The Ultimate Guide to Clean Eating for Beginners

  • 27.07.2019
  • By Admin: heatox
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This ultimate guide to clean eating for beginners can jumpstart your journey towards a healthy relationship with food while achieving that slimmer physique without deprivation.

I started clean eating when I was pregnant with my twins. I wanted a healthy pregnancy to ensure that they get the best head start possible.

Not only did clean eating changed my life, but it also enabled my twins to get the best head start on their lives too!  

I went from barely able to walk for 10 minutes straight without feeling tired at the beginning of the pregnancy to staying active throughout the rest of the pregnancy without any ordered bed rest.  

I carried my twins to full-term (3 weeks longer than average twin pregnancy) and delivered them at above average twin weights.  My fear of leaving them behind in the hospital after my birth recovery thankfully did not come true.

Eating specific clean foods also enabled me to lose weight quickly a year after giving birth to the twins.  I was able to lose 10 pounds in the first month and effortlessly dropped 4 dress sizes in the following six months.

Clean eating is how we strive to eat as a family now… with a few cheat days here and there to keep it real!

Why clean eating is good for you

Clean eating is not a fad diet.  It is a healthy, sustainable eating habit and a way of life.

Eating a clean diet naturally cleanses and detoxes your body.  Instead of reacting to processed foods that throw your body’s hormones out of balance, you are nourishing your body with natural whole foods filled with essential vitamins and minerals.

Processed foods such as refined sugar and white bread can cause inflammations in the body, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, digestive issues, and even chronic pain.  Filling your body with whole foods that are naturally anti-inflammatoryand reducing your intake of processed foods can lower the level of inflammation in your body.

Another unexpected side benefit of cleaning eating?  The amount of time and energy saved!

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the choices at the supermarkets?  If you make the decision ahead of time to eat a clean diet, it eliminates many food choices and the stress that comes from having to make decisions as you encounter food items on the shelves.

In addition to the amount of mental energy saved, your physical energy will also skyrocket if you’ve been depriving your body of the proper nutrients it deserves.

What is clean eating?

The concept of clean eating is actually surprisingly simple: eat whole foods that are natural, unrefined and minimally processed. When you fill your body with wholesome, nutritious foods, you’ll notice a change in your health and wellness that you won’t ever miss going back.

What clean eating looks like may depend on individual interpretations of the word “clean”.  For some folks, that may mean that only foods with no additives are acceptable.

However, there are some food additives that are beneficial to the body, such as added calcium or vitamin D in milk.  Whereas trans fats added to foods to extend their shelf life may increase cholesterol levels and lead to potential health problems.

So, it’s best to avoid the “all or nothing” approach and consider the types of additives added to the food wisely.

A clean eating diet should also not completely eliminate foods that are prepared or packaged.  Given our busy modern lives, it can be difficult and impractical to make everything from scratch.

The trick here is to read the ingredient labels and pick items that contain ingredients you can pronounce and understand.    

Remember, clean eating should not feel like a restrictive diet.  Following fad diets like keto, low carb and paleo that exclude eating entire food groups can cause unpleasant symptoms such as the “keto flu” or low energy.

Clean eating is about eating a balanced diet full of nutritious, wholesome foods.   

The goal of clean eating should be to develop a healthy attitude towards food and eat in a nourishing way that is sustainable for the rest of your life.  

Foods to avoid when eating clean

In general, you’ll want to avoid processed foods as much as possible, including commercially prepared convenience foods.  Stay away from boxed convenience meals (frozen or not) and fast food.

For canned products, check ingredient labels and avoid ones that contain unhealthy artificial ingredients.

Avoid all soda/soft drinks, and fruit juices that may have added sugar or other artificial ingredients, such as high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

How to get started with clean eating for beginners

Before you embark on the clean eating journey, it’s important to take stock of what you have in your kitchen and be fully aware of your current eating habit.

Commit to eating clean by clearing out all the unhealthy “dirty” foods in your pantry and your refrigerator.

The most effective way to do this is by completely taking out all food items in your pantry and your refrigerator and thoroughly examine the ingredient label of each item.  

Through this process, you’ll identify a list of the “dirty” items you’ll need to replace (such as a “clean” spaghetti sauce) or simply toss away unhealthy junk foods.  

Not only will you gain precious storage space from clearing out the “dirty” foods, but you’ll also likely clear additional space from throwing away foods that have expired.

Keep only the items that are healthy and “clean”, and more importantly, items that you have plans to use or eat.  Often times, we make impulse purchases that we have no plans to use.

Once you have taken this important first step on clean eating for beginners, and your refrigerator and pantry are clean, it’s time to go shopping for real food!

What do you eat on a clean diet?  For starters, eat more fresh, wholesome vegetables and fruits.  Eating more healthy foods can crowd out the unhealthy stuff.

For prepared or packaged foods, read their ingredient labels carefully to avoid preservatives, added sugars, or unhealthy fats.

If your budget allows, choose your animal proteins from ethically raised farms – these animals are less likely to have been injected with antibiotics and hormones, or fed grains instead of grass.  

For a detailed clean eating shopping list, check out my clean eating grocery list for beginners, where you can get a FREE printable version!

Can clean eating help you lose weight?

Have you ever heard of the expression “Get Fit in the Gym.  Lose Weight in the Kitchen“?  From my personal experience, weight loss is 90% diet and 10% exercise. 

Clean eating is a healthy and natural way to lose weight. So having a list of healthy foods is the first step to getting to a leaner, fitter body.

Next step could be a clean eating meal plan filled with specific foods that boost weight loss. To learn more about the fat burning spices and healthy greens that helped me to lose my first 10 pounds in a month without working out or depriving myself, check out my FREE 21-Day Slim Down Challenge Training.

Tips for success eating clean

Make your life easier by taking care of what you eat ahead of time.

By taking the time to plan out exactly what you are going to eat, you can consciously make healthier choices and aim for nutritionally balanced meals throughout the week.

Stocking up so that you are surrounded by readily available healthy foods also helps to prevent you from making last minute, impulsive choices that may sabotage your healthy eating efforts.  This is a key step for cleaning eating for beginners.

By planning your meals in advance, not only are you saving time, money and energy but you are also reducing stress around meal times, allowing you to relax and thoroughly enjoy your food and company.

Once you have a meal plan, you are then able to make a grocery shopping list base on that plan.

When you know exactly what groceries are needed to make your meals, you save time in the supermarkets by doing more targeted shopping and are less likely to wander around junk food aisles.

You can save even more time when cooking your meals with easy meal prep hacks.   For example, batch cook your sauces and soups and store them neatly in meal prep containers for use later.

Another time saver is to purchase pre-cut, ready-to-cook vegetables.  You simply toss these ingredients into your cookware and add flavoring spices.

For more details on how you can meal prep like a boss and put dinner on the table in 10 minutes, check out these simple Clean Eating Meal Prep Tips and Ideas.

How to start clean eating on a budget?

Want to get started eating clean but concerned that it may put a dent on your wallet?  

While it’s true that buying junk food can be much cheaper than buying healthy groceries at the supermarket, there are many tips and tricks to saving money when eating clean.

Buying fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables can reduce your grocery bill.  As well as purchasing the same fruits and veggies offseason in the frozen foods aisle.

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