You may have heard of people or even your friends and family talking about clean eating… There are many different perceptions of what clean, but in general terms, clean eating is consuming a healthy nutrition regime that avoids processed and refined foods and instead bases your nutrition on whole foods.
When people think about clean eating they may associate it with dieting. But the term "diet" means to restrict oneself to small amounts or special types of food for a temporary period of time in order to lose weight or to achieve a result.
Clean eating is about eating healthy the majority of the time, avoiding process and refined foods, while trying to consume more fresh fruit and vegetables, protein, natural healthy fats and whole grains. However, this does not mean you have to deprive yourself of all your favourite foods. Clean eating should not be about sacrificing food, it's about finding healthier alternatives you love!
Here are a few tips when looking at your nutrition:
Fruit and Vegetables
Eat more plant foods! By this, I of course mean fruit and vegetables. Consuming more fruit and vegetables is a big part of clean eating. You can eat as many vegetables as you want, so stock up on leafy greens and vegetables such as spinach and broccoli! Fruit and vegetables are incredibly important for our health, whereby the added fibre and huge source of vitamins and micronutrients can not only contribute to weight loss, but also to improving our general wellbeing.
However, when it comes to fruit you need to apply the "moderation" concept. Fruits contain sugar and yes although this is natural sugar, too much of anything can become harmful in the body. Fruit is packed full of nutrients and antioxidants that will help to keep you healthy. Generally, fruit will be higher in carbohydrates than vegetables plus be higher in dietary fibre. There are so many different great nutrients and vitamins in each.
Protein - High quality meat
When eating protein, aim for high quality lean meats and high quality red meat from grass fed animals. Grass fed meat is healthier with less harmful chemicals present!! High quality lean meats such as Beef, Lamb, Veal, Pork and Kangaroo.
Eat Fats!
Believe it or not, fat burns fat! Good fat that is! Healthy sources of mono unsaturated fats from foods including salmon and nuts are great for losing weight and getting healthy! Eating good fats has not only been associated to fat loss but also to decreases in cholesterol and blood sugar levels!
Drink plenty of water!
This is a rule you should already be following! Make sure you are always hydrated and drinking plenty of water! Often enough we can often mistake dehydration for hunger, whereby increasing your water intake can not only help fill you up but also aid digestion.
Nathan Cleinwerck
Studio Owner
Vision Personal Training Engadine
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
