Changing your lifestyle is challenging, whether you’re adopting an exercise routine, trying to quit a bad habit or attempting a new diet or eating plan.
When you’re juggling work, family and other responsibilities, it can feel like you don’t have time to cram one more thing into your busy schedule.
If you’re considering adopting a clean-eating diet, we have good news: It doesn’t have to feel like work.
What is clean eating?
In the most basic terms, eating clean means focusing on fresh, natural foods. It’s an approach to cooking and eating that encourages you to choose wholesome ingredients, things that will nourish your body, and to avoid processed, preservative-laden items like fast-food.
While this might seem like a tough task, we have some simple tricks and tips you can use for a successful clean eating journey.
Make a water bottle your new best friend
When people commit to healthy diet changes, they often find their water bottle becomes their favorite accessory – and for a good reason.
Not only does easy access to water help you stay hydrated throughout the day, for clean eaters it serves another purpose: It keeps you from drinking something sweet when you’re thirsty.
Sure, you might want that mid-afternoon mint mocha latte. But if you’ve got your water bottle within reach, you know you don’t really need that dessert disguised as a drink. Ditto for soda or pop.
And if you’re looking for a little burst of flavor, there are plenty of low-calorie, low-sugar add-ins that offer other benefits, too. Different flavors of Nutrilite™ Twist Tubes 2GO, for example, support antioxidant protection, immune system health or joint health with only 20-45 calories each.
Meal planning for clean eating
This part could seem too time-consuming at first, but by the end of one week you’ll see how much time meal planning actually saves and you’ll reap the benefits being able to eat cleaner right from your own refrigerator and pantry.
Before the beginning of each work week, plan your nutritious breakfasts, lunches and dinners and make sure you’ve got the groceries on hand to make them. For breakfast, oatmeal, whole wheat breads, nut butters, eggs and fruit are all good choices.
Are there any days where you know you’ll be getting takeout? Many restaurants, from chains to mom-and-pop delis, have menu items for their clean-eating clientele. Think salads with fresh dressings, and hearty homemade soups and sandwiches.
Dinner planning can be simple, too. Lean meats can pair with your favorite vegetables and with whole grains like quinoa or brown rice.
After the first few shopping trips, you’ll be amazed at how many more fruits and vegetables you are regularly putting in your grocery cart.
Keep clean-eating snacks handy
Snacks are a realistic part of any lifestyle. So just like your water bottle, you’ll want to keep a few good-for-you munchies stashed where you can reach them.
A bag of dried fruits and nuts keep well in your backpack or your gym bag. An extra piece of fresh fruit or a bag of air-popped popcorn are great grab-and-go snacks, too. BodyKey by Nutrilite™ Slim Popcorn won’t take up much space and definitely won’t any weight to your bag!
These little extras will keep you from reaching for the sweeter or saltier treats that might be tempting you at any given time you feel like you need a little something.
Make a little extra the next time you cook
When you’re cooking something delicious, leftovers are always a welcome treat. This can make your weekly meal plan for clean eating even easier. If you know you’re cooking two or three dinners in a week, you can plan on having the leftovers for lunch the next day.
Your cookware can play a role in creating healthier culinary dishes, too. Amway’s iCook™ cookware collection, for example, uses a special Vitalok™ cooking method that lets you skip the high-calorie oils and butters while locking in one-third more nutrients and more flavor.
Stick to a meal schedule
You might feel like you’re too busy to eat sometimes, but it’s important to stick to a schedule when it comes to your meals so your body gets the nutrition it needs.
Dashing out the door without breakfast or skipping lunch and telling yourself you’ll grab a snack later are ways you can throw your diet out of whack and make you more susceptible to the urge for fast food or that not-so-good-for-you snack.
Learn more
Hopefully these hacks will help you on your journey to eating cleaner. Check out our other blogs about clean eating at Amway Connections. And to learn more about the products mentioned here, click on the links below.
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