Eating Clean: Getting Started

I hope you are here because you are ready to make some changes to your diet. Figuring out what to eat was such a challenge for me when I started my fitness journey. I can attest to just how overwhelming it is (It can be so intimidating that you might be tempted to throw your hands in the air & quit. Trust me, I've been there! )
This book changed my life lol

Breath easy... I have some tips to help you make this a smooth transition

What is Clean Eating?

The approach is eat cleaning is a lifestyle that focuses on eating whole foods, in their natural state. (Think about what your great great grandparents ate. Cheetos were not part of their diet lol) 

Some basic principles to follow: 

The DO List

• Eat 6 small meals a day
• Eat Breakfast within an hour of waking up
• Eat a combination of lean protein, complex carbs & healthy fat at every meal
• Drink Plenty of Water (Rule of Thumb: Your body weight divided by two will give you an idea of how many ounces to drink a day)
• Plan and prepare your meals ahead of time
• Adhere to proper portion sizes

What to AVOID:

• Avoid all processed foods (especially white flour and sugar)
• Avoid chemically charged foods. If you can't read the ingredients on the label, eliminate it. You are not a science project ;)
• Avoid all preservatives and artificial sugars
• Avoid sugar loaded beverages. If you are addicted to soda, transition to sparkling water. Over time, your taste buds change I promise
• Limit (or avoid) alcohol intake. 
• Avoid Fast Food
• Avoid calorie dense, nutritional void foods. 

When making changes, it can feel like... "Well heck! What CAN I eat?"
Don't worry. You have free reign on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein and healthy fats (like yummy avocado).
There is such a wide variety available to you, but it might not be familiar territory yet. That's ok. We'll get you there!

This is your chance to branch out, try new recipes, and maybe you'll discover you love something. For the longest time, I thought sweet potatoes were disgusting. I don't know if it was the color...or because I've only seen them at Thanksgiving...I but LOVEEE them now. So be open-minded in this process. 

You should NOT feel hungry or deprived.  If you are eating correct portions, you will feel satisfied (not full) after eating and you'll be moderately hungry before it is time for you to eat again.
You might experience sugar cravings at first, but these will dissipate over a few weeks.

Remember, it's ok to treat yourself on occasion. Just be mindful that it is a treat meal...not an entire treat day or week. What helps me stay on track is planning my treats.
If I know we have Date Night on Friday, I will save my treat until then. Mentally I have something to look forward to!  Make it part of your prep & keep things in moderation. If you choose to have some cake, don't eat the whole cake. 

Getting Started

1. Load up on fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. If you are looking for convenience, I love frozen foods (NOT Healthy Choice frozen meals! lol) What I mean is...Costco sells an amazing variety of frozen chicken, veggies and fruits. Pro Tip: Always check the label to make sure they are adding an ingredients. If you buy frozen broccoli, make sure the label only says "broccoli". Frozen fruits often have sugar added so opt for the package without sugar. 
2. Clean out your fridge and pantry. You might discover you have a lot of expired items lurking in your pantry. Purge all of those and start checking labels.
   Foods that contain ingredients that are not “clean” or that you cannot pronounce, need to go. You can throw them out or donate them (you can even take them to work). 
3. Make a grocery list. I like to plan my meals ahead so I can buy in bulk for the week or month. For example, pantry items like quinoa or rice can be purchased in bulk to save you time and money on your next trip.
   Build up your spice variety as you go. Spices can be expensive but they go a long way so maybe just get a few each trip. Here is a great shipping list for beginners.
4. Schedule your Shopping & Prep Day.  Don’t under estimate how much time it takes to prep food. Try and get your grocery shopping done early in the day and get right to prep when you get home. I like to buy lots of veggies for stir fries and do all the chopping on Sunday. If you have ever made fajitas or stir fry, you know that it takes about 30 minutes just to cut up all the veggies. That is a lot of time to spend during the week after a long day at work. Having meals ready to 'Heat 'N Eat" has saved me on many occasions especially when I worked a long, stressful job before becoming a Beachbody Coach.
   I prefer to cook my chicken in bulk. If you make a batch of it on Sunday, you can use it for salads, wraps, etc throughout the week.
   (Note: To preserve freshness, I cook meat on Sundays and Wednesday. You can also freeze foods (even your chopped veggies) to ensure great taste when you're ready to cook)
   You can also make a large batch of quinoa or rice to use throughout the week. 
5. Pack your Meals. If you work out of the home (or you are always on the go), I love Tosca Reno's method of packing a cooler! You can store your meals for the day alone with some ice packs. It makes your food accesible and limits your (ahem...excuses) for not eating healthy. 
6. Be patient with yourself. It's a lot to take in. If you feel overwhelmed, make one new adjustment per week. Slowly eliminate foods that are on the no-no list and start adding new foods into your diet. Start with substitutions like greek yogurt in place of sour cream or mayonnaise and cut out the soda and fast food. This is your lifestyle so you need to change it at your own speed. Some people are able to do this in one fail swoop and others need baby step their way along. Small changes are still changes so you will be on the right track.

