Clean Eating for Faster Fat Loss & Better Health

Clean eating: Athletes are doing it. Celebs are doing it. Dogs are doing it. Even the cavemen did it!

The term, ‘clean eating’ is the biggest, greatest buzzword in health these days but the truth be told the concept is as old as dirt.

So, what is clean eating anyway?

At the end of the day all it really means is to eat foods as close to the way nature delivered them as possible. For me that means it grew, flew, swam or ran, and that if left unattended to on the counter – it will eventually rot. Clean eating is a lifestyle philosophy and not a diet. It’s really a very simple concept because it’s all about eating foods in their purest form. We eat foods, not Franken-foods – or those food products that don’t resemble anything made in nature at all.

In the truest sense of the words, it’s about eliminating all conventionally processed foods. Now for most of us that’s highly impractical and totally undesirable. With my clients, we focus on eliminating as many highly-processed foods as possible while giving a stamp of approval to the minimally processed ones.

Getting Started

If you’re new to this concept, like so many of us in the west are, then start with one meal or one item even at a time. What processed foods are you consuming during this meal? Can you swap one or two of them out for something else? For example, are you currently eating Mac & Cheese for lunch? Could you swap out half the pasta noodles for some fresh chopped green beans, and otherwise cook and eat them as you normally would? And if so, could you still enjoy it? Then start there. Are instant potatoes or Minute Rice a regular side for your family at dinner time? Could you boil real potatoes, or make whole grain rice instead? Start small. Want to get really fancy you could make the potatoes or rice in bulk in advance and simply reheat at dinner time so that they are just as quick to prepare as the store-bought instant varieties.

Get comfortable with the small change before you make another one. Even the smallest of changes is moving you closer towards your goals. And it can only get you there if you actually do it. Make a task to large and you won’t do it. Start small.

Focus on eating as many whole foods as possible and select them from all the colors of the rainbow. I’m talking fruits and veggies here. Try something new as often as possible. Don’t worry about missing out of taste either. While it’s true your tastebuds may currently be accustomed to and even find enjoyment in the chemically-engineered shitstorm of processed foods, it won’t be too long before your palate changes and you can thoroughly enjoy the tasteful nuances that only fresh whole foods can give you. You may be surprised at what you discover here. Be patient. Test and retest foods, preparing them in different ways. Eventually, you’ll learn to love things you never thought you would.

Whole, unprocessed foods include: fresh fruits and vegetables, farm fresh eggs, nuts, legumes, seeds, unprocessed meats, poultry, fish and shellfish, unrefined oils and grains. Minimally processed foods include frozen fruits or veggies and dried beans, lentils and legumes. Some of you may include plain Greek yogurt and low-fat cheese to your minimally processed food list too.

As you go about your grocery shopping try to avoid food-like items that have a long list of ingredients, especially when many of which are unrecognizable in nature or cannot be easily pronounced. These foods typically have little to no nutrient value (despite the health claims on the labels) and include things such as sweets, snacks, frozen dinners, sugary drinks, prepackaged meats such as sausage, bacon and hotdogs, etc.

And as you embark on this journey I caution you to avoid becoming the Food Police. This is your healthy journey, not an excuse to become judgemental and tell everyone else how and what they should be eating. Lead by example and you’ll be amazed at how many people are inspired to walk in your foot steps.

Remember that Not All Processed Foods Are Bad

I’m not raising my own livestock, or squeezing my own olive oils. I’ll grow my own veggies when the weather permits and I’ll make my own mayo (using this recipe here), or occasionally grind my own peanut butter. But you don’t even have to do that. You can learn to read labels and ingredients so that your purchases of these items are informed. You can buy peanut butter that’s made with just peanuts and salt, or select mayonnaise that isn’t chalked full of added sugars and other things you cannot pronounce.

No one is expecting you to eat everything raw and from your own backyard. It’s not a bad idea however to purchase most of your items from the perimeter of the grocery store and when you’re choosing your processed foods to ask yourself these questions:

Are there more than 5 ingredients in this?
Do I recognize all of the ingredients?
Does this contain whole grains (rather than refined grains)?
Does the product contain added sugar and other artificial ingredients?
Are all of these ingredients necessary?
Is there a healthier version available?
How many calories are in a serving size (and is the serving size on the label realistic?!)
Is this really worth it?

Removing all the processed foods from your life is unnecessary and unrealistic. Processed foods are convenient and can be cost-effective. When it comes to processed foods, we want to make smarter, more educated and mindful choices. We want to choose minimally processed foods whenever possible.

The Standard American Diet (SAD), is typically comprised of unhealthy fats, low fibers, highly processed foods, is low in plant consumption and has been linked to the following health conditions:

Obesity & obesity-related illness
Infertility
Some cancers
Diabetes
Heart disease

Highly processed foods are stripped of the nutrients our bodies desperately need for optimal health and happiness. So let’s eat less of them, and fill any gap with real foods.