oxygenmagAUTHE TEN STEPS TO CLEAN EATING
When you’ve made the decision that you
want to eat super clean and improve your
health:
1
Make this your ‘day one’, not
just ‘one day’. Clean out your pantry.
Do this after eating a meal as you’ll
feel satiated and be more ruthless in
throwing out sweet foods or biscuits.
I often hear people say they need to eat
everything first rather than throw anything
out before they begin their new super clean
eating lifestyle.
2
Cut back on, or better still,
eliminate soft drinks and sugar in
your food and beverages. Begin
by weaning yourself off sugar
over a few weeks, as sugar
is quite addictive. Start by halving your
sugar consumption in your tea or coffee (if
that’s what you drink) or in every second
beverage. I use stevia powder as it’s a natural
herb sweetener (although it tastes different
to sugar) and I add molasses to my oats in
the morning, as this tastes sweet to me,
plus it contains minerals. Occasionally I use
Manuka honey in my oats and coffee. Being
mindful of eliminating sugar and making
small changes will help you achieve healthy
lifestyle and be more aware what you’re
putting into your amazing body.
3
Try to replace wheat with
brown rice, buckwheat or another
carb of your choice. Most wheat
is highly processed, leaving the
roughage needed to slow the
digestion down too fine - and a spike in blood
sugars is created.
4
Have a ‘cheat meal’ once a
week. Eliminate junk food on
a regular basis. Instead, have
it once a week for your ‘cheat
meal’. Do include this one special
meal a week if you like, as it will feel like
your journey is a series of sprints rather
than a marathon. For your regular meals,
it’s surprising how easy it is to make a
homemade hamburger, or your own version
of fried chicken.
5
Become familiar with your
macros, as this is a very important
step to your new healthy lifestyle.
Choose a protein food, plus some
fats at every meal and only one
carb, whether you are eating out or at home.
For instance, in a bought sandwich, ask for
SERVING YOUR
LUNCH OR DINNER
ON A SMALLER
PLATE IS ONE WAY
OF MANAGING YOUR
PORTION SIZES.more of the filling, such as egg or chicken,
plus more greens and then only eat one slice
of bread, or only one half (top or bottom) of
the roll.6
Watch your portion sizes.
Serving your lunch or dinner
on a smaller plate is one way of
managing your portion sizes.
And it’s surprising how your
stomach will adjust and become satiated
with smaller portions. 7
After you’ve finished your
meals it takes your brain about
20 minutes to realise that you’re
full. So, after your meal, instead
of having another serve, distract
yourself by making a phone call, brushing
your teeth, or having some sugarless
chewing gum, as this will help take your
mind off food. 8
Start doing food prep during
the evening, such as boiling some
eggs and preparing a salad with a
slice of buckwheat toast or bread,
and take your meals and lunch
to work the next day. Or put some leftover
roast and veggies in containers to freeze for
emergencies. 9
Invest in your health by
choosing to eat the best quality
food you can afford, such as
organic eggs and meat where
possible. You’re worth it! 10
No weighing and
measuring — too
stressful. I have found
that weighing and
measuring my food (or
my own weight) is way too stressful and
seems to have an unhealthy effect on my
attitude to food. Trust yourself that your
amazing body won’t let you down if you eat
super clean food. And become aware of what
you’re eating as far as macros (protein, fats
and carbs) go.