In the next few weeks I am looking to do a conference call for all of my challengers that are wanting to learn more about clean eating. I thought I would share some tips here that really helped me get on track and make this whole clean eating thing easier for me. My challenge groups always do great with the workouts but in the first few weeks the most common questions are "What should I eat?" "How much should I eat?" "What is clean and what isn't clean?" "How can I switch my family over". All of these concerns come up and I really thought it would be useful to share my tips that have worked for me over the last 2 years. I want to equip my challengers with the tools needed for SUCCESS so they can get the results that I got and so many other challengers before them have gotten just by following these principals.
The first thing I suggest is getting a copy of "Eat Clean Recharged" by Tosca Reno ASAP! It gives you a break down of what clean eating is, the foods that are okay, and the history behind this method. Really everything you ever wanted to know about clean eating is explained here along with some meal plans and grocery lists. I truly loved this book and it changed my whole life!! So many things just clicked and made sense for me while reading this book.
So first things first ....
Portion Sizes: Tosca Reno talks about portion sizes in her book and that you don't have to count calories or points. Instead you will portion out foods and focus on pairing the right food groups together. It's really easy to stay on this type of plan because you don't need anything fancy or have to play the guessing game. You simply use your hands as your guide
Protein = The palm of your hand
Complex Carbs = (apples, berries, oranges, grapes, veggies) 2 cupped handfuls
Starchy Carbs = 1 cupped handful
If you follow this guide and the correct portion controls you will be less likely to indulge! I literally measure out my lunches that I prep this way. I place the piece of portion in my hand, measure out my veggies, and starchy carbs. I am always full when I pair the right foods up.
Warm Lemon Water: Drink a large glass of lemon water when you first wake up and before you eat breakfast for a natural detox. This will also jump start your metabolism!!
I cut my lemon in half and squeeze all of the juice out of the lemon into the cup and fill it to the top with warm water. I do not eat breakfast until this glass of water is done.
Get a Lunch Tote: 31 has the cutest totes that are perfect for packing a healthy lunch and snacks.
Sunday is my day to sit down and plan out all of my meals. I make my grocery list and then sit down and cup up all of my fruits and veggies and portion into bags so they are ready to grab for the week. I also measure out my PB, Hummus, and Nuts as my protein to pair with my veggies. If i'm out and about I always pack my snacks and an extra one so i'm never left starving and left to resort to fast food. I always have a shaker cup and single packet of shakeology. It's easy to grab water while out and about to just shake it up and go. Here is more info on how I meal prep and plan each week
Always Carry a Refillable Water Bottle with you: You can add lime, lemon, cucumber and strawberries to your water to give it flavor. NO SODA OR JUICE! I'm telling you that it's full of empty calories and you are not going to lose the weight if you drink soda or juice! Just WATER!
Drink Green Tea: This helps with hunger pains and cravings in the late afternoon and evenings when the munchies hit you.
If you are someone who has a sweet tooth after dinner or needs dessert try some greek yogurt, cinnamon, honey, and chopped up fruit. It's amazing!!! One of my favorites.
Buy in Bulk: I go to Sams Club every few weeks and get a big container full of chicken. I cut it up in palm size pieces and freeze them. It's better fresh than frozen produce. Especially in chicken they infuse it with salt, water, and preservatives. So instead buy the fresh produce and, cut it up, and freeze for the whole family.
Another thing that I do all the time is cook extra chicken for your lunches on Sunday or whatever day you are going to use as your prep day. That way you can slice it up and put it in a tupperware and pull out for salads or wraps for the rest of the week.
Also, cook extra for dinner and place in containers for lunches throughout the week.
You can replace any foods so long as you replace a complex carb with another complex carb ect. So if you don't like banana's replace them with an apple. If you don't like almonds replace with all natural pb!
Also, cook extra for dinner and place in containers for lunches throughout the week.
You can replace any foods so long as you replace a complex carb with another complex carb ect. So if you don't like banana's replace them with an apple. If you don't like almonds replace with all natural pb!
