Creating Habits for Eating CLEAN

If I'm away and not eating my healthiest, as soon as I get home I'm back to eating CLEAN and it takes little effort. Why is it so easy? Because it has become a habit.  We are creatures of habit. Habits help us get through the day. It makes satisfying our needs to eat, sleep, work, wash... easier to accomplish because it's habitual and effortless.  Think of how easy it is for you to make dinner in your kitchen, you know where everything is - you've done it many times (hopefully!).  But if you're in someone else's kitchen, it's much more complicated and it takes longer.

Habits are powerful however perhaps there are habits that you would like to change.  And maybe there are habits that you've already tried to change, such as eating healthier.  Habits are very hard to change since they are so ingrained in us, they are second nature. But once you've make the change, that healthy eating habit, for instance, then becomes almost automatic to us.  When you apply personal strengths, such as determination, persistence, fortitude and optimism, you can make it happen.

Break down your goals into smaller tasks.  For instance, if you want to shift to a CLEAN diet, you can first focus on developing a new habit for eating healthy breakfasts. Once accomplished, you can then move on to lunch and then dinner.  So how long does it take to form a new habit? The established rule on habits is 21-28 days, however more recent research from the UK Health Behavior Research Centre came out with research that found it took 66 days to form a habit. I would have to agree with that number. 

Remember to keep your eye on the prize.  Don't let setbacks discourage you, instead use them as fuel to succeed.  Be gently on yourself and remind yourself of the all the times when you've triumphed over adversity in the past.  I know you can do it!!  Believe in yourself.

Food Log

Days 4 and 5 were very similar - I am a creature of habit.

Breakfast - Day 4 & 5:

My day always starts with 2-3 glasses of hot water.

Cucumber, 1/2 apple, romaine lettuce, spinach, parsley, ginger, lemon juice

Avocado and cucumber mash on gluten free toast.  (I crave this when I get up! Not a bad thing to crave.)

Lunch - Day 4 & 5:

High energy salad: Mixed greens, avocado, cilantro, parsley, mint, basil with drizzled avocado oil

Dinner - Day 4

Salad - Black bean, corn, red pepper, cucumber, cilantro and lime salad.

7x7 herbal tea

Dinner - Day 5

A little bit of whatever I had in my fridge.  Homemade sunflower dip (see Day 3 post for recipe), rice crackers, clementines and Ying Yang Soyfood organic tofu.  This tofu is so good.  The bf does not like tofu with the exception of their flavoured variety, which he really likes. He's my barometer for what most people will like.

7x7 herbal tea

Hot and warm water throughout the day.

Day 3 - CLEAN Nutrition for 30 Days

Breakfast

Shake: Cucumber, romaine lettue, 1/2 apple, parsley, lemon, ginger.

Green shakes are packed with nutrients.  If you're starting out, the apple is key to balancing any green smoothie.  Green shakes can be bitter but the sweetness of an apple balances it, making the green juice tasty.  I don't always add an apple because I enjoy the bitterness.  I need that to start my day.

Cucumber and avocado mash on one slice of gluten-free bread.

Green tea. 

Lunch

Lentil Soup - I had to finish the last of the Good Luck New Year's batch.

Dinner

I asked the BF to throw something CLEAN together and this is what he came up with:

Tomato, bok choy, portbello mushroom, onion, garlic and tofu topped with fresh cilantro, Bragg Liquid Aminos and sunflower seed dip on gluten free wrap.

Good job BF - Very tasty!  I love fresh cilantro.

7x7 tea, hot and room temperature water throughout the day.

Sunflower Seed Dip

• 1 cups hulled sunflower seeds (ideally soaked for 8 hours, see why below)
• 1/4 cup hulled sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)
• 1 lemon - juice of it
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Top with hemp hearts (optional)

Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until you get the desired texture - I like my dip smooth. You may add some water if you're having difficulty blending.

** Hemp seeds are a great source of protein, omega 3, manganese, magnesium, vitamin E

The hemp hearts are great to sprinkle into shakes, oatmeal, yogurt... While hemp seeds are a bit tougher to eat so you are better off blending them.

