The Down Low on Clean Eating Series: Introduction

When I talk to people about Clean Eating and specifically Paleo, I get a lot of confused, shocked, and resistant faces. What I have found in my years in this industry is that asking people to give up sugar is a no brainer. People have come to expect that if they want to eat healthier, they need to give up sugar and other white products like white rice, refined flour, etc. But asking people to give up ALL GRAINS, BEANS, and ALL DAIRY... whatsoever... is like asking them to get naked and speak in front of thousands of people.

When I was first presented with the Paleo diet "rules" I know I did the same thing. For me the grains part was easier to understand than the dairy part, especially since in the past my "healthy" way of eating often involved eating a lot more dairy products than normal like string cheese and yogurt. Often when we have a fitness or health goal we are presented with ways of eating that I now consider excuse diets; diets that allow people an easy way out.

For Example:

No sugar? Have as much fake, laboratory-produced sugar as you want, even if it’s a neurotoxin. Who cares at least you won’t be taking in calories.

You hate cooking? No problem, don’t learn how to cook and eat over processed, chemical ridden frozen meals that have as much nutritional value as a cardboard box.

Count your Calories! No need to worry about what’s in your food or where it came from, or if it will even get into your cells for your body to use.

The diet industry of today has you running around in circles believing that there is some magical,easy way out. I am so sick and tired of people trying to make hard things easier by cutting corners. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.”

I really believe that this is a huge reason people are such yo-yo dieters. If you don’t re-learn what you know about food; how it affects you, how you shop for it, how you cook it, and how you eat it you will never learn any way of eating that will be sustainable for you. Remember those factors for later.

Key Point: Something that sounds sustainable for you in the future right now… to the person you are now whom you are trying to make life changes to…. probably sounds this way because it is still in your comfort zone. If I have learned anything in this life it’s that in order to grow and change we have to go OUTSIDE of our comfort zone. I know this because at one time, I didn’t think I would be able to I could sustain a life without cheese or ice cream or even ENJOY it. But I did and I’ve never enjoyed eating more than I do now.

In this series of blogs I am going to give you the down low (DL) on the 4 absolute musts that you need to learn (either for the first time from a different perspective) if you want to create a healthy way of eating that you will be able to sustain and enjoy for the rest of your life.

· How Food Effects You

· How to Shop for and Cook Food

· How to Eat Food

· How to make it a part of your NEW YOU!

I will go over things things like how body composition, emotions, energy level, performance and health are related to insulin, hormone regulation, gluten, lectins, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and other foods and non-foods we put into our bodies. We will go more in depth about what to look for in the grocery store, reading labels, and creating and finding great recipes for your weekly meal planning. And lastly I will give you some great tips along the way to begin to implement these changes in your life. Look for the DL on insulin in the next blog. I look forward to questions and empowering you to make more healthy decisions.

del.icio.us Tags: Paleo,Clean eating,The down low on clean eating series,weight loss,optimal health,diets,fitness