BODY BEAUTIFUL/BODY HEALTH FORMULA
80% nutrition + 10% exercise + 10% genetics = body beautiful/body health
EAT CLEAN PRINCIPLES
1. Eat six small meals a day. Eat every two-and-a-half to three hours. I literally set the timer on my watch to remind me when to eat! Now that I have been doing it for so long my body just tells me that its time to eat! My husband always jokes that I eat non stop all day long! And I DO!!!
2. Eat breakfast everyday, within an hour of rising. So give or take when you exercise. I exercise first thing in the morning and I don't eat before hand. I workout, drink my results and recovery drink, grab a shower and then make breakfast. I always have a warm glass of lemon water each morning as my wake up and detox! I squeeze 1/2 or a whole lemon into a glass of warm water. I make it a rule that I cannot eat my breakfast until I drink the entire glass of water.
3. Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal. A lean protein would be your plain unsalted nuts, almond butter, all natural peanut butter, white meat such as chicken and fish. A complex carb is your fruits and veggies such as bananas, apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, tomoatoes just to name a few.
4. Eat sufficient (two or three servings) of healthy fats every day (evoo, avocado)
5. Drink two to three liters of water each day. I make this a MUST! If you want to lose weight then you must drink a lot of water each and everyday. If you do not drink enough water you body actually holds onto water weight. Drinking water speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.
6. Carry a cooler packed with clean foods. I seriously cannot leave the house without my 31 cooler bag. Even if I am pretty certain that I am going to be home before my next snack or meal I still throw in an apple and a handful of unsalted almonds and a bottle of water. It is super easy to throw in a packet of shakeology and your shaker cup. Then you are never left scrounging for a meal or a drive through to go to. you always have a healthy snack or meal to hold you over!
7. Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes. Limit your starchy complex carbs to two to four servings each day. I suggest not relying to heavily on juices. I would aim to get your servings of fruits and veggies each day from actulaly eating them. This way you get the added fiber from the skins of the fruits! Juices more often than not have added sugars and additives that our bodies do not need.
8. Adhere to proper portion sizes.
2. Eat breakfast everyday, within an hour of rising. So give or take when you exercise. I exercise first thing in the morning and I don't eat before hand. I workout, drink my results and recovery drink, grab a shower and then make breakfast. I always have a warm glass of lemon water each morning as my wake up and detox! I squeeze 1/2 or a whole lemon into a glass of warm water. I make it a rule that I cannot eat my breakfast until I drink the entire glass of water.
3. Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal. A lean protein would be your plain unsalted nuts, almond butter, all natural peanut butter, white meat such as chicken and fish. A complex carb is your fruits and veggies such as bananas, apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, tomoatoes just to name a few.
4. Eat sufficient (two or three servings) of healthy fats every day (evoo, avocado)
5. Drink two to three liters of water each day. I make this a MUST! If you want to lose weight then you must drink a lot of water each and everyday. If you do not drink enough water you body actually holds onto water weight. Drinking water speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.
6. Carry a cooler packed with clean foods. I seriously cannot leave the house without my 31 cooler bag. Even if I am pretty certain that I am going to be home before my next snack or meal I still throw in an apple and a handful of unsalted almonds and a bottle of water. It is super easy to throw in a packet of shakeology and your shaker cup. Then you are never left scrounging for a meal or a drive through to go to. you always have a healthy snack or meal to hold you over!
7. Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes. Limit your starchy complex carbs to two to four servings each day. I suggest not relying to heavily on juices. I would aim to get your servings of fruits and veggies each day from actulaly eating them. This way you get the added fiber from the skins of the fruits! Juices more often than not have added sugars and additives that our bodies do not need.
8. Adhere to proper portion sizes.
TOP 10 THINGS TO AVOID
1. Sugar, white flour and over processed foods. Bread at the bread table when you are out to eat. Especially when I was trying to lose the weight I would avoid bread at all costs. I even avoided ezekiel bread or most starchy carbs.
2. Artificial sugars- NO STEVIA OR EQUAL OR SWEET N LOW ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU! I reccomend Agave nectar and honey if you need to sweeten something. Even then I still think you should use it sparingly. Again, sugar is addictive and the more you have the more your body will crave it!
