Clean Eating Diet

As you may already know, I’m not a big supporter of fad diets and I surely hope you have already realized they aren’t the best idea.

Fad diets simply can’t be maintained for long periods of time, and they can actually make things more difficult – for you and your metabolism!

But I am a big supporter of a clean, whole foods diet. This way of eating doesn’t require extreme measures or major sacrifices. It’s all about choosing natural options and developing a more balanced way of eating.

A clean eating diet is totally effective for supporting weight loss, toning, muscle-building, and overall health and fitness goals. Let’s get to the details…

The Clean Eating Diet

Whole Foods All the Way – The first tenant of any whole foods diet is removing processed foods or foods that are packaged and full of preservatives. This includes most fast food, frozen meals or side dishes, minute rice and other fast microwavable options, and many crackers, potato chips, and other junk food.

When snacking, some of the best options include nuts, veggies, and fruits (although watch your fruit intake – it’s high in sugar). For meals, brown rice is always a good option, and avoiding too much wheat is also a good idea. You should be aiming for whole grain whole wheat flour at all cost (it’s the least processed and the most nutritionally rich), but all flour is processed nonetheless. Go with options like sprouted grains and whole oats whenever possible.

I’m also a big proponent of a protein rich diet to support weight loss and lean muscle-building. Protein increases your body’s resting metabolism and gets you burning more fat on a regular basis, in addition to fueling your muscles. Protein options like Optimum 100% Natural Whey are natural and great, but if you want to take things one step further, go with a whole foods protein option like Vega Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer.

For whole foods snacking, you can also check out Vega Whole Food Energy Bars. They’re a tasty, natural, and protein rich option that will keep you satisfied.

Cut Out the Bad Fats – If you’re cutting out the junk food and fast food, you shouldn’t have too much trouble reducing your bad fats – mostly trans fats and saturated fats. While you want to reduce all fat intake if you’re trying to lose weight, you have to remember that there are good fats out there that can actually support your body’s overall health.

The fats found in avocados, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and fish are all healthy fats that will actually increase your body’s metabolism and get your burning more calories. Fish is probably one of the best sources, which is why I recommend supplementing with a natural fish oil supplement like Optimum Fish Oil Softgels. This is a great addition to any clean eating diet.

Nutiva Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is another great addition to a whole foods diet. It’s great for cooking and contains unique fats that will actually boost your metabolism!

Always Listen to Your Body – One of the biggest factors in any clean eating, whole foods diet is listening to your body on a regular basis. Once you adopt a clean eating diet, you’ll start feeling better in a number of ways, including physically and mentally. Trust me, you’ll notice the difference when you slack off and eat something highly processed.

You should also listen to your body when it comes to how often you eat and how much you eat. Eating more frequently and only when you’re hungry can go a long way to supporting your health and fitness goals.