Clean Eating.... whhhhhaaaaa!?!?!?!

Clean Eating… whhhhhaaa??

Okay, don’t be scared. When I first heard of “clean eating” I seriously pictured myself munching on carrots all day long, putting green junk in a blender and gagging it down.  I almost said…. Heck no, I am not going to do that “clean eating crap”. But it is a LOT better than that. When you think of clean eating think: minimally processed foods, ingredients that you can pronounce & recognize, a lean diet (lean proteins, etc), water, you don’t have to give up coffee if you don’t want to, but maybe you could try to switch to green tea, but if you can’t- drink coffee! It’s okay!

Why I switched from WW to Clean Eating. Don’t get me wrong, WW is great in theory, you get a certain amount of points to consume per day, and you are encouraged to eat veggies and fruits, as well as your recommended daily water. The only trap that I fell into was, “oh I have 10 points left, I can have a slice of pizza”  OR I would want McDonalds, and I would only have a few spare points for the day. That grease was not going to help me when I did 50 crunches that night. Now that I eat clean, I can see my abs! Do I still have a cheat day? Yes, I personally allow myself to. I am human. This is completely up to you, if you feel you need one, or would do better without one. I recommend the first 30 days to try without so you an create the habit. It takes 21 days to create a habit, you know!

 

As far as WW, I didn’t use it properly, I always felt tired. Yes, I did lose weight, but I was still eating junk. I have seriously transformed my body and kept off 30 lbs for almost a whole year now. I value the Clean Eating lifestyle, because you can still eat yummy foods… just better versions of them. I have WAY more energy, have improved my metabolism, and I learned: the only way to actually see what your body is capable of is by eating the foods that it deserves! I am no longer focused on a target point system, but rather healthy meals throughout the day. Each body is different, and I have learned this is what mine needs. I suppose you could use WW and Clean Eating! Totally up to you!

So why did I do this? I heard wonderful things about it, and I didn’t want to just “look better”, I wanted to feel better too! I didn’t want to give up yummy stuff, but I definitely wanted healthier versions of yummy stuff. Here is what I learned: Our metabolism can slow down or speed up based on what we put in our body. Eating clean is one way to accomplish a change in our metabolism for the better, which is a VERY good thing.

Pages to check out: He & She Eat Clean, Jamie Eason Recipes, Chalenejohnson.com/blog

There is a Clean Eating Magazine (to be honest I have never used it)

2 books I love: PUSH by Chalene Johnson & The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno (the winner of the challenge gets their choice of 1 of these books).

Here is the easiest way to explain it:

1)             Consume 6 to 7 small meals per day (200-300 calories) WHY? You need to keep your metabolism going.

2)            Start your day with protein

3)            Eat more dark green veggies

4)            Consume Minimal Processed foods

5)            Drink plenty of water and avoid carbonated beverages (8-10, 8oz glasses daily).

6)            Minimal refined sugar, soy and dairy.

7)            0.7  Grams of protein daily times your body weight in KG (calculate your body weight in KG and multiply)

8)             Ask how it is prepared when ordering/ eating out

9)             Healthy fats (avocado, evoo, almonds & nuts)

10)       Figure out how much you take in and how much you put out (my fitness pal)

 

“You don’t have to give up meat, or bread! I suggest finding a sprouted grain bread. Like: Ezekiel (frozen organic aisle) 1 loaf can stretch a few weeks (for me at least as I don’t eat it every single day). Sprouts and sprouted-grain products are more readily digested than your typical store-bought loaf of whole-grain bread. In addition, their nutritional profile is high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals. It is the cooked form of wheat that causes mucus congestion, allergic reactions, constipation, and bowel irritability. When wheat is sprouted the starch is converted to simple sugars and this has no negative effects on the digestive tract” (Reno, 2009).

 

Here are some more tips from Tosca Reno “The Eat-Clean Diet”

DO:

1)             Eat more- 6 small meals a day

2)            Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.

3)            Eat a combo of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal.

4)            Eat sufficient (2-3 servings) of healthy fats every day.

5)            Drink 2-3 liters of water each day

6)            Carry a cooler packed with Clean foods each day.

7)            Depend on fresh fruits and veggies for fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes.

8)             Adhere to proper portion sizes.

AVOID:

1)             All over-processed foods, particularly white flour and sugar.

2)            Avoid chemically charged foods.

3)            Avoid foods containing preservatives.

4)            Avoid artificial sugars.

5)            Avoid artificial foods (such as processed cheese slices)

6)            Avoid saturated and trans fats

7)            Avoid sugar-loaded beverages, including colas and juices.

8)             Avoid (or do your best to limit) alcohol intake.

9)             Avoid all calorie-dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. (Reno calls them “anti-foods”)

10)       Avoid super-sizing your meals.

 

Resources: PUSH by Chalene Johnson (2011). The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno (2009).