3. Sugar-loaded beverages such as soda and juice- NONE, ZILCH ZERO!!
4. Super sizing your meals or portions- If you are at a restaurant always ask for a box and take half of it home! Restaurants are known for their oversized portions. Even if it's a healthy meal that does not give you permission to throw your rules out the window! You can eat the right kinds of foods and have to much and still not see results.
5. Alcohol, try your best to limit. My rule of thumb is for every alcoholic drink that you consume you must have 1 full glass of water!
Alcohol is full of sugar and empty calories so you need to ask yourself, is this short term sacrifice of drinking worth the long term results of me feeling amazing in my body and having the confidence to put myself out there!
6. Chemically charged foods- So this mean smart ones, lean cuisines or any other processed meals. Take a look at the labels on your food. If there are more than 3 ingredients and you don't understand what they are then you probally shouldn't buy it!
7. Foods containing preservatives
8. Artificial foods such as processed cheese slices- I very rarely eat a piece of cheese. I tend to choose feta cheese if I go that route! Once again your body holds onto bad fats!
9. Saturated and trans fats
10. Anti foods, calorie dense foods with no nutritional value.
TOP 5 WAYS TO MAKE EATING CLEAN EASIER FOR YOU1. Sugar, white flour and over processed foods. Bread at the bread table when you are out to eat. Especially when I was trying to lose the weight I would avoid bread at all costs. I even avoided ezekiel bread or most starchy carbs.
2. Artificial sugars- NO STEVIA OR EQUAL OR SWEET N LOW ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU! I reccomend Agave nectar and honey if you need to sweeten something. Even then I still think you should use it sparingly. Again, sugar is addictive and the more you have the more your body will crave it!
3. Sugar-loaded beverages such as soda and juice- NONE, ZILCH ZERO!!
4. Super sizing your meals or portions- If you are at a restaurant always ask for a box and take half of it home! Restaurants are known for their oversized portions. Even if it's a healthy meal that does not give you permission to throw your rules out the window! You can eat the right kinds of foods and have to much and still not see results.
5. Alcohol, try your best to limit. My rule of thumb is for every alcoholic drink that you consume you must have 1 full glass of water!
Alcohol is full of sugar and empty calories so you need to ask yourself, is this short term sacrifice of drinking worth the long term results of me feeling amazing in my body and having the confidence to put myself out there!
7. Foods containing preservatives
8. Artificial foods such as processed cheese slices- I very rarely eat a piece of cheese. I tend to choose feta cheese if I go that route! Once again your body holds onto bad fats!
9. Saturated and trans fats
10. Anti foods, calorie dense foods with no nutritional value.
1. Pack a cooler everyday
2. Carry a water bottle everywhere
3. Make a shopping list and stick to it- I grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time. I sit down with my white board, grocery list and recipes and plan out my meals so that my entire family can follow the same eating schedule. It works and we are all happy!
4. Prepare planned leftovers5. Keep your pantry stocked with staples. Staples in my pantry are plain unsalted rice cakes, all natural peanut butter, almonds, cashews, raisins, flaxseed, and olive oil! If I run out of fresh fruits and veggies I turn to rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins!
TOP FIVE EXERCISE TIPS
1. Set realistic goals for yourself-weekly, monthly and yearly.
2. Train all of your major muscle groups, arms shoulders, chest, back, legs and abs.
3. Challenge yourself-vary your routine every few weeks.
4. Keep cardio fun-try new activities
5. Stay focused-put your mind into your muscle.
EATING OUT TIPS
McDonalds
Garden fresh salad with warm crispy chicken and balsamic vinaigrette and water.
McDonalds chicken fajita, apple slices without Carmel dipping sauce and water
Burger King flame broiled hamburger and BK side salad with no croutons or dressing and water.
Wendy’s home style chicken go wrap, plain baked potato and water
Subway 6 inch turkey breast or ham sub, apple slices and water. No dressing or cheese on sandwich!
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