10 Simple Ways to Eat Clean This Fall

A new season means a new opportunity to add some simple tricks to eating clean.  After all, why not save your cheat meals for a pumpkin spice anything?  Nutritionist, Cate Ritter, shares her 10 tips for smart eating.
 
1. Eat More Mindfully
When you improve how you eat, you’ll naturally improve what you eat. By eating more mindfully, slowing down and chewing more, you’ll improve digestion and feel full faster.

2. Hydrate With Water
Hydrate each morning with a large glass of water upon waking and 30 minutes before each meal. For optimal hydration, consume a minimum of half your body weight in ounces of water daily.

3. Choose Whole Foods
Stop counting calories and start focusing on nutrients by choosing natural, one-ingredient foods over man-made, processed products. In general, the less refined food is, the better. For example, choose dark chocolate and nuts instead of a candy bar.

4. Read Food Labels
Focus on the ingredients listed and the sugar content. Look for minimal ingredients. Avoid refined sugars, flours, and ingredients you can’t pronounce. Aim for fewer than 5 grams of sugar per serving.

5. Upgrade Your Diet
Rather than forgetting your favorite foods, make smart swaps. Examples include replacing table salt for sea salt and conventional sweeteners for cinnamon and stevia.

6. Start With Protein
Enjoy plenty of quality protein at the start of each meal, especially breakfast to set the tone for healthy choices the rest of the day. Protein, such as eggs, beef, chicken, and salmon, increases metabolism, reduces cravings, and provides high satiation.

7. Befriend Natural Fats
Natural fats, especially animal fats (grass-fed butter or ghee), omega-3s (chia seeds, walnuts, salmon) and coconut fats (coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut flakes), support consistent energy levels, stabilize blood sugar, prevent overeating, and keep you full long after you eat.

8. Grab More Greens
Most people eat twice as many grains (especially refined grains) as they do greens. Include more veggies by juicing (cucumber, celery, carrots, beets), adding to salads (arugula, spinach, watercress), and using for pasta (zucchini noodles or “zoodles”), and wraps (kale, cabbage, lettuce).

9. Strategize Your Splurges
Plan two cheat meals a week to indulge. If planning is a challenge, then abide by a three bite rule. These strategies help you feel nourished while making it easier to eat healthy the rest of the week.

10. Indulge in Antioxidants
Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, cherries, and dark chocolate (with at least a 70% cacao content) are excellent antioxidant-rich indulgences that help reduce inflammation. Try Dark Chocolate Covered Berries or Cherries for an ultimate sweet-tooth satisfying treat!