What does it really mean to eat clean? In a nutshell, clean eating is about following a diet of wholesome foods that don’t contain a laundry list of ingredients, additives, or preservatives and are, at most, minimally processed. (Note that many foods that do undergo processing, like milk and whole-grain crackers, still contain good-for-you nutrients. The processed foods you should minimize are either those you can easily make on your own, like breadcrumbs, or those refined to the point of losing most of their nutritional value.)
Unlike many fad diets that restrict whole nutrient groups or manipulate timing and type of foods, a clean-eating plan features food that is good for you while helping you perform at your best. That means having a variety of choices: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein, dairy, and healthy fats.
To help you get started, we’ve created a two-week plan that allows you to mix and match your meals. Choose fresh whenever possible, but if it’s not available or too expensive, use canned or frozen foods with minimal added ingredients (read: no extra sugar or other additives). Jump-start your healthy eating habits with this game-changing two-week plan and get ready to start feeling great about how you feel, look, and perform!Â
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Your Two-Week Clean-Eating Plan
Follow these guidelines for success:
Mix and match breakfast, lunch, and dinner and add one to three snacks when you’re hungriest. Three meals and two snacks will equal about 1,800 calories per day (500 calories per meal; 150 per snack).
Create a schedule for your meals and snacks. If you go more than five hours without food, insert a snack to keep your body from getting hungry and from breaking down precious muscle.
Eat a meal 90 to 120 minutes before your workout. If you can’t get one in, fuel up with a snack 20 to 90 minutes beforehand. If your workout session doesn’t finish around your scheduled meal time, grab a recovery snack like chocolate milk, Greek yogurt, or a protein smoothie to help replenish fluids and provide a balance of nutrients for recovery.
If you’re still hungry after you finished your allotted daily meals and snacks, drink a cup of tea or other zero-calorie beverage; it may not be hunger but rather boredom, thirst, or another emotional response.
If you are still hungry for several days on the plan, you may need to add an additional snack into your daily eating regimen.
Enroll a friend (or two or three!) to follow this two-week clean eating diet with you. It’s always helpful to have someone to discuss accomplishments with and help you up when you’re feeling down. Friends help you stay motivated and positive. Having support is an important part of any diet.Â
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Top Clean-Eating Dos and Don’ts
Everybody says they eat clean, but you’d be surprised at what passes for a clean diet. Here’s how to stay on track.
DOÂ make time to prep ingredients in advance. Once a week, cook proteins like chicken and beef. Spend about 10 to 15 minutes prepping vegetables either at night or in the morning before heading out (not too far in advance or they can lose nutrition and wilt).
DOÂ make a shopping list organized according to the flow of the supermarket. Most stores start with produce, so begin your list there and continue with the types of foods you encounter as you walk through the aisles. This will make your trip more efficient.
DON’T forget to measure ingredients so you don’t end up with large portions. Even an extra tablespoon or two of salad dressing or oil can add up to hundreds of extra calories. It’s fine to make extra if you’re saving half for later—just don’t overdo it.
DON’T forgo cooking and end up speed-dialing pizza or Chinese food delivery. If you go out for a quick bite, plan it in advance at a restaurant that offers healthy fare.
DOÂ hydrate on water and low-calorie drinks throughout the day. Aim for about 8 to 10 cups per day. (Remember fruits and vegetables do count toward your daily fluids.)
DON’T choose sweet treats just because they are labeled “organic” or “GMO-free”—they are still junk food! If you choose to indulge, build it into your diet and plan for a reasonable portion. (Check the serving size before eating.)
DOÂ get right back on the diet if you fall off the wagon. Everyone eats more than they should every so often. However, you need to brush it off, focus, and stay motivated to continue.
DON’T avoid carbs entirely—you need them to help provide energy for workouts. Just choose the right ones. Have a pre-workout snack about 20 to 90 minutes before exercise, with carb-rich offerings such as ½ cup oatmeal with low-fat milk, 1 brown rice cake topped with 1 tbsp hummus, or ½ peanut butter and banana sandwich.
