A few months ago, after being diagnosed with a couple of health issues, my doctor recommended that I try a clean eating diet. I really had no idea what that was, so I headed to the internet. During my search I came across a book by Tosca Reno, The Eat-Clean Diet, which had a lot of really great reviews. I was lucky enough to find it at my local library, so I picked it up and read it that day. It is the perfect book for anyone new to a clean eating diet, and breaks down what a clean eating diet is, how to shop, and recipes for every meal.
There are different versions of the clean eating diet, but I'll share with you what I am doing and how it is working for me.
1. It isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle change - I don't like the fact that it is called a "diet". For me, it is a complete and total lifestyle change. When I decided to begin eating clean, I purged my pantry and refrigerator of all non-clean items. It was really tough, but I knew that if it was in the house, I would eat it.
2. Avoid processed foods - I read on my favorite clean eating website, The Gracious Pantry, that if you can't pronounce an ingredient it isn't clean. I have never been one to read the labels on my food, but I have completely changed that. I read EVERY label now.
3. Avoid anything "white" - I no longer eat white rice, white flour, and I am slowly weaning myself off of white sugar. I also learned that table salt is a big no-no. I now only use sea salt, though I don't use it that often.
4. Eat as much fresh food as possible - I've read that when you shop for food you should stick to the outer areas of the grocery store. That is where you find the fresh fruit, veggies, meat, dairy, etc. Try to keep what you are buying as close to nature as possible.
5. Eat 5-6 smaller meals a day - I eat breakfast around 7:30, a snack at 10:00, lunch at 12:00, a snack at 3:00, dinner at 5:30, and a snack at 7:30. It has worked out quite well for me.
That is basically how I've been eating for the past 2 months. The big news is I have lost over 4 inches off of my waist just from changing my eating. I also no longer have acid reflux. Pretty cool!
This is just a small idea of what clean eating is all about. If you are interested in learning much more about clean eating, I suggest you check out the following books and websites:
The Eat-Clean Diet by Tosca Reno
The Everything Eating Clean Cookbook by Britt Brandon
Clean Eating for Busy Families by Michelle Dudash
I have also set up some clean eating boards on Pinterest:
In the upcoming weeks, I will be sharing with you some recipes I've tried and how they have turned out. I'll also let you know what is working for me and what is not. This is definitely a work in progress, but I am happy that it is already working!
Awesome! We've been trying to eat clean too.
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