Wash your hands Roger! Do you remember that commercial? You’ve probably heard of clean eating in the past year, and you may wonder what it means. But no, it doesn’t have anything to do with washing your hands before you eat, nor with washing your food before you cook it. Although those are both good habits to have.
Basically, when you eat clean, you have more control over what you eat and you avoid all processed foods and sugars. You think about your food before you eat it, giving you more power over your emotions.
Once you understand the basic concepts, eating clean becomes quite easy. Many people that have started a clean eating lifestyle have embraced it and stayed with it for years – and still do today.
1. What is Clean Eating?
The main thing you’ll want to grasp right now is that clean eating is a lifestyle and not a diet. Don’t think of clean eating as a way to lose weight instantly, but rather look at clean eating as taking control of what you eat.
You’ll learn to choose wholesome foods over those sugar and chemical-laden man-made processed foods. You do this by approaching food differently and forcing yourself to say no junk food. You’ll be eating more vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
It’s about being active and eating healthy, which results in you craving less of those “bad” processed foods. Take the approach one meal at a time.
2. How to Get Started
The more detailed stuff is covered in later posts, but you’re going to get a quick overview here.
Start by taking small strategic steps. Don’t stop eating your chocolate treats and go straight to eating no treats at all. Your body will begin to crave the sugar, and eventually, you’ll give in, and you’ll have to start all over.
The trick is to have your body gradually make an easier transition which prevents burnout and rebound. Instead of eating a chocolate bar each night as a treat, replace it with two cubes of 70% or 80% dark chocolate and three days later go down to one cube, until you no longer crave that treat.
If you drink your morning coffee with sugar and creamer, you won’t enjoy it as much if you drink it straight up black. Gradually reduce the amount of milk and sugar, and within a few days, you may not want to drink coffee at all. Or you can replace the sugar and creamer with butter, for the healthier bullet-proof coffee.
Each change you make moves you closer to achieving your goals in a positive way. Your body will begin to notice changes to the foods you’re introducing and will love you for it.
Again, this is all about living a healthy balanced lifestyle, not a quick-fix diet. You won’t see results overnight. Give it a month to ease in, and you’ll begin to see the benefits.
