### Clean Eating: A Lifestyle, Not a Diet

When it comes to losing weight, many people jump from one fad diet to another—trying wraps, pills, creams, drops, and other quick fixes. However, these often lead to disappointment, with people either not losing weight or quickly gaining it back. The truth is, weight loss starts in the kitchen. While exercise helps keep you strong and healthy, clean eating is the real game-changer.

### What is Clean Eating?

You’ve probably heard of “clean eating,” but what does it actually mean? Clean eating is all about fueling your body with natural, unprocessed foods—think items you could hunt, gather, or grow. This means steering clear of processed foods. People approach clean eating in different ways: some stick to all-natural foods while others go a step further and follow a paleo-friendly diet. Paleo-friendly foods are those that would have been available during the Paleolithic era, like meats, fruits, and nuts, while avoiding grains, starchy vegetables, and dairy.

### What are Processed Foods?

Many people aren’t clear about what counts as processed food. While frozen meals are a common example, any food that has been altered from its natural state fits the bill. This includes foods with added dyes, preservatives, and other chemicals designed to change their flavor or texture. For instance, refined bread and applesauce are processed foods. If you must have bread, go for whole grain. For applesauce, choose one with no added sugars—be cautious with “sugar-free” options as they might contain sugar substitutes.

### What Clean Eating Isn’t

Clean eating isn’t just about losing weight—it offers many other benefits and is more effective than any fad diet. Here’s what clean eating is not:

– A diet
– Food deprivation
– Perfection
– Calorie restriction
– About meal frequency

Clean eating is about permanently changing your eating habits, not just going on a temporary diet. Many diets are short-term solutions, which is why people end up yo-yo dieting. Clean eating should not be viewed as a sacrifice. It’s not about feeling deprived, counting calories, or eating at specific times. You don’t need to be perfect either. Treating yourself occasionally is fine, and you can make healthier versions of your favorite foods, like pizza. If you have a regular pizza every once in a while, it’s not the end of the world.

### Healthy Alternatives

Clean eating involves finding healthier alternatives to your favorite foods. While making meals from scratch is often better, there are natural, wholesome products you can buy. For example, Hampton Creek offers condiments made with all-natural ingredients. If you don’t want to make pasta sauce from scratch, look for ones that are minimally processed and free of added sugar. For pizza, there are recipes for whole wheat or even cauliflower pizza crusts. Other great options include using eggplant, sweet potato, or zucchini. Similarly, you can make healthier peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by choosing whole grain bread and natural peanut butter without added oils. Many stores even have machines to grind your own peanut butter. For jelly, choose a fruit spread made with all-natural ingredients and no added sugar.

In essence, clean eating is not complicated or intimidating. It’s simply about understanding what it means to eat clean, swapping out unhealthy foods for healthier choices, and enjoying the benefits. If you’re tired of yo-yo dieting, clean eating could be the lifestyle change you need.