FITNESS FRIDAY – CONTINUED
Stop BS’ing Yourself – Part 2

As I stated yesterday, eating clean is about improved quality of life and there are a ton of benefits to be gained from this lifestyle!

Here are a few tips to get you started on your clean-eating journey:

Clean out your kitchen—get rid of all the obvious junk foods as well as the “fake healthy” foods;
Re-stock it with fresh and frozen veggies and fruits, lean proteins such as chicken breast, fish, lean red meat, low-fat cottage cheese, nonfat plain yogurt or Greek-style yogurt, healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, and avocado, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, and herbs and spices for bold flavor;
Plan ahead—make a dinner menu for the following week, this way you will be less tempted to indulge in something less than good for your body;
Pack healthy meals—another way you’ll be less tempted to eat a nutrient-void meal on the run;
Eat breakfast—every day! As cliché as it sounds, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day;
Eat every 2.5-3 hours—this helps keep your blood sugar stable as well as your metabolism up;
Drink water—all day! Experts recommend a minimum of 64 ounces each day. Drink a glass upon waking, before and after each meal, and even more when you exercise. If you don’t like plain water, add some freshly squeezed lemon or lime or a sprig of fresh mint.
Make healthy choices when eating out—order your food baked, broiled, or steamed, prepared with little or no added fat, and ask for a fresh salad or steamed veggies on the side.

Clean eating is a lifestyle that requires time, planning, and commitment. Take a few minutes to assess how “well” you are eating and see how it measures up to what you could be doing. You don’t have to make all these changes at once, nor should anyone be expected to.

Set small achievable goals and evaluate your progress regularly. If you are headed in the right direction, great! Increase your goals slowly to ensure continued progress. If you are not making progress, you may need to change your goals. Don’t give up either way—even if you don’t meet your goal you are still learning what works for you and what doesn’t.

ABOUT RACHEL: Rachel Swartz-Hartje is an NASM certified personal trainer and is currently completing her degree in community health promotion.  She enjoys running, bodybuilding and torturing her clients (and friends) into submission.  She is definitely a bad-ass.  Don’t let her nice profile picture fool you. Her mantra? “Discipline is the Bridge Between Goals and Accomplishments.” Oh yeah, she also used to be in the Navy.  Don’t. Mess. With. Her.