"Clean" Your Plate

Day 26,

So, I've been getting a lot of questions lately about Clean Eating. People want to know what that means. Eating clean is the practice of eating whole, natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from the highly processed junk food that makes up most of our diets. This includes things like man-made sugar, bad fats (hydrogenated, trans-fat), preservatives, and white bread.

"Cleaning" up one's diet is hard. Believe me, I know. I am not perfect by any means. I do take a few short cuts. But, I've cleaned up my diet a lot in the last month and it's made a HUGE difference. There are people that are fanatical about eating clean. They go by the mantra of "If man made it, don't eat it." My hat is off to them. I doubt that I'll ever be that clean. Not because I can't do it but because I don't want to do it. There's something to be said for the occasional frosty mug o beer, loaded baked potato, or red velvet cupcake. The key word here being occasional.

My goal, as I've stated before, is to abstain from processed junk 80 percent of the time and indulge 20 percent of the time. This is a lifestyle that I can live with. And, it's working because I feel fantastic. Experts say that 80% of your body comes from nutrition, 10% genes and 10% training. Let's face it, I got screwed in the genes department! Hypothyroidism does NOT do a body good. I'm plagued with a flat butt and a double chin from my parentals. (Thanks for that by the way.) That said, I also have a great smile and a nice rack. (At least that's what my husband says).
Jokes aside, three pluse weeks of clean(er) eating has changed my body, mind and my spirit. I have only had one case of indigestion since Christmas. I was literally taking a Pepcid almost every day before that. The simple act of eliminating sodas 90% of the time and increasing my water intake to 3 liters a day has done wonders for my skin. I am more focused, less lethargic and generally in a much better mood. I won't lie. A good bit of why this is working is mental. It has to click in your mind before your body will follow suit. 
Here's a sample of my Previous Diet
Breakfast - slimfast; or Diet Coke & a package of doughnuts; or nothing 
Lunch - Cheeseburger and fries and Diet Coke
Snack - Diet Coke and chips or candy bar
Dinner - Steak, Texas Toast and Baked potato with butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon
Snack - Ice Cream or chips

Here's what I eat now
Meal 1: Skim milk and berries blended with one scoop of chocolate protein powder
Meal 2: Lowfat Cottage Cheese and an Orange
Meal 3: 1/2 Turkey Sandwich and Cup of Spinach Lentil Soup (courtesy of Brueggers Bagels)
Meal 4: Apple with 1 TBLS natural peanut butter
Meal 5: Sirloin Steak, small baked potato (plain) and steamed spinach
Meal 6: Grapes and a piece of string cheese

Fluids: 3 liters of water per day

That's a LOT more food than I was eating before. But, it's high quality food. Protein powder and protein bars are a couple of examples of the short cuts I was talking about earlier. What you'll notice in my new menu is that each meal consists of a high quality proteins, carbohydrates and fruits or vegetables. I'm keeping my body fueled throughout the day.

Combine these nutritional changes, with the addition of exercise and a fresh mental outlook and Bazinga! I feel better. My only regret is not figuring this out 15 or 20 years ago.

Cheers!
Margaret