By May Baydoun
(Clean Eating, ..)
Clean eating is not a new concept! Nor is it a fad diet to shed weight. Clean eating is about sticking to what is closest to natural products and avoid processed foods that come out of a box. It's not about restricting what you eat, but rather about making conscious choices to eat better quality foods. This means more natural products and less chemicals and additives. Although some people may be able to jump right into clean eating and never look back, most need to ease into this lifestyle. A sure way to get started is to firstly drink
more water; secondly eliminate processed foods; thirdly balance your meals; and finally control portion size.
A good place to get started on your clean eating journey is to start putting more water into your body. We often underestimate the benefits of drinking water and even go as far as considering other liquids to be equivalent to drinking water. This myth needs to be put to rest! All liquids are not water and they cannot be used by your body the same way water can be. Juice contains sugars, coffee contains caffeine, milk contains fats and proteins, and the list goes one. All these need to be assimilated by your body differently than plain water does. Keep in mind that the body is mostly composed of water. This can range between 45% in the morbidly obese, to 72% in healthy adults with a higher lean muscle mass. Water is used by the body to aid in your digestion, to fire up your metabolism and in the chemical reactions that occur on a cellular level. Water also helps you remove waste from your body. It is a lubricant for your joints and it regulates your body temperature. A good way of knowing if you are getting enough water is that your urine should look like lemonade as opposed to apple juice. You should strive to drink at least two liters of water on a daily basis.
That is water, not liquids! (Clean Eating, ..)
You second step to clean eating is to eliminate as many processed foods as you possibly can from your diet. A good way to remember what processed foods are is to think of how many processes or transformations the food has to go through to get into your fridge or pantry. The more processes, the worse it is for your health. Remember, the body is made to absorb natural foods with minimal processing. A good place to start is with sugar. You can use honey in equal proportions to replace refined sugar. Keep up your healthy habit by purchasing fresh vegetables and fruits as opposed to frozen ones; stick to fresh meats as opposed to pre-packaged; make burger patties with fresh ground beef instead of buying frozen patties; use lean meats that are high in proteins such as chicken and turkey breast. Your eating habits are a work in progress and will require easing into. Don't be worried if you cannot have perfectly clean meals at every meal. You are always only one meal away from clean eating.
Continue your healthy eating by properly balancing your meals. As a general guideline, each one of your meals should contain 45-60% carbohydrates; 10-35% proteins; and 20-35% fats. These proportions may come as a shock to many, especially those who have tried many diets that require cutting down on carbohydrates or eliminating fats, etc. The fact of the matter is that your body needs all of these essential nutrients, along with vitamins, minerals and water, in order to function properly. Simply put, carbohydrates provide your body with glucose it needs to feed your brain and to fuel your cells with energy; proteins are used to build and repair your body tissues; while lipids from fats provide the essential fatty acids that your body needs for your cell membranes, the production of hormones, and healthy skin, and a lot more. These are essential nutrients and your body needs them at every meal in the right proportions. An easy way to keep track is to have half your plate contain carbohydrates, one third of your plate should contain proteins and the rest should be fats. If you are able to maintain this on a regular basis, you are well on your way to having your body working at its fullest potential.
Perhaps most important when it comes to nutrition is the size of your portions. We all want more for our money and unfortunately, when it comes to food, we are getting exactly what we want. Bigger portions and supersized options for our meals. This has not only expanded the size of our stomachs, but has completely distorted the reality of what a serving is. As a consequence, many people have a tendency to fill their dinner plate and consider this to be the right amount to eat. In fact a dinner plate contains approximately two to three times the amount of food you should be eating at once. It is advisable to fit your meal into a dessert plate or a soup bowl. This portion is closer to what should be consumed in one sitting and will allow you to eat less more often and therefore feel full all day long.
In conclusion, there really is no magic diet that will get you to shed pounds and get fit. The key is to adopt some good clean healthy eating habits. To do so, drink more water, eliminate processed foods, balance your meals and watch your portion sizes. Lifestyle changes are not easy and will take time. It is important to make the decision to change and stick to it. Make gradual changes as opposed to doing it all at once. Take it one meal at the time, and don't be too worried about perfection. After all, you are always one meal away from eating clean. (Clean Eating, ..)
more water; secondly eliminate processed foods; thirdly balance your meals; and finally control portion size.
