Clean eating for a happier & healthier life
1. Watch your protein intake!
If you're trying to stay in ketosis and are trying to keep your insulin levels balanced/keep your blood sugar from spiking, you HAVE to watch your protein. Once your body converts carbs into glucose, it switches to converting extra protein. If you have too much, it gets stored as FAT. People entirely overestimate how much protein they need. Use this Keto Macro Calculator to better access what your macros should be.
Now, everyone is different and you'll just have to play around to find your happy number, change it up on heavy workout days, etc. Always consult your own doctor/dietician for specific macro goals if needed.
20 Clean Eating Tips & Tricks
Tips & Tricks that are working for me. A lot of these I researched before I started this new lifestyle, but a lot of them I learned along the way. There's always new tips/tricks/knowledge to learn!
2. Be weary of sugar alcohols & sweeteners.
In moderation, sure, sugar alcohols are okay. As you bake and cook more, you'll learn which sweeteners work best for you and how your body reacts to them. I've learned a lot of about sweeteners and sugar alcohols along the way. I finally landed on sticking to natural Erythritol (0 GI and 0.2 calories/gram) for most of my baking. Maltitol, a [cheap] sugar alcohol in most "low carb" or sugar free products use, has a GI index of 36, spiking your blood sugar and insulin nearly the same as regular sugar.
Erythritol and the commercial products sweetened with Erythritol ARE a bit more expensive than Splenda, Maltitol, and other cheaper sugar alcohols. However, when you consider how many less "sweet" products you should be eating (thus how much less product you are using), and how much better it is for your insulin and blood sugar, I think it's worth it.
3. Eat REAL food.
I can't stress it enough, though. Sure, you can eat some commercial low-carb/sugar free products as special treats. But try to get the most of your food intake each day from real food. Try to get your carbs from vegetables and nuts. Spend the extra 80 cents (or dig for coupons like me) and get the grassfed butter. Shop at your local Farmer's Markets and eat the produce that's in season. Stop filling half your day's calories with Atkins bars, low carb chocolate, sugar free mints/gum, and commercialized "low carb bread." Have you ever read the ingredients on those labels? What ARE half those products? I was guilty of it, too, but life is different (better) without all of it.
If you eat food that comes from the ground, your body will thank you for it.
4. Drink more than "enough" water.
You should be drinking a LOT of water, anyway. With low carb diets, though, (especially at the beginning) your body is flushing out toxins and needs that extra water. I keep a 34 oz Bubba Jug with me at work and fill it up 3-4 times a day, at LEAST. You should be drinking at LEAST 64-100 oz of water every day, even more if you are working out by doing cardio and weight lifting/if you're out in the heat, etc.
If you need to put Dasani Drops, or a slice of lemon, or something like that, you can. Drinking straight, ice cold water, though, does the body good.
5. Stop having regular blow out cheat meals.
If you are having weekly cheat meals (or days, eek!), they're hurting you, I promise. If you have conditioned your body to burn fat due to low complex carb intake (which is good, yay!) and you suddenly force 4x your weekly carbs into ONE meal, you'll feel it. Not only will it knock you out of ketosis or make it harder to acheive, but it will make you feel like CRAP (trust me; I learned the hard way).
You can have cheat meals, where your carb count is higher than normal, but do yourself a favor and don't overdo it. Your body will hate you for it and shut down. If you've cut out fruit, have some during a cheat meal. If you have cut out chocolate, indulge in a few squares. If you have cut out grains, maybe have some, but really watch the carb grams. Just be practical and know your body might freak out if you overdo it.
6. Be really careful with alcohol.
I also learned this the hard way... (Sorry, friends)
First, it's okay in moderation, but keep in mind that alcohol is metabolized as acetate. Since acetate cannot be stored, and is considered by the body to be a poison, it is metabolized with the highest priority. This means that all other macro nutrients in the blood will be stored (fat), since the alcohol is being utilized for energy. Basically, your FAT burning is put on hold until all the alcohol is out of your system
That being said, drinking while keto/low carb is cheap! A shot or two of _____ with a side of Diet Coke and I am good. For the night. Stick to 0 carb hard liquor. Avoid Beer. Limit Wine. Do not...I repeat do NOT drink like you did before eating clean. You will regret it.
7. Track measurements, not just the scale.
Don't let the numbers on the scale ruin your day. We've all done it. You're losing, you're losing, you're feeling good, next day: up 2 pounds. Why?!?!?! Well, it happens. Maybe you've retained some water. Are you working out and lifting? Maybe you're gaining lean muscle mass. Are your clothes fitting looser? Then you're fine.
