Around 3 years ago, I was one year into parenting 4 children. I felt horrible. I hated it. I could not get the baby weight off. I had no energy. I hated the way I looked.
I've talked about my story here before, but in case you missed it, I'll share a bit of it again.
It was the holiday season and I just took a risk to do something about how I looked and felt. I had had enough. I joined a challenge group with a Beachbody coach and committed to clean eating and exercising. At first it was hard...I mean come on, it was Christmas time. I was supposed to be binge eating cookies and corn casseroles. But I stuck to it, because if anything I'm pretty competitive and don't like to fail. After 30 days I had lost a few lbs which I call a huge win because usually I gain about 5 lbs in December. So the following January, I committed to a 90 day challenge group doing the same thing. Clean Eating. Exercising 5-6 days a week. After those 90 days, I really felt amazing.
Over the next 10 months I became a better version of me. It's not just about the weight and inches lost (although that part was huge), but about a total makeover of my physical, emotional, and even spiritual health. Getting healthy with my eating and exercising really did propel me into being healthier emotionally and physically. I honestly believe with all my heart that it's all connected! I felt better than I ever have in my life! The journey did lead me to lose 27 lbs and 33 inches (which took me down two sizes).
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| before and after about 9 months |
So I maintained that weight loss and focus on my health until 2015. This was the year I took Samuel out of school to homeschool him for a semester. The year we also transitioned out of a job/career/ministry of 13 years and left a town we loved of 7 years. SO, needless to say I neglected my health. I stopped exercising and ate more junk. I gained about 15 lbs. Ugh. So this January, I knew what I needed to do. I contacted my Beachbody coach and joined a group in February. I already feel so much better! I have more energy. I have more discipline and self control in all areas of my life. I have lost 6 lbs in 3 weeks. I am enjoying all kinds of yummy clean healthy food and don't feel guilty or deprived. I am drinking yummy Shakeology and doing the most fun work out program called Cize!
I highly recommend any of the Beachbody workout programs.
I love being able to work out from home!
The ones I have enjoyed the most over the years have been Brazil Butt Lift, 21 Day Fix, Chalean Extreme, PIYO and CIZE.
So I thought I would post some tips on clean eating becasue I truly see the most benefits when I change what I do in the kitchen! I can workout until kingdom come, but if I don't make changes in what I eat, I don't see much of a change in my weight or mental health.
For me the BIGGEST thing is to PLAN PLAN PLAN.
It's easy to eat bad because we are busy.
It's much easier to grab a package of chips, pretzels, granola bar, yogurt (filled with sugar), or cheese-its as we are feeding those to our kids often times.
So, I TRY my best to prepare some healthy foods early in the week (usually Sunday or Monday) so that I can grab a quick snack or make a quick lunch for myself.
The basics for me of clean eating is that I learned to eat 5 times a day.
Eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner.
Eating smaller amounts spread throughout the day helps prevent binge eating at the main meals and it actually helps speed up your metabolism (if you are eating healthy things) as it burns fuel for your body.
FOOD PREP:
Almost every week I cook up some chicken in the crock pot to have ready to put on salads, make BBQ sliders, quesadillas or lettuce wraps. It makes preparing a quick lunch or dinner super easy!
I throw in frozen or fresh organic chicken, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pink himalayan salt, ground pepper, and sometimes garlic salt.
I also chop up lots of veggies for salads and snacks.
My favorites are cucumbers, orange, yellow, and/or red peppers.
I eat those with hummus or wholly guacomole 100 cal packs.
I also add those veggies to salads!
My local Kroger also has this microwavable bacon that is nitrate free.
It is very yummy on salads or in the morning.
This Tesseme's dressing is all natural with just a few ingredients and has no sugar.
Every week, I make a batch of "boiled eggs"
Except I do them in the oven.
It's so much easier!
