Clean eating

Many people can become confused at the term “clean eating” However it doesn’t have to be difficult. Eating clean can help you to become fitter and healthier we’ll helping you to lose weight. Using a nutritional therapist like me could help you to produce the perfect weight loss plan well eating clean and becoming physically active.

Maintaining a healthy weight and BMI comes with many health benefits including lowering the risk of diabetes, heart attack, certain cancers and strokes. If you haven’t heard of clean eating before than you might be asking yourself, what is it? Is it a diet? Is it a lifestyle?

We are all wonderfully beautiful human beings and there is no one perfect size neither is there any one perfect diet that is suitable for everyone. There are actually many ideas of “what is clean eating” but in short clean eating means holding yourself accountable well eating seasonal real whole foods, choosing organic and sustainable options, when possible, well limiting processed foods.

We all have our own requirements and goals. However, the general principle of clean eating should be looked at as a starting point for everyone. Clean eating can be put in to just a few simple steps. These five simple steps are:

Step 1, Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.

The health Benefits of eating plenty fruits and vegetables include boosting nutrient dense foods which can lower blood pressure, along with lowering the risk of heart disease, liver disease, stroke, lower the risks of some types of cancers, improves digestion, aids in blood sugar control.

Step 2, Eat plenty of high fibre whole grains and legumes.

Fibre can help to lower cholesterol and help waste products to move through the body, they have a range of nutrients, consuming more fibre rich foods than help us to feel fuller for longer which can help in managing our weight. Fibre can help to lower the risk of heart disease type 2 diabetes and bowl cancer.

Step 3, Eat lean protein.

Lean protein aids in lowering cholesterol, helps to support brain health, promotes metabolism, and can aid in weight management.

Step 4, Eat healthy fats.

Healthy fats in moderation can aid in keeping us feeling fuller for longer, this is because fat is digested slower. Including healthy fats can lower the risk of heart disease, improve cholesterol, controls blood sugars and can help to reduce inflammation.

Step 5, hydrate.

Water is used by every call in the body, it helps to reduce body weight, regulates body temperature, delivers nutrients around the body, improves sleep hygiene, keeps joints lubricated and helps to prevent infections.

Eating clean

means consuming foods that are as close to their raw or natural state, which would also mean excluding all processed foods.

This way of eating will have its critics as all other ways of eating. However clean eating cuts out all the added sugars and limits saturated fats. The benefits of eating foods straight from the ground which has had very little to no processing is that the nutrients are plentiful and the add of human origin chemicals are diminished.

Clean eating will leave you feeling healthy, satisfied, and energised this is due to the nutrient paced singled ingredients paced full of goodness from vitamins, minerals and fibre to healthy fats and sugars, amino acids.  Of course, with any calorie restricted diet, you will lose weight. But where your calories come from really do count as will what comes with your calories. For example, a medium apple at 95 calories also contains Vitamin A, C, E, K. Vitamin B1, B2, B3. B5.B6. folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, not to mention eighteen amino acids, fibre, protein, starch, sucrose, glucose and fructose. The calorie breakdown is as followed 3% from fat, 96% from carbs and 2% from protein.

A slice of chocolate cake at 95 calories contains very little Vitamin A, Calcium, Potassium and iron But, loaded with saturated fats in fact 39% of the calories coming from fat, 57% coming from carbs and 4% protein .

How to eat when eating clean

1. Eat your fruit and vegetables, mainly the green leafy vegetables but it’s also important to eat the rainbow. As for the fruits eat them tinned in water or their own juice, fresh or frozen.
2. Nuts and seeds, look past the flavoured ones and choose the dry roasted, plain or salted. With nut butters choose the ones with only two ingredients the nut and salt.
3. Whole grains include barley, quinoa, oats and whole-wheat.
4. Healthy fats, this includes avocado and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, or sardine.
5. Legumes, this is the beans and lentils, these are high in protein and fibre.
6. Lean protein this can come from turkey, chicken breast, fish, legumes and yogurt.

Principal

1. Eat small regular meals.
2. Do not skip meals.
3. Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates with every meal.
4. Eat plenty of vegetables especially leafy greens.
5. Eat the rainbow when It comes to your fruit.
6. Drink plenty of water 2-3 litres.
7. Control your portions.

Is meal pepping a good idea

YES, without a doubt the more prepared you are the more likely you are to stay on your clean eating diet. Other benefits include you can save time and money, limit waste, aids in portion control, you can create a better relationship with food and you could inspire others, it can help enhance your overall health and well-ness.

There are of courser different ways to prepare your meals, so don’t fret you don’t need a waste a day away sweating over your cooker,

Batch cooking is a great method for certain recipes, which you can then separate into your in portion controlled Tupperware boxes which can then be frozen for a different day, week even months later.

Make a meal ahead of time, this is good for certain recipes such as a curry, which you could make in the morning then heat again in the evening when you are ready to sit down and enjoy your meal.

Ready to cook, get all your ingredients ready, washed, prepared, cut and ready for you to come home and throw them into a pan to cook.

My favoured way of preparing is to actually get four to six different meal ingredients all prepared and then do a batch cooking and then put three days of meals in the fridge and the rest in the freezer ready to be rotated.

All meals can be prepared and here at www.acsnutritionaltherapist.co.uk we help our clients by designing their nutritional plan around there budget and time. You can book a free consultation with one of our registered nutritional practitioners to discuss any  all  of your dietary and health needs.

We also have many blogs on health and wellness blogs which are all free to read. Feel free to contact us contact us to discuss any and all health related issues and concerns you may have

Have a look at our Delicious recipe book, this e-book is full of nutritious recipes and nutritional information.

We have a delicious sixty whole food recipe e-book, We also have a FREE downloadable breakfast muffin recipe e-book and a FREE downloadable seven green and nut smoothie e-book  

Please leave a comment and let me know if you are trying to eat clean. Remember to share this blog with your friends and family and on your socials.

By Aaron Christopher Slade.

A.C.S Nutritional Therapist and weight loss specialist.
A registered nutritional therapist.