Whether you are training for a fitness competition or are ready to set your body on a healthier course, eating clean is a diet principle that can help you accomplish either goal. Fitness and nutrition expert Tosca Reno created the eat-clean diet as a guideline to help you eat as closely to nature as possible. This does not mean that eating clean will come naturally. Training your body for better eating cannot only help you maintain a healthy weight -- you likely will feel better as well.
Cleaning Out Your Pantry
Training for clean eating requires a commitment to avoiding unhealthy foods. If you leave these foods in your home, they can tempt you into making food choices harmful to your diet. This means it's time to get a box and a trash can and go through your pantry. Place any canned or nonperishable items you no longer need in the box to give to an area food bank, if you wish. Trash perishable items in both your refrigerator and pantry.
Planning and Preparation
Planning ahead is a big part of sticking to your diet and training to successfully eat clean. Tosca Reno recommends packing foods ahead of time if you will be traveling or planning ahead for meals and snacks at work. Having these foods on hand means you can eat several small meals throughout the day, keeping your metabolism going and avoiding blood sugar drops that can lead you to overeat. Foods to keep include sliced vegetables, fruits, string cheese or nuts. If you find yourself in need of a late-night snack, try eating a half-cup of slow-cooked oatmeal.
Eat the Most at Breakfast
On the eat-clean diet, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Reno recommends that you eat "like a king" at breakfast, consuming protein and complex carbohydrates. Examples include eggs, Greek yogurt, natural nut butters, fruits and vegetables. This trains your body to strike up your metabolism first thing in the morning and continue working throughout the day. After that, you should be eating every three hours.
Healthy, Natural Meals
Your meal choices should consists of lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, fish, soy or eggs paired with natural foods. Part of the eat-clean training principle is that you avoid boxed or other pre-packaged foods because these contain sodium and preservatives, which should be avoided when eating clean. Instead, choose natural foods such as beans, asparagus, avocado, kale, Swiss chard, salad greens and berries. These foods are packed with antioxidants that boost your immune system.
Member Comments