Fundamentals of Clean Eating

 Clean eating does not have a specific definition because it is not a specific diet. Clean eating is choosing to live your life in a healthier way. Choosing to eat clean means filling your plate with natural, wholesome foods and excluding anything processed or refined. The idea is not deprivation in the interest of weight loss, as with some other diets, but rather rediscovering and embracing fresh, unaltered food that nourishes your body. Your relationship with food will forever change when you understand that what goes on your plate is fuel for your body. The quality of fuel directly affects the way your body performs, so why not provide the best possible food choices through clean eating? Your clean eating plan will follow certain principles, such as eating smaller, more frequent meals and staying hydrated, but the plan is flexible and you are an individual. A clean eating plan will not be the same for everyone. Life happens, and if you can eat clean at least 80 percent of the time you will reap wonderful health benefits and feel energized.

What Is Clean Eating? 

Clean eating was not a mainstream diet and lifestyle plan before Canadian fitness model Tosca Reno introduced her version of clean eating in a series of books. This plan gained almost instant acceptance, especially among those trying to lose weight, because Tosca herself went from fat and frumpy to sleek and toned following clean eating principles. Clean eating did not originate with Tosca Reno though. The concept as a whole was first popular in the 1960s counterculture as another form of rebellion against corporate encroachment in almost every facet of life. People rejected the proliferation of processed food that was part of a conformist, middle-class lifestyle, and they embraced natural, whole foods instead. This clean eating movement was furthered by several books exposing the dangers of pesticides and food additives and the effects they had on human beings and on the food chain. During this clean food activism period, another group of people quietly and successfully used the same principles, without the political element, to get healthy and fit. To them, clean food equaled more energy and quicker muscle recovery and growth, as well as overall good health. This group consisted of bodybuilders and weightlifters. It is this subculture that Tosca tapped into when joining the weightlifting scene under the advice of fitness publisher Robert Kennedy, whom she eventually married. Although she didn’t invent clean eating, Tosca has pared the concepts down to simple guidelines that produce results, and that people can follow easily. Clean eating should never be considered a fad diet or even a temporary diet. It is meant to be a lifestyle that includes food and exercise to succeed. 

Clean Eating Principles 

So now that you know how clean eating came about, it is time to look at what guidelines you will follow on the plan. Remember, your goal can be 100 percent clean eating, but following these simple principles even 80 percent of the time will enable you to reap all the health benefits of the plan. This is a long-term lifestyle choice. Try to be practical and flexible with your food and exercise goals. It gets easier as time passes and you develop new habits.

 Eat Whole Foods, Such as Whole Grains, Lean Proteins, and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

 Whole and fresh foods are at the foundation of the clean eating diet. Eat a variety of delicious fresh foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. “Whole” does not mean an entire orange or head of lettuce; it means unrefined and unprocessed. Processed foods are stripped of valuable nutrients, pumped full of additives, and can contribute to disease and poor health. There are some packaged items that can still be clean foods, but a good basic rule is that if you don’t recognize an ingredient or can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want to eat it! 

Eat Five to Six Small

 Meals a Day Many people grew up with the notion of three square meals a day with no consideration given to individual body requirements or the ill effects of spiking and plummeting blood sugar. A good, steady influx of nutritious foods can regulate and stabilize blood sugar, creating fewer food cravings for sugar or caffeine and supplying you with energy throughout the day. 

Eat Every Two to Three Hours and Never Skip a Meal 

The principle of eating meals regularly and frequently goes hand in hand with eating smaller, more frequent meals to avoid blood sugar fluctuations. You might think that skipping breakfast or starving yourself through lunch is a good way to lose weight or control your diet. Unfortunately, all you are doing is creating a massive blood-sugar tsunami that will eventually crash, wreaking havoc on your body. Start your day with a wholesome breakfast to kick-start your metabolism, and top up the tank every few hours afterward.

 Drink at Least Eight Cups of Water a Day

 Keeping your body hydrated is a healthy diet staple for most eating plans, and is good common sense. Your body is about two-thirds water and needs water for everything to work correctly and efficiently. Water helps flush toxins from the cells and tissues, helps in the absorption of nutrients, and regulates body temperature. Always have a bottle of water on hand and sip from it throughout your day. If you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. 

Eat Healthy Portion Sizes 

In a supersized world it is important to realize that you might be eating more than you need, which can contribute to weight gain and poor health. When you first start eating clean, you may not know what the right portion size is for a chicken breast or bowl of cereal. Weigh and measure your food until you can eyeball it accurately. If you don’t have a scale, most clean eating portions can be measured roughly using your hands. Fruit and vegetable portions should just about fit into your two cupped hands (1½ cups), starchy carbohydrates should fit in one cupped hand (¾ cup), and lean protein portions should be about the size of your palm (6 ounces). 

Combine Lean Protein and ComplexCarbohydrates in Every

Meal Pairing protein and carbohydrates is a cornerstone of the clean eating diet, because this combination of food groups is extremely effective for stabilizing blood sugar. The slow release of sugar into the blood, rather than the quick rush created by carbohydrates or protein alone, can also help burn fat and promote healthy weight loss. So try a couple of apple slices with a small scoop of natural nut butter or wrap a lean piece of chicken in a whole-grain tortilla for lunch, and see how much better you feel. 

Avoid Refined, Processed Foods 

The list of foods to avoid might seem long, but once you start eating clean, those refined and processed foods will no longer be the least bit appealing to you. The list includes candy, white bread, white rice, lunch meats, pizza, cookies, processed cheese, junk food, and even products that are labeled as healthy, such as low-calorie frozen dinners. 

