10 Clean Eating Tips- Do’s and Don’ts
- Do eat four to six small meals a day. Smaller, more frequent meals will keep your blood sugar levels stable and will increase your metabolism. And, because the meals keep the tummy satisfied throughout the day, you’re less likely to turn into a pantry-raiding snack monster.
- Don’t skip breakfast. Never. Ever. Your morning meal establishes healthy metabolism throughout day. What’s more, if you skip it, you’ll likely find yourself consuming larger quantities of food at later meals. For healthy breakfast ideas, try the Skinny Ms. e-Book 7 Power Breakfasts.
- Do drink. Water, that is. Drink at least four to six glasses of H2O every day to keep the body hydrated. Water also helps the stomach feel full, making you less likely to give in to unhealthy snack attacks. For a refreshing twist on this go-to drink, try Morning Lemon & Mint Water.
- Don’t drink too much alcohol. Whether it’s wine or beer, alcohol offers only empty calories and no nutritional value. If you’re going to enjoy alcohol, save it for special occasions.
- Do keep clean eating snacks on hand. Whether the day is filled with the kids’ sports events or running errands for an elderly parent, it’s easy to give in to the bad snack temptation. Stay on your clean eating track by packing up healthy snacks in advance. Find easy ideas in 15 Grab-n-Go Snacks.
- Don’t sabotage yourself with sugar. Excess sugar is linked to a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, and inflammation. Packaged and processed foods often flood the body with unneeded sugar. Even a product that sounds healthy, like store-bought applesauce, often contains too much refined sugar. Instead, satisfy a sweet tooth with natural sugars, like those found in a whole apple.
- Do get very veggie. Vegetables deliver nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber. Load up on veggies with these 6 Meatless Meals. They’re simple, healthy recipes that are perfect for busy nights.
- Don’t serve super-sized portions. Even if you’re eating a clean diet, it will be hard to lose weight eating portions fit for a sumo champ. Check out Learning How to Control Your Portions and the Skinny Plate Challenge.
- Do combine lean protein and complex carbs at each meal. This clean eating one-two punch decreases insulin spikes and maintains energy levels. The combo also acts as a natural appetite suppressant, helping you feel fuller longer. Pair Chicken Pot Roast with your favorite salad topped with extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar. Need some ideas for salad toppings? Check out 11 Tasty Salad Toppings for Weight Loss.
- Don’t go into the week without a meal plan. Can’t answer the question, “what’s for dinner tonight?” Be a planner. Decide on a week’s worth of clean eating recipes ahead of time so that you don’t get stuck feeding the family a boxed meal containing processed or powdered who-knows-what