I mentioned in a previous post that I have set two goals into action in hopes of avoiding yet another failed new years resolution. I’m excited to share my second goal with you because I hope it will inspire any of you who want to make changes in either your eating habits or physical fitness level.
In addition to my goal #1, the 90 day meditation challenge, I also wanted to start a physical fitness program to push myself further than I ever have to reach an optimal fitness level.
I was inspired recently to start this program thanks to Tosca Reno’s new book “The Eat Clean Diet”. I saw her speak at Wellspot (a Woman’s wellness day) in Toronto recently and I appreciated her positive attitude and inspirational message.
Tosca’s reinvention of herself following a divorce is nothing short of spectacular and what makes it all the more interesting is that she began this journey in her fourties and at 50 years old, has still managed to have her butt planted on the cover of Oxygen magazine!
Although I have no aspiration of being photographed in a string bikini, her transformation is a testament that we do “become what we eat”. She has literally taken years off her life, mentally, emotionally and physically by adopting a “clean eating” lifestyle & becoming physically fit. She is now living her dream of inspiring & teaching others how to care for their health and transform their lives.
I think the one reason I’ve steered clear of any consistant time in the gym is that I’ve always thought that in order to get my “dream body” it would require a lot of hard work! Hours of lifting weights, no fat diets, crazy supplementation etc. The idea of that has never been appealing enough to me to want to work out. (I obviously overlooked the numerous health benefits of working out!)
So when I read Tosca’s breakdown for getting the physique I thought only gym rats could get, I was intrigued. She says that achieving your optimal physique is 80% Nutrition, 10% Physical, and 10% genetics and that “no amount of exercise will reshape your body without proper nutrition”. Obviously the “10% physical” had me taking a second look at my outdated concept of getting in shape and it’s for this reason that she has inspired me to begin working out. Nutrition is actually something I can understand!
I have always referred to my eating style as as a “whole foods” lifestyle so I was pleasantly surprised at the simplicity behind the concept of “clean eating”. In a way, the book title is misleading, because clean eating is a lifestyle, not a diet.
Here the idea behind “clean eating”:
- Eat 5-6 meals a day
- Eat every 2-3 hours
- Drink lots of water
- Combine lean protein and complex carbs for every meal
- Stock a cooler of delicious food when you are away from home for more than 3 hours
- Avoid over processed food, saturated and trans fats sugar loaded colas and juices and alcohol
- Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins and enzymes
- Stick to proper portion sizes (which is easy when you’re eating so often!)
I love food, it’s no secret and I have never followed a “diet routine”. I mainly just stick to eating whole foods, and it has worked very well to keep extra weight off and stay healthy. However, there are two exceptions: One: When I get working I tend to completely overlook feeding myself and then I wind up in a dizzying frenzy raiding the fridge. Two: I have a “new body” now, after the arrival of my daughter! The weight came off, but along with the weight, I also lost a lot of muscle tone. Bye bye bottom!
Since I’ve been following her eating guidelines and after adding a high quality protein powder to my diet (I picked Greens+’s protein and love it) I am feeling terrific. I am also following her simple workout routine. The routine lasts about 30 minutes, and I workout every second day. Hardly a hard core gym program and I am already seeing results. WOOT! (I actually took the customary “before” pictures of my self so that I can see the “after”. But don’t expect to see them posted here!)
Tosca does a great job at outlining the principles behind healthy eating. She breaks down the good, the bad and the ugly, and then offers a solid plan for getting back on track.
WIN IT: Would you like to win a copy of “The Eat Clean Diet”? Inspire me by leaving me a comment about your LEAST clean indulgence and your main inspiration for living a healthy life. I’ll pick a name at random and announce it here and also by email. Contest closes June 30. Canadian and US residents eligible.
Congratulations to comment # 4 -Jennifer W. You have been randomly selected to win a copy of “The Eat Clean Diet”. I have contacted you by email.
These are my thoughts on living a healthy and simple life. I'm a modern mom with some traditional ideas. At home, I try to clear the confusion from all the conflicting health and parenting advice with some common sense and a natural philosophy. This is the sanest way I know how to navigate the 21 century.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
The eating program outlined in this book (as you described it) sounds attainable for the average person. The only suggestion that wouldn’t work for me is carrying around a cooler stocked with delicious foods. I really wouldn’t want to be walking all over town or riding the bus with a cooler. However, perhaps she was assuming most people would have a car.
As for my worst eating habits . . . well, I do enjoy ice cream and quite a few baked goods and coffee drinks. I believe I eat and drink those things in moderation, so I am not too worried about them.
Easy! My hubbie is a dessert chef! He comes home COVERED in white chocolate and his laundry is like running around in Willie Wonka’s playland- I never thought I would ever want to lick my husband’s jackets but sometimes…..well, let’s just say my will power is rock solid!
We have been both aspiring to live better and eat better. You can’t spend two hours a week cleaning with non-toxic cleaners, recycling and then eating a big hamburger from Burger King. It’s not a good way to live. We could use some help jazzing up our menus. Thanks for the chance~!
I strive for a ‘clean’ life in many ways, from my vegetarian diet to my commitment to environmentally sound living. So this is embarrassing, but my ‘dirty’ secret is Pillsbury’s Three Cheese Pizza Pops. They’re my go-to food for the times when I just left it too long between meals and am too starved to bother making something ‘real’ to eat. Pathetic, right? They don’t even taste that great, especially microwaved. I always regret it afterwards.
I ate very ‘clean’ as a kid, turning down ice cream in favour of a green pepper. That all turned around in my teenage years when I discovered a taste for chocolate chip cookies. I really have to keep this little addiction in check. I’m trying very hard this year to make healthier choices and not brining cookies home from the store. I am a mom to a beautiful and healthy two year old boy and I want him to have the eating habits I had as a child.
French fries. Dipped in real mayo. Bad, but oh so good.
My least clean indulgence would have to be refined sugar. I only like my tea if it’s sweetened with white sugar. I also like to eat candy of just about any kind.
I would like to be more fit so that I can do more, such as being with my young, very active grandchildren more often.
I’ve seen the clean eating book mentioned before and now I’m intrigued.