An eating clean plan shuns processed foods in favor of whole, natural foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. According to the 2010 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Americans consume too much sodium and too many calories daily from added sugar, solid fats and refined grains. Removing foods with these ingredients from your diet eliminates many of the extra calories that can cause weight gain. Replacing them with whole foods adds nutrition back in, which can help promote health and natural weight control. Start a clean eating plan by following specific strategies, but you still must emphasize basic weight loss principles to be successful.
Step 1
Clean your pantry of all processed foods. Throw out chips, refined breads and crackers, prepared dressings and sauces, cookies, frozen snacks, sugary cereals and other foods with long, unpronounceable ingredient lists.
Step 2
Shop for clean foods. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store, loading up on fresh vegetables and fruits, skim milk, nonfat plain yogurt, bulk grains and lean meats, such as skinless chicken breast, fish, sirloin steak and pork tenderloin. Read the labels on any food found in plastic or boxes and avoid those that contain unclean ingredients, such as refined white flour, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, preservatives and trans fats.
Step 3
Plan to eat five or six times per day. Make your diet consist of three primary meals and two snacks. Stay away from fried foods, fast foods and convenient packaged meals.
Step 4
Practice portion control. Eat just 3 to 4 oz. of protein at meals with 1/2 cup grains or a starchy vegetable and generous amounts of vegetables. If you do go back for seconds, opt for plain vegetables.
Step 5
Use herbs, spices, citrus and vinegar for flavoring instead of prepared barbecue sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup or seasoning kits. Stick to cooking methods such as broiling, grilling, roasting and sautéing in olive oil cooking spray.
Step 6
Keep snacks to 150 to 200 calories. Choose fresh fruit, nonfat plain yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, fresh vegetables and homemade hummus or raw nuts for snacking.
Step 7
Eat at least 20 percent of your calories from fats, with an emphasis on unsaturated versions. Add a small amount of plant oils, such as olive or safflower, avocado, nuts or seeds to most meals to benefit from the essential fatty acids that your body needs for proper function.
Step 8
Slow down when eating to trigger satiation. Enjoy your meals instead of rushing through them without registering the taste and experience.
Step 9
Drink at least 2 liters of water per day. Choose water over sugary beverages, which contain calories. When you feel hungry, drink water first as your body can mistake thirst for hunger. Add a lemon or lime wedge to make it more palatable.
Step 10
Plan ahead. Pack a cooler or brown bag for times you know you will be away from clean food options. Learn to identify the cleanest options on restaurant menus. Choose grilled or baked meats without sauce, salads without fried toppings and oil and vinegar on the side, plain baked potatoes, steamed vegetables or sandwiches made with mustard and whole wheat bread.
Tips and Warnings
- Losing weight requires you to eat fewer calories than you burn -- even when eating clean. Visit MyPyramid.gov. The MyPyramid Plan helps you to estimate your daily calorie burn. When you figure out your burn rate, subtract 500 to 1,000 calories to determine how much you should eat to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Even healthy, clean foods have calories and too much of them can prevent you from losing weight, so knowing this number can help expedite weight loss. Physical activity is also essential to weight loss. An eating clean plan advocates a physically active lifestyle, which helps you burn more calories and supports overall good health.
References
- USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- "Clean Eating" magazine; How to Eat and Live Clean; January/February 2010
- "Circulation;" Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health; A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association; Rachel K. Johnson, et al.; Aug. 24, 2009
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes
Member Comments