Happy Happy Joy Joy

Did anyone else watch Ren and Stimpy when they were little? No? Ok, then you don't get the title of this post. Anyway, here's what's new...


For the past 10 days or so, I've been really diligent about eating clean and working out almost everyday and I feel grrreat!

At the gym I either speed-walk at an incline or jog for 30 minutes, and then I do about 45 minutes of weights and toning exercises. I am seeing changes already and it's the best feeling.

Eating clean is not easy. Actually it's pretty difficult. "Clean" foods are so different from the things most of us are used to eating, (ie. processed foods, lots of sugar and fat, large portions, etc.). Eating clean means eating natural, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, nuts, you know... the healthy stuff that God made for us.

I'm not trying to force everyone to eat clean, but I just want you to know that it's the only way to find real happiness in life. Ha ha ha. But really, it's a great way to eat and it makes me happy. I know I've talked about it many times before, but here are the clean eating basics, if you're interested:

EATING CLEAN:

Eat small meals, five to six times a day. This will help satisfy hunger, plus leave room for another small meal in two to three hours. Your metabolism will be on high all day! As a tip, try to keep each meal between 300 and 400 calories and read nutrition labels to give you a hand.

Combine right. Eat lean protein (e.g., fish, chicken, turkey, egg whites, etc.) and complex carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, fruits, vegetables) together at every meal. This super-charged combination keeps metabolism balanced and insulin levels in check.

Portion control. The golden rule: Getting clean food is just part of the full clean eating picture – you have to apply the basic principles of serving sizes, too. A protein serving should be the size of your palm; complex carbs from whole grains and starches is the amount you can hold in a cupped hand; and complex carbohydrates from fruits and veggies is the amount you can hold in two hands cupped together.

Drink lots of water. It keeps everything running smoothly and you just feel good when you're well hydrated.