Eating clean doesn’t have to mean eating kale and being sad. Clean eating means paying attention to your body and being cognitive to what your body needs and how foods make you feel. It took me completely cutting out dairy for a few weeks to understand that it’s the main cause of my skin breakouts and moodiness. I have never followed a diet but for over the past few months, I have figured out which foods are not beneficial to my body and little tricks I can easily stick to in order to still eat what I want and feel good about it.

LEAFY GREENS ONCE OR TWICE A DAY

I always try to eat two to three servings of leafy greens every day. Leafy greens are SOO vital to our body’s energy and well being. Leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, arugula, broccoli, etc) are naturally anti-inflammatory, which means you’ll rarely feel bloated and bad afterwards!  They are also high in antioxidants and are proven to prevent cancer.

Implementing leafy greens into one or two of your daily meals is super easy. Try making a side salad, adding spinach or arugula to your pasta, or adding spinach to your smoothie or shake. I swear now that I eat them everyday, I crave them!

VEGETARIAN (+ FISH) ON MONDAYS

I’m not exactly sure why I do this, but it feels really good. I tend to eat a lot of meat (and other not so healthy foods) on the weekends so focusing on veggies and fish on Monday helps my body get back into a normal state and acts as a detox. I normally eat a big, leafy salad for lunch and either a stuffed avocado with tuna or salmon with cauliflower rice for dinner.

LIMIT RED MEAT TO ONCE A WEEK

Red meat has always been a controversy in the health world. Those on the Keto diet live on low-carb red meats such as bacon and lamb, but those who are worried more about the health effects of foods will say red meat should be enjoyed in moderation.

Mass consumption of red meat is known to cause heart problems, gut inflammation, and increase risk of diabetes. Now a days, there are so many alternatives to red meat that there is no reason to get your protein fix from it every day. Try substituting ground turkey in your burgers and pasta sauce, and opting for turkey bacon. Don’t get me wrong, brisket tacos are my weakness and I will enjoy them every once in awhile! However, I don’t feel like I’m missing out by choosing white chicken and turkey for other meals.

FIND SIMPLE ALTERNATIVES

The best part about eating clean is that you can still eat what you want, just in a different way. Everyone loves going out to eat for mexican food and indulging in some chips and guac. Most of the time, I get full on this before my meal even comes out! I started substituting cucumber slices for chips and let me tell you, it almost tastes better! The guac tastes so much more fresh. I have yet to find a restaurant that can’t accommodate this for me!

Another simple trick to cut extra calories is to make your own dressings. Salad dressings and sauces are normally loaded with preservatives, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Instead, try making a lemon juice/avocado mixture or simply using the juice from a lime for your salad. For pasta, I usually just use olive oil and salt and pepper. Honestly, the most flavorful meals don’t even need to be drowned in sauce! If your meal is lacking flavor, add some extra seasonings, a hard cheese (goat, feta, Parmesan), or cilantro and I swear you won’t miss the ranch or Ragu.

Have any more healthy tips and tricks that help you stick to a clean diet? Please leave a comment below! I love learning from ya’ll as well!