Time to Get Clean!
Hellooooo. I feel like I've been away for a while! It's time for me to get back in the groove with this site and LOTS of other areas of my life. It's been a bit of a roller coaster lately, with lots of emotional highs and emotional lows, and everything in between. The loss of my mother took me pretty low and this past weekend of high school graduation for The First Son took me to a fun, bittersweet and exhausting emotional high.
During emotional times the first thing to go south with me, I am ashamed to admit, is my diet. I eat emotionally or skip meals, or eat out. Following my mother's death I lost the energy, both mental and physical, to plan a healthy meal and the thought of shopping for it was even more exhausting. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who stepped in with wonderful meals so my boys did not have to go hungry! During the same time the graduation festivities began taking off and we all know what that means. . . .appetizers, dinners out, parties, libations, and other goodies. If one isn't full of one's normal amount of energy and consciousness about foods, then all of the parties are a minefield for poor choices and decadence.
One thing I made sure to do during these past few weeks was to have a green smoothie every morning. I knew at least once during the day I would get some green vegetables. Although, let's be honest, one green smoothie isn't going to balance out the mexican feasts, wine, skipped meals or brunch foods.
I'm sure you've had times when "life" seems to try to sabotage your clean eating plans. Maybe it is this time of year with end of school and Spring time festivities, or summer with the loose schedules and vacations. I'm planning on Getting Clean again right now. I'm not waiting until tomorrow or until Monday. It begins right this very instant. Here's what's going to happen and what Getting Clean again means for me.
During emotional times the first thing to go south with me, I am ashamed to admit, is my diet. I eat emotionally or skip meals, or eat out. Following my mother's death I lost the energy, both mental and physical, to plan a healthy meal and the thought of shopping for it was even more exhausting. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who stepped in with wonderful meals so my boys did not have to go hungry! During the same time the graduation festivities began taking off and we all know what that means. . . .appetizers, dinners out, parties, libations, and other goodies. If one isn't full of one's normal amount of energy and consciousness about foods, then all of the parties are a minefield for poor choices and decadence.
One thing I made sure to do during these past few weeks was to have a green smoothie every morning. I knew at least once during the day I would get some green vegetables. Although, let's be honest, one green smoothie isn't going to balance out the mexican feasts, wine, skipped meals or brunch foods.
I'm sure you've had times when "life" seems to try to sabotage your clean eating plans. Maybe it is this time of year with end of school and Spring time festivities, or summer with the loose schedules and vacations. I'm planning on Getting Clean again right now. I'm not waiting until tomorrow or until Monday. It begins right this very instant. Here's what's going to happen and what Getting Clean again means for me.
The basic premise for Clean Eating for me is to eat food in its most natural state. This isn't a diet at all, but being conscious of what I am eating, why I am eating it and when.
Eat five to six times a day
Three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This keeps your body energized and burning calories efficiently all day long. I am at heart a "snacker". I naturally tend to graze all day rather than sit down for a healthy salad or meal. When I do this I know I am eating more than I need as I'm not as conscience of the amounts of foods I eat. So, I'm cleaning up this bad habit that creeps in when things get crazy.
Drink at least two liters of water a day
I tend to always drink lots of water. However, if I am away from home all day I miss drinking as much water as I need. The biggest key that helps me is to limit alcohol during the week or at least tto one glass of antioxidant-rich wine a day.
Read Labels
Shopping the outer aisles of the grocery store is a sure way to get natural foods. Second, reading food labels is key. Clean foods contain just one or two ingredients. If you can't pronounce the ingredient you know it's not real food. I always say eat only foods that have a Mama. Cheetos don't have Mamas!
Avoid the processed stuff
Cutting out white flour, sugar, bread and pasta always makes me feel so much better.
Know your enemies
If it's a trigger food, whether its salty potato chips or sweet cookies, don't have it in the house. *If you are shopping the aisles in the stores you won't be able to put this stuff in the cart!*
Think about portions
Know what the proper portions are for healthy proteins, good carbs and healthy fats. Keep it all in moderation.
Sit Down with the Family
Food is a social thing and a way to bring the family or your friends together. As summer comes I know my boys will want to be out and about doing their thing. Last summer I made Mandatory Family Dinner Nights. I plan to continue so at least a few times a week I know we will be together, enjoying a meal, catching up and that I will be feeding them healthy foods rather than whatever it is they would be shoving in their mouths!
Eat five to six times a day
Three meals and two to three small snacks. Include a lean protein, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a complex carbohydrate with each meal. This keeps your body energized and burning calories efficiently all day long. I am at heart a "snacker". I naturally tend to graze all day rather than sit down for a healthy salad or meal. When I do this I know I am eating more than I need as I'm not as conscience of the amounts of foods I eat. So, I'm cleaning up this bad habit that creeps in when things get crazy.
Drink at least two liters of water a day
I tend to always drink lots of water. However, if I am away from home all day I miss drinking as much water as I need. The biggest key that helps me is to limit alcohol during the week or at least tto one glass of antioxidant-rich wine a day.
Read Labels
Shopping the outer aisles of the grocery store is a sure way to get natural foods. Second, reading food labels is key. Clean foods contain just one or two ingredients. If you can't pronounce the ingredient you know it's not real food. I always say eat only foods that have a Mama. Cheetos don't have Mamas!
Avoid the processed stuff
Cutting out white flour, sugar, bread and pasta always makes me feel so much better.
Know your enemies
If it's a trigger food, whether its salty potato chips or sweet cookies, don't have it in the house. *If you are shopping the aisles in the stores you won't be able to put this stuff in the cart!*
Think about portions
Know what the proper portions are for healthy proteins, good carbs and healthy fats. Keep it all in moderation.
Sit Down with the Family
Food is a social thing and a way to bring the family or your friends together. As summer comes I know my boys will want to be out and about doing their thing. Last summer I made Mandatory Family Dinner Nights. I plan to continue so at least a few times a week I know we will be together, enjoying a meal, catching up and that I will be feeding them healthy foods rather than whatever it is they would be shoving in their mouths!
What does eating clean mean for you? What makes you lose your healthy habits? How do you get back on track?
Hope you have some nice sunshine to enjoy!
Hope you have some nice sunshine to enjoy!