You've got this! While it might feel intimidating now, you will adjust and it will become second nature. Eating clean is a lifestyle change- not a diet that you stick to for a couple weeks. SIDE NOTE: People who are very accustomed to processed foods have a difficult time with (i.e., don’t like the taste of) the natural flavors of real food. They will say "I don't like vegetables or anything that is healthy."

Don't despair! Over time, your taste change and your body will start to crave the good stuff!  
Once you get acclimated you will feel so great that you can't imagine eating processed foods that make you feel sluggish!
Figure out what works best for YOU. This is not a one size fits all.  I used to hate going to the grocery store or stepping food in the kitchen...but now that I know what to eat...it's actually become enjoyable (and there is a certain pleasure in knowing you are taking care of your body).

You'll do great!!

Check out recipes and grocery list ideas. 

Healthy Snack Recipe: No Bake Nutter Butter Bars

Today, I was in desperate need of a healthy snack recipe. The cutest lil girl came to the door selling chocolate and caramel corn for her dance team. I do alright avoiding the sweets until the are right in my face haha  Soooo I decided to let Jay eat the junk and make my own yummy but healthy treat. 

If you love peanut butter, you NEED to make these!

No Bake Nutter Butter Bars 

3 cups Old Fashioned Rolled oats
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
2 tbsp coconut butter (optional)
2 tbsp Vanilla Almond Milk
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cup nut butter (peanut or almond)
1/2 cup nuts (almonds, walnuts, etc)
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc)
2 scoops Protein Powder (Vanilla or I used Cookie Dough choc chip)

First, warm your nut and coconut butter with your agave.  I used really low heat and gently stirred until they were soft. Add in Vanilla Almond Milk. 

Remove from heat. Add oatmeal, cinnamon, and protein powder. To make this easier/more fun, I just used my hands to mix everything together. (I used gloves so I didn't get peanut butter everywhere)

Add in dried fruit, nuts and anything else you want to add (ex: flaxseed, dried apples, sunflower seeds or get creative and add in 2 tbsp instant coffee!) 

I covered a pan with parchment paper- press into your pan, refrigerate. Once it's cool...you can cut into squares...and Enjoyyyyy! 

Veggie Veggie Summer Pasta Recipe

What You Need (Serves 2-3 people- or Dinner & lunch the next day!)

• 1 eggplant
• 1 zucchini
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper, oregano to taste
• 175g – 200g whole wheat rotini
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
• 20g – 30g goat cheese, crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook pasta. Drain and return to pot.
2. Fire up your Grill or George Foreman
3. Slice zucchini in thick slices, about 1″.
4. Cut bell pepper in half, seed it and smash it to make it as flat as possible.
5. Brush vegetables on both sides with a little bit of olive oil then sprinkle generously with salt, black pepper, oregano
6. Grill vegetables on grill (medium-high heat) about 4-5 minutes per side
7. Cut grilled vegetables in bite size pieces and add to cooked pasta.
8. Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
9. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle with basil and goat cheese.

P90X2 Meal Plan

Thought I would switch things up a little this week and make a VIDEO post about my meal plan! Bare with me (bear with me?!) hmm...lol 

I know I'm talking a million mile/hr but I didn't want it to be too long and my video editing software SUCKS!!! If someone could point me in the right direction to something that won't degrade the quality of my pics, I would be mucho grateful!

But let me know whatcha think!

