5 Tips to Start Clean Eating

Clean eating is a lifestyle change involving your eating habits. It's getting rid of processed foods and sticking with foods that are more natural. Foods that grow out of the ground or are raised on a farm are considered clean foods. Processed foods such as boxed meals, frozen meals, and non-fresh foods (canned or frozen) are all left out of your diet. Eating clean can be difficult when first starting out, but with small changes you can make a big impact on your body and overall health. Read on for tips to change to a clean-eating lifestyle.

1. Eat Real Foods with Only One Ingredient

Try your best to stick to foods that only have one ingredient. Milk, eggs, meat, and fresh fruits and vegetables are all foods with only one ingredient. When you start eating processed foods, they have other ingredients that you probably cannot even pronounce. These ingredients are used in foods to help keep their shelf life, and (although they are considered safe for consumption) why eat them if you don't have to? Stick with fresh and real foods.

2. Shop at Your Local Meat Market

When purchasing meat, look at your local meat market to purchase fresh meats from an actual butcher. Also try your best to purchase organic meats, which are meats from animals that have eaten only organic feed and have been kept to other high standards. Also look for beef from cows that are grass fed (rather than corn or grain fed) and that don't have any hormones added. 

3. Purchase Organic when You Can

"Organic" means the foods were raised without pesticides, hormones, insecticides, fertilizers, steroids, or other toxic chemicals. In conventional farming these substances may be used to promote plant or animal growth. Try to purchase clean organic foods when you can. As stated above, shop at your local meat market to find organic meat and fish, or look at your grocery store for organic produce and meats.

4. Skip Sugars

Sugar should be avoided completely; even non-calorie sweeteners should be avoided. Sugar can add extra calories to your diet, which can be bad for your waistline. To help add sweetness you can add raw honey or pure maple syrup to your foods.

5. Eat at Home

Eating out can be difficult when eating clean, as you aren't exactly sure what you are putting in your body. It isn't impossible, but it's difficult. When you first start eating clean, try your best to eat at home rather than going out so that you can get used to eating clean. Eating at home will also help save you a few dollars as well, so it's a win-win.

As far as nutrition plans go, clean eating is a great option that may help you lose weight, and it's a great way to set yourself up for a healthier future.