A good place to get started on your clean eating journey is to start putting more water into your body. We often underestimate the benefits of drinking water and even go as far as considering other liquids to be equivalent to drinking water. This myth needs to be put to rest! All liquids are not water and they cannot be used by your body the same way water can be. Juice contains sugars, coffee contains caffeine, milk contains fats and proteins, and the list goes one. All these need to be assimilated by your body differently than plain water does. Keep in mind that the body is mostly composed of water. This can range between 45% in the morbidly obese, to 72% in healthy adults with a higher lean muscle mass. Water is used by the body to aid in your digestion, to fire up your metabolism and in the chemical reactions that occur on a cellular level. Water also helps you remove waste from your body. It is a lubricant for your joints and it regulates your body temperature. A good way of knowing if you are getting enough water is that your urine should look like lemonade as opposed to apple juice. You should strive to drink at least two liters of water on a daily basis.
That is water, not liquids! (Clean Eating, ..)
You second step to clean eating is to eliminate as many processed foods as you possibly can from your diet. A good way to remember what processed foods are is to think of how many processes or transformations the food has to go through to get into your fridge or pantry. The more processes, the worse it is for your health. Remember, the body is made to absorb natural foods with minimal processing. A good place to start is with sugar. You can use honey in equal proportions to replace refined sugar. Keep up your healthy habit by purchasing fresh vegetables and fruits as opposed to frozen ones; stick to fresh meats as opposed to pre-packaged; make burger patties with fresh ground beef instead of buying frozen patties; use lean meats that are high in proteins such as chicken and turkey breast. Your eating habits are a work in progress and will require easing into. Don't be worried if you cannot have perfectly clean meals at every meal. You are always only one meal away from clean eating.
Continue your healthy eating by properly balancing your meals. As a general guideline, each one of your meals should contain 45-60% carbohydrates; 10-35% proteins; and 20-35% fats. These proportions may come as a shock to many, especially those who have tried many diets that require cutting down on carbohydrates or eliminating fats, etc. The fact of the matter is that your body needs all of these essential nutrients, along with vitamins, minerals and water, in order to function properly. Simply put, carbohydrates provide your body with glucose it needs to feed your brain and to fuel your cells with energy; proteins are used to build and repair your body tissues; while lipids from fats provide the essential fatty acids that your body needs for your cell membranes, the production of hormones, and healthy skin, and a lot more. These are essential nutrients and your body needs them at every meal in the right proportions. An easy way to keep track is to have half your plate contain carbohydrates, one third of your plate should contain proteins and the rest should be fats. If you are able to maintain this on a regular basis, you are well on your way to having your body working at its fullest potential.
Perhaps most important when it comes to nutrition is the size of your portions. We all want more for our money and unfortunately, when it comes to food, we are getting exactly what we want. Bigger portions and supersized options for our meals. This has not only expanded the size of our stomachs, but has completely distorted the reality of what a serving is. As a consequence, many people have a tendency to fill their dinner plate and consider this to be the right amount to eat. In fact a dinner plate contains approximately two to three times the amount of food you should be eating at once. It is advisable to fit your meal into a dessert plate or a soup bowl. This portion is closer to what should be consumed in one sitting and will allow you to eat less more often and therefore feel full all day long.
In conclusion, there really is no magic diet that will get you to shed pounds and get fit. The key is to adopt some good clean healthy eating habits. To do so, drink more water, eliminate processed foods, balance your meals and watch your portion sizes. Lifestyle changes are not easy and will take time. It is important to make the decision to change and stick to it. Make gradual changes as opposed to doing it all at once. Take it one meal at the time, and don't be too worried about perfection. After all, you are always one meal away from eating clean. (Clean Eating, ..)
May Baydoun is a fitness professional, exercise science and athletic therapy specialist dedicated to providing accurate fitness information, and to guide all who want to achieve a healthier lifestyle. If you want to know more about living a healthier lifestyle, visit http://www.maybaydoun.com.
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1 Comments
Thanks for sharing benefits Of eating healthy diet foods.These are helpful for mention a perfect health.
ReplyDelete