Clean Eating Challenge Group

At the beginning of the new year I really needed a change.  I had slowly been slipping back into some old habits-drinking pop and eating sweets. Then my friend introduced me to Shakeology and I was hooked.  I love the team/coach approach.  I am on a team with fabulous people that are inspiring me to take "Clean Eating and Fitness" to a whole new level.  It didn't take me long to realize that the natural thing for me to do was to direct this passion to becoming a Beachbody Coach.  I decided to do my first challenge group based on the Clean Eating principles.  Today is day 5, so I thought I would share what we have been working on so far.

Day 1:  Water

I have been debating where to start with this challenge. All of the "rules" of clean eating are important and it's hard to separate them. I promised all of you that this would be very basic, so we will start with the the most basic necessity of life: water. Water will help you these next 3 days as your body detoxes from the chemicals from pop and sugar. You will probably have a headache, BUT- after you get past those first 3 days, I promise you will feel so much better. Before I started eating clean, I would take Tylenol or Ibuprofen at least three times a week for headaches. Now I might have a headache once a month.

Water makes up about 60 percent of the human body, and it is involved in every system in the body. It regulates body temperature, cushions and protects vital organs, transports nutrients, and eliminates waste. So how much water should you drink? The rule of thumb is you should strive to drink half your body weight in ounces.

Make water your first choice. Americans consume 21 percent of their daily calories from beverages. Few people are aware of all the “liquid calories” they drink. Sugar-sweetened sodas with high-fructose corn syrup or other refined sugars are not included on a clean diet. Water is your best bet.

I drive my husband nuts because I leave glasses of water on the counter tops, bedside table, dresser, computer desk, lamp tables, and in the car. Sometimes I will have 4 or more, empty water bottles floating around in the car. I hate to be stuck without water though and an empty water bottle is usually easy to fill up at a drinking fountain or even at a convenience store.
When you think that you are hungry, and it hasn't been 2 hours since your last meal, try drinking a glass of water or herbal tea before you seek out a snack. Often your mind is confusing your need for water with food. I drink a lot of herbal tea, especially in the winter, when I want to curl up with a good book.

Make sure that you do not leave home without your water bottle. Stick it in your purse, car, strap on to your belt around the house - is that going too far?!?!

For this challenge we will be drinking 2-3 liters of water per day, striving toward the 3 liters for the next 3 days. You can add fruit, like lemon slices, or vegetables, like cucumber, but do not count any of the water that you add anything else to- such as crystal light. Post how much water you drank today.

Day 2: Lean Protein

Eat a serving of lean protein with each meal.  

Examples of LP: 
egg whites, lean turkey, chicken and pork, beans and legumes, lean fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, bison and other game meats, hummus, quinoa, spirulina, sea vegetables, protein powder, tofu and tempeh. 

Think of these food lists as general guidelines to what you should include in your food plan -this is not a diet. If you have a clean, (or healthy) alternative that's not here, give it a try. You don't have to include everything in your food plan either. Pick and choose what fits best for you according to taste, cost and availability. Preferences change from person to person, so choose what tastes best for you. If you like what you eat, you'll enjoy the plan and stick to it. 

Day 3:

Complex Carbs in the form of fruits and vegetables

Eat at least 4 servings of vegetables per day and eat 2 servings of fruit.  

 Remember, above all,this is NOT a diet. This is eating real foods. I know that yesterday was really hard. I know that your body is craving those non-foods that you aren't eating. You know what though, it's just food!!! Don't give food power over you, especially food that will do nothing but sabotage your goals. 

Day 4: Eat 5-6 meals a day. 
Eat like a baby. Babies eat every 2-3 hours and we should too. You should feel hungry within this time if you are eating the right portions of food. Eating 6 small meals keeps your metabolism revved up throughout the day. Make sure that you are getting your 4 veggies, 2 fruits and eating a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrate with each meal. 
Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so DO NOT SKIP it. Make sure that you eat breakfast within one hour of rising. Tosca Reno (the clean eating lady) says that "people who do eat breakfast are many more times likely to be slim than those who don’t. Eating breakfast on a regular basis helps keep the body nourished and satisfied while providing abundant energy." Also starting your day off with 1/2 lemon squeezed into 8 oz of water is a natural "cleanser." I even like to add lemon slices to my water for something different. 

Day 4: Eat 5-6 meals a day. 

Eat like a baby. Babies eat every 2-3 hours and we should too. You should feel hungry within this time if you are eating the right portions of food. Eating 6 small meals keeps your metabolism revved up throughout the day. Make sure that you are getting your 4 veggies, 2 fruits and eating a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrate with each meal. 

Remember that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so DO NOT SKIP it. Make sure that you eat breakfast within one hour of rising. Tosca Reno (the clean eating lady) says that "people who do eat breakfast are many more times likely to be slim than those who don’t. Eating breakfast on a regular basis helps keep the body nourished and satisfied while providing abundant energy." Also starting your day off with 1/2 lemon squeezed into 8 oz of water is a natural "cleanser." I even like to add lemon slices to my water for something different. 

Day 5: portion control. 

I will say it again- THIS IS NOT A DIET!!! To me a diet means short term. It's the quick fix. Clean eating is a lifestyle. It's learning how to eat food that provide fuel to your body so that you look, feel, and perform better. What happens when you put the wrong fuel in your car? Your car breaks down. Your body is no different. That's what days 1-4 were all about: putting the right fuel in your body. 

The problem is, you can gain weight clean eating. What?!?! Yep, a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. That's why portion control is so important. If you eat clean foods, in the right portions, every 2-3 hours you will lose weight - if that's your goal. Eating sweets isn't the only thing I struggle with. I also have a tendency to over eat. That's why I needed this challenge group too. I'm back to adhering to appropriate portions sizes. I measure and weigh everything but my fruits and veggies. I try to just pile those, especially the veggies, on my plate and eat to my heart's content. I love to use my hands to measure. The reason it's best to measure with your hands is because it fits your needs. 

If you are interested in joining a challenge group send me an email at lisaborden7@beachbodycoach.com.  You can also follow me on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Clean-Eating-and-Fitness-A-Journey/545595565460568.