 

Pick up a weight, I dare ya.....

Go hard or go home… yes, ladies… I mean you…

To find me lifting a weight in my early twenties would have been a rare occasion. Here is what my workout “routine” (if you can even consider this a “routine”) consisted of: Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds DVD’s, Occasional walks outside in the summer, 20 minutes on the Elliptical at the local “hole in the wall” gym that I got a free membership to for attending our local community college. When I was really motivated, I would go for a jog (but never in the winter), use 2 lb. dumbbells in the occasional aerobics classes at the gym, and sporadically attend Pilates at the gym.

I once bought one of those big stability balls and vowed to do 100 crunches every day because I read in an article once that Britney Spears did like 500 per day. Crazy, I know.

This was my logic, do what other people do that look good, even if it sounds ridiculous & continue doing cardio until you hit your goal weight, and then pick up those 2 lb. dumbbells to really start toning and getting some definition. There was NO WAY in heck I wanted to build “muscle over fat”, and get all “big”. All crazy myths I lived by, while never achieving anything besides hitting that goal weight (but feeling pretty crappy and lethargic all the time). How many times did the owner at the gym tell me during my annual health test, “women need to stop being afraid of strength training, it boosts your metabolism, and makes your cardio workouts more effective”. Obviously this went in one ear and out the other.

It wasn’t until this past year, when I wised up. Something must happen when you almost hit 30. Oh yeah, that’s right, you stop being so stubborn, and become more open-minded to learning again. If only I could go back to the owner at that gym, and say, “look at me now! I finally listened to your advice”. I don’t know if he’d be thrilled, or annoyed to know it took only 8 years for me to “get it”.

Here is the thing ladies… no matter what your goal is, to lose weight (anything from 5- 100 lbs.), to get some definition and “tone”, we need:

1)     Be open-minded to learning

2)     Dis-spell irrational thoughts and myths about “strength training”

3)     Commit to 2- 3 days per week of strength training (30-60 minutes)

4)     Identify the positives to strength training

5)     Put all of the above into action

 

I can’t tell you how to do #1 on this list; it is something that will need to come from you when you are ready.

With that being said, let’s start with #2: “Dis-spell irrational thoughts and myths about “strength training”. Here were some of mine:

a) Strength training will “bulk” me up and make me look “manly”.

b) I will build “muscle over fat”

c) The number on the scale will go up because muscle weighs more than fat.

d) Light weights + Lots of Reps= sculpted body.

NOW it is your turn: (use mine or write down your own)

a)

b)

c)

d)

I also can’t tell you how to do #3, or enforce it. I’d like to think I could all jump in to check on you at home or at the gym to make sure you are committed, but that may be going a little too far. I’ll trust you to believe that you have now identified this as important, and will put your goal into action!

What I can do though, is suggest that you get a calendar and schedule these workouts in as non-negotiable appointments. Don’t use the excuse of “I have no time” because I don’t care how busy we are, we can make the time (ie- cancel other events, or appointments that can wait, or rearrange things to squeeze in some time). Shoot for just 2 days per week (30 mins each to start).

Now we have #4: Identify the positives to Strength Training. And no, meeting a hot meat head at the gym is not one of them (well maybe, if you are single that is)… Here are the real positives:

a)     Strength training is scientifically proven to provide the most effective results for fat loss.

b)    As we get older, our metabolism slows down (sad, but true), the only way to combat this is through Strength Training. Guess what? We aren’t getting as much out of our cardio routines when that metabolism slows down, but if we are strength training, we are!

c)     “Though any strength training is beneficial, slow, controlled reps working to create momentary failure in less than 12 reps is one of the best ways to improve muscular strength and therefore reduce body fat”.

d)    Helps us become more effective with functional, everyday activity. Ie: Carrying groceries, carrying the baby, lifting boxes, moving furniture, going up or down stairs, etc.

(Johnson, Chalene. PUSH. 2011).

 

Okay, your turn, what do you see positive about strength training (now that you know some of your “past thoughts” were myths) :

a)

b)

c)

d)

And lastly, # 5: Again, something you will have to do on your own… but if Strength Training is something brand new to you here are a few suggestions on how to get started: Take a “pump” or “strength training” group exercise class. Ask about beginners. Set up a session or two with a personal trainer who can help develop a tailored routine for you, once you have learned the routine, you can do it on your own. There is a WONDERFUL at home workout program that I suggest if you have a few dumbbells at home (I suggest getting a 5 lb. pair for warm-ups, an 8 to 10 lb pair, and potentially there is a set at Wal-Mart that goes up to 20 lbs.). This program is called: ChaLEAN Extreme. The workouts are about 35 mins each. You will learn proper form, and begin seeing changes in your body quickly. You’ll be astonished at the lbs. you will be able to lift after a few weeks. A great book to use as a guide is PUSH by Chalene Johnson- where she will give you a routine you can do at home starting on page 211.

