John Chatham - The Clean Eating Cookbook & Diet: Over 100 Healthy Whole Food Recipes & Meal Plans

Copyright 2013 by Rockridge Press, Berkeley, California

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ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-261-1 | eBook 978-1-62315-286-4

Introduction

C lean Eating isnt a new idea, but its certainly one thats gaining popularitybecause it works. It isnt a standard diet that you follow short-term to reach a single health or body goal; its a lifestyle. On this plan, you wont be eliminating whole food groups or starving yourself, as these approaches arent sustainable and do nothing but produce short-term weight loss. Clean Eating is about a lifetime of enjoying natural, unprocessed foods that taste good and nourish you, paving the way to a stronger, fitter body.

To help you better understand Clean Eating, this book is arranged in an easy-to-follow format that will show you the why, what, and how of this healthful lifestyle.

The Clean Eating Cookbook & Diet offers a path to a healthful lifestyle with:

• A thorough explanation of what Clean Eating is and how it evolved, along with the benefits of embracing this lifestyle
• A season-by-season outline of what to eat and when, what foods to avoid, and super foods that you should include whenever possible in your meal plans
• The essentials of Clean Eating, including the importance of exercise, dos and donts of the plan, and some simple steps for getting started on the path to good health
• A two-week meal plan, complete with comprehensive shopping lists, that will give you a good idea about how Clean Eating works and will allow you to begin your journey immediately
• Important information about how to prepare and cook your Clean Eating foods once you bring them home from the supermarket. Knowing which cooking methods to use, becoming familiar with herbs and spices, and understanding your many whole-grain options are invaluable when eating cleanly
• 105 Clean Eating recipes to get you started on the right foot

PART ONE

Fundamentals of Clean Eating

CHAPTER ONE

Clean Eating Principles

Do you sometimes feel like food controls you? Are you searching for a solution to your health or weight issues? Do you exercise but dont see the results you want in the mirror, and still dont feel energetic and healthy? Have you counted calories, cut out carbohydrates and fats, and shaken up countless smoothies in the quest for better health?

Clean Eating might be the solution for you if youre ready for a lifestyle change that will help you get in the healthiest shape of your life. Youll eat delicious meals without feeling hungry or deprived, and youll enjoy the benefits of caring for yourself with nutritious whole food.

WHAT IS CLEAN EATING?

So what exactly is Clean Eating, and how is it different from every other eating plan out there?

Clean Eating isnt like diets you might have tried that keep your calories at starvation levels, exclude entire food groups, and require you to live on supplements. Its a way of eating thats sustainable over your entire life and will let you enjoy peak health while savoring delicious food.

In a nutshell, Clean Eating is about choosing foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. For example, strawberries are natural, but strawberry jam isnt. While following the plan, youll cut out processed foods of any kind, such as sugar, refined grain, and saturated fats, and replace them with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, and good fats. Youll eat small meals five to six times a day and exercise in moderation.

Eating cleanly will change the relationship you have with food. Youll come to understand that fueling your body with the kinds of food that its meant to eat creates vibrant good health with no feelings of deprivation or fatigue. Clean Eating is meant to be sustainable in the long term, so its important to approach it from a practical standpoint. You wont be shooting for perfection in all of your choices, just a genuine commitment to better health and eating what nurtures and nourishes your body. You can certainly have a treat every once in a while, such as a piece of dark chocolate or even a small slice of birthday cake with friends. But after enjoying a bounty of healthful choices, you might find that sweets and salty snacks just arent as tempting as they used to be.

THE HISTORY OF CLEAN EATING

Diets, and weight loss in particular, are big business, because even though scientific research points to food as the key to good health, people are getting fatter and weight-related chronic diseases are on the rise. There have been many strange fad diets on the health scene over the yearsones that promote eating only cabbage soup, grapefruit, or even fast food, for example. The concept of Clean Eating emerged as an alternative to these trendy nutrition disasters, and it has remained a logical choice for many people seeking a healthier life.