5 Days of Clean Eating.

Happy Monday and Happy Eclipse Day! I hope you have an awesome weekend. Welcome back.

The last few months of our lives have been full of constant travel. Don't get me wrong, traveling is so fun but traveling creates a crazy life. Travel for us means eating out, drinking cocktails, little to no sleep and just busy busy busy. We are gearing up for one more summer wedding and then we are done traveling for a while.

To get our lives and bodies back on track, we're doing a mini cleanse/strict clean eating starting today. I don't call it a diet because I'm eating, and eating a lot. I am just being very choosy about what I am eating.

 Please know I am not a doctor. I cannot tell you what the best thing for you is. But this works for me. It's a great re-start after eating like crap for months. I usually incorporate certain rules when I start super clean eating. Keep in mind, if you're doing hard workouts or extra long days you may need to modify this. You don't want to starve your body. Clean eating doesn't mean no eating. 

My top 7 rules for clean eating: 

1. Choose Fresh Foods over Refined Foods. You'll see in these recipes that everything is fresh. 
2. Stock Up on Protein. This is where you'll get your energy. I usually stay away from red meat and stick to fish and chicken. 
3. Stop eating sugar. 
4. Feed yourself. 5 small meals during the day rather then one large dinner or breakfast. 
5. Don't Drink Your Calories. I'm talking to me here. No booze, no pop, no coffee, just stick to water. I usually give up coffee when I first start and drink green tea but usually get back to black coffee later. 
6. Listen to your body. You may find yourself a little hungry since you are regulating meals, but if you go on a 10 mile run and are starving, you gotta eat. Just keep it clean.
7. Cook with a friend/spouse. The key to success with this is prepping your meals and snacks. Life is so busy during the week, don't make it harder by not being prepared. Also, if you've prepared everything, it makes it easier to stick to your meal plan.

I usually do clean eating for 21 days straight. Its the easiest way for me to see results and feel better. This is a mini meal plan. But, if you need more recipes, be sure to check out my paleo tab and this other meal plan. 

Get creative, clean eating doesn't have to be gross. Here's a quick shopping list. Keep in mind, again, I leave out red meat and pork when I first start a reset. 

DAY ONE: 
Breakfast
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt or for dairy free, So Delicious coconut milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup muesli
• 1/4 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack 
• 2 clementines

Lunch 
Avocado-Egg Toast with a Garden Salad
• 1/2 medium avocado,
• 2-3 large eggs, cooked in 1/4 tsp. olive oil 
Season egg with a pinch each of salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mixed greens
• 2 Tbsp. grated carrot
• 1/2 cup cucumber slices
Top salad with 1/2 Tbsp. each balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Dinner 
• 4 oz. cooked chicken breast, cooked in 1 tsp. olive oil and seasoned with a pinch each of salt and pepper
• 4 zucchini, sliced into quarters; Zest of 1 lemon; ½ tsp. dried oregano; ¼ tsp. garlic powder; Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all zucchini ingredients and grill for 2-3 minutes

DAY TWO:
Breakfast 
Avocado-Egg Toast
• 1/2 medium avocado
• 2 tomato slices
• 2-3 large eggs, cooked in 1/4 tsp. olive oil 
Season egg with a pinch each of salt and pepper

A.M. Snack 
• A handful of Kale chips

Lunch 
• Grab a can of tuna and an avocado with some salad greens, oil, and vinegar, and mix it all up.

P.M. Snack 
• 1 cup blueberries with 20 raw, unsalted pistachios

Dinner 
• 1 serving chicken soup (great for leftovers)

DAY THREE:
Breakfast 
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt or for dairy free, So Delicious coconut milk yogurt
• 1/4 cup muesli
• 1/4 cup blueberries

A.M. Snack 
• Frozen berries with a drizzle of coconut milk and honey 

Lunch 
Veggie Sandwich
• 2 slices sprouted-grain bread
• 1/4 medium avocado, mashed
• 1 Tbsp. hummus
Add veggies of your choice (try cucumber, tomato, carrots and greens).

P.M. Snack 
• 1 plum
• 5 walnut halves

Dinner:
• 2 chicken tacos 

DAY FOUR:
Breakfast:
• Breakfast scrambler. Store in an air tight container and use it for leftover lunch/dinner or breakfast.

A.M. Snack 
• 8 dried apricots

Lunch 
Veggie Sandwich
• 2 slices sprouted-grain bread
• 1/4 medium avocado, mashed
• 1 Tbsp. hummus
Add veggies of your choice (try cucumber, tomato, carrots and greens).

P.M. Snack 
• hard-boiled egg

Dinner:
• 1 serving of baked mushroom chicken

DAY FIVE:
Breakfast:
• Breakfast scrambler. Store in an air tight container and use it for leftover lunch/dinner or breakfast.

A.M. Snack 
• Half an avocado sprinkled with sea salt and balsamic vinegar

Lunch 
• Salad with roast chicken, dried cranberries, pecans, apple slices, and vinaigrette

P.M. Snack 
•  2 Tbsp. hummus
• 1 cup sliced cucumber

Dinner:
• 1 serving of salmon with avocado salsa

Happy eating friends! I hope this meal plan helps get you back on track to healthy and delicious eating!