I get lots of questions all the time about what to eat and when! I also get so many questions about eating clean and what foods go into what categories! Today I decided to take a step back and break it down for you! The clean eating principles say that you should pair a complex carb and a protein at every meal! So in an effort to make it as easy as possible I have created a list of foods in each category that you can choose from! For more information on Clean Eating I highly recommend that you get the book, Eat Clean Recharged, by Tosca Reno. It changed my life!!!
A portion of lean protein is the size of the palm of your hand! I always measure my portions with my hands since they are always with me!
Protein:
- Boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breast
- Egg Whites
- Fish such as salmon and tuna
- Protein Powder
- Tofu
- Turkey Bacon
- Nuts such as unsalted cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts
- Hummus
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- Greek Yogurt plain with no fruit on the bottom
- Almond butter
- All natural peanut butter
- Beans of all kinds
- Avocado
Complex Carbs: An appropriate serving of complex carbs would be would be two cupped handfuls.
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Zucchini
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Green Beans
- Peas
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Apples
- Bananas
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Peaches
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Oranges
- Pineapple
- Pears
- Raspberries and blackberries
- Mushrooms
- Peppers
- Brussels Sprouts
- Leafy Greens
- Spinach
Starcy Carbs: These are carbs that are essential to keeping your metabolism up but also can be very dangerous if you don't use in moderation or follow the correct portion sizes. A portion of starchy carbs is one handful.
- whole grain bread
- oatmeal
- whole grain pasta
- brown rice
- couscous
- quinoa
- whole grain tortilla
- amaranth
This list is not exhaustive but it gives you a good idea of what you can eat and mix and match! For more detailed information I recommend that you purchase Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Recharged book and study up!
Tosca also did a great video clip on portion sizes that everyone should watch!
It's also very important to pre plan out your meals and snacks! If you have trouble knowing what to pack and how to do it. You MUST check out this post on preparing your food! A little goes a long way! Don't succumb to self sabotage because you are caught without your cooler!
I lost 30 lbs eating clean and exercising 6 days a week. I promise this is no fad diet and it truly works! If you need help or don't know where to start I'd be glad to get you started on the right track today!
Labels: Clean Food List