The Wellness journey continues: clean eating

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Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday, I am so glad your here to continue our wellness journey.

January is all about making resolutions and or goals for the year. Often times that includes losing weight and or exercise of some sort.

Generally we are looking for a quick fix to a long term issue of weight gain and feeling poorly.

These days it is so hard to decide which diet or program is right for you. There are so programs that are for short periods of time for maximum weight loss.

But what do you do when that time is up? According to the U.S. World News, “95 percent of diets fail people.” Notice it said diet fails people, based largely on the fact that diets are about deprivation or suffering.

We are not going to talk about a specific program here, more about how to make simple changes to what we are eating.

Changing your eating habits is a life change that helps you to maintain a healthy weight and healthy habits.

The buss word “clean eating” has many variations in meaning, we are not talking about going to extremes here. Making some healthy choices in the foods we eat and feed our families.

A philosophy being more mindful of what we are eating, choosing more whole foods.

Whole foods are foods that are not processed or unrefined in their natural state without added sugar, salt, fat and preservatives.

In today’s busy society there are so many quick conveniences for the busy family. Our grocery stores are full of convenience foods and our streets are crowded with fast food.

These convenient foods are generally highly processed and nutrient void.

The easiest way to begin changing the way you eat is to change the way you shop.

I am sure you have heard the saying to “shop the perimeter” of your grocery store where the unprocessed foods, more nutrient dense foods are located.

Shopping the perimeter of the grocery store for fruits, vegetables, unprocessed meats, wild over pastured, pastured over grain fed, chicken, fish and hormone free dairy and organic foods.

Frozen vegetables are a great way to eat the fruits and vegetables that are not in season. Just be sure to read the label that the contents have no additives.

Another way to eat cleaner is to cook at home more often than eating out or ordering in.

Cooking at home means you are more aware of what you are actually putting into your body and eating more whole foods.

There are also some great options for purchasing your food from local farmers. You can research for CSA’s (Customer supported agriculture) in your area for weekly buy ins.

Participate in the Produce Box if it is available in your area. If this particular program is not in your area, research local produce delivery programs.

Local produce farmers markets are a great option, though they may not be available in the winter months depending on where you live.

You should be researching CSA’s and delivery services now, as they typically only have so many slots for members and they generally fill up quickly.

The CSA or local farm delivery has been much cheaper for us compared to the grocery store, the food is local and in season.

I also find that I eat foods that I may not buy in the store, exposing me to new things.

Aside from the benefits of eating clean and purchasing from local farms, it is a great way to support your local small farms.

January in season fruits and vegetables

Of course there are some items that you will need that are slightly processed.

When purchasing slightly processed foods, look for ones that contain 5 ingredients or less as a rule. Be sure that you know what those ingredients are.

Clean eating is essentially getting back to the basics of food, knowing what you are putting into your body and making better choices with what you eat.

The goal is not depriving yourself of a particular food source, rather getting back to eating more fruits, vegetables, chicken and fish. Choose whole grains while limiting salt and added sugars.

Planning is the key to making better food choices. Meal planning is a great addition to helping you stay on track and for making lifestyle changes in the kitchen.

This lifestyle change is sustainable and not a diet plan. Eating more clean, nutrients dense foods decreases your cravings while increasing energy, leading to a much healthier you.

The goal is to maintain a healthy lifestyle so that you may live well.

Till next time

xoxo

Sonya

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