Are You Eating Clean? 5 Mistakes That Sabotage a Good Diet

First, let’s all just give ourselves a pat on the back for the willingness we have to make better choices than we did yesterday– or 10 years ago.Eating clean is an evolution, as science and research continue to give us more insight into how we should best nourish our bodies for optimal health and wellness.

But if I know one thing for sure, I know this: Many of you are still incredibly confused about what to eat. And it’s not your fault.

One day you’re told that eggs clog your arteries, and the next you’re advised to eat them. You hear that sugar causes cancer, but artificial sweeteners are a no-no, too. A friend says she lost 10 pounds going vegan, but another friend says the same thing about her paleo diet.

What are you supposed to believe?

In my opinion, clean eating involves getting back to the basics, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple, per se. You may think you’re on track, but some nutritional choices that seem healthy may be doing more harm than good.

 

In addition to eating your veggies and sipping your smoothies, avoid these top five mistakes that could be sabotaging your efforts to eat clean:

1. You think whole grains = good.

There’s a lot of dialogue happening on the topic of grains these days, but my philosophy is fairly simple: I tell my patients to eliminate or significantly reduce gluten consumption. Whole grains get a lot of good press, and while they’re better than processed “white” breads or grain products, gluten (which is found in wheat, spelt, kamut, rye and barley products) is one of the top “offender” foods that probably isn’t doing your body any good.

There is a growing body of scientific research to back up this idea – I recommend reading “Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path Back to Health” or “Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar – Your Brain’s Silent Killers” if you want to delve deeper – but suffice to say that whole grains are still grains. In my practice, I’ve seen that when patients eliminate gluten, many different health issues show significant improvements.

 

2. You swap sugar for artificial sweeteners.

I hate to break it to you, but there’s just no getting around the sugar situation – the healthiest thing to do is simply reduce your intake. Swapping sugar for artificial sweeteners can actually increase sugar cravings. Research published in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism last year found thatartificial sweeteners interfere with hunger and satiety cues. Why? You taste something sweet but reap no caloric benefit from it, confusing your body’s feedback system that lets you know when you’re full.

 

3. You “compensate” for bad diet days.

Do you ever decide to drastically restrict your calorie intake or even fast after a day of dietary indulgence?

“Compensatory” behaviors may seem like a logical thing to do, but eating regularly is one of the tenets of true clean eating – it helps stabilize your blood sugar, your hormones and your mood, and itallows you the opportunity to practice the art of nourishing yourself, even on days you’d rather adopt a punishment mentality.

 

4. You overload on fruit.

I’m not saying that fruit is bad. It’s not. Fruits are packed with good-for-you nutrients that nature intended for our bodies. But clean eating doesn’t mean you can consume unlimited amounts of fruit and still be healthy. Higher-glycemic fruits, like bananas or grapes, can raise your blood sugar quickly, leading to that vicious cycle where you crash, burn and end up with sugar or carbohydrate cravings. While they’re of the natural variety, the sugars in fruit can still create blood glucose spikes, and therefore they shouldn’t be a “free” food on your diet plan. Lower-glycemic fruits, like berries or apples, are a smarter choice if you want to prevent blood sugar highs and lows.

 

5. You avoid fat like the plague.

Again – it’s not inherently bad to read labels and track things like fat, calories or carbs. But clean eating is less about how much you’re consuming and more about whether or not you’re getting a good balance of the main macronutrients: protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Healthy fats, like those found in avocados or nuts, are essential for overall health. Carbs, too, aren’t the devil – as long as you’re not going overboard.Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all calories are created equal or that eliminating all fat from your diet is the key to weight loss or health. Justfocus on fueling your body with the right foods (in healthy portion sizes), and you’ll become a clean eating pro.

Lastly, don’t beat yourself up if you’re not entirely “there” yet with your eating habits. Change that lasts is change you can sustain, so start small and do what you can to clean up your diet.

