Eating Clean and Lean and LOVING it!

As you have probably seen from a fair few posts on this blog, I have become fairly obsessed with diets and eating healthy. I don't really like fad diets so I have tried to find one that produces results but also works for me in the long time. Having spent the summer abroad in the obesity capital of the world, I found myself really struggling to stick to a healthy lifestyle. The mornings were fine as I would eat yoghurt and fresh fruit and a small bowl of cottage cheese but then lunch and dinner proved a lot more difficult. Portion size is just crazy over there, everything is times TEN! 

I have however found a good lifestyle diet that really works for me- the James Duigan's Clean and Lean Diet. I don't stick to it religiously but I follow it and it has really worked so far. 

In brief, it is based around eating clean! It recommends going back to nature with pure, organic foods and cutting out the nasty stuff, such as caffeine, refined sugar (Duigan dedicates a whole section to how nasty that stuff is for your body), alcohol and processed foods.

Upsides:
The great thing about it is that it is completely logical and realistic. It isn't based around giving up things you love, but instead just cutting out elements that are unnatural or processed. I personally LOVE protein rich foods as well as fruit and veg so this diet really allows you to use all the things you love to make amazing recipes that are low in fat and great for trimming. 

Downsides:It is fairly tricky for me to completely give up carbs and I don't really like the carbs that you are allowed, like Quinoa, so instead I just allow myself a carb in the morning (granary toast) and try other low carb options like polenta (which I know LOVE) if I want to include that in my lunch/dinner. I also really struggled with giving up alcohol. It isn't that I can't, its just that I like to go for the odd tipple after work and at the weekend etc, so instead I have tried to stick to clear spirits with a low-cal mixer like a Gin and Tonic. Another element which was hard for me was salt I LOVE SALT. I add salt to everything because I don't really like onions so salt and pepper is often my main seasoning when I cook. However, I would highly recommend sprinkling chilli instead of salt and pepper because it gives it a great taste AND it speeds up your metabolism. 

Example day menu:
This is an example of a typical day of me doing the Clean and Lean (as I said, not religiously as I have adjusted it to my lifestyle) :

Breakfast- Scrambled Egg Whites with Mushrooms and Tomatoes and two large spoons of cottage cheese, One Banana, Large glass of water

Mid morning snack- 10 grapes and 1 large glass of water

Lunch- Green mixed salad with avocado, beetroot, cucumber, watercress and half a cup of homemade vegetable soup

Mid afternoon snack- 2 tbls Hummus with raw carrots and cucumbers and 1 large glass of water

Dinner- Salmon and Vegetable Stir-fry and a green tea

Other tips:On days where I am planning a fairly substantial run or work out session, I am always wary of not having enough energy. I would really suggest trying some frozen berries, whey protein and skimmed milk to recover properly and give you a detoxifying energy boost! 

Go ahead and try it! If you are looking for a quick fix you can try it in its most extreme version, but if you are looking to keep healthy whilst still working out at the gym, I would highly recommend it as a basis for a great diet but with a few adjustments here and there! 
I have recently told my mum about this and 2 weeks in, she is drastically seeing results and LOVES it!



Peace,O x