Eating Clean: A Lifestyle Not a Diet

*Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert. The opinions in this (and every) post are based on my own experience and circumstance. Please consult with a medical professional before making any changes to your lifestyle.


I have many philosophies for how I want to live my life but in the end they all boil down to one thing:

 I want to live my best life as my best self.

On the surface many might think that I am on track-perhaps in many ways I am-yet I have always had the nagging feeling that I could be doing better. That there is a piece of the puzzle that is missing, or at the very least, that doesn't quite fit yet

As a firm believer that you get out of life what you willing to put in it I have also begun to seriously apply that to food as well: You can only expect your body to give what it gets.

In other words, you are what you eat, which you've heard here before. Except that along with filling the ol' proverbial tank with spinach and whole grains I also load it up with sugar and refined flour and empty simple carbs.

Bottom line: This project gets a "Need Improvement"

Enter Eating Clean, otherwise known as the way I plan to improve my life from the inside out.

Let me explain....

What is Eating Clean?

Simply put, I define eating clean as eating those foods that modern day humans are meant to eat... naturally. Sure there are arguments that our cave dwelling ancestors ate a certain way and that we such mimic that style but in all honesty I am a firm believer that evolution has matured our nutritional needs as well.

That being said our bodies perform in the most optimal way when given foods that are as close to the earth as possible. Skip the processing and the preservatives because frankly its probably killing you anyway.

Dramatic? Yes, but with good reason. Eating habits are literally a matter of life or death. I choose life.

You can also find a great definition of eating clean here. Then again, I think the sheer nature of the habit allows for everyone to define it for them self and use that definition to apply it to there own lifestyle which is a really great thing.

What Can't You Eat When "Eating Clean"?

Honestly, I don't see this as a restrictive "can" and "can't" kind of deal. There are many things that you should refrain from because they simply aren't beneficial and/or are detrimental to your well being.

As a part of my interpretation I plan to avoid:

refined sugars
refined white flour, pasta and rice
alcohol
saturated fats
artificial sweeteners
preservatives

What Will You Eat Then?

That's a much longer list but I'll give it a try:

Eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and pasta, brown rice, lean poultry, fish, low fat dairy, legumes, seeds and nuts, quinoa, tofu

That's a lot and I am betting I missed a few things. Needless to say, I won't be going hungry.


Where Did You Learn About This Diet?

First, let me clarify that I am hesitant to call it a diet. Instead I choose to view it as a lifestyle or eating habits. The idea of diets have negative connotations and in many cases are viewed as unsustainable. This is meant to be the way I am able to eat now and for always.

I learned about the principles of eating clean through various sources including The Gracious Pantry website and Tosca Reno's The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged. I have also been fortunate to meet very educated people who are well informed on this topic and have and will continue to provide me with guidance along the way.

If Its Not a Diet Then I Guess You Don't Plan to Lose Weight?

I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope to lose weight or that I didn't expect to. The truth of the matter is I have weight to lose. The intention of the change is not solely based on weight loss though. It's meant to overhaul my health and wellness. The weight loss will come naturally once I am able to adopt better eating habits over a period of time.

Aren't You Starving?

Actually I feel the opposite of starving. Since I kick started this a few days ago I am comfortably full and satisfied after meals without feeling stuffed or bloated. The idea is to eat often (five or six mini meals a day) to keep your blood sugar and appetite stable. I also find that when I start to fell a little hungry its time for another meal anyway.

Wait, You Eat More Often and Hope to Lose Weight?

Yes. The food I will be eating is wholesome and nutrient dense as opposed to full of empty calories and fat. My portions are reasonable and my body will keep functioning at optimal levels, meaning not freaking out and storing fat in fear of famine (which happens when I am too restrictive) or as a reaction to a sugar induced insulin spike (which seems to happen the rest of the time).


Does That Mean You'll Never Eat Another Cupcake?

Hell no! The point of this is to be sustainable and I know that if I set such extreme boundaries I would inevitably break the rules and binge on donuts after a week. So I will eat cupcakes again, just once and a while. When the situation really calls for a cupcake.


Can You Tell Me More?

