I feel a bit like a religious fanatic for clean eating when I say that it’s not a diet but a way of life. I feel absolutely fantastic, and see no reason to eat dirty anytime soon.
Here are the basics of my twist on clean eating: the clean(ish) eating diet.
- Eat heaps of fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal.
- Do NOT eat sugar or white flour, or anything that contains sugar or white flour.
- Read labels. If you’re buying something like bread, hummus, tomato sauce or similar, read the ingredient list to be sure there is no sugar or white flour, and that you recognize everything listed (hint: should be a short list).
- Instead of sugar, sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup. Instead of all purpose or white flour, bake and cook with whole grains. Good options: whole wheat pastry flour, spelt and teff flours, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat couscous, polenta, brown rice, brown rice pasta.
- Avoid processed foods, including deli meat and bacon.
- Eat lean meats and lower fat dairy products, or meats and dairy that come from grass fed and/or sustainably raised animals (even, sometimes, bacon, but this is an occasional treat). I am more flexible about high quality dairy products. I will eat good quality goat cheese, and add a bit of butter to my polenta. Get to know your food and use your best judgment.
- Enjoy dark chocolate. The darker the better. I usually eat 85% cacao.
- Drink wine in moderation. A glass per night (for women) is acceptable.
- Drink lots of water.
That’s it! You’ll notice a difference in energy right away, and a difference on the scale in about a week. Remember that this isn’t a quick fix diet, so the weight loss may be slow but it should be steady.