Grab a fabric tape measure and measure yourself every 2 weeks (making sure you grab measurements from Day 1!). I track 7 measurements: Neck, Stomach, Bicep, Thigh, Bust, Bustand, and Wasit and found it to be very helpful (especially during those weeks when the scale wasn't moving the "right" direction. Also, keep a "goal" outfit in the closet. Try the outfit on every 2 weeks when you measure and see the differences in how it fits.
8. Don't be afraid of healthy fats. Eat them!
If you are eating really low carb, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THOSE CARB MACROS WITH HEALTHY FATS to meet your daily caloric goal. Healthy fats: salmon, nuts, coconut oil, coconut manna, bacon (I limit this), grassfed butter, olive oil, almond butter, heavy whipping cream, sour cream, cream cheese, ghee, cheese, chia seeds, and flaxseed.
Not only are these healthy fats healthy, they help keep you VERY FULL for a VERY LONG TIME and help to actually burn your store fat when being used as your primary macro source of fuel! Cook vegetables in butter, ghee, or coconut oil. Eat salads with olive oil-based dressings. Bake with coconut oil. Eat coconut oil or coconut manna by the spoonful. Did I mention I love coconut oil?
9. Stop eating "healthy" fast food all the time.
Yes, this is related to Tip Number 3: Eat Real Food. And Yes, if you pull through the McDonald's drive through and get a Big Mac, take off the bun and onion, slide that burger down your throat, and devour it, you will have only devoured trace amounts of carbs. BUT that burger was cooked in TRANS fats, which are the kinds of fats we should NOT be eating. Also, I think dieticians across the board mostly agree that overconsumption of red meat is more or less horrible for you.
Choose low carb options at fast food restaurants when you "can't avoid" going (trips, friends, work, etc) but really try to limit the amount of fast food trans fat you are putting into your body, no matter how low the carb count is.
20. This is not a diet. This is your life.
If you are eating clean because you educated yourself on food, macros, and complexity of carbs, believe that they are detrimental to your overall health, and believe a better macro setup is better for you, then own it. This is not temporary. You will not go back to granola and a loaf of bread/week soon. This is how you live now, and that's great! (if that's what you want).
So, own it. Be confident that this chosen lifestyle is the right one for you. Don't call it a diet. When someone offers you a dinner roll/bagel/sandwhich/brownie, don't say, "I can't; I'm on a diet." Say, "I don't eat grains, thanks though!" and let it go. Simple as that. Then, reach in your bag, pull out your Quest Bar, baggie of almonds, or edamame and dig in!
10. Stop Starving yourself.
You should NEVER feel like life won't go on if you don't have a piece of pie RIGHT NOW. After the first few weeks (3-4) of training your body and mind to eat the right foods, you should feel satisfied nearly all of the time. If you feel like you're starving, you're probably doing something wrong. Maybe your macros are wrong, maybe you're not eating enough calories, maybe you're not balancing exercise and macros properly, etc.
If you feel like you're starving all the time, it's not a lifestyle you're going to stick to and you'll be back at square one sooner than later. Try shifting your macros around and eat MORE of the healthy foods on your list (squeeze in more coconut oils). You should feel full after a meal, but not miserable. You should feel satisfied during the day, not like you're going to pass out.
11. Incorporate some exercise.
You DO need to incorporate some daily/weekly exercise. I think an important rule of thumb to remember is: Don't work out so you can eat more. Work out to improve your fitness. An hour at high intensity training might burn 500-700 calories, which you could destroy in a half a fast food meal. Work out so your cardiovascular health improves, your cortisol decreases, and your overall health improves.
Take it easy the first weeks ofswitching to low carb/clean eating, though, as your body will go through much stress if this is a drastic lifestyle change for you. Instead, gradually increase the intensity of your workouts over time. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a GREAT workout tool to pair with a low carb lifestyle that will blast extra fat and keep you healthy.
12. Grab a buddy for dependability.
Everything is easier when you're not alone. When my boyfriend started eating healthier and watching his food intake, too, it instantaneously became easier for me at home. We cook together, snack together, workout together, and depend on each other's support. It's hard not to workout when your "healthy buddy" is doing P90X in the living room. That's powerful motivation to keep up your end of the deal.
It doesn't have to be someone you live with, or even someone you know. Join a group/thread on MyFitnessPal.com or another site of choice. Get connected with people who live like you do. Even just some positive words of encouragement from people (even strangers) who have gone through the same struggles you have can make all the difference.