Side note...it's "bear with me" right? because bare means like naked. omg am I really having a blonde moment?! ***just googled it*** ay yi yi

My P90X 2 Meal Plan (Vegetarian)

Wake Up: Warm Lemon Water

Post workout: P90X Results & Recovery 2 scoops mixed with water

First Meal: Baked Apple Bliss! 1 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs wheat germ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 baked apple (Recipe Below!)

Beachbody Multivitamin  

Meal 2: Shakeology

Meal 3: Zesty Spinach Soup (recipe below)

Meal 4: 2 Cups baby carrots & broccoli, 2 Tbsp Homemade Red Pepper Hummus! =) Recipe Below!

Meal 5: Vegan Lettuce Wrap & 1 Cup of veggies juiced in my Jack LaLanne!

Post workout: 1 scoop Brown rice protein powder mixed with water

Recipes!

Baked Apple Oatmeal Bliss!

6 Apples (take your pics!)

5 Cups Oatmeal

2 Tbsp Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Wheat Germ

2 Cups Walnuts

Core Apples. You can bake apples first and then throw in food processor. OR you can throw apples in the food processor FIRST.

Throw 1 cup Walnuts in food processor until coarsely chopped.

Keep 1 Cup walnuts in food processor until it's basically a powder.

Mix apples, cinnamon & walnuts in with the Oatmeal. Bake in the over at 400 degrees- covered for 30 min, uncovered for 10 min.

You can add a sweetener if you would like, but I personally like the the taste of just apples & oatmeal. I also like my oatmeal super dry, but you MAY want to add a little water. 

Options!

• You can also add raisins, dried cranberries! Or whatever else you like! Get creative! 
• Try nutmeg and/or Allspice
• For a twist, add grated orange zest or lemon zest in with your apples
• You can bake everything all together OR you can slice apples, wrap in a foil pouch with spices & raisins. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 min. Then you can mash the mixture over your Oatmeal. Honestly, you can't really mess this up =)

***Update*** I re-heated this for breakfast in the microwave. Delish! But I was thinking...it would have been 10 times better if I could have reheated it in the oven uncovered. You know when apple crisp gets that delicious "crispness" to the top layer. Yummy! I might try that this weekend when I'm home for breakfast.
I love these pyrex dishes because #1 they last (no bending or breaking!) #2 I feel safer reheating glass instead of plastic. Would you like some cancer with your oatmeal? No thank you. #3 You can throw them in the oven! I got a set of 3 for $7 at Tj Maxx. Score!

Zesty Spinach and Veggie Soup!

What I love most about this recipe....you can basically just use whatever veggies you have at home!

1 Onion

2 Carrots (sliced or coarsely chopped)

3 Stalks of Celery (sliced or coarsely chopped)

3 Cloves of garlic (bust out the garlic press)

2 Zucchini, chopped or sliced

1 Package Frozen Spinach

6 Cups of Vegetable Stock (You can use chicken or beef broth if you like)

1 Veggie Bouillon

2 Cups Tomato (chopped)

Pinch of Nutmeg

1 tsp Sea Salt

Pinch of Black Pepper

Saute veggies

Add stock and bouillon to large stock pot- add veggies, tomatoes, & spices. Bring to a boil then simmer. Add spinach and continue to simmer for 15-20 min.

Enjoy!

I Love the frozen Spinach! Soooo easy! 

 ALWAYS check the labels! 

 I went a little nuts with the food processor lol

Hummus

2 15oz cans of chickpeas drained & rinsed
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons tahini
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
water for thinning out
salt, to taste
1/4 roasted red pepper

Place chickpeas in food processor or blender with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, roasted red pepper & cumin. Process until very smooth, 1-2 min, stop the machine and scrape down the sides if necessary. Add a little water to thin out. Salt to taste.

I roasted my red pepper. I actually threw the garlic in the food processor then put it inside the red pepper, wrapped in foil and baked.

Vegan Lettuce Wrap

Veggies to juice!

I just started adding Wheat grass to my juice =)

Have you tried any variations of these recipes? Do you have any awesome recipes to share?

P90X2 Vegetarian Meal Plan!

Prepare your meals ahead of time!! I PREACH this! Try it for one week and I swear you'll never go back! At first it seemed a little annoying to me to spend ALL of this time in the kitchen on Sunday.

The OLD me
When I would grocery shop, I didn't have a list. I would walk down the aisles and pick up what looked good in the moment. No game plan. No Strategy- It makes NO sense!
I never thought ahead about what I was going to eat- translation: I ate a lot of frozen meals or grabbed fast food. I would go hungry for hours, then binge eat.

