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Clean Eating and Weight Loss

Clean eating has become very popular in recent years, and for good reason. The concept is deceptively easy to understand: instead of counting calories or eliminating certain food groups from your diet, simply eat foods that are whole or unprocessed. This means that you should consume foods that have undergone as little processing as possible and that are closest to their natural form.


What does clean eating entail


There are certain concepts that are encouraged when clean eating for weight loss. They include:


- Dividing your meal intake into six small portions throughout the day. This is so as to ensure that your blood sugar level does not drop during the course of the day. A blood sugar drop is what leads to cravings which will have you reaching for unhealthy quick fixes.


- Always consume breakfast daily, at least one hour after you wake up. Breakfast is the most important meal in your day, as it will help you to have the energy to go about your daily activities.


- Ensure that every meal has complex carbohydrates and lean proteins. These foods will help you to stay fuller for longer periods of time. You will therefore not get hunger pangs which encourage you to keep snacking throughout the day.


- Control your portion size. Everyone has a basic amount of food that that they should consume each day. Since you are consuming six portions a day, you should control the portions in order to make sure that they are small but filling. This way, you will not exceed your recommended calorie intake, but you will still feel full and energized.


- Drink up to three liters of water every day.


- Have two or three servings of healthy fat each day.


Which unprocessed foods should you avoid?


Some of the foods to avoid when clean eating for weight loss include:


- Over-processed foods


- Alcohol


- Sugary beverages


- Artificial sweeteners


- Foods that have chemical additives such as sodium nitrite or food dyes.


- Saturated fats


- Foods that have preservatives


- Foods that have a lot of calories but no nutritional value


How can eating unprocessed foods help you to lose weight?


Unprocessed foods have fewer calories. During processing, a lot of unnecessary calories are added to a lot of foods. For example, 100g of lean pork has about 147 calories, whereas 100g of pork sausages have a whooping 357 calories. Therefore, consuming processed foods means that you are consuming more calories overall.


Unprocessed foods help you to stay fuller for longer. One of the problems that people have when they try to lose weight is the constant feeling of hunger. If you ignore your hunger pangs, you will end up feeling frustrated and miserable. However, if you give in to your cravings, you may frustrate your weight loss efforts. Fortunately, hunger pangs are fewer if you eat a clean diet. This is because unprocessed foods have fewer sugars and more fiber and vitamins. These nutrients help to slow down the process of absorption of natural sugar. This means that you will have energy for a longer period of time, and you will also feel fuller for longer.


Weight loss is a journey, and you should remain dedicated and motivated in order to complete it. Fortunately, you do not have to go through this journey alone. There are thousands of other people who are willing to hold your hand and to encourage you as you strive to reach your ideal weight. These people have similar goals to yours, and they will hold you accountable so that you can remain healthy. So join my accountability group, and get new friends and partners for your weight loss journey. There is no shaming or guilt in this group; just lots of love and encouragement as we cheer you on towards a healthy life.



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