If you avoid these five mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to better habits, better health and who knows – maybe even a slimmer waistline.

July 17, 2014 By Sara Gottfried MD

Eating for long term results

Eating for long-term results

The biggest thing I get in my challenge groups and from people looking to make a change is not knowing what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat, and how to eat clean. What two foods should I pair up to get a complete meal? What is a lean protein? Can I eat too much pasta? How many servings should I have? Is corn a vegetable? These are all questions I get daily!!! So I decided to clear a few things up and create this blog post. I learned everything I know from personal experience and from Tosca Reno, the author of The Eat Clean Diet. In her book she calls her meal plans, "Cooler Plans".  She describes 3 different cooler plans based on the results you are looking to get. Today I want to describe the most popular and basic cooler plan, Cooler Plan #2. This cooler plan allows you to loose weight at a steady pace and maintain your weight loss once you reach your goal weight. This is basically what I stick to year round unless i'm looking to slim down quick for an event. 

What is it?  This IS EATING CLEAN!  Do this year round for steady, healthy weight loss.  But this plan can also be used for maintenance.  Here's why:  when your body begins to approaching its set point (its genetically predetermined healthy weight) you will find that weight loss will stop or slow.

The occasional treat (glass of wine, piece of chocolate, ect) is permitted in limited amounts.  Unhealthy sugars and fats are not recommended.

How it works:

 Follow the eat clean principles as listed below

What to do:

• Eat more- eat six small meals each day.
• Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising.
• Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbs at each meal
• Eat sufficient (two to three servings) healthy fats every day.
• Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
• Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
• Adhere to proper portion sizes.

What to Avoid:

• Avoid all over-processed foods, particularly white flour and sugar.
• Avoid all chemically charge foods.
• Avoid foods containing preservatives.
• Avoid artificial sugars.
• Avoid artificial foods such as processed cheese slices.
• Avoid saturated and trans fats.
• Avoid sugar loaded beverages, including colas and juices.
• Avoid or do your best to limit alcohol intake.
• Avoid all calorie dense foods containing little or no nutritional value. I call these anti-foods.
• Avoid super sizing your meals.

Complex Carbohydrates from Fruit and Vegetables:

6 portions each day.  A portion is:

• 1 cupped handful or a piece of fruit such as berries, grapefruit, melon, apples and mangoes.
• 2 cupped handfuls of vegetables including broth based/vegetable puree soups.

Complex Carbohydrates from whole grains and starchy carbohydrates: 

2-4 portions each day.  A portion is:
1 scant handful of high-protein, sugar-free cold cereals, such as clean muesli or granola.
1 handful of cooked cereal
1 piece of whole grain bread or wrap (Sante Fe tortilla wraps from Costco are a great option)
1 handful sized serving of sweet potato, yam, banana, corn, carrots or squash

Lean Protein

6 portions each day.  A portion is:

• 1 cup or handful of dairy products such as low fat soy, almond, hemp, rice, or skim milk, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt cheese or plain fat free sugar free yogurt.
• 1 scant handful of raw, unsalted nuts (also a healthy fat)
• 2 tablespoons of all natural nut butters such as almond or peanut butter (also a healthy fat).
• 1 palm sized portion of lean meats
• good quality, sugar- and chemical- free protein powder (hemp, soy or whey).

Beverages:

• 2-3 liters per day of fresh water with no sodium
• Clear herbal tea (unsweetened)
• Black coffee in moderation
• Green/Black tea

Sweeteners:  Use in moderation.  Avoid Artificial Sweeteners.

• Agave Nectar 
• Maple Sugar Flakes
• Rapadura Sugar

If you would like even more support please head over to my site and sign up and I'd be glad to provide you with daily motivation and support to help you accomplish your health and weight loss goals!  I have lost 50 lbs to date with clean eating and regular exercise.  No starvation just healthy whole meals.  As you can see above this picture is an idea of some of the foods that I enjoy on a regular basis!!!