Feb. 11, 2012: Clean-Eating Principles

I luv weekends!  I slept in a little later than I normally do.  My body was exhausted and I think I needed the extra sleep.  My cats, however, didn't appreciate it as much.  They were determined to get me out of bed.  When the crying, licking and biting didn't work, they began bringing me cat toys.  I found about half a dozen strewn across my bedroom floor and a few in my bed.  Gotta love their persistence!  :>)  I finally agreed that they were right and it was time to get up.  My Saturday started with a trip to the farmer's market,...

 
then a good workout at the gym.  It feels great when I have the time and am able to get my workout out of the way, first thing in the morning.  I then dropped of some cans of food for a food drive and came home to make my oatmeal.  It was a cloudy, lazy day, but felt good to just relax at home and get some chores done.

I wanted to revisit the Clean-Eating Principles today.  I don't always follow them religiously, but am trying to incorporate them more and more into my lifestyle.  From Tosca Reno's The Eat Clean Diet (2007, p. 15):

1. Eat 5 or 6 small meals every day.
2. Eat every 2 to 3 hours
3. Combine lean protein and complex carbs at every meal.
4. Drink at least 2 liters, or 8 cups, of water each day.
5. Never miss a meal, especially breakfast.
6. Carry a cooler loaded with Eat-Clean foods to get through the day.
7. Avoid all over-processed, reined foods, especially white flour and sugar.
8. Avoid saturated and trans fats.
9. Avoid sugar-loaded colas and juices.
10. Consume adequate healthy fats (EFAs) each day.
11. Avoid alcohol - another form of sugar.
12. Avoid all calorie-dense foods that contain little or no nutritional value.
13. Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and enzymes.
14. Stick to proper portion sizes - give up the super-sizing! 

Focusing on changing one or two habits a week can really make a big difference!  Everyone has their own pace.  Maybe for some, it's focusing on several new habits a day, while others may take a month to focus on one.  The important thing is, make a choice to do something worthwhile for you and your body.  You deserve to be healthy!  What small change can you make to help improve your lifestyle?  Make a decision and stick to it.  You only get one chance (one lifetime) with the body you are given.  Make it count!   

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