Why soak nuts and seeds?

Soaking nuts and seeds beings the sprouting process. This increases enzyme activity, improves absoprtion of its nutritions, and increases digestibility.  The nutrients significantly increase once the sprouting process being.

Day 2 - CLEAN Nutrition for 30 Days

Eating CLEAN is easy. It does take a bit of practice in the beginning and some getting used to, but it's well worth the benefits.  Organization is key.  If you are not organized and don't have CLEAN food accessible, you'll likely grab that muffin or burger because it's quick and available.  I usually go to the market on the weekend. When I get home, I clean my vegetables, cut them and prepare them for the week.  I typically eat at work, so I pack my breakfast and lunch in the morning - much of the final prep is done the night before.

Breakfast

Green Shake. 1 cucumber, handful of spinach, 1/2 apple, 1/2 lemon, handful of parsley

Cucumber and avocado mash on one gluten-free toast.  This was the first time I had this and may I say DELICIOUS!! I diced up about 1/4 cup of cucumber, mashed in half an avocado and added a dash of Bragg Liquid Aminos.  Bragg Liquid Aminos contains 16 amino acids - the building blocks to protein. It tastes like tamari or soya sauce.

7 x 7 tea: This tea contains 49 herbs.

Lunch

High energy salad. 

- Mixed greens, parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, 1/2 avocado, 1 tomato, sesame seeds, drizzled avocado oil.  I had a burst of energy after having the salad.  It’s full of nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, fiber, calcium and manganese.

Snack

Lentil soup.

- Lentils are an excellent source of fibre.  In addition to lowering cholesterol, lentils also help manage blood sugar levels. They are also source of folate (folic acid) and tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps manage appetite.

Dinner

Lentil soup (It was that good!)

Rice crackers with homemade nut spread: sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, parsley, onion and garlic.

7 x 7 tea

I had hot and room temperature water throughout the day.

CLEAN Nutrition for 30 Days

Happy New Year Everyone!

For the next 30 days I will be following the CLEAN food diet 100% of the time. I typically follow this philosophy about 80-90% of the time - I advise my peeps to follow it at least 80% of the time.  The 80%/20% rule! 

I'll be blogging about what I eat and will post some recipes. Whether you're looking to lose weight, become healthier or want to set a better example of your children,  I hope to help you along your quest for better health.

"The first wealth is health." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ok, so what is CLEAN nutrition?  It's probably easier to define it by explaining what it's not.

CLEAN nutrition is NOT:
•    Refined and processed foods
•    Sugar (white, brown...)
•    Fruit drinks high in refined sugars
•    Gluten-containing grains (wheat, spelt, rye, barley) i.e. breads, pasta, pastries…
•    Dairy (milk, cream, cheeses, butter, yogurt, ice-cream), goat milk and goat cheese are permitted
•    Caffeinated beverages (coffee, black tea, soda pop)
•    Red meats (beef, pork)

It may sound limiting but it's really not, you just need to get out of your old routine. Out with the old and in with the new. You will feel amazing - I promise!  So stick with me and you'll see results.

What will I be eating? Lots of vegetables, fruits, lean meats (I don't eat meat, but I do eat fish and I do recommend meat if you so choose), quinoa, rice, beans, tofu, nuts and seeds and lots of water.

Stay tuned for my daily food log.

Is Stress Causing You To Gain Weight?

That nasty six letter word "STRESS".  But who isn’t stressed?  From finances, relationships, job issues, we are surrounded by stress daily. We know stress isn’t good for our health and it has a tremendous impact on our quality of life.  It also has a cascading effect on many aspects of our health including hormonal imbalances. Hormonal imbalances physiologically lead up to crave more foods and store more fat.  If you are looking to get healthier or to slim down, ask yourself how your levels of stress are.

