The Skinny on Clean Eating

Ahhh CLEAN EATING???  What in the world is this actually all about?  The term clean eating is gaining traction and seems to be appearing everywhere these days, so I thought I would give you the skinny on what it really is all about.  I want to first say clean eating is not a diet!  It is simply living a happy and healthy lifestyle while eating some quite tasty food.

Back when my family started clean eating I thought, hmmmm is it boiled chicken and steamed veggies?  Is there really any flavor?  Well, little did I know we were eating clean way more than I even knew.  We were almost following the 80/20 rule without even knowing it!  BUT we didn't get off the hook that easy, there was plenty to clean up too! Think of clean eating as basically eating whole (meaning REAL) foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed. I think you will be surprised how clean eating really is more simple than one thought.

So the big picture to look at in our kitchens and around us are the difference between processed vs. unprocessed foods.  Processed foods are foods that are changed from their natural state by the addition of additives like preservatives to keep food fresh longer or foods that are manufactured in labs.  Have you ever taken a look at the ingredients and couldn't pronounce some of the words?  I know, I sure have! Those are the ingredients that were manufactured in a lab, and most likely are NOT natural!!!  The problem with processed and genetically modified foods (GMO) is that they don't break down in our bodies properly and can be linked to a plethora of health problems, as well as, completely detrimental to our diets. Whereas, we know whole foods are linked to good health and can help ward off certain diseases.  

I AM READY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND GIVE CLEAN EATING A CHANCE, SO WHERE DO I BEGIN???

The first step to eating clean is cleaning out the kitchen.  Yes, your kitchen! So let's get started. It is time to go through your pantry and ditch items that have high sugar, artificial sweeteners, food color, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup or ingredients you can't pronounce.  Still unsure??? Google the ingredient in question or better yet, go to www.fooducate.com and type in the product name.  It will give you a rating, and give you details on why it was rated high or low.  There is even a fooducate app you can download on most phones.  Once you download it, fill out the info and start scanning away....my husband had fun with this nifty little tool while we were grocery shopping sans kids! Ohhh how our date nights have changed!

Once your kitchen is cleaned out, it is time to meal plan and gocery shop.  A few general rules apply to the grocery stores.  It is best to shop the perimeter, meaning produce, deli, meat, dairy.  Most of these are foods that will spoil and do not have a shelf life, and if this is true that means there shouldn't be as many preservatives. When you do shop the aisles, look at the ingredients.  If there is a long list, keep on walking, especially if you can't pronounce the names or there are artifical colors.  EEEKKKK!   The same rules you followed to clean out your pantry, apply while you are restocking your pantry :) 

TAKE A LOOK AT THE CATEGORIES BELOW TO HELP YOU GET STARTED!

Clean Eating Foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed include:

fruits

vegetables

hormone free eggs

nuts

legumes (beans/lentils)

Minimally Processed Foods Include:

unrefined grains-whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, steel cut oats, quinoa, brown rice

organic or hormone free dairy
frozen fruits and vegetables
unprocessed or nitrate free meat

oils

WHAT IS THE 80/20 RULE???

The concept behind the 80/20 rule is that you eat healthy (clean) 80 percent of the time while there is still room for cheats and treats 20 percent of the time.  Following the 80/20 rule still allows you to go to dinner, enjoy a cheat meal, have a dessert, or enjoy that happy hour cocktail while still maintaining your healthy lifestyle.

I can honestly say that since we have started eating clean and following the 80/20 rule we have not looked back.  We feel energized and we feel good!  It is amazing how crummy we feel if we are off track.