Are you already aware of the concept of clean eating? Or is it the first time you are hearing about it? There are still many people who are unaware of this concept. If you are also among those who are new to this concept then stay with us. We will discuss in detail what is clean eating? How does it work? How does it help in weight loss? In the prologue of this piece of writing, we will discuss what is the phenomena behind clean eating? Then our discussion will move towards what are the do’s and don’ts of clean eating? Finally, In the epilogue, we will tell how it helps in the weight loss journey.
What is Clean Eating?
Clean eating simply focuses on eating whole food items instead of processed food ones. It not only helps a person to lose weight but also boosts your overall health. It says that you have to rely less on processed and store-based food items and focus more on organic and natural food products.
How does Clean Eating Work?
Clean eating is a type of diet that involves eating a more balanced diet instead of an imbalanced one. It focuses on having whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fats, and proteins. In this diet, you learn how to control your portions of food. It makes you more reliable on those food times which are rich in fibers and resultantly those food items help you to feel full for longer periods. When you become more reliant on whole foods and fibrous items, your stomach feels full even after eating small portions of food and it aids in weight loss.
How does Clean Eating Help with Weight Loss?
We will help you to know how clean eating helps in weight loss. All you need to do is to follow the following tips to lose weight with clean eating:
- Cut out added sugar: Eating too much sugar has not only been a cause of obesity but also leads a person to heart diseases. When you transition yourself to clean eating, make sure to phase out all the foods and drinks loaded with sugar and sugary syrups. For example, if you have a habit of eating sweets and processed items like cakes, pastries, and ice-creams, you need to stop practicing them. All you need to do is to replace them with a healthy food item like Greek yogurt topped with berries, unsweetened coconut, or cinnamon. You can find another substitute as well.
- Go for the green: Leafy and green vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower are those items that can easily be added to the diet plan of a person. You can easily add them to your salad, smoothie, or omelet to get a healthy meal. Being fibrous in content and nutritious in nature, they are likely to aid in weight loss. They are also considered to be rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help your body to survive.
- Limit the intake of processed foods: Ultra-processed foods are known to be associated with weight gain as well as with the risk of heart diseases. These processed food items are known to comprise sugars, stabilizers, preservatives, and artificial colors which make their consumption lethal to health. Examples include salty snacks, packaged cookies, and fast food items that have undergone physical and chemical processing. The phenomenon of processing not only makes them lose their nutritious value. But it also adds certain sugars and salts like sodium to preserve them or to make their taste appealing which again leads to weight gain.
- Make water your primary beverage: Water being the most natural drink is free of any sugars, salts, additives, sweeteners, or other ingredients. Being zero in calories, it only helps in weight loss but also aids in keeping you hydrated. By staying hydrated a person is likely to have a positive impact on his health. You will maintain an ideal weight, stay away from diabetes type 2, avert cholesterol-related problems, and much more. Otherwise, sweet drinks and even preserved fruit juices are likely to contain sweeteners that lead to obesity along with certain diseases.
- Prefer eating whole foods: Eating whole foods in their least processed form is a great way of clean eating. Being nutritious, rich in soluble fiber, packed with proteins, affluent in water, and poor in sugars, they are likely to have certain weight loss properties. They help you to feel full in a short time and are also likely to reduce the cravings for sugar. Rich in fiber means that they contain fewer calories per gram as compared to processed foods, hence, they are likely to help in weight loss.
- Eat six meals a day: Try to reduce your portions of food in a day. Make sure to take a combination of lean proteins, fibers from veggies, vitamins, and minerals from fruits in a day. When you will have all the food items in a day but at different timings in small portions, your stomach will need to work more. Eating in small portions is a rule of thumb for clean eating. The less you will eat, the less will be accumulated and the more will be consumed which indeed will lead to weight loss.
Some Important Steps to Consider While Clean Eating:
- You need to stop relying on processed surgery food items as they are rich in calories.
- Prefer drinking green tea after 35 minutes of having a meal as it helps in weight loss.
- Black coffee is a preferred beverage during clean eating as being low in calories helps in weight loss.
- Ditch all refined carbs because they are not good for your health.
- Choose nutrient-rich foods like eggs, berries, broccoli, salmon, etc as they are highly nutritious and healthier.
- Avoid drinking your calories in the form of sugary drinks like beer and beverages.
- Follow a plant-based diet as it is healthier and cleaner.
- Look at the labels of the ingredients while purchasing them. If high-calorie ingredients are mentioned then switch them with low-calorie items.
- Make sure to fill up your portion of protein as it is very crucial for your body while being on clean eating.
Dos and Don’ts of Clean Eating:
Certain guidelines are there that you need to follow at every cost while being a part of clean eating. By following them, you will get effective results in a short duration of time:
Dos:
- Do prefer eating snacks in the form of fruits/ vegetables/ salads: It will help you to maintain your energy levels and will also alleviate cravings for different food items.
- Do combine lean proteins with complex carbs: This combination will act as a natural suppressant for your appetite. It will also help to maintain the energy levels of your body.
- Do eat your veggies: Make sure to eat vegetables as they are rich in water content and fiber content. Hence, they will help to maintain hydration levels and mineral levels of your body.
- Do drink plenty of water: Make sure to keep your body hydrated. It is an excellent substitute for sugary beverages and unhealthy snacks.
Don’ts:
- Don’t skip your breakfast: The early morning meal is likely to maintain the metabolism of your body throughout the day. Hence, by skipping breakfast you will find yourself more inclined towards consuming large quantities of food which will produce unhealthy aftereffects.
- Don’t drink alcohol: Alcohol offers your body almost empty calories but with zero nutritious value. It is also likely to have certain harmful impacts on your liver. Hence, it is highly prohibited.
- Don’t oversize your portion of meals: You need to check your meal portions meticulously. You cannot afford to eat super-sized portions of meals during clean eating as it will be futile for weight loss.
- Don’t go into the week without a meal plan: You need to plan your meals before entering into the next week. The weekend is the best time to do it as it is difficult to plan each day which foods should be there in 5 or 6 meals of the day. So, it is better to have a weekly plan beforehand.
Bottom Line
The final word is that clean eating is a phenomenon of selective eating where whole food items are preferred in place of processed ones. Certain guidelines must be kept in mind while clean eating. You are allowed to have fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains while sugars, sweeteners, and packed food items are prohibited. You are advised to be a chef of yours while clean eating as you can have a clear idea of everything you are consuming. Drinking plenty of water is recommended during clean eating as it helps to maintain an ideal weight by keeping you hydrated while beers and wine are not recommended. For getting effective results in time, you need to follow the aforementioned standards regularly.