How Stress Impacts the Stress Hormone Cortisol 

When the body is stressed it goes into fight or flight mode. Think caveman vs. saber-toothed tiger. In order to survive this immediate threat, your body puts all of its energy into defending itself against the immediate threat. The adrenal glands, (two grape-sized glands that sit on top of the kidneys) are known as the “glands of stress” and in time of stress they release cortisol and adrenaline, which help mobilize energy productions from carbohydrates and fat. Once the stress has passed, our appetite increases because our body wants to refuel on carbohydrates and fat, which should have burned while combating the threat. Cortisol also makes us less sensitive to leptin, a hormone that tells us when we are full, so we tend to eat more than normal.  The problem is that we are not fighting saber-toothed tigers, so we don’t need the food to refuel after we’ve been stressed.  And these days, we are constantly stressed so our cortisol is elevated for long periods of time.

Cortisol and Blood Sugar Levels

Cortisol, among other things, regulates blood sugar. Elevated cortisol levels typically brought on by stress and a diet high in refined and sugary foods wreaks havoc on your health. Here’s how:

• Elevated cortisol levels, stimulates glucose (blood sugar) production - you need the high blood sugar to give you the energy to run away from that saber-toothed tiger!
• This excess glucose is converted into fat.
• Insulin is then released to protect the body from too much glucose.  This large insulin response in turn can trigger a dramatic drop in blood sugar and sometimes to levels that are even too low, which leaves one craving sugar and simple carbs to boost blood sugar levels.
• When blood glucose levels fall, this triggers a surge of adrenal stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. Can you see the vicious cycle? 
• The elevated blood sugar (from that new surge of cortisol), in turn, requires higher levels of insulin to get the glucose from the blood into the cells.

When this cycle is repeated frequently, the cells may become insulin resistant; meaning the body no longer responds to and uses the insulin it produces. This cycle is further impacted when one consumes sugary foods and refined carbohydrates (packages and processed foods, white sugar, white bread, chocolate, fruit juice…) which spike one’s blood sugar levels. Yes a very vicious cycle!   After some time of this cycle, the adrenal glands will become chronically fatigued. As a result, the body will no longer be able produce enough cortisol.

Sustained high cortisol levels have the following effects:

• Weakens the immune system
• Destroys bone and muscle health
• Changes in behaviour: mood swings, brain fog, irritability, high anxiety, depression…
• Interferes with hormonal balance
• Imbalances blood sugar levels
• Causes sleep disruption
• Encourages belly fat

 Belly Fat, Stress and Cortisol

If you have a spare tire around your waist, chances are you have elevated levels of cortisol. As mentioned above, the excess glucose from the cortisol and insulin from chronic stress converts into the form of abdominal fat (aka visceral fat). Abdominal fat doesn’t just sit there; it’s active and functions like a separate organ, spurring more abdominal fat deposition. Belly fat is also linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure and stroke. But the good news is that visceral fat responds effectively to diet. 

Nutrition and Diet in Times of Stress

To support your adrenal glands especially in times of stress, focus on clean nutrition. Here are some key nutrition tips:

• Ensure that all your meals are comprised of good quality protein, complex carbs and good fats.
• Limit packaged and processed foods, especially sugar, refined carbohydrates
• Avoid caffeine since it has been shown to raise cortisol levels
• Minimize alcohol, it’s loaded with sugar.
• Quit smoking, like alcohol, it raises cortisol levels
• Have protein and fiber for breakfast to stabilize blood sugar levels thus keeping you full and your energy levels up. Avoid too much fruit in the morning on an empty stomach.
• Have breakfast within 2 hours of waking to ensure blood sugar levels are replaced after a night’s sleep.
• Have lunch a bit before noon since the body quickly uses up morning nourishment.
• Have a nutritious afternoon snack at 2 or 3pm to avoid that dip in cortisol which typically occurs between 3 and 4pm.
• Have dinner at around 6pm – don’t wait too late.
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you would like a customized plan to identify and address any imbalances you may have that are getting in the way of you health and weight loss goals.

CLEANnutrition.ca Toronto Weight Loss and Nutrition