Wellness Wednesday: Clean Eating 101

Clean eating, verb
   1. to scrub your food down with Lysol before consuming

If only it were that simply (and non-toxic)!!  What is clean eating (and for the hard to humor out there, it's NOT the above definition) and why is it important? Let break it down simply: Clean Eating is not a diet, it's a happy and healthy lifestyle, that you choose. The focus is on real, whole foods that are fresh, unprocessed, and nutrient-dense. Let's start at the surface of this lifestyle, and we'll dig down deeper through the weeks.

At its very basic foundation, clean eating follows these principals:

1. Make it a lifestyle- not a diet. There is no end date. Eating clean becomes a way of life because it fuels your body in the way it was designed to be fueled.
2. Eat Real- The cornerstone of clean eating is eating whole, real foods — which means choosing foods that are un- or  minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible.  Think about filling your grocery cart with items from the outer aisles of the store: produce, meats, dairy. If it comes in a box or jar, it has had some form (if not many) of processing. 

Here's how to start:
     Choose Unprocessed foods that include:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Dried legumes
• Nuts
• Farm-fresh eggs

     Minimally processed foods include:

• Unrefined grains, like whole wheat bread and pasta, popcorn, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice
• Frozen fruits and vegetables
• Unprocessed meat; wild over pastured, pastured over grain-fed
• Hormone-free dairy
• Oils (coconut & olive)

    Stay Hydrated

• Drink plenty of water

Like anything in life, clean eating is a balance of choosing whole, nutritious foods while maintaining the enjoyment from your meals. It doesn't mean you will NEVER have another brownie, or that you'll soon turn wicked witch green from eating all those greens- you allow the occasional treat, in moderation, but make the choice of a dinner plate that fuels your body.

If you would like to learn more, here are some great sources on how to begin a clean eating regimen.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/clean-eating/
http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/is-your-diet-dirty-7-tips-to-clean-it-up 

How will you begin to Refuel this week?