Me Now
I have a system. I have a routine. I have a PLAN. I sit down on Sunday with my cookbooks and notepad and make my meal plan for the week. yes, it was hard AT FIRST but it FORCED me to LEARN!! It forced me to THINK about what I was going to eat and then PREPARE for it!
it's crazy to think that while we KNOW we need to eat several times during the day...so many people give it little to no thought until they are in the moment and hungry. That leaves you vulnerable and you tend to grab what is CONVENIENT.
***MAKE HEALTHY CONVENIENT!!! There's a thought =)

Sooo I make my meal plan and then check my kitchen so I can see what I need. Then I make a list and STICK TO IT! I don't stray! I don't even go down most of the aisles. If I can't SEE ice cream, it doesn't exist! lol
If you are vulnerable in the store and buy those naughty things, you KNOW you are going to eat them later. If you can be STRONG enough to pass them up in the store...you won't have the temptation at home. I used to have things like ice cream (can you tell it's my FAV?) but what would happen....since I KNEW they were there...it was like they were calling my name "Eattttt meeeee" I couldn't concentrate on anything else until I ate it.

My P90X 2 Meal Plan (Vegetarian)

Wake Up: Warm Lemon Water

Post workout: P90X Results & Recovery 2 scoops mixed with water

First Meal: 1 cup oatmeal with 1 tbs wheat germ ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 baked apple & Beachbody Multivitamin 

Meal 2: Shakeology

Meal 3: Mediterranean Arugula Salad (See recipe below)

Meal 4: 2 Cups baby carrots & broccoli, 2 Tbsp Homemade Red Pepper Hummus! =) Recipe Below!

Meal 5: Vegan Lettuce Wrap & 1 Cup of veggies juiced in my Jack LaLanne!

Post workout: 1 scoop Brown rice protein powder mixed with water

Recipe Time!

Oatmeal with Baked Apples

Cut & Core Apples. Sprinkle with cinnamon, cover with foil- Bake at 400 degrees for 45 min

Put Baked apples in Food processor, process until it's like apple sauce 

Yummy!

Add to Oatmeal! Refrigerate! Reheat and Eat!

Mediterranean Arugula Salad

Hummus


2 15oz cans of chickpeas drained & rinsed
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons tahini
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
water for thinning out
salt, to taste
1/4 roasted red pepper

Place chickpeas in food processor or blender with lemon juice, tahini, garlic, roasted red pepper & cumin. Process until very smooth, 1-2 min, stop the machine and scrape down the sides if necessary. Add a little water to thin out. Salt to taste.

I roasted my red pepper. I actually threw the garlic in the food processor then put it inside the red pepper, wrapped in foil and baked at the same time i made the apples.

Vegan Lettuce Wrap

Veggies to juice!

I just started adding Wheat grass to my juice =)

Have you tried the P90X or P90X2 Meal plan? What did you make? Do you have any awesome recipes to share?

Thanksgiving Day Dinner for under 500 Calories!

Have to share this feast from Spark People! 

Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and, of course, food. The typical holiday meal can have more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Caloric Control Council. That's almost three days worth of food for most of us! Butter, cream and white bread seem to be lurking in almost every dish, and the meal never seems to end. 

For those of us who are trying lead healthier lifestyles, moderation and healthy eating are just as important on Thanksgiving. Fortunately, it is possible to eat right and still enjoy yourself on Turkey Day! 

To help, I created brand new SparkRecipes for a three-course Thanksgiving meal that clock in around 500 calories! (Dessert, not included in that number, will add 150 calories or fewer, if you have room for it.) 

Use the chart below to compare my Thanksgiving feast with a traditional meal. The more recipes you use from this list, the more calories you'll save--without sacrificing taste or tradition! 

