::Get Fit:: Clean Eating

Clean Eating---I have been hearing this term thrown around a lot recently and I thought I’d look into it. While I have been working out, I have not been diligent with my diet and nutrition. Breastfeeding uses a lot of calories and I am hungry very often throughout the day. This has resulted in me consuming whatever is available and while I am getting healthier and closer to my pre-pregnancy body, I feel like I need more---I still have a little ways to go to what I want my end result to be. What I eat affects my mood and how I feel overall, it even affects my self-esteem. I find myself feeling much better and much more confident when I eat better. All of this has led me to my interest in Clean Eating.

The best resource I have found so far for information on this has been The Gracious Pantry. She has explanations of how Clean Eating works, grocery lists, and tons of recipes! From what I've read and derived from online research, Clean Eating is eating as close to nature as possible. We need to limit processed foods overall. No white flour or white sugar, no chemically-enhanced foods, and no artificial flavors---a good rule of thumb is to shop the perimeter of the store and limit everything else to foods with less than 5-6 ingredients and to make sure the ingredients are foods we can pronounce.

Working full time and having an infant can make eating healthy difficult and while I plan to begin this Clean Eating, I am not going to kill myself in the process. My plan is to grocery shop with these guidelines as best as I can and eat out as little as possible. I feel with this as a starting point I am bound to get healthier and feel better overall.

Here is my meal planning for the week:

Breakfast: Oatmeal (either steel cut or rolled oats. Steel cut is best but I may have to ease into that since I wasn't a fan the last time I tried them)

Morning Snack: Greek yogurt with honey or fresh fruit

Lunch:
M: Chicken breast on Ezekiel bread with tomato and avocado
T: Salad with roma tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, chicken, and balsamic dressing (I’m going to look for an organic, all-natural one)
W: Brown rice with black beans and chicken
R: Chicken breast on Ezekiel bread with tomato and avocado
F: Salad with roma tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, chicken, and balsamic dressing

Afternoon Snack: Hard boiled eggs or fresh fruit

Dinner:
M: Stuffed Bell Peppers
T: Tandoori Chicken with brown rice
W: Whole wheat pasta with chicken, roma, and basil
R: Tilapia lime tacos
F: Grilled chicken with pineapple and brown rice flavored with pineapple and allspice

This is my busy week at work and I usually end up eating crappy foods when I am busy. My plan is to go grocery shopping today and arrive at work stocked so I don’t end up with temptation. My weakness is definitely going to be sweets, ever since I was pregnant I have had a craving for something sweet after dinner and that has continued since Henley was born. I’ll be sure to keep fruit around just for these situations.


Any of you try Clean Eating before? Wish me luck!---oh and Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Mere :-)