Clean eating for a happier & healthier life
1. "I have no self-control at the grocery."
Well, go prepared.
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Look at the sale flyers & coupons.
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Plan out meals on myfitnesspal for the week (or whatever duration).
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Make a grocery list from the pre-planned meals.
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Go to the grocery and get only those things.
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Embrace newly founded grocery self-control.
Boom. Mission Accomplished. No excuse.
13 Excuses...& why they are invalid.
I have thought each and every single one of these below excuses at one time, and have heard each one from different friends. My mentors didn't let me use these excuses, and here's why:
2. "But I have NO idea how to cook."
Learn. Start simple. You can learn anything on Google and Pinterest. The more you cook, but the better you'll be. No one became a good cook by ordering out.
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Do a Pinterest search for simple recipes.
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Do a Pinterest search for 3-ingredient recipes.
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Do a Pinterest search for microwave recipes.
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Do a Pinterest search for no heat recipes.
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Do a Pinterest search for beginner recipes.
Etc., Etc…..No excuse.
3. "My friends/family eat out ALL the time."
Well, then don’t go. No, kidding. Go, and just exercise some self-control on the menu.
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Steak, chicken, fish.
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Take the bun or wrap off and eat the "insides."
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Request veggies/salad in place of fries & chips.
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Get vodka and diet instead of beer, or better yet, tea and water.
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Look up the nutritional info before you go, if you can, and choose the best option.
Pick the best option for your goals. No excuse.
4. "But people...me, I NEED carbs in my body."
Do you? Or do you just want them? Do a bit of reading here about carbs and your body and re-think that philosophy that’s been engrained into us.
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The human body only needs one teaspoon of sugar at all times (if that).
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Women are supposed to consume no more than 20g of sugar carbs a day, or roughly 6 teaspoons.
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Once you don't eat them in excess, you stop needing them. No excuse.
5. "There's SO much conflicting information."
I can’t deny that. Keep an eye out for blogs like this to see what works for people that are like you. Look for nutritional information on .org type sites and just try to be as educated as possible.
You can always weed out the things that don’t work for you and develop your own set of “guidelines” just like I did.
For instance, my body is sensitive to extra protein. Yours might not be. The only thing you can do is try, document, readjust, and keep on keepin’ on.
No excuse.
6. "Living this way is just too expensive."
I can’t. I just can’t. Anyone reading this that knows me should never use this excuse to my face. I am Queen Frugality. I’m not a crazy couponer making it on to TLC, storing 64 cases of toothpaste in my basement, but I save money.
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Read Number 1: “I have no self-control at the grocery.”
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Insert steps 1-5 here.
And "living this way?" What way? Healthy? Yeah, maybe broccoli is more expensive than pizza rolls and garlic bread per ounce. But how about the alternative: how much more expensive are those “next size up” jeans? (mine were expensive) No excuse.
7. "I'd get bored eating the same thing each day."
Well, just because I prepare a week’s worth of zucchini noodles and asparagus each Sunday for my Monday through Friday work lunches doesn’t mean you have to.
I just REALLY like zucchini noodles and asparagus and don’t mind eating them every day for lunch...because I love them so much and they're SO easy during a Sunday Meal Prep. I DO switch up the sauce day to day: one day butter, one day Laughing Cow Cheese, etc.
So, switch it up if you want! The low carb and clean eating recipes and options really are prolific.
No excuse.
8. "I don't even know where to start."
Well you’re here, aren’t you? That’s a start. Congrats! Woo Hoo! Excuse number 8 officially annihilated. Seriously.
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No excuse.
9. "I literally do not have time for this."
Then don’t do “this.” For real.
….This? “This” is YOUR life. You get to prioritize what matters to YOU. Also, yes: ~3-4 hours of meal prep on Sunday takes a long time and cuts into my Sunday free time. But it also frees up about 10 HOURS throughout my work week. That’s like paying $4 for a tank top, getting the tank top, and getting $10 back. You just made $6 AND got to keep the tank top.
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Is Netflix is more important than the gym?
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Is an extra hour of sleep more important than fitting in your cardio for the day?
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Is "wasting" 4 hours on Sunday worth not wasting 10 hours throughout the work week?
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Is spending an extra hour planning out a weeks worth of meals worth not wasting time and money at the grocery store?
All the choices are yours. And if Netflix IS more important than the gym to you, then great! Own it! But you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. No excuse.
10. "But aren't low carb diets Dangerous?"
Nope. (As always, check with your own personal doctor, first) In fact, the diet's neuroprotective effects are used as therapy for conditions including Alzheimer’s, cancer, Parkinson’s, diabetes and epilepsy. As for weight loss:
If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…it’s probably a duck. Nutritional ketosis simply occurs when the carbohydrate intakes fall below a certain threshold.
Are you restricting refined sugars? Trying to eliminate processed sugars? Taking the bun off your sandwiches? Choosing lettuce wraps instead of tortillas? You’re already taking the same steps. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…."
No excuse.
11. "I can't give up coffee. I just can't do it."
Um, who told you that you have to give up coffee? Yes, in general caffeine in large quantities, no matter the form can cause some internal issues. But coffee is fine on a low carb/clean diet….just keep it low carb! Be REALLY careful at Starbucks: there are a LOT of low fat options, but not a lot of “fancy” low carb options.
Some of my favorites:
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Medium Roast Coffee with 1 tbsp Sugar Free Torani French Vanilla Syrup
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Medium Roast Coffee with 8 Drops Chocolate SweetLeaf Sweet Drops
No excuse.
12. "I dont want to miss out on the good stuff."
You don’t have to! Well, kind of. Maybe you just need to redefine what qualifies as the good stuff. There are SO many delicious low carb swaps you can make, and several ways to do low carb baking. Like I mentioned in “Tips and Tricks,” Obesity is an epidemic for a reason; everyone feels entitled to that piece of cake. Our bodies were never originally designed to eat cake. Everyone feels like it's not fair that they can't have it, so everyone does, and now we're all fat.
You know what’s better than cake at every event? Stable blood sugar and low triglyceride counts. Skinny jeans are nice, too. There are too many ways to have “the good stuff” and still be low carb and healthy. No excuse.
13. "I cant give up fries [or any carb item]."
Yes.
You.
Can.
Again, low carb swaps. This is a lifestyle. If you are educated about “the bad food” in your life and want to change, it’s probably for some pretty good reasons. If you give them up, know it’s for health and for lifelong results. Know if you keep eating them, results may suffer. There’s no magic way to eat everything and make no sacrifice along the way.
“Eat to live, don't live to eat.” No Excuse.
Advocare 24 Day Challenge Results