7-Day Challenge: Eating Clean
Can we go one week without processed
food?
I challenge those who are willing to
eat clean for one week starting Sunday, August 5, 2012.
During that week stop by and let us
know how you are doing, what you have changed and how you feel. I will be posting tips to help us along the
way.
For those new to the terminology, clean
eating is the practice
of eating whole foods. Foods as close
to their natural state as
you can get them like fresh
fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins instead of pre-packaged,
processed or fast food. Clean eating is also committed to replacing saturated
fats with healthy fats. Here are a few steps to make your week a
success:
Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid canned or
processed products. Processing
fruits and vegetables reduces their nutritional value and
fiber content and adds salt, fat, sugar and chemicals. In a pinch if you must choose a processed
vegetable or fruit,
frozen is always better than canned. Read your labels and
make sure there are no additives.
Balance protein and complex carbohydrates. Incorporate whole
grains like brown rice or quinoa, avoid over processed grains like white rice. Eat lean meats, and
choose organic or grass fed meats when possible, as these foods are usually clean
of pesticides, hormones and additives. Grill, broil or steam your meats rather
than frying which will
add extra fat.
We are aiming to remove refined
sugars from the diet, so avoid sodas and high calorie,
sugary drinks. Choose water, seltzer water, tea or juice
your own fruits and vegetables.
Trade
bad fats for good fats. A
key aspect of clean eating is removing saturated fats from the diet.
Lower your saturated fat intake by avoiding fast food, choosing lean cuts of
meat and getting your fat calories from foods like nuts and fatty fish.
Eat 5-6 small meals to keep blood sugar stable and to avoid overeating. Choose snacks like nuts, low-fat or fat free dairy, fruits and vegetables.
Clean eating also includes
cooking healthy meals; packing healthy meals when you are on the go; healthy
choices when dining out; drinking a lot of water; eliminating alcoholic
beverages; always start your day with breakfast.
Many of us want to lose weight or
improve our overall health. The biggest
challenge in improving your health is cleaning up your diet. A huge portion of the American diet consists
of processed foods and breaking away from that can be difficult. Eating
clean can be a major transition for a majority of people due to addictions to
sugar, white bread, and fast food. It takes discipline in order to make eating
clean a habit but it is possible and has so many long-term health benefits. Eating clean can be difficult but it is not
impossible and soon it becomes a part of your life.
Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/livestrongcom/clean-eating-5-simple-ste_b_632545.html
