Clean Eating...A way of life with many benefits.

If you are following my "clean eating" journey, I'm going to tell you (again) that this is definitely NOT a diet...it's a way of life.  It's a healthy take on fueling your body....and an awesome way to lose a few pounds without really trying!

Image from "The Fit Housewife"

I've been doing this for 3 weeks and the benefits are undeniable...

• I have more energy
• My salt and sweet cravings are pretty much G.O.N.E
• I have eliminated refined sugar from my diet without challenge
• I have eliminated 90% of dairy from my diet without challenge (I still enjoy Greek Yogurt & a sprinkle of cheese every now and then)
• I have banished my caffeine addiction - seriously...I haven't had coffee in 2 weeks and haven't missed it!  (This is HUGE)
• I have lost 9.5 pounds!

Do you want to learn more?  Find out my plan after the jump.
What is Clean Eating?
Clean eating can mean different things for different people...but most will agree that it is "Consuming food in its most natural state, or as close to it as possible.  It is not a diet; it is a lifestyle approach to food and its preparation. "

How you interpret this is totally up to you.

My Clean Eating:

1. Eliminated 95% of processed foods - this was easy for me since I pretty much implemented this about 2 years ago due to my daughter's allergies.  
2. Eliminated refined sugar.  This was new - I love baking - I love cookies!  But guess what, clean eating doesn't mean giving up sweet treats - it just means re-thinking how you make them.  
3. Increased my vegetable intake (cauliflower fried rice - this is seriously awesome - google it)
4. Buy "organic" as much as possible 
5. Make smart choices (eat a sweet potato instead of a white one)
6. Choose whole grains over processed grains (brown rice instead of white, steel cut oats instead of instant...)
7. Eating lighter meals every few hours instead of 3 heavy meals.

What Does Clean Eating Entail?

Planning your meals is the biggest part of clean eating.  There is definitely a lot more preparation that goes into it - but your body will thank you for it!  When food shopping I stick to the perimeter of the store and avoid any packaged goods that contain more then 5 ingredients (usually even less).  I stick with mostly organic produce and meat when I can and choose to make more things from scratch.

One of the most eye-opening things I have learned is that you can pretty much make anything that comes in a jar with minimal work.  A few things I have made that normally I would buy in a package:

• Hot Chocolate Mix  (powdered sugar and cocoa powder & powdered milk - BTW, this was for my kids) 
• Taco Seasoning (chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder and salt)
• Peanut Butter (peanuts with a little oil and a little honey if you like it sweet)
• Hoisin Sauce (soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, spices)
• Soups (roast up some veges and put them in a blender with some chicken or vegetable stock and seasoning)
• Salad Dressings - I will NEVER buy another jar of salad dressing again.  Oil, vinegar and spices, maybe some honey....soooooo good without the preservatives and sugar!

You'll be surprised how much you can actually replicate in your kitchen without much hassle!  I would recommend buying yourself some Ball Canning Jars with Storage Caps to store your homemade goods (dressings, peanut butter, seasonings, etc).

What Do You Eat?
Here is a sample of what I eat....

BREAKFAST

Steel cut oats with apple pieces and cinnamon.

Egg with spinach and a sprinkle of cheese on a small piece of gluten free toast.

Smoothies!  A typical smoothie for me is almond milk, banana, berries and 2 cups of spinach.

LUNCH

Roasted & Curried Cauliflower & Onion Soup.

Israeli Couscous with cucumber, carrots, onions and raisins with a light honey dijon vinaigrette.

Kale, Tomato, Sweet Potato and Zucchini Stew

DINNER

Blackened Salmon on a bed of lettuce with a side of fresh guacamole.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

SNACKS & TREATS

Baked apple with cinnamon, a drizzle of local, raw honey and a sprinkle of walnuts.

Healthy Chocolate Oat Cookies (made with honey, coconut oil, coconut flour and flax meal)

My kids actually made these with minimal help from me and loved them as much as I did!

Thoughts
I can't say enough about eating this way.  I feel real good.  I'm never hungry and each day I find it easier and easier to make smart, healthy choices for my body.  And to tell you the truth I couldn't be happier about losing almost 10 pounds in 3 weeks!  I have spoken to people who have lost between 20-30 pounds by eating this way...I guess your body figures out what is right for you.

The way I view this eating clean thing is not only am I doing my body justice, I'm teaching my kids to eat healthy, we're avoiding GMOs and we thoroughly enjoy our food.   The weight loss is an awesome benefit and since this is the way I plan on eating "forever", I'm not feeling frustrated that I will gain it back when the diet is over because this isn't a diet - it is a lifestyle I can maintain.

I have been posting many of my meals on Instagram if you are interested in following!