What Is Eating Clean?

In the last week I have had several people ask me about eating clean. A couple of trainers at my gym had never heard of Tosca Reno until this week. That doesn't mean that they didn't eat clean, just never heard it referred to as eating clean. I have ahd some facebook friends ask as well, so I decided to make this blog post about the Eat Clean lifestyle.

The information I am going to share is from Tosca Reno's Clean Eating Diet series. For more information you can go to http://eatcleandiet.com/about_the_diet.aspx

What is The Eat-Clean Diet®?

Eating Clean is treating your body right.

It is eating the way nature intended. You eat the foods our bodies evolved to function best on, and that makes you feel – and look – fantastic. When you Eat Clean you eat more often. You will eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats. These practices keep your blood-sugar levels stable and keep you satisfied. The best part is that if you need to lose weight it will happen almost without you having to try. And yes, you can have a treat now and again.

Best of all, Eating Clean keeps you feeling great and full of energy. In fact, you can forget all about the days when “dieting” meant feelings of hunger, lethargy or deprivation.

Eating Clean is not a fad; it’s a way of life. When you Eat Clean your body will react by losing weight if you need to lose, maintaining a healthy weight if that’s where you are, and even gaining weight if you are too skinny. But regardless of whether you want to lose, maintain or gain, you will feel better than you ever have before.

Never worry about counting calories again. You will never have to diet. Eating Clean will keep you lean and healthy for the rest of your long life.

What I like about the eat clean diet is there is so much you can have and you are free to choose what you eat. You can shop in a regular grocery store and if you plan meals in advance, you can have left overs for lunch the next day. I never feel hungry or deprived. Is there things I want that are not allowed...of course because I have trained my body to crave junk, but the longer I do this, the less I crave the junk. I might think I want it, but then after a bite or two, I am done...or if I eat it, my body reacts in negative ways...our bodies were truly created to crave living foods, not processed junk, packed full of chemicals!

So according to this plan this is what you do:

Eat 5-6 times a day.( every 2.5 - 3 hours, Last snack is optional.)

Eat breakfast within an hour of rising everyday!

Eat a combination of a lean protien and a complex carbohydrate at each meal.

Eat 2-3 healthy fats daily

Drink 2-3 liters of water daily.

Depend on fresh fruit and veggies for fiber, vitamins,nutrients and enzymes.

Adhere to proper portion sizes.

Carry a cooler packed with clean eats if you are out and about or working!

That is the basis of the plan...

Proper portion control is major on this plan..

A serving of lean protien is the size of the palm of your hand. (6 servings daily)

Carbs from Fruits and Veggies is what can fit in 2 cupped hands. (4-6 servings a day)

Starchy or complex carbs..One cupped handful...(2-4 servings a day)

Healthy fats...a serving is a scant handful of nuts, or 1-2 tablespoons of oil...(2-3 servings a day)

Yes you can have bread...Whole grain breads like Eziekiel Bread...I use Natures Own All Natural Bread...

The idea is to read labels and see what is in what you are putting in your body. If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it! Tosca Reno challenges you to try to keep the ingredient list to 5 or less ingredients! It is a challenge on some things, but your body will thank you!

Now we have talked about what to do, we have to talk about what to avoid as well...

Avoid all over processed foods, white four and sugar!

Avoid chemically charged foods.

Avoid foods containing preservatives.

Avoid artificial sweetners

Avoid artificial foods like processed cheese slices.

Avoid saturated and trans fats.

Avoid sugar loaded drinks, including soda and juice

Avoid or limit alcohol

Avoid calorie dense food with no nutritional value.

Avoid supersizing your meal!

Now this is just an overview so you, my readers, will understand what I am referring to when I say I am eating clean or I had a cheat day and ate dirty...

Yes, you can still succeed on this plan and allow for a cheat here and there along the way...I allow myself one diet soda and some food treat on the weekend...sometimes, I want it and sometimes I don't...

If you can't see yourself jumping in with both feet, pick one thing to work on...give up sugar this week...add something else next...small changes will add up to a big difference...

We all say we want that lean look, we want to be healthy...this is how to get there. It is 80% about what you eat! Your body will respond positively to getting what it truly craves and you will look and feel better!

Now I know that many of you are a part of the clean eating way of life already, so please feel free to add comments to what has been said, or share your experience for those of my friends that are on the fence and curious about our way of life!

Thanks and keep it healthy!!