Everywhere you look…restaurants (Farm-to-Table?) social media, magazines, news articles, and blogs (yep..us too) are talking about Clean Eating. They speak of its “life-giving”, “diet” related and “over-all well being” benefits…BUT what does the REALLY mean?
Changes To Make
According to eatingwell.com, it means embracing whole foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, plus healthy proteins and fats.
It also includes cutting back on refined grains, pesticides, additives, preservatives, unhealthy fats and large amounts of sugar and salt.
Fitnessmagazine.com states “Clean eating is a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being mindful of the food’s pathway between its origin and your plate. At its simplest, clean eating is about eating whole foods, or “real” foods — those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible.”
My favorite magazine, cleaneatingmag.com keeps a simple answer: “A clean diet is eating the way nature intended. It’s about eating real food for a healthy, happy life.”
How I Define Clean Eating
This last one is how I define it… Eating the way nature intended…
My background/degree is in Dietetics (food and nutrition) so approaching a “Clean Eating” lifestyle should be simple, right?
UGGG! I am a wife and mom to 3 grown adult children who started considering our food source when these kids were in high school and college so cooking for little ones wasn’t an issue. TIME was!
We were moving from one event to another and convenience was a HUGE factor. I found myself opening more packages, boxes, and carry-out containers than washing pots and pans. We spent more time away from home than in it.
Can you relate?
I have never been overweight but during this time of my life, I was holding onto more and more belly fat.
Let’s just say I was tired and irritable, and being in my late 40’s, my hormones were a little wacky. Plain and simple I was losing control over all of it!!
One day, I stumbled on a “Winter Detox” that incorporated the principles of clean eating described above…simple, whole foods from all food groups. I was hooked.
My youngest son (who was still in high school) came home one day and, upon opening the fridge, yelled, “YIKES…THERE IS A JUNGLE IN THERE!” Oh yeah…a jungle free from chemicals, preservatives, added sugars, and GMO’s found in nearly ALL packaged foods. Basically, we stopped eating from cans and boxes…
Fast Forward To Today
Fast forward to today…We (my hubby and I) are pretty mindful of all that goes into our mouths.
Since we live in the downtown area of a major metropolitan city, there are amazing restaurants on every corner…they are so hard to resist on a daily basis.
We decided that eating out often took a toll on our monthly budget as well as a toll on our physical well being and so we limit these visits to 1x per week if possible.
The Restaurants We Eat At
We look for restaurants that are Farm-to-Fork ideally or at least establishments that offer healthy choices that include lots of veggies on their menu.
Plus, we also have an amazing farmer’s market during the season and try to take advantage of that as much as possible. We get to grab locally grown, healthy produce, mingle with the farmers, and gain huge chunks of knowledge while doing so.
One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday morning!
FAQ on Clean Eating
SO…Here are a few FAQ on Clean Eating and how we address them:
- Is Clean Eating more expensive? Not if plan your meals and make sure you use what you buy. The worst is when you shop and then let the beautiful, fresh produce go bad in your fridge. Search for local farms or farmers’ markets during the season. Google “local Farm Markets” you will find the BEST stuff!
- Clean Eating takes too much time to plan and prepare! I plan meals for about 5-6 days/week. Leftovers and eating out 1 night carry us through the other 2 days. Actually following a meal plan and recipes ensures produce gets used and meals are bursting with flavor! It may take a few more minutes to prepare than simply boiling water and opening a box, but your body will thank you!
- Is Clean Eating low in carbohydrates? Not necessarily…Clean Eating does not cover any type of food restriction, diet pattern, or macros. It is simply preparing, cooking, and consuming foods in their most natural state. We eat from all the major food groups with a few minor adjustments for food that don’t “agree” with our own systems…but Proteins, Carbs, and Fats from foods that are chemical, pesticide, and GMO-free are all important to healthy eating.
- Is consuming animal proteins OK? If you are a Vegan or Vegetarian, please do not take offense. I respect people’s decision not to consume animal products although my family chooses to add them to our diet. We look for Certified Organic, Grass-Finished meats as the first choice, followed by Grass Fed. Your local farmer is an excellent source of info. Just ask them how their animals are raised and processed.
- Does Alcohol fit into a Clean Eating lifestyle? Well, that is going to be up to you. Although we abstain from alcohol during times of Detox, my hubby and I consider having a glass of wine, a cocktail, or a beer an important part of enjoying our lifestyle. We do consider the amount of sugar in our adult beverages as well as the source. We often buy organic vodka when available and I have recently found an awesome source for Clean-Crafted Wines!
- Are there programs available to get me started or to help in this Clean Eating movement? Definitely! There are fitness trackers, meal trackers, and more! With a little internet research, you can find so much info out there for you to read, use, and apply to your lifestyle that it’s overwhelming. Yet, for those looking for a program that has done the research for you, check out the 131 METHOD. Another I’ve stumbled across on Facebook (and used numerous times) is CLEANFOODCRUSH.COM. There is an amazing number of recipes and tips for free located there as well.
My Journey
This journey is just that…a sometimes long and twisted path… It is not perfect (nor will it ever be) so what you chose to eat will vary day to day and week to week. What you do along this path is up to you! I decided that I wanted to feel better in my own skin, live better while here on this planet, and basically create a simpler lifestyle…which included eating as my great-grandparents did!
Can’t wait to hear your Clean Eating story. Share below!
~CHEERS!