Yes, but another time. First I want to actually live it before I begin fanatically spreading the word-at least more then I already have. But let me say this; I am really excited about this. For the first time I feel passionate about a "diet plan" and not because I hope to ft into a dress or shed 10lbs but because I truly believe this way of eating is the ticket for me to be healthier and happier in so many ways. It just makes sense to me and I am stoked to see the results as they become more and more evident.

I plan to keep you posted so stay tuned.....


PS: The photos I included are just a few examples of the amazing "clean" eats I have enjoyed over the past three days. Yum right??!


So tell me, have you ever heard of "eating clean"? What do you think? What's one thing you would hate to give up?

Blogger Date @ Live Food Bar

Today was such an exciting day for me! Not only did I get to try a new restaurant and have a fabulous lunch on a patio on a beautiful summer's day but I did it with some amazing Toronto bloggers.

Perfection

The super sweet Danielle of Body by Nature organized this little get-together at Live, which is a local organic vegan raw food restaurant. Quite the mouthful huh?

Thankfully that mouthful was of delicious food!

The menu was full of so many tasty sounding dishes it was really hard to choose. I landed on a salad (which was soooo good!) but secretly wanted a taste of everyone else's food too (Tacos, waffles and wraps...oh my!)

If you've got doubts about raw vegan food being good you need to try this place- I promise it will change your mind for good!

The only thing better than the food at this place was the company. I've said it before but I love spending time with other bloggers. It's like getting together with old friends who know you, support you and just "get" you. The conversation flowed from the minute we sat down and before I knew it two and a half hours had flown by.

Truthfully I could have stayed and chatted for another three hours and had dinner there too. We talked about so many different things (raw food, blogging, running) and barely scratched the surface of everything we could have discussed.

All that really means is that another meet up is in order for the very near future. Any excuse to chat with these ladies and try those tacos is good by me!



So tell me, how did you spend your Saturday?

Two New Things: A PDR and the Best Fro Yo EVER!!!

I woke up bright and early thig morning (on a Saturday, blech) for a scheduled long run that I had committed to completing with Cynthia. Because I had been having such a hard time actually getting out the door for my long runs lately I knew firm plans with a running buddy was just the thing I needed.

Breakfast was munched in the car because I was desperate for every extra minute of sleep I could get. Judging by those eyes, I certainly needed a few more!

After meeting with Cynthia and giving my Garmin a little extra charge we headed out. The plan was a 24km out and back along the Lakeshore in Toronto. Easy Peasey, right?

Umm...right.

Or not.

I am not a fan of running (walking or breathing) in the humidity and it was obvious to me from a few kilometres in that it was going to be very warm and sticky. The sun refused to duck behind any clouds, leaving us out in the open, women versus the scorching heat.

I (unlike Cynthia, who is a hot weather running freakin' superstar) will lose that standoff each and every time.

At least I am winning at being a totally hot running chick! Err..actually scratch that accolade too while you are at it.

Getting to the half way point wasn't completely horrible. I knew the humidity was getting me so I took some walk breaks and slowed my pace as Cynthia charged on ( I am positive she was a desert roadrunner in another life)

The way back was another story. I had rolled up my shirt in an effort to try to get my skin ventilated because my body felt like it was on fire, but I am pretty sure some significant damage was already done. I was hot, my legs were heavy and my mind slowly going to the dark place.

Uh oh, the dark place.

With every step I started to hate the sun, my socks, iPod, water bottle, fuel belt and ear phones even more and I was seriously (and I mean seriously) contemplating whether the marathon is a good idea for me.

If given the opportunity to drop out while I was at kilometre 20 you bet your ass I would have!

So let's fast forward, knowing that the run (or at least the back half) was one of these sucky "I hate this, why do I do it to myself" kinds of runs but I have been at this long enough to know that they happen and you move on.

On the bright side, I did get a PDR to tuck under my much aggrieved running belt: 23km. In your face 21km half marathon..in your face!

Oh and I didn't quit the marathon when the chance did arise. Yay me!

Now for my favorite part of my entire life day

Self-serve frozen yogurt with a mega stocked toppings bar? Where have you been all my life??

To say that we were excited for this trip, which was months in the making by the way, is an understatement.

Think kids going to Disneyland and a birthday party on Christmas morning and you've pretty much got it understood.