13. Learn to cook; take control of your food.
I used to HATE cooking. Restricting carbs, though, comes with a narrow window and requires knowledge of meal ingredients. Carb grams add up fast and it's important to know what's in your food if you're watching your intake. I started cooking and baking nearly all of my meals (breakfasts, snacks, dinners) and after a few weeks I started to love it. I love watching healthy meals come together and knowing exactly what I'm putting into my body.
Get on Pinterest. Collect healthy meals that seem doable for you. Start easy. Learn your kitchen, your appliances, and your tools. Before long, you'll probably start to love it, too. Once you carve out time for making your own meals (Netflix on in the background, anyone?) it'll become a priority, because you'll love it.
14. Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
You do not deserve a pity party because "you're the only one who can't eat a piece of cake without gaining weight." 1) You're not the only one. 2) If you really want to change the way you live, and it's your choice, then be proud of your decisions. 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.
Instead of feeling sorry for yourself that you can't have the office doughnuts or the DQ blizzard, feel PROUD that you are choosing to be healthy. Feel proud that you skip the doughnut when you know you'll feel guilty and sick afterwards. Feel proud that you chose a lifestyle that's not mainstream that works for YOU. And if you DO eat a doughnut, don't beat yourself up. Move on and get back to your healthy choices.
15. Healthy foods don't negate bad choices.
Just because you had carrots and hummus for a snack doesn't mean that you can eat half of a pizza and 6 breadsticks for dinner. Remember Number 5? You will regret it. On the same note, one unhealthy choice does not ruin the whole day. Too many times I said "Well, I wasn't supposed to eat that order of fries; the whole day is ruined now. I might as well eat like crap the rest of the night and start new tomorrow." No. Finish your fries, remind yourself of why you changed in the first place, and prepare your healthy dinner.
I cannot count the number of times I "let" myself eat like a ravenous animal either because of a healthy choice or an unhealthy choice early on in the day. Think of meals as a way to fuel your body, and a way to reach daily and weekly goals and it will be more difficult to "throw it all away" because of one choice. Readjust as the day goes on.
16. Stop using money as an excuse.
But Kaitlinnnn, gyms cost too much money. My gym membership at Gold's Gym is $10/month, no committment. It doesn't include any classes, tanning, or frills, but all I need is a treadmill and weight machines. *Update: my gym is now "free" in my apartment. Win.
But Kaitlin, I don't have an extra $10. Well, you probably do. Cancel your Netflix subscription. Eat one less meal out a week. OR work out at home, for FREE. The videos at Blogilates are great. You have to make it a priority.
But Kaitlinnnn, eating healthy is sooooo expensive. It's really not. Watch sale flyers. Plan your meals. Buy only what you need. Buy what's on sale. Clip coupons. (I explain this in more detail in #4 here). No excuses.
17. Try not to get overhwhelmed.
There is a LOT of information out there convincing you of which diet/lifestyle is best: Low Carb/High Fat, Keto, Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Low Fat, Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, Intermittent Fasting, the list goes on and on. And working out? HIIT, endrance training, weight lifting 2x a week? 3x a week? Protein before or after? Pre workout shakes?
All I can say is you have to educate yourself on all of them and try to discover what you think will work best for you. I read endless blogs and websites and took pieces I wanted to include in my "new lifestyle," and tried them out. Some worked, some didn't. Something that works for someone might not work for you, and that's okay. As time goes on, you'll find out what works best for you.
18. Don't Give up...
It's SO easy to throw in the towel at the beginning. A bad workout? You want to quit. A bad day of unhealthy food choices? You want to quit. The scale stops despite healthy eating. You want to quit. You feel tired. You want to quit. You're having trouble sticking to your guns in social situations. You want to quit.
Don't give up. Most of these things have reasons that work themselves out as long as you keep doing the right thing. Quitting is typically not the right thing, especially if this "thing" is your new adapted lifestyle (not a phase). If the scale is not moving, concentrate on other positive outcomes: looser clothing, lower heart rate, better lung capacity, better skin and hair, less fatigue, more happiness, new skills learned, new friendships formed, and a better outlook on life.
19. ...And Be patient.
Losing weight and getting healthy is hard! If it wasn't, everyone would be successful right away! How many stories do you hear about people losing 70 pounds in 2 months with no challenges or obstacles in the way? None. What you DO hear about are people who lost 20, 40, 60, 80 pounds over the course of 9 months/years. And they lost it after overcoming rough obstacles: stalling scales, weight gain, fatigue, injuries, etc.
What they all have in common, though, is that they stuck it through because they saw all the other benefits of their new lifestyle change. Once you start focusing on the other positive outcomes (in number 18) and stop focusing on the scale everyday, you'll find that weight loss will just become a bonus point (an awesome added result) to an all over healthy lifestyle.
Advocare 24 Day Challenge Results