Eliminate Sugar

 You should avoid refined sugar like the plague because that is exactly what this poison can be, deadly. Refined sugar can cause devastating effects such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, depression and fatigue. While your body uses glucose converted from foods as energy for every process in the body, the type of sugar that is found in processed foods is fructose. When you consume fructose the entire burden of processing it falls on your liver, creating waste products and toxins. There is more to purging sugar from your diet than not buying sweet cereals. The best defense to avoid refined sugar is to read food labels carefully, even on clean foods such as Greek yogurt. If you see words ending in “ose” or “sweetener” beware, this is usually sugar in disguise. If you need a little sweetness in your meals, add naturally sweet fruits and vegetables.

 Include Healthy Fats and Eliminate Unhealthy Fats

 Fat has become the enemy in many healthy eating circles, but this should not be the case, because your body needs healthy fats to function. Healthy fats (monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids) help synthesize hormones, provide fuel for the body, and assist in the absorption of some vitamins. Many clean eating foods contain healthy fat such as avocado, salmon, olive oil, and eggs. The unhealthy fats (saturated fats and trans fats) contribute to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other health issues. 

Never Leave Home Without Clean Eating Foods

 One of the main reasons people fall off the healthy-eating wagon is they find themselves stranded in a sea of processed products and fast food when they are away from home. When you are hungry and your blood sugar is plummeting, it is hard not to give in to the plethora of unhealthy choices surrounding you. The solution is a cooler bag filled with clean eating meals and snacks that you can tote with you to work or school. This portable clean eating “cornucopia” will also ensure you don’t skip meals. You can even pack all your foods the night before, for convenience. 

The Benefits of Clean Eating:

Many people have a combative relationship with their food, due to years of fluctuating weight and poor health, as well as eating products that are processed and simply bad for you. It can be difficult to understand that food is supposed to make you feel energized. There should be no side effects from a great meal. Clean eating will forever change how you perceive food because the benefits of this lifestyle will be evident in your mirror and in your body after a very short time on the plan. Depending on your initial physical state and commitment to clean eating, you might experience some of the following benefits sooner than others. 

General Feeling of Well-Being 

Eating nutritious, healthy food and avoiding foods clogged with fat, sugar, and preservatives will make your body feel great. How could it not, when all the building blocks of good health are sitting on your plate? There will be a spring in your step, and you will feel motivated to continue on your clean eating journey.

 Better Immune System 

An effective disease-fighting immune system starts with the food you eat, especially colorful fruits and vegetables packed with vitamin C, other antioxidants like betacarotene, plus vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C can increase the number of antibodies and white blood cells available to fight off disease and infections. Zinc can also increase white blood cell counts. 

Improved Sleep

 Sleep is a crucial component of good health, and lack of sleep can have serious detrimental effects on the body. All the nutrients found in clean eating foods help stabilize and regulate the hormones responsible for supporting deep sleep at night. There is also a definitive link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep a night can also help with your weight loss goals. 

Increased Energy Levels

 Many people rely on the artificial, fleeting energy rush they get from either caffeine or sugar to get through the day. This artificial high is usually followed by a crash that requires another unhealthy boost, which creates a vicious cycle and a tired body. Clean eating provides a sustained slow energy boost that comes from a steady release of sugar—achieved by combining proteins with complex carbohydrates and fiber, as is found in Greek yogurt and fruit. This combination provides energy all day with no midmorning or midafternoon crash. 

Healthy Hair and Clear Skin 

The first areas of the body that suffer when you are not getting enough nutrients in your diet or are eating too much harmful food are often you hair and skin. They are like a barometer of good health. Whole, clean food and adequate hydration will flush harmful toxins and free radicals from your body, creating a youthful glow and lustrous, healthy hair.

 Improved Mental Clarity

 Your brain is like any other organ in the body: It needs a steady influx of vitamins, fats, proteins, essential fatty acids, and minerals to help it run well. Clear thought, mental alertness, and decreased fatigue are all results of clean eating. The high level of antioxidants in produce may also help protect the brain from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. 

Decreased Body Fat

 Many people start the clean eating diet to lose weight, and while clean eating is not a weight-loss diet, losing weight is a natural result of eliminating empty-calorie processed foods and eating whole, nutritious foods. All the foods you avoid when eating clean are key contributors to obesity. All the foods you eat—clean, healthy food—will fill you up and stop food cravings without adding empty calories to your body. 

Decreased Risk of Cancer, Heart Disease, and Diabetes

 Cancer, heart disease, and diabetes are the major causes of death around the world. These diseases can be prevented by diminishing their common risk factors, which include obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and a sedentary lifestyle. All these risk factors are decreased when eating clean.

Improved Mood

 Depression and mood disorders can have their roots in vitamin and nutrient deficiencies. Increased availability of vitamins and minerals through healthy eating can improve mood. Some whole foods also contain vitamins that help produce mood-elevating chemicals in the body, such as dopamine from vitamin B6 contained in sunflower seeds and cooked tuna. Also, when you are energized and maintain a healthy weight, you will feel attractive and confident. 

Prevention of Age-Related Ailments and Conditions 

Many debilitating diseases associated with old age are preventable with healthy clean eating. No matter when you start eating clean (in your twenties, fifties, or even seventies), your body will respond by becoming the efficient machine it is meant to be. Providing the right fuel can keep joints lubricated and pain free, improve mobility, and help create a positive outlook well into the golden years.