While clean eating is one of the simpler healthy lifestyles to understand, it does have its
restrictions just like everything else. The important thing to remember is that you are
eating whole, fresh foods, avoiding most things that are packaged and processed, and
are beginning to read labels and cook more at home. Here are some additional tips to
help with your clean eating diet.
Eat Lots of Fruits and Veggies
The first big change you might make is eating more fresh and frozen produce. A good
portion of your meals and snacks will be of fruits and vegetables. If you currently eat a
lot of fruit, but not much veggies, it’s time to switch it up. By having a good amount of
both throughout the day, you stay full, get plenty of nutrients, and have enough variety
in your diet so you don’t get bored. Frozen produce and even some canned veggies are
okay, just make sure you are checking the ingredients to ensure it is clean.
Enjoy Your Whole Grains
If you are coming off diets like low-carb or Keto, you might not be used to having this
carb, but clean eating is not a low-carb diet. While it is a reduced carb diet simply by
taking away things like white rice and processed breads, you still want carbs for every
meal and snack. Your meals should consist of a protein and a carb, many times with
whole grains like brown rice and quinoa. Filling up on whole grains increases your
nutrients and keeps you energized for the day, so ti is definitely recommended.
Always Have Snacks Ready to Go
You want to be as prepared as possible to survive clean eating and get to the point
where it is a simple lifestyle change. One way to do this is by having enough snacks on
hand that are clean. This means enough fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds in
portion-controlled containers or bags, and any homemade snacks you have prepared
like granola or oatmeal bites.
Meal Plan and Prep Weekly
Along these lines, you should also be planning out every meal for the week and
prepping as much as possible. With clean eating, getting convenience foods while
you’re out is not as easy, and most fast food is not considered clean, so you still need to
plan to provide the majority of your own meals and snacks at home. If you can prep
things like casseroles, making salads, and chopping veggies, then you are more likely
to eat those meals instead of getting pizza.