Bake in muffin tins at 350 for about 20 minutes
Put into bowl of ice water to cool for 10 minutes
then peel those suckers and the shells come right off very easily
I use these for a quick breakfast, snack, or a salad topping
my kids love them too!
A salad with all my prepared food!
Easy and YUMMY!
Like I said above, I also use my chicken to make BBQ sliders. My kids love these.
I try to stay away from most breads, but these are mini whole wheat buns which is perfect size for my kids. We eat this on nights Daddy is out or just when we need a quick dinner option. I would serve sweet potatoes or broccoli with them.
Some other things I do regularly to prepare is cook up a batch of ground beef.
Then I add some taco seasoning to some of it and leave some plain
The taco beef is something I leave for a quick and easy lunch.
Throw it in a lettuce wrap with some avocado and salsa and it's so yummy
It's also great to throw in a tortilla for my kids
The plain ground beef I will use for spaghetti later in the week.
It just helps to have it made and ready to go.
I also make my own spagetti sauce with tomato sauce, paste, petite diced tomatoes and seasoning to taste.
A Few of My other favorite clean meals:
(I use olive or coconut oil instead of canola)
(these are great to freeze and take out later for lunches, etc. I serve with whole wheat noodles for family and for me I eat with spaghetti squash or zoodles)
(I do not cook in my cast iron pan...can cook in normal pan and then transfer to baking dish...also if you do not have ghee, use olive or cococunt oil or just regular butter)
Also, I love stir fry. Just cook up some cut up chicken in sesame oil seasoned to your taste (I usually do ginger, garlic, lime, and sea salt). Add in veggies (Broccoli, asparagus, green onion, cauliflour, snap peas, onion, carrots, etc) and season with cocounut aminos (or healthy soy sauce) and rice vinegar. Serve over rice for kids. I usually eat mine plain.
So I do not eat much sugar (if any at all) when I'm strictly eating clean.
For me I also limit dairy and bread.
If I do that, I see difference right away in mental clarity, emotional well being, bloatedness and eventually weight loss!
SNACKS
apple with natural peanut butter
plain yogurt (and I usually do whole fat...low fat is loaded with added sugar believe it or not) drizzled with honey and add berries
almonds, cashews, macadmia nuts (limit to about a handful)
avocado
carrots and hummus
carrot chips and guacomole
peppers and hummus
peppers and guacomole
smoothie or shakeology (make with almond milk and fruits)
unsweetened banana chips (i can only find these at whole foods) with natural peanut butter
BREAKFAST
I pretty much eat the same thing for breakfast.
Eggs and nitrate free sausage or bacon
SOMETIMES I eat a bowl of oatmeal with a little bit of cinnamon and brown sugar
Or I have a smoothie/shakology
I just like to have protien for breakfast as I feel is starts my day off right!
I have gotten to where I drink green tea instead of much coffee in the mornings (I just like to add too much junk to my coffee)
DRINKS
Water water and more water
Drink half of your weight in ounces
I haven't bought soda's in more than 3 years
I still have one every once in awhile (i'm not perfect people), but for the most part, I have cut them out
If I want something else besides water, I have caffeine free unsweet tea
You can also infuse your water with lemons, limes, grapefruit, etc.
Limit alchohol. I know, not fun...but you really do have to do this.
Maybe some red wine periodocially. I don't drink a ton anyway, so this wasn't too hard for me.
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If you made it through this, congratulations!
I know it was long!
Hopefully this will help you get started on your clean eating journey!
Also, I am not perfect in this! I try to stick to it as much as possible.
But on the weekends, I generally allow myself a few favorites...whether its some chips and salsa, a glass of wine, or even a small desssert.
This journey is about making better choices, and learning to have a better relationship with food.
You will fail. But you will also learn how to pick back up and not let those failures defeat you.
If you have any questions, leave me a comment, and I will try to answer them the best I know how!
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One more thing:
Our winners from my giveaway were announced on Instagram so head over there to see!
