Eat Clean and Lose Weight

Chemicals, preservatives, toxins, artificial sweeteners and food coloring, even pesticide residues are consumed every day by the average person.  The more processed food consumed, the more fast food consumed, the higher the level of these irritants.  Unfortunately, the human body becomes overloaded and can’t remove these substances effectively and they start to build up.  When that happens it’s difficult to lose weight because the metabolism slows down.

So, what can you do?  Eat clean and lose weight! Of course you wash fresh produce and your hands before you eat, but that’s not exactly what’s meant by eating clean.  It’s a term meaning that unprocessed foods, organic foods and natural foods make up the majority of the diet.

Calorie counting isn’t part of the clean eating way of life.  Either is white flour, sugar, or rice, all of which is highly processed and pretty much nutrition free.  Try to focus on organic produce that’s pesticide free.  If possible use free range chicken, and hormone free organic beef, and diary products. Don’t worry there’s a vast variety of foods you can eat.  So what do you do if you work and aren’t home for lunch? You take your food with you in a small portable cooler and don’t have to worry about what you’ll eat for meals because it’s all pre planned.

Pack a cooler with apples, bananas, berries, nonfat yogurt, baked chicken breast, and whole grain wraps.  Add a container of shredded veggies in a tablespoon of olive oil and a half a lemon and you have the makings of a tasty chicken wrap with a mixed fruit compote.

Another alternative would be to substitute nonfat cottage cheese for the chicken and add a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese to the veggies and you’ve got the basis for a quick and easy Italian salad.

Make sure you have bottled water with you all the time.  Lots of water means you’re flushing toxins out of your body.  You can freeze the bottles to keep colder longer.  Just make sure you don’t fill the bottle completely full before you freeze it so it doesn’t burst.

Pack enough in your cooler for the meal you’ll be away from home for and a couple of extra snacks in case you’re delayed.  If you work in an office stock a drawer with nonperishable clean eating snacks like dried fruit and nuts.

Compose your meals and snacks with protein, whole grain high fiber carbohydrates, and lots of produce.  You’ll be eating clean and losing weight in no time.