I got cookies and cream and banana split fro yo with pretty much every topping they had. Between the giggling and squealing and the overload of yogurt goodness the teenagers working there must have thought we were as stoned as they were (tasteless stereotype alert!!)

We made sure to tell them we had just run for a bazillion hours which only served to make them think that we were completely crazy given how hot it was outside. They probably still think drugs had something to do with it to.

Nope! All natural runner's high baby!!

And a touch of sugar high when we were done too.

I'm in heaven! And it's walking distance from my house.

There goes future hopes of that hot runner chick award.

Oh well...I'll drown my sorrows in fuzzy peaches and red velvet fro yo instead. Totally hot is way overrated anyway.

So tell me, what's something new you tried recently? Have you have had self-serve fro yo??

Take that Starbucks!

I actually wasn't planning to blog tonight because I have my Feature Friday post set to publish tomorrow morning but I couldn't resist sharing this with you...

Ok, so here's the back story: I love Starbucks Vivianno protein smoothies as a way to refuel post workout.

I love them when I can actually get them that is.

You see, I've has quite a few instances in the last few week's where my regular (and formerly reliable) coffee house was out of either the bananas or the protein. Ack! Once or twice I can understand but this is becoming a far too regular occurrence for "I need fuel in my belly right now!" Sam to deal with.

You know it's a out of hand when you've gone so far as to supply your own banana.

So what's a girl to do? When you can't count on someone else you pull up your big girl pants and get it done yourself, that's what!

Introducing the "better than Starbucks because at least its in stock and it tastes just as great and isn't as expensive" post workout smoothie (I should totally work in marketing huh??)

What you need:

1 cup milk (cow's, soy, almond)

1 frozen banana

1 tbsp cocoa powder

2/3 scoop unflavored protein powder

1 tsp instant coffee

Blend everything up in a blender and serve.

Easy and reliable? No that's more like it!

So tell me, do you create any coffee house recipes at home?

How NOT to be a Role Model

As someone who takes a lot of pride in being a part of this wonderful little healthy living community I also take on a certain level of responsibility for the message I put out there. People (albeit a relatively small but extraordinarily awesome group of people) read what I have to say, and on the small chance that anyone is inspired by it I need to be responsible. Real and honest but responsible.

Which brings me to my issue: Celebrities, who have a much, MUCH larger following of people who look up to them, should also take on a personal responsibility to send a positive message.

Likewise, magazines geared at women who are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle should also feel a sense of obligation for putting healthy messages out there.

So imagine my disgust when I stumbled upon this:

1,100 calories a day? Are you freakin' kidding me! C'mon Kim, I know you want to look your best for your wedding but with your intense workout schedule (see above) this is pretty much starvation!

Not cool (or safe) seeing as you used to represent the curvy gals of the world.

Here's another example of too little food for a severly active person being touted as a good way to live

Ugh! Two hours of tennis four times a week and this singer is limiting herself to 1,300 calories a day?

Even worse she suggests that a glass of wine in the evening would make her feel guilty. One glass?? Really?

Enough with the "guilt talk" people. Women already have enough negative associations with food without reading about their favorite star suggesting that this drastic way of eating is normal. There is no reason someone should feel guilty about their food choices, especially something as measly as 120 calories of wine!!

As someone who admittedly is trying to drop some extra weight and who is using food tracking to aid in that process I will put this out there: 

 I aim for 1200-1300 calories on the days that I do no form of intentional physical activity (ie: my complete rest days).

On days that I do exercise I add back most of the calories from my workout, putting me up to 1700-2000 calories.

I also ensure that I add in 100-200 extra calories, in the form of carbs, the day before a long run. This is on top of my existing carb intake for that day.

I should also note that this is my strategy to lose the weight. Once I am in a maintanence phase I will  strive for anywhere between 1600 and 2400 calories a day on average.

1,100 and intense workouts? Umm...no thanks!

Oh and then there is this ad that keeps popping up in magazines

There is nothing obviously wrong with it but it irks the hell outta me! Who looks like that when they eat a protein bar? When I eat one its because I just did a killer workout and for the most part I am a hot mess who will snarl at anyone who tries to get me to pose awkwardly for a photo before biting into it.

But that's just me.

And I'm not even a famous role model.


Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or nutritionist. The opinions expressed in this post are my own based on research that I am done over an extended period of time. If you need advice on calorie or food intake please consult a professional.


So tell me, how do you feel about celebrities and their "stay fit" tips?

If "You Are What You Eat?" then what does that make me??

After writing last night's post and reading the comments as they came in (thank you all for sharing your thoughts!) I couldn't help but think about how what we eat truly defines who we are. And not in a self-deprecating way at all but in the sense that what we fuel our bodies with can change the way we feel physically, mentally and emotionally. Food, something many of us take for granted, can cause or prevent disease, which ultimately allows it to somewhat dictate our life and how long we might live it. It's pretty crazy when you think about it huh?

That got me thinking that a part of this whole journey that I am on is to live my best life as my best self. Not perfect. Not flawless. Not up to someone else's standard. Just the best version of me that I can be. And because food is so influential in all facets of that life the things I consume should reflect my intentions.

If I were to be the food that I eat, who would I be?

That's a good start...

Definitely proud to be associated with that...

Yes, yes, yes!!

For damn sure!...

In this sense being called a monster is a very good thing!..

Okay so I definitely have some good food choices that can help positively portray who I am and where I want to go. My biggest issue then is consistency. I eat like this quite regularly but in between these really strong moments there are copious amounts of not-so-stellar treats like candy, soda, chips.I say it all the time and I will say it again, I believe in balance. But that does not mean that it's 50/50! I should not ingest one sour key for every spoonful of yogurt (not that I do that everyday  but you catch my drift)

So what does it all mean? Instead of a diet plan or food rules I want to begin to treat my food consumption as another choice that is meant to reflect how I want to be treated. By feeding myself wholesome, nutrient dense food I am respecting and loving myself. Its so simple and healthy and that's just the way I like it.

And hey, some days love and respect mean having the cake. Nothing says I love you better then the occasional slice of Oreo cheesecake anyway!

So I am what I eat huh? I guess I must have eaten a whole lot of "weirdness" growing up.....



So tell me if you are what you eat, what does that make you??

Do People Really Eat This Junk?

Maybe it's because I spent the better part of the day with a nagging stomach-ache. Or maybe its because I saw someone post photos of poutine with hotdogs on Facebook last night. Or maybe its because everywhere I go it seems restaurants are pushing the bigger, better (and by better I mean greasier and more calorie dense), more theme to their poor over-consuming patrons...

Maybe that's why I came home and Googled these:

Its a burger pizza. All I can ask is why? Okay and maybe how? As in, how do you tell yourself this is a good idea? And how do you live with what I can only imagine is heartburn and indigestion like I've never known (thank goodness!)?

Poutine with bacon. Yes, that's correct; its greasy fries topped with cheese curds, gravy and fatty meat. All I got on that one is ugh!

I am not even sure what this is. It looks likes like a burger with nachos and something really unappetizing on the bottom layer. I can't even make myself go look up what it might be.

That would be pizza with mac & cheese on it. Why not throw on some bacon and call it a party. Call yourself an ambulance while you are at it!

Yuck, another greesy, grimey looking burger with more unknown additions to the bottom layer. It's definitely not spinach and I have my doubts about it even being edible.

Donuts with bacon? I mean, why not? You might as well get the artery-clogging ritual off to a roaring start in the morning!

Its beef. It's bacon. It's a fried egg. It's cheese. Not to mention a side of fries. Now if this one doesn't take you to the cardiac ward in a hurry I don't know what will. Blech!!



I don't eat perfectly. Not even close by a stretch of the imagination. But I don't eat this either and I don't ever plan to. Its one thing to indulge in a decadent meal from time to time but this fat, calorie and cholesterol ladden garbage is not an indulgance its a blatant disregard for health and wellness, at least as far as I can see it.

That's not to say that I judge you if you've tried anyone of these (or all of them for that matter). Food is a personal choice. All I ask is that you recognize that these choices add up and not to something good. Sure, I preach balance all the time and I believe it. But I also believe that there isn't enough spinach on the planet to cancel these bad-boys out.

Just say no.

Your heart and health will thank you.

And no I won't tell you where these images are from. That would just make me a "gross food" enabler. No thank you! You can call Man vs. Food if you want those kind of recommendations...


