Eating Clean... No, Really!

One of the biggest things I struggle with in this weightloss/fitness/sexybody journey is the cleanliness of my day to day food (weekends always being the hardest).  I follow quite a lot of fitblrs and gurus on all of my social media, but taking my own body into consideration is imperative.  Learning my body has been one of the hardest parts of this thing.  Combining the battle of learning my body with my old love of fatty food, and you have a serious internal conundrum.


You've seen them.  The awesomely thin and fit bloggers who post the most amazing recipes that are so good you don't even care that they are healthy.  Nor do you believe they could possibly eat that good stuff and look so good. From light chicken Alfredo to guilt free apple pie, I see these recipes and I get so excited.  Its like it means that I don't have to eat cardboard and grass for the rest of my life.  Then I try said recipe.  It's delicious.  Maybe I eat more than I should.  The next day- BAMF- 2 pound gain on the scale.  And while yes, I know I shouldn't focus on the scale so much, I can't deny the truth that when I eat the grass and cardboard I don't have these gains.

So what does it all mean?

Hell if I know!  To be fair, back when that was the case, I think those healthy recipes were like a gateway drug for me.  "Ohhh this was nice, what about if I have ___".  No bueno.  So I decided that I probably shouldn't take that first hit at all.  After all, recovering alcoholics don't have just a sip of that rum, do they?  No, they give it up all together.  However, I think this is why I have failed.  Abstinence (in any form, ;)) has never worked really well for me.  I'm a lover of life.  I like fine wine, strong coffee, and handsome men. More importantly, I love food- exotic recipes, baking, ect- I'm just a foodie!  So sue me!  Growing up, my family didn't do a lot of food experimentation.  Dinner was some kind of baked or fried chicken, mac and cheese, steak- you know, the average black household meals with a dash of Caribbean flavor since we're Jamaican.  There was no mushroom and spinach risotto.  No seafood linguine.  So as an adult I WANT  TO EAT ALL OF THE THINGS!!! Anyway, completely saying "No" isn't a great plan for me.

I found this picture after I typed the blog! How awesome!

After my 3 week "maintain my weight" experiment, I found that I could do that easily while still indulging in the occasional sweet treat or handful of the popcorn they serve at school on Wednesdays.  During the first 1.5 weeks, I was so nervous about not being able to maintain, that I didn't have any treats at all.  And I survived.  But I was much happier for the second half.

What's the point of all this, Shaina?

I've located the point, finally.  I've realized that it's not those delicious and healthy recipes I try, its my own damn self.  I can have that small portion of healthy nachos, remain guilt free, and not see a gain in the am IF AND ONLY IF (hows about that conditional statement fellow math teachers) I can keep my shit together, myself from being a jackass my eye on the prize, which is a healthy lifestyle, and a fit body.  I can still try new things in the kitchen on occasion.  Still order that funky dish off the menu.  But it's going to take planning.  This is what I've learned, and I wont be offended if you say DUH SHAINA!  It really IS about planning, portion size, moderation, and slow, steady weight loss.  It's not a race and I don't have to be miserable.  I can make healthy choices, eat clean, and have the body AND life that I desire.

So hell yea to eating clean.  Hell yea to all those recipes on my instagram and pinterest.  And hell yea to broadening my foodie pallet... once in a while.  I don't want to fall off the wagon again!


Are you a Clean Eater?  How often do you indulge?