Clean Eating: 5 Simple Rules
Gosh! I have been procrastinating this post ALL day!
I really was struggling with what I wanted to write about. I mean, how could I top last week's post?! Honestly, I was so nervous to post that one that I literally had to close my eyes and hold my breath to click the "publish" button. I didn't know what you would all think of it. Plus it was a part of me that I have been wanting to deal with for many years but never knew how to approach it without feeling shame and guilt. The response to that post was overwhelming. I had over 400 views to my blog in 24 hrs after publishing it. (!!!) So thank you. Thank you so much for reading it and sharing it.
Now, with that out of the way, this post probably won't be as exciting, but hopefully will be motivating to someone out there. It is something I have learned over the past year.
If I were to tell you, exercising every day and eating clean would get you fit and healthy... it comes out of my mouth so easily. It sounds easy right? Until you start to do your research. There is A LOT of information out there. Most people I talk to about clean eating cannot wrap their head around it and end up giving up. I am here to tell you, IT WAS NOT EASY FOR ME EITHER!
It is overwhelming to say the least. You could go crazy trying to learn everything there is to know about clean eating and especially, how to implement it into your life, and the life of your family. So, as a beginner, I did what most beginners do and tried to read every single piece of information I could get my hands on about clean eating. I pinned for hours on Pinterest. I read blog after blog about clean eating. I went to the library to see if I could find information there. I was like a Dyson... trying to suck up all the information in the WORLD about clean eating. Well, you could see how quickly this could burn a girl out. So I stopped. I reevaluated. And I started small. Baby steps are good. They are easy. And they make things less... scary! I am going to give my beginner's steps to clean eating with these 5 very simple rules to follow:
1. Read the label. Not the nutrition information label... but the ingredient list. If you can't pronounce something on that list or if it is more than 5 ingredients long, chances are it is not considered "clean".
2. Steer clear of added sugar. Ahhhh sugar, the root of all mood swings! Trust me... you do not need added sugar, especially processed and refined sugar.
3. Eat as many whole/fresh foods as you can. This is produce people! Fruits and vegetables are your friend. They are going to help fuel your body! A lot of people worry about the sugar in fruit, but this is not to be left out! Natural sugars, like those found in fruit are good for you. And if you don't already love your veggies like I do, learn to love them. Sometimes it is all in how you prepare them, so experiment with different techniques.
4. Whole grains. Eat them. No more white flour. Period.
5. Eat lean protein such as chicken, fish and pork... red meat in moderation and as badly as you want to eat the fatty one, try to find a lean cut.
That's it. Simple rules to start out with. Of course there is so much more to learn over time about clean eating, but like I said it can be very overwhelming. It is worth the time to take though to get to know it and implement it into your life. Because this is what it is all about, your life.
I mean, think of all the things that are good, even GREAT... they aren't handed to you on a silver platter. These things take time, they are hard, take commitment and can be overwhelming. But when you get it, you GET IT. I have been saying for over a year now, that it was like someone took the blinders off of my eyes. I didn't realize all the crap I had been eating and drinking and what it was doing to my body now and in the future. We all deserve a healthy future. And it is never too late to have that healthy future.
Start today. Implement those simple rules. And to take it a step further, I would love to invite you to join me in a 7 day clean eating "boot camp". If you are interested, please comment below and I will get you the information. Don't wait a day longer. I promise you it is worth it, YOU are worth it.
Thank you for coming back to read! ~Joslin
I really was struggling with what I wanted to write about. I mean, how could I top last week's post?! Honestly, I was so nervous to post that one that I literally had to close my eyes and hold my breath to click the "publish" button. I didn't know what you would all think of it. Plus it was a part of me that I have been wanting to deal with for many years but never knew how to approach it without feeling shame and guilt. The response to that post was overwhelming. I had over 400 views to my blog in 24 hrs after publishing it. (!!!) So thank you. Thank you so much for reading it and sharing it.
Now, with that out of the way, this post probably won't be as exciting, but hopefully will be motivating to someone out there. It is something I have learned over the past year.
If I were to tell you, exercising every day and eating clean would get you fit and healthy... it comes out of my mouth so easily. It sounds easy right? Until you start to do your research. There is A LOT of information out there. Most people I talk to about clean eating cannot wrap their head around it and end up giving up. I am here to tell you, IT WAS NOT EASY FOR ME EITHER!
It is overwhelming to say the least. You could go crazy trying to learn everything there is to know about clean eating and especially, how to implement it into your life, and the life of your family. So, as a beginner, I did what most beginners do and tried to read every single piece of information I could get my hands on about clean eating. I pinned for hours on Pinterest. I read blog after blog about clean eating. I went to the library to see if I could find information there. I was like a Dyson... trying to suck up all the information in the WORLD about clean eating. Well, you could see how quickly this could burn a girl out. So I stopped. I reevaluated. And I started small. Baby steps are good. They are easy. And they make things less... scary! I am going to give my beginner's steps to clean eating with these 5 very simple rules to follow:
1. Read the label. Not the nutrition information label... but the ingredient list. If you can't pronounce something on that list or if it is more than 5 ingredients long, chances are it is not considered "clean".
2. Steer clear of added sugar. Ahhhh sugar, the root of all mood swings! Trust me... you do not need added sugar, especially processed and refined sugar.
3. Eat as many whole/fresh foods as you can. This is produce people! Fruits and vegetables are your friend. They are going to help fuel your body! A lot of people worry about the sugar in fruit, but this is not to be left out! Natural sugars, like those found in fruit are good for you. And if you don't already love your veggies like I do, learn to love them. Sometimes it is all in how you prepare them, so experiment with different techniques.
4. Whole grains. Eat them. No more white flour. Period.
5. Eat lean protein such as chicken, fish and pork... red meat in moderation and as badly as you want to eat the fatty one, try to find a lean cut.
That's it. Simple rules to start out with. Of course there is so much more to learn over time about clean eating, but like I said it can be very overwhelming. It is worth the time to take though to get to know it and implement it into your life. Because this is what it is all about, your life.
I mean, think of all the things that are good, even GREAT... they aren't handed to you on a silver platter. These things take time, they are hard, take commitment and can be overwhelming. But when you get it, you GET IT. I have been saying for over a year now, that it was like someone took the blinders off of my eyes. I didn't realize all the crap I had been eating and drinking and what it was doing to my body now and in the future. We all deserve a healthy future. And it is never too late to have that healthy future.
Start today. Implement those simple rules. And to take it a step further, I would love to invite you to join me in a 7 day clean eating "boot camp". If you are interested, please comment below and I will get you the information. Don't wait a day longer. I promise you it is worth it, YOU are worth it.
Thank you for coming back to read! ~Joslin
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