So tell me, what's the grossest food item you have ever seen on a menu? What are your thoughts about the Bigger, Better, More trend in restaurants today?



You might also like: The Double Down Ain't Got Nothing on These

Up We Go!

Because I had done quite a bit of running and biking in the last few days I decided to declare today a rest day, at least as far as those two activities were concerned. Instead I suggested a hike at nearby Blue Mountain and to my delight the Boyfriend was all for it!

After a few errands in the morning and a light lunch we headed into "Blue" for our little adventure.

Lucky for us we left our toboggan loving horse at home. Phew!

For those of you that are not from this neck of the woods, Blue Mountain is known for it's skiing and snowboarding. Its become so popular, in fact, that they have designed a village at the base of the mountain that has a very "Whistler Blackcomb" vibe to it. In the summer the area is home to many outdoor activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, hiking tours, zip-lining and more. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend a stay in Collingwood ON.

I've got to say we picked a perfect say for hiking. It was warm (but not too hot) and breezy enough to keep us cool once we started moving. Of course you add in the gorgeous sunshine with a view like this and you just can't beat it!

We started our trip at the top of the mountain and decided to take a free gondola ride down to the bottom. I'm slightly afraid of heights (by slightly I mean I usually panic and cause a scene) so it was kind of a big deal that I just hopped in and took the the ride down.

At the bottom we took a little tour around the village and then started our trip up. Being that its a pretty serious ski hill the hike up was steep. My calves and quads got a serious workout from all the climbing.

Living in the city I don't get a chance to enjoy nature as much as I would like, so a hike is always on my list of things-to-do when I get a chance to visit the cottage. Finding a way to incorporate fitness and the calm of the woods is a win-win in my books!

And of course there is the added benefit that the comforts of home (including non-out house style toilet facilities) are only a hop, skip and a tumble jump away. You can take the City Girl outta the city but you can't take the city outta the girl...

This might have added to the appeal too.

If you are one of my southern neighbours I will speak on behalf of Canada when I say you need to take a trip here if for no other reason then one of these babies. A Beaver Tail is deep fried pastry goodness coated in cinnamon and sugar. It's the pride of the nation (or it should be...it really, really should) Tomorrow is Canada's birthday so come up and join us for the party and the pastries!!

Before you ask I do in fact go hiking and then eat dessert before dinner. It's a special technique that you too can attempt if you practice long enough.

To somewhat make up for that deliciousness I came back to the cottage and did some strength training:

100 squats
50 lunges
50 crunches
50 oblique crunches
50 pushups
50 tricep dips
1 minute plank

Now that all the fitness stuff is out of the way its time for another BBQ and some lounging on the porch with an iced cold beer.

Have I said it yet today? Life is good!!


So tell me, what is your favorite outdoor activity? How are you celebrating the long weekend?

Post Relay Recovery

You know that term "slept like a rock"? I pretty sure that they coined it after me. Last night, despite every effort to get through a movie, I ended up crashing hard on the couch around 9pm. The only time I woke up was to move to the bedroom where I tried to convince the Boyfriend to tell me the ending of the movie but failed to stay up long enough to listen to his explanation. I was Exhausted, capital "E"!!

Today, after 9+ hours of sleep I woke up feeling a little achy all over and a lot achy and sore in my hamstrings. As a heel striker any considerable distance does a number on that muscle more than any other. My foam roller and I have deepened the level of our love/hate relationship as a result of that relay.

I kicked the day off with a dose of healthy in the form of honey flavored Greek yogurt, blueberries, fibre cereal and chia seeds. After snacking here and there during the weekend I needed the boost in a big, bad way!!

After breakfast and catching up on some blogs I started to pack for my much anticipated trip to the cottage. After a few stressful weeks and restarting my training I could feel the need for a getaway creeping up on me. Luckily the Boyfriend's parents were nice enough to lend me their cottage for the week, which provided the perfect destination for relaxation.

The trip up was scenic and I enjoyed a quick snack on the road to hold me over. I don't do it often enough but I would much prefer to pack a healthy meal for road trips then try to find something wholesome on the side of the highway.

A wrap filled with black beans, spinach and goat cheese definitely hit the spot!

A couple hours later and we'd arrived. My legs were starting to really stiffen up so I was definitely grateful to be able to hop out and walk around. Long car rides and sore legs aren't exactly the best match but the pain was well worth it once I got here and instantly felt myself relax.

