Eating Clean for a New Healthy Lifestyle

Eating clean means eating healthy. Do you ever feel like the two women in the image above? One side of you wants to eat the donut, and the other side of you wants the apple. I certainly do! But I know that eating clean will make me feel more energized, and emotionally more satisfied, give me a clean complexion, and provide me with adequate nourishment. If you stick to some simple, clean eating guidelines for a couple of weeks, you will notice a difference in your body and overall energy levels.

With a New Year, generally comes a new diet; a new eating plan; another way to try to get your health back. And, for me, this year is no different. You see, I lost 40 lbs a year and a half ago. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve gained much of it back. Some of it is due to (what I believe is) hormonal changes, and some of it is due to my diet.

Why am I restarting with clean eating?

I had been doing so well. Practicing Intermittent Fasting, eating a mostly Mediterranean diet, drinking water, exercising, and staying away from xenoestrogens – all the things that are good for you and you know to do to lose weight and stay healthy. I’m no rabbit when it comes to losing weight – more of a turtle. But if I’m losing, I don’t mind. My clothes were fitting better, people were noticing a change, and thankfully, the scale was moving too.

But then the month came when I plateaued. I couldn’t figure it out. I was weight training and hadn’t changed my diet. According to the calories in and calories out regime, I should have continued to lose weight, even if it was slowly. Even more frustrating, my trainer didn’t understand why I had stalled either. Ugh. Been there?

Then, not only was I plateauing, but I started to gain weight! WHAT!? WHY!? I’ve been researching and dealing with hormones enough over the years that I should have immediately suspected that something had changed. But I was so focused on what wasn’t happening that my mind didn’t even go there. Instead, I continued to get more and more frustrated and demotivated. Even though I continued to eat well over the next several months (remember, nothing had changed!) I continued to gain. Eventually, you wear down and give up. And that’s what I did.

So, when I went to my doctor, she didn’t offer me much either. Because I had given up (even though I told her the story), it was because I wasn’t doing the old “calories in – calories out” regime. *Insert eye roll. If you’ve been there, you know the frustration.

Here we are, a year later, and it finally occurred to me to do a hormone check-in. Duh. What had happened to my brain that I forgot to do that all those months ago? I don’t know, well, I do know – hormones!

Yep. Here I go. Restarting my cleaning eating regimen with clean eating. Day one of many. And I hope you follow along. To be encouraged, to see that it can be done, to know that you’re not alone. All of the things we women need to stay focused and motivated.

How am I going to accomplish my clean eating goals?

I want to take you on a journey with me. I found this book, I actually think it was recommended way back by a friend of mine, Women, Food, and Hormones; A Four Week Plan to Achieve Hormonal Balance, Lose Weight, and Feel Like Yourself Again by Sara Gottfried, MD. I don’t know about you, but I see a lot of promises in that title!

I carried this book around with me for a couple of weeks. If you could have seen a video of me, you would have seen it go from room to room with me. Of course, I started reading the most important chapter (to me) first and it wasn't at the beginning. (Don’t we all do that!?) I did go back and start at the beginning eventually, though. She has a lot of great information in it. Even for someone like me, who has researched and studied so much of this over the years.

I took notes and readied my mind to mentally begin something new. I knew it wouldn't be an easy four weeks, but I think it will be worth it.

I’ve included some simple guidelines you can follow below to help you make the first steps to a healthier diet, too.

Cook at Home

Processed food in packages and prepared food in some restaurants are full of different preservatives, colors, and additives that are not natural to our bodies. Food that is processed has usually undergone a couple of refinements and cooking, which has taken all the nutrients and enzymes from it. When you cook at home from scratch, you are using the ingredients in their natural form without any preservatives and synthetic additives. Whole foods have all the minerals and vitamins needed in the proper proportion, so the body absorbs them in the best manner. And, Dr Gottfried suggests eating low carb, at least for the first four weeks, to help you kick-start your metabolism and reset your hormones.

Eat Lots of Color

Strive to eat more colorful fruits and vegetables during your day. This will ensure that you get enough of your vitamins and minerals from live food that has not been cooked or processed. Raw food has enzymes that help you digest food and drive certain processes in your body. They are just as important as vitamins and minerals to your health. The antioxidants found in colorful fruits and vegetables fight off free radicals that damage the cells in the body. Dr Gottfried suggests that most of your carbs come from vegetables instead of fruits. I won’t lie, this was hard for me. I don’t love most vegetables. I don’t hate them either; they just aren’t my go-to.

Upgrade Your Refined Foods

Eating clean does not mean that you have to quit all the favorite foods that you are used to eating. There are many healthy alternatives to standard, refined foods such as sugar, wheat flour, and white salt. Instead of white sugar, you can try using honey, maple syrup, or brown, unrefined sugar. Instead of white flour, you can buy whole-grain, spelt, or rye flour. There are many different types of flour that are healthier, and some that are gluten-free.

All of that said, those alternatives all come after the first four weeks. She has some great alternative recipes at the back of the book. My downfall is bread, and she had a really good alternative that gave me the mouth feel of bread. And, although it isn’t what I was used to eating, it really isn’t bad.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking sufficient amounts of water will help you stay hydrated. Drinking water whenever you are thirsty throughout the day will help your body function properly. She recommends at least 60 oz a day, which isn’t really that hard. I carry around a large water cup with me all day.

There are lots of details in her program. On a side note, I am happy to say that I didn't have to give up my coffee! That might have been a deal breaker. LOL.

You can also incorporate a healthy lifestyle by following simple guidelines. After all of the reading and research I've done (after reading the book above), I've been able to write my own book! I've learned a lot of details about how to boost your metabolism, in particular, after 40, when things start to change. If you've tried it all, grab my book, The Midlife Hormone Reset Plan.