I thought it may be helpful to share what I did to get started living the clean eating lifestyle.  I’m hoping JenniferE will also add to this and post some of her tips as well.

When I first started eating clean, it seemed like I just jumped right into it, leaving all junk food behind.  But when I started thinking about it recently, I think it’s been more of an ongoing journey because I do have what I call my “oops” moments (which I’ll talk about more in-depth at a later date).  I do remember that after I read Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet Book and looked at the “I can make these” recipes in her Eat Clean Diet Cookbook I wanted to get started right then and there, and I did.

Here are a few things I started doing the very next day:

1.  Replaced the bread we were using with whole-grain bread.  At first I wasn’t careful about what brand I purchased, as long as it said “whole grain.”  But as I have learned, you have to be careful and read the ingredients list because some brands contain high fructose corn syrup. 

2.  Started drinking more ice water and limited my iced tea intake.  I do have a glass now and then, but I don’t drink it as much as I used to and I really don’t miss it.

3.  Went to the store and stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies.  I also cut up veggies to have ready for a quick snack.

4.  Started baking by using 1/2 whole wheat flour instead of using white flour only.  I do still use some white flour because I think using only whole wheat flour for some baked goods would be a disaster.

5.  Started cooking a lot from scratch.  I have found it to be cheaper and a whole lot healthier to cook from scratch than to buy foods that, yes, it might be more convenient to use instead of cooking from scratch, but a lot more expensive than just making it myself.

That’s it!  All it takes is baby steps.

Posted on July 10th, 2008 under Clean Eating Tips • Tags: eat clean diet book, get started eating clean. •  Print This Post • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback