Eating "Clean"

With so many different opinions out there about what to do and what not to do when it comes to nutrition and weight loss, it's no wonder why it can be confusing for so many of us. I am not a nutritionist but I can definitely give a few tips and share what has been working for me.

First of all, every body is different. You have to find what works for YOU!

Every transformation story you see was not accomplished the exact same way, if it were, we wouldn't be so confused about how to transform ourselves! One thing that pretty much all of those transformation stories do have in common is eating clean. I am not talking about the crazy diet fads that make you lose weight fast which some of those people claim they have done, I guarantee once they started eating normally again the weight came right back - not to mention how terrible that can be for your health! What I am talking about are those who have lost the weight by changing their habits and kept the weight off. It's not a diet, its a lifestyle! Changing your daily nutritional choices permanently will help you reach your goals AND maintain them. Eating clean is no doubt the biggest part of weight loss success. The saying, "You can't out train a bad diet" couldn't be any more true. Work SMART not hard. Don't let all of your hard work in the gym be ruined by bad eating habits.

So Where Do You Start?

What has worked for me is having 5 small meals throughout the day. Each meal consists of a lean protein, veggies, a small complex carb, and/or a small amount of a healthy fat.

Here are some examples of clean food sources:

Lean Protein

• Chicken
• Fish
• Egg Whites
• Tofu
• Ground Turkey

Complex Carbs

• Oats
• Sweet Potato
• Whole Grains
• Brown Rice

Fats

• Nuts/Seeds
• Whole eggs (yolk)
• Avocado
• Oils (as dressing or to cook with)

Vegetables- You cant go wrong with any kind of veggies!

There are PLENTY of food sources that I didn't include in the list, these are just the ones that I use the most. Notice I didn't include fruits. Fruit contains natural sugar, it is okay to have- I just keep it in moderation. 

My meals are spaced out every 2-3 hours. There are many people who will tell you that 5 meals a day is not the right way to do it, however, 99% of the people I have come across who have had major transformations and the competitors I have met eat this way. I can't tell you how many times people tell me they are just going to stop eating for a couple days after a bad weekend, that is the WORST thing you can do! When you don't eat your metabolism slows down. By eating every few hours your metabolism is constantly working and becomes more efficient at utilizing your nutrients as energy instead of stored fat. It's almost like putting food into an oven before it has been preheated. If the preheat is already on the food cooks faster! Not to mention that when we go long periods of time without eating we become hungry, suddenly that cheeseburger sounds much more appealing than the salad. We also tend to have a harder time controlling portions if we wait until we are starving to eat.

My last bit of advice is to be prepared. I cook all of the food I eat during the week on Sundays. It usually keeps well for one week, I don't push it longer than that. Each night before I go to bed I portion out my five meals from the food I have already prepared so its ready to go when I leave for work the next morning. Having your meals pre-planned and ready to eat will rid you of the open option to make impulsive decisions on a daily basis when it comes to what you are going to eat. For me, I eat the same thing everyday. Out of convenience I keep it all plain, I can always add to it when I eat it if I want more flavor (mustards, salsa, stevia, seasoning, etc). If you are one of those people who has to have more variety you can definitely experiment with different recipes and change things up throughout the week, maybe even cook twice a week that way you are able to switch it up halfway through. Again, you have to find what works best for you! I will be posting more "flavor friendly" recipes soon, get excited!

Thank You For Reading!

Stay Blessed and Live WELL

<3

Jess

Jess.Do.It

instagram: @jesswellness

twitter: @jess_forfun