Its such a cute and quaint place isn't it? I am especially looking forward to running near the water (once my legs feel better) and sitting out on the deck and reading. I borrowed Water for Elephants and I'm so excited to get started.

I also found some of these laying around which should also keep me entertained 

 

I can't help but love some "fluff" reading when I am on vacation!

The plan for the week is this: Lots of sleep, sunbathing, running, biking, hiking, barbecuing and a few trips to the beach. Sounds pretty perfect don't ya think?

I'm off for a late dinner and a movie which I will hopefully stay up for this time. If not, there is always tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after to get caught up.

Ahh...the good life!

So tell me, what is your favorite way to spend a vacation? What's on your summer reading list?

Run Around With Me

The first (and only) thing I wanted to do when I got home from work tonight was to plop my butt on the couch and just do nothing. Nothing to the extent of refusing to waste energy to change the channel when some "Police Women of...." show came on. Nothing to the extent that I contemplated skipping dinner.

*gasp*

I know. How crazy is that? I mean I'm tired not dead. There's no way I'm missing out on dinner. Instead I decided a light meal was in order. The only condition: salsa. Salsa was a MUST!

Dinner in this house means vegetables. He can pout all he wants but The Boyfriend knows even Taco Night means spinach. He's so hard done by huh?

I threw my ground chicken and veggies onto some iceberg lettuce (I was much too sleepy for carbs) and loaded up on the fresh salsa. It was the salsa that made the meal but I knew that going in. Unfortunately while full and satisfied I am also still really tired. I guess the only option is a good nights sleep at this point.

Speaking of which, have you ever sacrificed a good night's sleep to run around in circles in a park all night? No?? Is this not normal human behavior? Damnit!

Well normal or not I will be doing that very thing this weekend when I participate in the Easter Seals 24 Hour Relay. I am really excited for the event because not only is it running for a good cause but its a really fun day spent with friend and colleagues.



Website

My goal for the weekend is to raise awareness for an important cause, successfully captain the team of runners and complete between 15-20 miles. You can follow along as Cynthia and I live-Tweet from the event, starting June 25th at 9am.

I am still collecting pledges so if you'd like to make a donation please click here for more information.

Check back next Monday for a full relay report!

Now, seeing as I am already exhausted and I have an all-nighter in my very near future, its time for me to get to bed. I'm aware that the sun is still up but there is no shame in having a 6 year old's bedtime.


So tell me, whats your favorite light summer meal? Have you ever done a relay event?

#ThinkPositive-Gratitude

Last week I wrote my Saturday post on wanting to think more positively which would lead me to feel less stressed, more happy and become more healthy overall. Thank you all for your supportive comments and for understanding that, while I want this space to be as fun and light as possible, sometimes I also feel the need to delve into different sides of me and share some of that with you too. I'm so grateful that you are willing to come along for that ride.

Speaking of gratitude, I believe that it is very important to remember and express thanks for the wonderful things that we have in our lives. It allows others to know we are appreciative of those blessings but mire importantly it helps us to keep life in perspective when something goes awry. Sure bad things are bound to happen but its much easier to look past it when we remember all the great things that are a part of the big picture.

One thing I am very grateful for is my ability to maintain good health through a nutritious and delicious diet. While many people don't have access to fresh, wholesome foods due to cost or location I am so fortunate to be able to stock my fridge and fill my belly with great food that keeps me strong, well and satisfied.

Today, for example, was a day where I greatly benefited from this ability

Delicious fresh fruit

Tasty wrap with leftover turkey burger, carrots, spinach and tzatzki

Absolutely amazing spinach and goat cheese salad with more fresh fruit and veggies (I'm bringing this to a family BBQ tomorrow..how stoked will they be huh??)

Another turkey burger (not homemade..we ran out) topped with veggies and tzatzki

Its an amazing feeling to know that I am fortunate enough to be able to fuel my body and my lifestyle with these types of foods. And while I don't make a lot of money but I am lucky to make enough to fit these groceries into my budget. It makes me feel rich in a different way.

Grateful. And this is only one of many things that make me feel that way.

Its a good life.

So tell me, what are you most grateful for right now?