People often go through hoops and bounds to achieve their ideal body. From waist trainers to Crossfit, the efforts to get healthy and in-shape are endless. Yet, a simple clean-eating lifestyle is often the last tactic on our lists.
Clean eating comes with a host of health benefits, from flushing your system of toxins to finally clearing your face of acne, down to losing weight and even helping to prevent diseases. Eating whole foods in their most natural state and avoiding processed foods, such as packaged and canned foods, offers certain health benefits. Variations of this lifestyle may also include eliminating gluten, grains, and dairy products while promoting the consumption of raw food.
Think this may be the right fit for you? Here are 6 steps to get started today:
1. Drink Water Only
As always, the first step to any health kickstart is consuming more water. Some of us get "water" confused with drinks that contain water. If it contains sugar, caffeine, or other unnatural ingredients, it's not the type of hydration we need. Limit drinks like juice, soda, coffee, and alcoholic beverages as you get on the right track.
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2. Visit A Local Farm
This is an important step to get a clear vision of why you want to eat clean in the first place. You never know where you are going until you know where you’ve been, right? See if you can learn about their process for making that bacon you can’t seem to let go of, or how they raise their cows before creating the meat for your tacos. Seeing the animals firsthand will make you start to think about where your processed foods and meats are actually coming from.
3. Then Go Visit A Local Garden
Next, go visit an actual local garden or even a farmer’s market. Take in the smell and consider how it makes you feel. Then think back to the farm and consider how that made you feel. Do you feel a sense of cleanliness, life, and fresh air? Seeing, feeling, and tasting the plants and fruits will open up your mind to food options that are nutritious.
4. Throw Out All Processed And Packaged Foods
Once you’ve finally come to the conclusion that clean eating is the better choice for you. Go straight home and purge all processed and packaged foods from your home. This includes rice, pasta, milk, frozen vegetables, pre-cooked goods, and canned goods.
5. Start With Your Favorite Fruits And Veggies
Hungry and don’t know where to start? Begin this new journey with your absolute favorite veggies and fruits. Google recipes that contain those ingredients and get in the kitchen. If you’re not good in the kitchen, that’s totally fine. Going clean was made for people who literally do not “cook” their food. It’s all about preparation. If you have a stocked kitchen, you will never go hungry.
6. Be Sure To Consult With Your Doctor
If this is a new journey you’re on, it’s always best to consult with your doctor and even a dietitian to ensure you are getting all of your vital nutrients. If you’re deficient in something it’s important to take supplemental vitamins and yes, they even have options for raw clean eaters too!
Tia Muhammad, BS, is an award-winning freelance content & media creative, copywriter, blogger, digital designer, and marketing consultant. She owns the boutique content and digital media company, jackieGLDN|studio.