How I "Shake my Shake"

I never used to be a "drink a shake" type of girl. In fact, my experiences with shakes were disgusting to say the least. My second year in college I was working at Rite Aid where we sold "Slim Fast" . I thought, "what the heck, I'll give it a shot" and attempted to try and lose 10 lbs. I had to drink this nasty watered down shake for 2 meals a day, and that was a joke. It didn't fill me up & I believe I ended up gaining weight because I would binge from being so hungry at the end of the day.

My second and third attempts were not specifically a "let's drink a shake everyday" type of experience. I was working and going to school, and we had a gym in our town (that I could not afford a membership to) that sold some pretty decent shakes. I would do my workout at the "hole in the wall" gym, then drive to the nice gym to buy a yummy shake for a post-workout snack. They weren't too bad... they used "Myoplex Lite" and mixed things like blueberries and they even had an apple pie recipe in the fall. These were simply "once in-awhile" shakes. The shake did provide me with protein, and was lite in calories, however, it certainly was not a meal by any means. My third attempt was getting some shakes at the weight watchers meetings so I could use them when I had a sweet tooth. Again, not a meal by any means.

Finally, I discovered Shakeology that is produced by Beachbody. I wasn't specifically looking for a weight loss or protein shake, but I joined a weight loss challenge in the fall of 2011. It came with my package, and I thought, FINE! I'll drink it! (Definitely not enthused by the thought of it). After 1 week of drinking it faithfully for breakfast, I could not believe the difference. I had more energy, it literally filled me up that whole entire morning, I can't describe it all... but it was just this healthier feeling! It really kept me on track throughout the whole day. And guess what? I didn't have to drink it for 2 meals a day, ONLY 1. So here I was, losing weight, feeling better & I still had no clue what I was drinking, I just knew it was working, tasted yummy and I was feeling amazing. It was a month or so later, that I finally realized what I was putting in my body. I had NO CLUE!!! The shake was loaded with vitamins & minerals (enough for a daily multivitamin)! It also had the equivalent nutrients of 4 to 5 servings of fruits & veggies. There was 17 grams of protein & no artificial sweeteners. Fiber, and then all of these "super foods" that we can't even get from our regular health foods. You can read more about all these "super foods" and what they do for you here: www.myshakeology.com/brianapalmer.

So I continued on the shake, and then they came out with a "New Formula" with even more super foods and less sugar. The sugar is found in the shake is from the steevia plant and they reduced it from a significant 9grams per shake to 3 grams. The taste suddenly changed.. however, I challenge you to a taste test between Shakeology and MRM Veggie protein powder (which we do store in our house for emergencies when we run out of shakeology), and let me know your opinion. Shakeology still wins the taste test in my books. And if you have never had the old version with the 9grams of sugar, you would never know the difference. The reason the company did this was because, sugar is sugar no matter what form... and they vow that Shakeology is your healthiest meal per day. How could they stick by the vow, if they continued to give us 9 grams of sugar per serving. If we have more sugar, we crave more... so to reduce the sugar was the best thing they could do for us! In addition... the reason the company has not come out with a "Vanilla" version like other competitors is because they can not formulate the flavor of vanilla naturally like chocolate. They would have to add artificial items to get the taste to par with all of the super foods the shake packs in it. I thank the company for sticking to their guns.

Other shakes on the market that I will not mention.. but you may have heard about them through challenges they host as well are packed with artificial ingredients, cost just as much (may appear to be cheaper per bag... but remember, you have to drink 2 per day instead of 1 therefore will probably have to get 2 bags), and most do suggest 2 per day.

Shakeology is not only a great shake for weight loss but it can be an after workout snack (for those looking to just maintain weight).... or you can do a half a scoop instead of a full scoop. Use it for your own goals and health... not just for weigh loss.

PHEW with all that being said.. Shakeology is the BEST investment I have ever made in my health, and with the combination of clean eating (to the best of my ability) and working out... I have lost a tad over 30 lbs (most of which was done in 90 days).... and I am quickly approaching the 1 year mark of when I started my challenge, and I have not gained any weight back (with the exception of occasionally fluctuation 3-4 lbs). 

HERE is how I SHAKE my CHOLCOLATE NEW FORMULA SHAKEOLOGY:

8oz unsweetened (SILK) vanilla almond milk (30 calories)
8 oz water (YES I LIKE TO SHAKE A BIG SHAKE)
1 scoop or 1 single serve pack Chocolate Shakeology
Handful or 2 of Ice
4-5 Frozen Strawberries (??30 calories)??
1.5 TBSP PB2 or Just great stuff Powdered PB (30 calories)
1 TBSP Butterscotch FF/SF pudding mix (I know, artificial... but for now it helps me adjust to the new taste... eventually I'll eliminate this ingredient)> :)

Blend & Shake 2 cycles. Makes a 20-24 oz shake

YUMM!!