Non-processed = Eating Clean!
I recently had a conversation with a friend about the way we eat in my home. Although she was very intrigued, receptive and understanding, she did make the one comment I hear A LOT – “Non-processed sounds complicated and time-consuming.”
A sort of light bulb went off, and I realized, yes, it sure does. Non-processed sounds like every single thing I do is completely from scratch, and takes 3 hours to make a single dinner. Who the crap has time for that? I sure don’t! Granted, I’m a stay-at-home mom and health coach who makes my own schedule, but I sure as heck don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen all day (and I’m not!)
With that said, I’ve decided to call how we eat Clean Eating from now on; it’s essentially what we do. It’s clean, healthy, simple, and that’s pretty much all there is to it. In my opinion it’s WAY simpler and less time-consuming than preparing casseroles and fancy dinners every night. And no, going non-processed (or Clean!) is NOT about never eating anything from packaging (Yes, I've had this comment, too!). A bag of frozen broccoli is just that - broccoli. Nothing added to it. It was fresh, then frozen, and then packaged. That's not the "processing" I'm talking about!
If you follow my posts and/or blog, I can guess you are in some form interested in eating better. I do not want you to feel overwhelmed, so I am sharing with you the basics of Eating Clean from my Eating Clean for Dummies book.
Eating clean is simply the practice of avoiding processed and refined foods and basing your diet on whole foods. But there’s much more to this plan. You can structure your diet to get proper nutrition, help manage diseases, avoid developing diseases in the first place, lose weight, remove toxins, and just feel better. Think of it this way – when you eat clean, you feel clean. I just don’t feel the blah that I used to after eating junk all the time.
The Basic Principles of Eating Clean
Eating clean involves not only choosing the right foods to eat but also avoiding all of the junk foods and processed foods that are so readily available. The keys to good health and proper nutrition are in the following principles:
Eat whole foods: Whole foods are foods that haven’t been tampered with, in the lab or the manufacturing plant. The foods you eat on this plan are straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds. Most of our side dishes at dinner are whole – such as corn, carrots, potatoes with seasoning, broccoli/cauliflower, etc. Most of what I get is frozen, so I just steam it, add some seasoning, and it’s good to go!
Avoid processed foods: Processed foods are any food that has a label. A label means that more than one ingredient was used to make that food. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses), but if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t put that food in your shopping basket. In my opinion, it’s way more beneficial to look at the ingredients in a food, rather than strain your brain calculating the actual amount of calories, because a serving size is actually 1/12 of the entire product.
Eliminate refined sugar. Refined sugar provides nothing but calories. Other sweeteners can be used, but with all the good foods you add to your diet, refined sugar really has very little place in the eating clean plan. Think of more natural sweetners, such as honey and pure maple syrup. I hardly EVER add sugar to my recipes, besides a brownie or other dessert on rare occasion. Most everything I make is with added raw honey or syrup. It doesn’t take any extra time than it would adding sugar!
Eat five or six small meals a day. By eating smaller meals throughout the day you can help rev up your metabolism and reduce the chance that you’ll eat some Funyuns rather than that whole grain cracker with nut butter and strawberries. You never get so hungry on this plan that you’ll feel deprived or feel the need to cheat. This is the one principle that we don’t necessarily follow. I learned at IIN that if you are eating whole, nutritious foods, then you should eat when you are hungry. If that’s more than 3 times a day, so be it. If it’s less, so be it, too. Everyone’s metabolism is different, and not everyone will be able to just eat 3 times a day. This is where bioindividuality comes to play, and learning your own is important.
Cook your own meals. Instead of buying meals in a box, cook meals from scratch. That’s not as hard as it sounds! Clean, whole foods need little preparation beyond chopping and sautéing to make satisfying, delicious meals your family will love. This sounds scary and way more time consuming, but I promise, I can make a mean mac and cheese from scratch that takes just as long (if not less) time to prepare the boxed version. It’s way healthier, and more flavorful (not the gross imitation cheese taste). However, if you need to eat out for whatever reason, just choose wisely! Chipotle is our go-to choice, as their quality of meat and dairy products are better, and it's mostly non-processed (besides for the tortillas). I also appreciate that the company has stopped selling their pork because of the distributors lack of compliance with Chipotle's standards. Now that's transparency - and a reason why I'll go back!
Combine protein with carbs. When you do snack or eat a meal, make sure that meal is balanced. For the most satisfaction from your diet, and so you’ll be less tempted to eat junk food, combine protein with carbs or carbs and fat. This simple act will fuel your body and quash hunger pangs. This is the one part that drives.me.crazy. Let’s be serious here – what’s the point of a snack? To fulfill your hunger until mealtime, right? An energy boost, right? I don’t think a sucker, or M&M’s, chips or even goldfish are going to satisfy that hunger. If anything, it is tricking your body, and your body will still be hungry. And no, a coke will not give you energy. Sorry. Drinking a big 'ol glass of water will be more beneficial to you.
There are many ways that Eating Clean can help you stay healthy. From getting to and maintaining a healthy weight, reducing the risk of several diseases, keep your digestive system regular… the list goes on. I was lucky enough to start with Elle from the very beginning – but taking baby steps with yourself and your family is sure to bring much success. If you find yourself stuck and have no idea where to go – come to me! That’s what I do!
Also, if you are in it for the weight loss – think of this. Who the heck wants to count calories the rest of their lives? Who wants to remember points of every single food item you come across? Because, when you stop doing it, chances are the weight will come back. Why? Because you were still eating junk food, and will continue to do so. Following a program like that doesn’t teach you how to eat healthy. Because, let’s be honest - A donut with icing (7 pts on WW) is NOT the same as a good Omega 3 boosting, heart-healthy 6oz filet of cooked salmon (also 7pts). That’s disturbing.
Keep it simple, stop worrying about fat-free this and low-calorie that and you’re more likely to feel, look and eat better for the rest of your life, without the headache of worrying about petty things like points and calories. Just eat real food.
If you are ready to begin and want help, click here, and you'll be Eating Clean very soon!
{Most information adapted from Eating Clean For Dummies by Jonathan Wright, Linda Johnson Larsen}
