Clean Eating

A few months ago i was just feeling really tired and blah. I wasn't feeling like i was in great shape, but didn't really have the energy to do anything about it. I was also feeling lazy in the cooking department, and either resorting to eating out or quick processed fixes. I've never really eaten this way, but it just seemed to be what was happening. I was really tired of feeling this way, so i knew i needed a change.

I've always read labels and nutrition facts, known what is healthy and what is not, and lived loosely under this information. Now, this isn't to say that i've gone completely to the other end of the spectrum, i'm just trying to be more selective about what i eat.

The easiest way to know what you're eating, is to eat things in their natural form. All fruits, veggies and nuts are great examples of this. So for the first part of my new journey, i only ate whole foods like these. I also added eggs, steel cut oats, and quinoa. I was being the most strict in order to curb the way i ate. This cut out anything processed. Or anything with more than ONE ingredient. It's insane, but it's not as limiting as you'd think! Trust me - when i even *considered* doing this, all i could think about is how limiting it would be. Or how intimidating it was to come up with different things to eat all the time!

Then i remembered what i always tell people when they ask me, "What? You're vegetarian? Do you only eat salads?" (i've been one for almost 6 years... and i don't even think about it anymore).

I always tell people it's not as limiting as you think. i eat all the same things as you.... except beef, pork, chicken or turkey. 4 basic things, when there are hundreds of foods out there! And there are things that you'd make right now, and you wouldn't even realize they are natural vegetarian. Yes, more things than salad.

I started to realize that clean eating was the same thing. A small amount of thought and a little planning, and clean(er) eating would be totally attainable!

photo credit goes here

And after about a month of this, I've realized that there is so much you can do with whole products. And with very little effort (just the will to try!), you can make so many things at home that you'd buy in the store.... and almost every time, you save MONEY and you eliminated CHEMICALS.

Over the next few weeks, i'll be documenting recipes i try that are completely clean eating and home made with whole ingredients. This includes everything from milk, to chips, to cookies, to snacks!

Just a side note, i don't want this to be read as extreme. This is completely about doing what is best for my health. I believe that everything in life has to be balanced, and i'll be striving for the 80/20 rule in health (that 80% of what you eat should be clean and whole, and that 20% can be closer to the "treat" side of life). Because there's no way i can give up Double Stuffed Oreos or pasta forever :)