Clean Eating 101

So, I'm randomly searching the 'net for new clean eating recipes to plan my meals for the week. I find it funny how many "clean eaters" seem to be using non-clean items in their meals and snacks. ie:  squares of chocolate bars on the top of cookies. Hmmm, seems the opposite of clean to me, dirty if you will. Others are using white flour and making "clean tuna sandwiches" on white bread. Jeeze, here I am, trying to avoid chocolate, and fellow "clean" eaters are baking cookies and putting chocolate bars on top! To avoid any clean eating confusion, here's the basics of clean eating....

Basically, clean eating is eating food in it's most natural state, or at least as close as you can get. A girl that I work with was trying to explain it to a fellow co-worker and told her to eat "whatever has a mother" haha. Au contraire! Beef does not fall under the category of clean meats, and I'm sure that people would love to get away with saying that bacon is!

 It's not some fad diet in which you'll lose a bunch of weight and then you're ok to go back to eating the crap that you were eating before, it's a lifestyle change and you have to be committed.

You eat 5-6 meals a day. yes, you read that right, you eat that many meals. A clean eating meal plan consists of 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. Each "meal" consists of a lean protein and complex carbohydrate, ie: fruits and/or veggies. This combination balances your glycemic index, avoiding a blood sugar spike and crash.

Make sure you drink plenty of water. Two liters a day is recommended to stay hydrated and to flush out toxins.

Avoid processed, refined, fried, as well as foods high in sugar, and trans and saturated fats. Opt for complex carbs and whole grains instead.

Buy organic where you can. Some things are super unnecessary to buy organic. Like bananas, the peel is too dense for the pesticides to actually make it to the banana itself.

Try to have essential fatty acids daily. These can come from flax seed, chia seed, and avocado to name a few.

Stay within a healthy portion size.

It may sound like a lot to conform to, but once you get into a groove and plan your meals, which in my opinion is essential for clean eating, it'll get easier!

Healthy values

I love to eat healthy...always have...Or at least, I've always loved the concept of eating healthy. I used to eat clean years ago, but for some reason, a reason that I CANNOT remember, I just stopped....Not even sure if there was a reason! I am beginning the second week in my Beachbody challenge and at times, I figure, "meh, this is easy, I enjoy clean foods." But then, I walk into the kitchen and see a bag of chips that my  Husband has just sitting on the counter, calling my name. No, can't do it, and didn't do it. But, you come to learn very quickly that when you used to anything, it is so hard to resist temptations when you are trying to change your eating habits.

So how do we do it? How do we beat those temptations, when all we want is a small bag of chips? One bag won't hurt right? Why spend all of that time kicking a** and taking names during the week, just to succumb to "junk food." Is it really worth it?

One thing that I've decided since having my child 19 months ago, is that I want to set a good, healthy example for her. Especially when obesity runs on her Daddy's side of the family. I want her to see healthy eating and fitness as an everyday thing in our world. She deserves to have healthy habits laid out for her. She's my number one reason for doing this. I need to be healthy for her, she counts on me to look after her needs. How can I do that appropriately when I can't look after myself?

I am more committed than ever to be fit and healthy for my family. So, entering my second week of the Beachbody challenge group, I plan on continuing to do my best, "and forget the rest!"

Bring It!!! My decision to be a Team Beachbody Coach

So after years and years of attempting to take better care of myself and trying to be healthy, I decided that now's the time that I'm really, I mean REALLY going to commit! Why now? I have come to realize that, being a Mommy to a wonderful little girl, that I need to not only do everything in my power to take care of her, I need to take care of myself so I can be the best Mommy, and wife to my husband, that I can be.

I found out that I have a mitral valve prolapse in my heart. It is basically a regurgitation of blood from the ventricle back up into the atrium....not want you want to happen, but it kind of helped to open my eyes that we are not, by any means, immortal and that I have to do what I can to be there for my family.

This is it!! I'm going to do this! I borrowed my sister's P90X DVD's. a gym membership is completely out of the question as my husband works away for 3 weeks at a time, so where would I get the time to go to the gym? Anyway, P90X....

I started the dvd's thinking that I was crazy and that it was too intense for me. I kept pushing play and kept trying  my best. After 2 weeks I could see muscle definition in my arms. I was so intrigued to see others results with P90X, so I youtubed the crap out of it! Lo and behold, during this transformation "research," I found my coach, Melanie, who told me about Beachbody challenge groups and coaching. I was super apprehensive about "coaching" initially. who would come to me about ANYTHING health and fitness?  But, they provide with the tools and training that you need to actually help people. so, I signed up to be a coach, I have huge dreams of starting my own business and having the ability to help people with their, health, fitness, or weight loss journey.