So I have been thinking about changing my ways of eating for a long time, however, I used to just justify what I ate because I worked out so much. Now, I'm not saying I'm fat but I can say, I should be smaller, leaner, whatever you want to call it with how much I work out. So, over the past year I've tried a few things to tweak in my diet to see if I could change my body composition a bit and most of the time it just doesn't last, I'm hungry, I want a glass of wine, the food is boring, I work out so much I should be able to eat what I want, well that has kept me at a 140lbs to 143lbs for the past 3 years and not budging, and I'm 5'5. If I could just lean my body out and not lose my strength to power ratio I would be so excited. I know I would run faster, swim faster, bike faster if I could get my mind and body over this hurdle of eating clean and healthy all the time.
As you know, the body is not predominantly shaped by exercise, rather, a lean physique is shaped primarily by nutrition, the right kind of nutrition.
Eating clean is not a diet it is a lifestyle change and choice
The Eat Clean Principles:
1. EAt more- eat six small meals each day
2. eat breakfast everyday, within an hour of rising
3. eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal
4. eat sufficient ( 2 or 3 servings) healthy fats everyday
5. carry a cooler packed with your clean foods each day
6. depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes
7. adhere to portion sizes
8. Drink plenty of water.
What to Avoid:
1. avoid all over-processed foods, white flour and sugar
2. avoid chemically charged foods
3. avoid foods containing preservatives
4. avoid artificial sugars
5. avoid foods such as processed cheese slices
6. avoid saturated and trans fats
7. avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices
8. avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake
9. avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value
10. avoid super sizing our meals.
Eating more frequently with smaller portions and eating the right kinds of foods will help control hunger pains and keep your blood sugar and insulin levels even. Eating must become something that is done with a sense of responsibility to one's health and wellness.
Eating breakfast every morning keeps the body nourished and satisfied while giving you energy.
Eating protein with your complex carbohydrates, you'll slow down the carb to fat conversion process even more. This is why complex carbohydrates should always be eaten with protein. Complex carbohydrates are high in fiber and improve digestion. They provide you with energy, keep you satisfied after meals and stabilize blood sugar levels. Vegetables, fruits and whole grains are all complex carbs.
Some fat ingestion is good for your overall health. Many doctors believe that taking Omega 3's is very important for brain health. The best fats are those obtained from cold water fatty fish, such as char, salmon, halibut and trout, also wahoo, snapper, tilapia and grouper. Other than fish, healthy fats can be found in nuts, seeds and oils of many plants such as sunflowers, avocados, olives, peanuts, canola and some vegetables. These healthy fats aid digestion. Their absence would cause digestion to cease. Your body cannot run properly without fat.
Drinking water is huge, it regulates body temperature, keeps the joints mobile and maintains tissue health. Weight loss cannot occur effectively without sufficient water. When you drink cold water your metabolic rate is increased by as much as 30 percent.
Anyway, I have been eating clean for the past few days and I feel pretty good. I'm not too hungry and besides going the bathroom every hour or two ( adjusting to the increased water intake and decrease diet coke intake) I think I can make this work. The recipes are great and delicious and I think if I can really work hard on this part of my body like I do my workouts then I might have a chance to go into next season the healthiest I've ever been.
What's important is being healthy, eating the right foods, not having midnight cravings of ice cream or the simple carbohydrate because I haven't fueled my body correctly during the day. If I eat healthy and fuel my body correctly my shape and weight will follow. I will keep you posted on how its going and if I get daring I may post a picture of before and after if I can make it that long.
Awesome Donna! GOOD luck! Eating clean is tough, but of course...you can do it! I need chocolate. LOL! :)
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! It's the drive thru that will miss you, you won't miss it, eventually! : )
ReplyDeleteAnytime you want to swap recipes let me know. I gave up meat and dairy recently to help with those GI issues we used to complain about, no big changes so far.
Miss you - keep up the great work!
Hi Donna, Great post. I love the idea of clean eating but it is so hard to stay on track. It helps to know that you will also be trying to avoid your kids' Halloween stash this year! xoxo, Stephanie.
ReplyDelete