Whatcha eating Wednesday-- Clean eating 101.

   

 Eating is something we do everyday. Assuming you eat three meals a day, you will eat 1095 meals a year. Eating is the best way to change our bodies. 
     We have the choice at every meal/snack to change our body for the good or bad.  With all the quick, delicious, and often unheatlhy convienence foods it can be hard to make the right choices.

     For the next 6 weeks (and beyond hopefully) we will be eating clean.

Here are the key points to eating clean:

1) Eat foods that come from nature and minimally processed.  Lean meats, fruits,veggies, healthy fats (nuts, avocados).

2) Eat 5-6 meals per day.  This keeps your blood-sugar levels stable and keeps you from giving into food craings caused by hunger. 

3) Eat breakfast within 30-60 minutes of waking.  Then, eat every 3 hours. (If needed, Write mealtimes on your fridge to help you remember.)

4) Eat your last meal  3 hours before bedtime.

5)Calorie counting isn't as important and portion sizes. 

Produce (2 cupped hands), starchy carbs (1 cupped hand) protein (palm of hand) fats (1 TBSP oil/nut butter about 12 nuts)
"Calorie counting is not really a part of Eating Clean. I never count calories. We now realize that different foods react in different ways in our body.  Whereas we may lose weight on 2000 calories per day of Clean food we may gain weight on 1600 calories per day of junk. Many, many people have messed up their metabolisms by worrying too much about calories and not enough about just getting good nutrition regularly throughout the day." --Tosca Reno

6) Limited Grains are allowed  but only whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, steel cut oats (Think slow to cook--nothing instant here.) Yams are also substitued as a grain.

7) Sugar is discouraged. (You can do it!)

8. Eat a combination of lean protein (lean meats, egg whites, fish, nuts) and complex carbohydrates (fruit, veggies, grains) at every meal.

9)  Drink at least half your weight in water ounces (2-3 liters) daily.

10) Stash healthy foods in your purse or a cooler so you won't give in to unhealthy cravings when you are starving.

Eating is going to be the most crucial part of the 10 in six plan.  If you want to lose ten pounds you will need to follow this plan.  It worked for me and I know it can work for you! If you fall off the plan for one meal...don't give up.  Ignore that meal and move on to the next.

You can find fantastic meal ideas at www.bodybuilding.com

My favorites are by  Ashley Horner *, Jaime Eason* (scroll down towards the bottom for food), Ashley Conrad*. (scroll down here too--although she has good information if you want to read).

(*These ladies also have great exercise programs. There are other great ones at the pick your physique  page.  I like this page because you can search by body type, height, and see a variety of different programs.  Again you'll need to scroll down for the ladies programs...although the men's programs look great too).

What are you eating today? Which one of the clean eating "rules" are the toughest for you? Did you have a chance to check out any of the diets above?  Which one did you like the best?   I'd love to hear your comments:)  

Disclaimer: I am not a dietician or licensed to give advice.  Most of my information about clean eating came from the fantastic book by Reno Tosca "The Eat Clean Diet -Stripped "