No Diet!! Clean Eating...

For anyone who doesn;t know what clean eating is here are the basic principles:

1. Choose whole, natural foods and seek to eliminate or minimize processed foods.
Processed foods are anything in a box, bag, can, or package, and although there are always a few exceptions to the rule (like a bag of fresh green beans), the majority of your foods should be fresh.

2. Choose unrefined over refined foods.
While it may not be possible all the times, you can up your intake of whole grains like brown rice, millet, amaranth, and quinoa. Beans and legumes are also important. Clean sugars include honey, maple syrup, and dehydrated sugar cane juice.

3. Include some protein, carbohydrate and fat at every meal.
Most of us typically do well with carbohydrates and fat, but we often lack protein, especially in the early part of the day, like at breakfast and lunch. Protein is an important muscle-builder, and it can also help curb your appetite. When eaten throughout the day, it keeps us feeling full longer. Be aware of the kinds of meals you put together and space out your protein.

4. Watch out for fat, salt, and sugar.
This is easier than you think, particularly if you’ve cut out processed foods, which are responsible for most of our excess calories and high levels of fat, sugar, and salt. Clean foods are usually naturally low in all of these ingredients.

5. Eat five to six small meals throughout the day.
This usually pans out into three main meals and two or three hefty snacks. Eating this way prevents you from skipping meals and overeating. It also keeps your blood sugar levels steady so energy doesn’t lag.

6. Don’t drink your calories.
High calorie drinks like specialty coffees and soft drinks, on average, tack on an extra 400 to 500 calories a day. Choose water first, or my personal favorite, unsweetened tea (any flavor). Other clean drinks: low-fat or skim milk and 100 percent fruit juice diluted with sparkling water.

7. Get moving.
Regular physical activity is a must for many reasons. Not only does it decrease fat, strengthen and build muscle, and help you burn more energy at rest, it keeps your heart, lungs, and bones healthy and strong

I know exactly how this is... In january when I was diagnosed with gall stones I realized that by buying all the processed foods to appease my children I was actually teaching them to eat just as unhealthy as i used to. I was teaching them the same bad habits that got me 85 pounds overweight. Both my children are very healthy and active and right now have no reason to "diet". By the same token though I did not want them to end of at 35 having the same struggle I now have so we did it as a family. The best leasson you can teach your children id the lesson of be healthy. Yes I still buy boxed pizza for my 108lb 5'7" basketball star of a daughter. And I still buy White rice and T-bone steak for my 6'2 170lbs son. But all the meals of healthy pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein and low fat low sodium meals they consume 90% of the time makes up for the bag of potato chips and mcdonald's that they have once in awhile.

I buy Kashi crackers for my snack craving, I eat dark cocoa laden chocolate for my sweet tooth and when I binge I eat a huge bowl of grapes or watermelon.

If you want help in this transition I am always here for moral support and ideas