In March, I took a 30 day challenge. The challenge was to eat clean and support my bodies natural elimination organs. I’ll admit I was pretty nervous before I started but I found that not only was it easy, it had a profound impact on my health! I also found out I was wrong about clean eating and what I thought it was. Here are 7 myths I believed about clean eating which simply just aren’t true.
Myth 1: I Already Eat Clean
Before I started the program, I would have told you “I already eat clean”. I think it’s common for all of us to feel like we’re eating well. I mean salads for lunch, no dairy (well except for the occasional cheese stick and yogurt), no read meat (well once in awhile) and no processed food (well yeah a sports bar ever once in awhile).
Well, during the program I cut out dairy, coffee, alcohol, and refined sugar and guess what? I feel incredible.
If you feel you’re already eating clean you might be fooling yourself. The best way to really be sure is to track yourself for a week and take a close look at what you’re eating. You might be surprised how some “not so clean” foods like to sneak there way in while you’re not looking. There are a couple of great apps you can use for tracking what you eat, one of my favorites is Lose It.
Myth 2: I’ll Never be able to Give up Coffee
Coffee is very acidic to your system so it’s one of the things any good clean eating program will eliminate. As someone who has been drinking 2 -3 cups of coffee a day for decades, this was my number one concern.
However, the program I’m using is designed to help you kick the coffee habit quickly and easily. By drinking plenty of water and a special “fizz” drink with B vitamins and antioxidants. Giving up the “Joe” was really pretty easy. I had a minor headache the first day (which is common) but after that, it was super easy. I’m sure, even if you’re a big coffee drinker (like I was) you’ll find you don’t miss it. You may also discover, as I did that you have WAY more energy too! How? Read on…
Myth 3: I’ll be Tired
Doesn’t clean eating make you tired, especially if you’re going to cut out coffee? No, in fact just the opposite is true. By introducing probiotics and enzymes your body takes more advantage of nutrients in the foods you eat. All those nutrients provide even more energy. You don’t need to rely on something like coffee for energy because you’re getting it from your food.
Myth 4: Clean Eating Will Leave Me Hungry
I thought clean eating would be about eating vegetables and starving in between meals but I was wrong. Why? You have a shake in the morning, a healthy snack, a shake for lunch, another healthy snack and then an amazing dinner! When you balance your blood sugar by eating healthy snacks throughout the day you avoid the roller coaster of snacking, crashing and snacking. It feels so much better to be on a more even keel.
Myth 5: The Food Won’t Taste Good
Actually, the food is amazing! My program includes amazing meal recipes designed by chefs and registered dietitians and they are so tasty. Every week you get a shopping list too so being prepared and making the meals is really simple.
With recipes like “Sweet Potato – Turkey Chili”, “Chicken Avocado Soup”, and “Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole” I’m eating tastier, healthier food now than I ever have. If you’re like me, you’ll want to put these into your family’s normal meal rotation. Even my kids love them!
Myth 6: Clean Eating Will be Expensive
You might think organic, healthy food is more expensive right? Nope, actually the program includes really amazing vanilla and chocolate protein shakes for breakfast and lunch, healthy snack recipes and amazing dinner recipes. By replacing breakfast and lunch I’ve found it’s actually less expensive at the grocery store than it was before!
Myth 7: I Won’t Be Able To Give Up (fill in the blank) for a Whole Month
If you have a sweet tooth or you crave salty snacks you might be concerned that you won’t be able to go a full month without them. You’ll find it’s much easier than you think. Because your blood sugar remains constant you’re not crashing and craving that sugar or salt. Plus there are really satisfying healthy snack alternatives that leave you feeling great. I’ve had several “sugar-holics” completely kick the habit in 30 days!
Bonus Myth: Weight Loss = Healthy
There is a final common myth people have about health and weight loss. Some feel weight loss means your healthy and that simply isn’t true. It’s why a lot of the fad diets on the market aren’t sustainable and aren’t good for you. However, when you reverse your thinking you realize that weight loss is a result of being healthy! It’s the smart way, and it’s the right way to achieve your weight – loss goals.
Clean Eating Benefits
After completing the challenge I’ve experienced incredible benefits. I feel mentally sharp, I have more energy and I’m sleeping better than I have in years. I actually wake up feeling refreshed! By cutting out inflammatory foods I’m also experiencing a reduction in bloating around my midsection. (and I like that).
Many people I’ve coached through the program have experienced significant weight-loss as a result of eating healthy, (weight-loss is a bi-product of a healthy lifestyle). I lost over 24 pounds on the program!
Conclusion
If you’ve thought about clean eating but held off because of some of the same concerns I had, maybe it’s time to say “Yes” and take the challenge. I promise you, it will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made and you’ll look back and be so glad you did it.
If you want to learn more about the program I did I’ll send you a FREE video that shows you how eating clean can help you reach and exceed your health and fitness goals too!
To your health!
Steve
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