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Meal prepping can be a bit intimidating when you don’t know where to begin. Even searching online can be so confusing and discouraging because the clean eating trend seems to be everywhere. You might end up in sites where they will sell you a great deal beacause the sales rep make it look great. For some people can be a start to make the changes they want but there’s no skills learned on how to maintain and understand what we eat and our body. I too can relate because I also fell for it and I would wind up in the same place I started with more questions and concerns. Don’t be hard on yourself is not your fault for the marketing strategies these companies have to get you to buy their programs. Once you realize is not what you are looking for and it’s getting a bit expensive, this is where you have to call it quits. I’m not going to knock these companies down because I’ve seen people in which they achieved their fitness goal and loose the weight they wanted and it’s a good start but after a while it just gets too expensive. This is where most of us, get discourage because we can’t afford it we find ourselves giving up and going back to where we started. That’s why I don’t do fitness programs because they do not work for me especially my pockets. I’m going to break down what is clean eating and meal prepping.
What Is Clean Eating?
Clean Eating is eating healthy natural Whole Foods, like vegetables, fruits healthy fats, protein, lean meat whole grains mainly unprocessed and cutting back on preservatives, sugar, salt processed food.
Clean eating is NOT A DIET, is a healthy approach on foods and preparing it to live a healthier lifestyle.
What food you should eat?
Lean meats, fruits, vegetables, ocean friendly seafood not farm raised
What Foods you should avoid and stay away?
Canned Food, process food, fast food, sugar, soda, food with preservatives, chips, fried foods.
Is Clean Eating Expensive?
Clean Eating is one of the most versatile budget-friendly, flexible healthy lifestyle you can adopt. It can be expensive, only if you let it. If you are a mom that budget yourself on a weekly or monthly basic then my dear you wont have an issue, but if you don’t know how to budget yourself no problem these tips and shortcut will help you plan and shop so you won’t break the bank.
8 Best ways to start Clean Eating
- Start with small changes and you will see how slowly you will build up over time.
- First take a look at your pantry closet and cabinets and take everything out, boxes, cans, packages etc. Go through each items and toss what ever is not clean, you need to take stock of what you have in your pantry and what healthy item to replace it with. Plus if is not in your cabinet you won’t eat it.
- Re-Stock your pantry closet and cabinets from food from Basic Clean Eating List.
- Drink a lot of water, and increase your daily intake.
- Exercise or join a Yoga or Pilates class
- Prepare a Meal Plan for the week and prep food on what ever day it works for you. I usually meal prep on Sunday for the whole week.
- Make a shopping list according to the Basic Clean Eating List. If is not on the list then you know it’s not healthy.
- Download the App “ FOODUCATE”
Fooducate is a grocery advisor app, that will help you make healthy food choices. You scan a food’s barcode and in doing so it gives the food a grade A,B,C,D. The grade given analyzes information found in product nutrition panels and ingredients list that some manufacture don’t want you to know. This app will tell you what ingredients are inside.
Example: once the item is scanned it will give you a grade -C with an explanation
A) Excessive and added sugar
B) Trans fats
C) high fructose
D) corn syrup
E) MSG
F) Food colorings
G) GMO – genetical modified organisms (premium feature)
H) Additives and preservatives
I) Artificial sweeteners
And more..
This is a great app, especially for beginners when you see a product being advertise that seems healthy and you scan it and is not as healthy as you thought. It saves me from Buying food that’s full of unhealthy preservatives. I use it as guide, part of my Clean Eating when I’m grocery shopping.
I put together a basic clean eating list for beginners. This could also be your shopping list because I know how frustrating it can be when you are searching for information and you don’t find an easy explanation. The key to clean eating is sticking to it and planning ahead. You need to have a list and a plan of foods you will eat and what workout you will do. I know is hard to let go of the food and condiments we grew up to love, especially growing up in a Latin household but once you start exploring a healthy lifestyle you will be discovering new love for healthy foods.
Fruits
Apples*
Bananas
Blueberris
Raspberries
Watermelon
Oranges
Tangerines
Grapes
Kiwi*
Peach
Nectarines
Pineapple
Strawberries*
Cantaloupe
Lemons
Limes
Melon
Honeydew
Apricots
Grapefruit
Cherries*
Mango
Peaches*
Pears*
*If you could afford Organic try to buy these fruits organic because non-organic can have a high levels of pesticides residue and it will eliminate your chances of consuming chemicals into your body.
Vegetables
Kale
spinach
collard green
brussels sprouts
broccoli
asparagus
beets
tomatoes
squash
spaghetti squash
string beans
green peppers
sweet peppers
carrots
cauliflower
eggplant
okra
jicama
snow peas
cabbage
celery
romaine lettuce
mushroom
radishes
onions
corn
Garlic
Green beans
Peas
Zucchini
Sweet potatoes
Yams
Potatoes
Meats/Poultry/Seafood
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Lean Ground Chicken/Beef/Turkey (93% LEAN)
Fish: Tilapia, Salmon, Cos, Tuna*
Buffalo Bisson
Shrimp
Red Meat: Sirloin, Beef Round ( LEAN)
Pork Tenderloin
Tuna Canned in water
Turkey slices, low sodium, fat free 6 slices
Ham slices, low sodium, fat free 6 slices
Turkey Bacon
Veggie Burger
*Make sure is Ocean friendly (wild caught) not farm raised
Grains
quinoa
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
Basmati Rice
Jasmine Rice
Couscous
Ezekiel Bread ( whole grain)
Trader Joe’s whole grain bread
oatmeal (Steel cuts/regular)
Wheat Germ
Pita/wraps / Ezekiel tortillas
Pasta- (Whole grain)
Corn tortilla
whole wheat tortilla
Beans
Black
White
Red
Kidney
Pinto
Lima
Black eyed
Garbanzos
Lentils
Split Peas
Free Foods 0 Calories
water
tea
coffee
lemon
lime
vinegar
mustard
herbs
spoces
garlic
ginger
hot sauce
flavor extracts
E&E
Seasoning Mixes**
Condiments
Apple Cider Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
White & Red Wine Vinegar
Honey
Pure Maple Syrup
Low Sodium tomatoes sauce
Natural Sofrito (Click link for recipe)
Sea Salt
Unsweetened Apple sauce
Coconut palm sugar
Raw Agave nectar
molasses
Spices: Avoid pre mix season make your own.
Mrs. Dash – have a wide variety of seasoning Salt Free
Dairy
Unsweetened Almond Milk
Unsweetened Coconut Milk
Unsweetened Rice Milk
Unsweetened Soy Milk(organic avoid GMO)
Cottage Cheese 2%
Yogurt 2%
Greek Plain Yogurt 2%
Eggs
Eggs Whites
Mozzarella
provolone
cheddar
parmesan
Hope you find useful information on this post. I know at first it can be a bit confusing, thata why I broke it into two post. “Clean Eating” and “Meal Prep”, because I know when you are a beginner it can be a bit intimating and a confusing.
Did you start to clean eat, how did you start? Tell me how you decided to make a healthier lifestyle. Love to hear all about it. Email me at CC@Uniform-Beauty.Com
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beautiful blog, great tips
-Josey’s coworker 😉
Thank you xoxo
you go girl!!!! you got this. I am so proud of you…love you!!
xoxoxo
#karma lol
Thank
You boo it’s going to be an awesome blog