Actually, the term seems to get thrown around a lot to the point that if someone else says, "I'm clean eating!" I'm pretty sure that they are doing something completely different from me. My Aunt started clean eating a few months ago long before we decided to try it ourselves and I constantly was hearing her say,
"I can't have that"
"I can have that but I can't have this"
"I guess I could cheat (or use my cheat day)"
Sounds like a diet to me.
I DON'T diet ... ever.
I like food. Most people I know like food. Saying you CAN'T have something seems so restrictive.
We actually ran into clean eating by accident by watching Hungry for Change on Netflix and so much of it made good sense to us. "The second you say the word 'diet', your body holds on to it's fat to protect itself" "Your body craves real food" "food from the ground" and my personal favorite, "Add the good" foods to your diet, don't focus on taking away the bad. As you begin to replace the bad with the good, your body will learn to crave the good. This kind of clean eating or really just eating healthy, less-processed foods is not as huge of a jump as you think it might be. We were already trying to buy whole grain bread and tortillas and cereal and snacks. I bought 100% juice for Gigi and not just when I was on WIC.
If I'm hungry, I eat! I eat as much as I want to actually. I just make sure I have a plethora of amazing, wholesome foods to choose from. And after just about 3 weeks, we are both feeling GOOD! I still don't exercise and I still don't diet ... but I am actually feeling GOOD ... and I didn't even know I was feeling bad before! And the meals I make are delicious, real keepers.
"But I have kids."
I hear you saying to me.
"My kids aren't stupid. They aren't going to eat organic kale chips!"
I get it.
The first time I saw organic kale chips, I gave them a crazy side glance and STILL haven't been brave enough to try them. And you're right. Your kids aren't stupid, but I bet they do love something healthy. What's their favorite healthy thing? Bananas? Strawberries? Pineapple? Do they like cucumbers or carrots with dip? Celery and peanut butter? Offer them those things for snacks. (Here's an article with our Top 10 Tips to Get Kids and Toddlers to Eat Clean and Healthy)
Start off slow.
"Add the good".
You are capable and you can do this.