SparkRecipes Feast	Calories	Fat	Traditional Meal	Calories	Fat
Herb Roasted Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g	Turkey, 3 oz light meat	140	3 g
Apple Cider Gravy, 2 T	20	0 g	Gravy, 2 T	50	2 g
Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing, 1/2 c	78	1 g	Stuffing, 1/2 c	180	9 g
Roasted Root Vegetables, 1/2 c	82	2 g	Mashed potatoes, 1/2 c	220	8 g
Cranberry Relish, 2 T	42	0 g	Cranberry jelly, 2 T	55	0 g
Steamed green beans (or another green vegetable), 1/2 c	15	0 g	Green bean casserole, 1/2 c	120	8 g
Roasted Squash Soup, 1 c	128	3 g	Cream-based soup, 1 c	250	18 g
Total:	505	9 g	Total:	1,015	48 g

This SparkPeople meal has 510 fewer calories and 39 fewer grams of fat than a traditional feast! You'll find all the recipes to make it below! These recipes include a veggie-rich soup to start your meal off right, the juiciest turkey you'll ever taste, several sides, two desserts, plus a cranberry relish that will leave the store-bought jelly quivering in its can.

BONUS! Click here to download and print a colorful recipe book that includes all of these recipes! (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this pdf document.)

	Chef Meg's Roasted Squash Soup Studies have shown that starting a meal with a broth-based soup can fill you up, so you eat fewer calories over the course of a meal. This soup gets a boost of flavor from cilantro pesto, but there's very little fat in this version. TIP:Roast the squash ahead of time and freeze it. Your oven will be full on Thanksgiving, and this will save you some valuable time.
	Chef Meg's Herb Roasted Turkey When the fat from the turkey melts during cooking, it falls to the bottom of the roasting pan. When that happens, the bottom quarter of the bird does not roast--it braises in its own juices. To prevent this from happening, try using a V-rack in your roasting pan for perfect results!
	Chef Meg's Apple Cider Gravy Traditional gravy gets a bad rap, but this tasty sauce can be made with almost no fat. The trick is to skim the fat from your pan juices (either put it in the fridge or use cheesecloth to soak up the fat). Depending on their size, turkeys will yield varying amounts of juices. From a 12-pound roasted turkey, you can expect about 1/2 cup defatted jus (juice).
	Chef Meg's Cranberry Relish Toss the canned cranberry jelly and use this homemadeversion instead. It's ready in no time, has less sugar than the store-bought stuff, and is full of healthy fruit! While you might question why this recipe needs the amount of sugar it contains, you'll understand as soon as you taste fresh cranberries--they're tart!
	Chef Meg's Vegetable and Fruit Stuffing Whole-wheat bread gives this side staying power. The fruits and vegetables bulk up the dish, so a little goes a long way. A bit of turkey bacon adds another layer of flavor without adding many calories.
	Chef Meg's Roasted Root Vegetables This recipe sings of the fall and early winter harvest. Take advantage of your local farmers market and buy whatever root vegetables they have. This side dish is quite affordable, too: about 60 cents per serving!
	1/2 cup steamed green vegetables of your choice  The calories are low, the fat is nonexistent, and adding a vegetable to your plate will help prevent you from filling up on empty calories. Try broccoli, spinach, green beans, or any other non-starchy vegetable.

But wait. We couldn't forget dessert!
A slice of pie can contain between 240 and 400 calories and at least 10 grams of fat. But for just 150 calories or so, you can have two of these bite-size tarts. These portion-controlled pies are the perfect end to a your Thanksgiving feast. 

	Chef Meg's Sweet Potato Tarts Try these light and low-fat personal pies for dessert during the fall. They're a great substitute for pumpkin pie or sweet potato casserole. NOTE: To boost the fiber, you can look for whole-wheat phyllo dough, which is available at natural foods stores or in the health food section of many grocery freezers.
	Chef Meg's Mini Apple Tarts Instead of a whole pie, try making bite-size tarts! These diminutive desserts cook quicker and are automatically portion controlled. Plus, they're easier to make for a crowd, and there's no need for a fork and plate. This recipe only costs about $3.50 to make--but you save money by buying sheets of phyllo dough and making your own tart shells (see directions for more information).
	Chef Meg's Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix There's no need to buy pumpkin pie spice. You can easily make your own at home. And it makes a great hostess gift for any fall event! Feel free to double or triple this recipe!

There you have it. A full Thanksgiving meal that's trim--but not missing any of the trimmings. Armed with these healthy recipes, no one has to fear Thanksgiving dinner--except for maybe the turkey!

Click here to download and print a colorful recipe book that includes all of these recipes! (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download this pdf document.) You can also click the "SHARE" button at the top or bottom of this article to send these recipes to your friends!