at
7:28 AM
5 Comments:
Thanks for this post Linda. I am just about halfway through the book Eating Clean -Recharged and am excited to incorporate what I've learned into my daily routine.
Wow, cool!! I just realized I am inadvertently doing the same thing in my own diet...almost exactly. Do you think it's a bad idea to splurge a bit every friday?? I was hoping that I wouldn't have to cut cake or cookies etc. completely out of my diet and have a little treat at the end of the week. What do you think?! Great article though, it was very informative. :)
I have my own blogspot - jennyloosingweight.blogspot.com to help me stay healthy, I'd really appreciate any motivational tips you might have!
take care,
jenny :)
Hi Jenny, thanks for commenting on my blog post. As a retired personal trainer and weight loss coach, I do have a few suggestions for you.
1. It's good that you have a plan laid out, but the thing about plans, is that they can go awry. This is were I liked your initial comment about "lifestyle change." If you truly change your lifestyle, you would view "cake" (even a small amount) as an unhealthy food that works against your plan and health. I know it sounds quite extreme. But it's that "change of attitude and mind" that could be the key to changing your lifestyle for the rest of your life, not just 15 weeks. When you think about 15 weeks, what will happen after that? This is the downfall of most diets. People think they can be on it for a certain length of time, then wham! right back to old, unhealthy eating patterns, and they gain the weight back.
2. I was trained to never allow your caloric intake to go below 1200 calories. If you do, your body will sense a lack of food availability and slow down your metabolism, hence, you won't lose weight as quickly as you could.
3. Low fat dairy products are a must. I see you are drinking 2% milk. I try to never drink my calories, except in a protein shake. It just doesn't provide the satiety feeling, as liquid passes through the stomach quite quickly. I would exchange the 2% milk for Yogurt or Cottage Cheese. You will get less fat and more bulk in your stomach.
4. As you strive to lose weight, your existing muscle mass could be used for fuel, so I recommend that you begin "weight training" to keep and/or build up your muscle mass. You will never look like Arnold Swartzenager, so don't worry about that. Muscle burns more calories and increases your metabolism all day, even while you sleep. Pick up a book on it at the library and you are off to a good start!
5. In re-reading your "promises," I hope you are not cutting yourself short on the huge variety of healthy foods available. I would hate to have you get bored with those choices, then have it affect your plan. Read, read, read everything you can get your hands on about eating healthy, exercise regularly and you should see the weight come off "naturally!"
I hope this helps. Linda Hibbard
visit: http://WomensPersonalFitness.blogspot.com
http://www.WomensPersonalFitness.net
Wow, Linda thanks so much for your comment (my very first comment, too!!) It was super helpful. I'm currently working in the Philippines with an NGO and will be stationed here for the next two years! I'm finding it extremely difficult to find or even afford imported products such as cottage cheese for my dairy needs. And they don't even sell non-fat, plain yogurt here! sigh. Calcium is a serious concern of mine, especially since I'm a woman. I've tried eating more broccoli as well as calcium supplements to help me get the right amount of calcium without the added fat of other diary products.
But you're totally right. While I say it's a "Lifestyle" change, I noticed right after that sentence I reverted to calling it a "diet" again - psychological indicators right there! But my goal after I loose the 15 pounds is to revert to a 1400 calorie diet:
10 servings proteins,
5 servings bread/starch,
2 servings fruit,
5 servings vegetables,
2 servings low fat dairy,
5 servings fat
While I know for my body type and height I should be eating at least 1550 calories a day, I thought I would eat less so that I could afford a treat day at the end of the week on friday by eating a slice of cake/dessert.
But the whole, never eating cake ever rule really does seem super harsh. Ugh. Is it really that horrible to have one reward day a week as long as I control the amount of calories I eat that day (as opposed to the kind of calories I eat)?
thanks so much for your helpful comments!!
jenny :)
jennyloosingweight.blogspot.com
Hi Jenny, I know the "No Cake" idea is radical. What I would really encourage is a closer look at the nutritional content of the foods you eat, including any desserts. I have seen many healthy recipes for desserts using whole wheat flours, little or no oils, etc. But even still, we always need to keep an eye on what we are eating and how it is affecting our bodies and our health. Good luck on your stay in the Phillipines! Sounds like an adventure! I don't know if it would be possible for you to prepare a healthy cake in the Phillipines. Another suggestion would be to always eat only half (share with someone else) or say to yourself, "I will only have 2 bites!" Then you can have your cake and eat it too!
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