Most people start a diet when they want to lose weight, but a diet isn’t necessary. All you have to do is start a program of clean eating and at Next Level Fitness in Irvine, CA, we can help you do it. What is clean eating? Clean eating is a way to tailor your diet with whole food, before it became a processed package of chemicals. Many of the foods you find on the shelves of groceries today have had all the nutrients processed out of them and remain nothing more than empty calories filled with preservatives and other chemicals. Clean eating focuses on minimal processing and food that is nutritious.
Opt for food without added sugar.
It’s tough to do, since some form of added sugar seems to be in about everything. Don’t fall for that hype about natural sugar. Fat took the hit for sugar when it came to clogging arteries due to a study in the 1960s. Salt may part of the problem for high blood pressure, but sugar definitely plays a role, too. Whether it’s table sugar, fructose, honey or maple syrup, added sugar has no place in clean living and can lead to diabetes, cancer, accelerating aging, high blood pressure and a slew of other health issues.
Limit the amount of processed food and eat organic when possible.
Whether the food is GMO or filled with pesticides, it isn’t organic. If you can afford it, opt for whole food that is organic, whether frozen or fresh. You can’t eliminate all processing. Potatoes and meat aren’t necessarily healthy or tasty without some processing, such as cooking. Steaming vegetables and grilling or roasting meat isn’t the problem. It’s the processed meat and high carb processed food that isn’t. Stick with whole grains if you choose bread. Skip desert and luncheon meat.
Use healthier oils and the ones right for each situation.
Avoid margarine and most vegetable oils, choosing to get the fat you require from healthier options, such as avocados, fatty fish and nuts. Olive oil is great in many situations, but not when used for high heat. Olive oil has a low smoking point and that smoke is toxic. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point than olive oil, but for high heat, opt for peanut or sesame oil with the highest smoke point. Trans fats are banned in the US, since 2018, yet some food still contains it. Non-dairy coffee creamer, some peanut butter, frozen pizza, cookies and granola bars are a few, but as long as they contain less than a gram, which could mean as much as a half gram, they get a pass. Consider using butter from grass fed cows for a healthy spread.
- Include more vegetables in your diet. Even some canned fruit and vegetables can be added. If you choose beans that aren’t low sodium, rinse them before cooking. Opt for fruit in their own sugar.
- Say no to refined grains. Skip that white bread and read the label carefully when buying to ensure it doesn’t contain processed flour. Opt for sprouted, sour dough, 100% whole wheat, oat, flax or 100% sprouted rye.
- What you drink is also important. Snub those soft drinks and opt for water instead. It not only is good for your body, it can be helpful to your budget, too, especially if your home drinking water is delicious. Create infused water if you want more flavor.
- Stick with free range and pasture fed meat, eggs and milk products. Select hormone and antibiotic-free animal products.
For more information, contact us today at Next Level Fitness!