After talking with my sister today, she had suggested I write about ways to make little changes to start on your path to clean eating. She made a valid point that not everyone is ready to dive head on into a whole new way of life overnight and it would be beneficial to suggest small ways to get started.
1) Nix the Sugar.
If your blood sugar levels rise very quickly your body has to secrete more insulin in order to control it.
Every time you eat, your body has a choice: it can either burn that food as energy or store it as fat. Researchers have found that high insulin levels cause you not only to change your food into fat, but they also prevent your body from breaking down previously stored fat.
There are so many options for healthier sweetening options. Agave nectar, brown rice syrup, pure maple syrup, and stevia are just a few. These are lower on the glycemic index and don't cause such a dramatic spike in your insulin levels. When buying grocery items such as cereal, condiments, juice, ect, check the labels. You would be shocked by how much sugar there is!
2) Less is more.
Read the labels! If the item you are buying is green beans, the label should ONLY say 'Green Beans' in the ingredients. You want to try to steer clear of any added salt or preservatives. A lot of frozen fruits are sweetened with sugar so be mindful to check to make sure you buy unsweetened/unsalted frozen produce.
3) How Nature Intended.
The basic principal of clean eating is eating foods in the closest to 'natural' form as possible. Whole grains are great examples of that. The harder your body has to work to breakdown foods, the better. Not only are you absorbing all the great fiber and nutrients from the grains, the harder your body works, the more calories you burn and you stay fuller longer! Also, you're reducing insulin spikes which in turn reduces fat!
Those are just a few of the easiest and most beneficial changes you can make to make the most impact on your weight loss & healthy living goals. :)
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