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Clean Cuisine Shopping List
Avocado, olives
Lean proteins like eggs, chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna (fillet or chunk light), salmon, pork loin, lean beef, tofu
Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils (no salt added)
Balsamic vinaigrette or other oil-based salad dressing
Nonfat plain Greek yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese
Cheese like crumbled feta, whole-milk ricotta, part-skim mozzarella, cheddar
Agave syrup or 100% maple syrup
Whey or plant-based protein powder
Granola or muesli
Salsa, hummus, pesto
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Diet Plan: Breakfast
OVERNIGHT OATS
Combine ½ cup rolled oats, ⅔ cup nonfat milk, 1 scoop whey protein powder, 1 tbsp 100% maple syrup, ½ tsp ground cinnamon in a sealed mason jar and refrigerate overnight. When ready to eat, top with 1 cup strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries and 2 tbsp slivered almonds. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup.
Make an omelet with 1 egg plus 4 egg whites that’s filled with ½ cup chopped vegetables like onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms and topped with ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (use nonstick cooking spray). Serve with 1 slice thin whole-grain toast topped with ¼ mashed avocado and 2 slices tomato and sprinkled with sea salt. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup
Blend together the following: ¾ cup fresh or frozen mango chunks, ¾ cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks, 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tsp 100% maple syrup, 2 scoops whey protein powder.
Top an 8-inch whole-wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs (1 egg plus two egg whites using nonstick cooking spray), 2 tbsp Monterey Jack cheese, 2 tbsp cooked black beans, and 2 tbsp salsa. Roll and top with ¼ avocado, cubed. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup Calories: 503, Protein: 28g, Carbs: 48g, Fat: 24g
HIGH-PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
Blend together the following: ¾ cup frozen unsweetened strawberries, ¾ cup frozen unsweetened pineapple chunks, ½ cup low-fat milk or unsweetened almond milk, 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 2 scoops whey protein powder, 2 tbsp oat bran, 1 tsp agave syrup.
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1½ cups diced cantaloupe, or honeydew melon, ¼ cup granola. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup.
Prepare ¾ cup cooked quinoa. Top with 1 egg cooked over easy in 1 tsp coconut oil. Add ½ cucumber, sliced; 1 plum tomato (sliced); ¼ bell pepper (sliced), and 2 tbsp each tzatziki and hummus. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup
Top 2 (4-inch) wholewheat waffles with 1 tbsp natural peanut or almond butter, ½ diced mango, 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes, and 1 tbsp unsalted dry-roasted peanuts; drizzle with 2 tsp 100% maple syrup. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup.
Toast 1 whole-wheat English muffin in a toaster oven, topping each half with 2 tbsp low-sodium tomato sauce, ¼ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, and 1 sliced button mushroom. Cook at 3500F for 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese melts. Serve with ½ grapefruit, or 2 clementines. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup.
1 whole-wheat English muffin topped with 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese, 1 cup sliced strawberries or blueberries. Option: 1 cup coffee with ¼ cup low-fat milk and 1 tsp agave syrup.
2 slices whole-grain rustic bread, 3 oz grilled skinless turkey or chicken breast, ÂĽ cup arugula or baby spinach, 2 slices tomato, 1 tbsp pesto or hummus, 8 whole strawberries dipped in 2 tbsp wholemilk ricotta cheese, drizzled with 2 tsp agave or other sweetener.
5 oz baked salmon fillet, cooked in 2 tsp olive oil with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper, ÂĽ avocado, sliced 10 black olives, 8 fresh strawberries.
Calories: 470, Protein: 36g, Carbs: 14g, Fat: 30g
VEGGIE WRAP
1 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortilla, ÂĽ cup cooked pinto beans (no salt added, if canned), ÂĽ cup chopped red cabbage, 2 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella, 2 tbsp salsa, 2 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt, ÂĽ avocado (sliced), 1 cup diced melon.
1 cup cooked buckwheat noodles, 5 oz baked salmon fillet, cooked in 2 tsp olive oil with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper cut into bite-size chunks, 4 grilled or roasted asparagus spears drizzled with 1 tsp olive oil with a sprinkle of seasalt and black pepper, cut into 2-inch pieces. ¼ cucumber, sliced Side: 1 orange.
1 hard-boiled egg, 2 oz cubed low-fat cheese (like Swiss or cheddar), ¼ cup hummus, 10 olives, 1 plum tomato, sliced ½ cucumber, sliced ½ cup sliced jicama, ¼ red bell pepper, sliced Sprinkle sea salt and black pepper, 1 (4-inch) whole-wheat pita. Side: 2 clementines or 1 orange
Cook 3 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast sprinkled with sea salt, black pepper, and 1 tbsp fresh rosemary in 2 tsp olive oil. Serve with 1 cup steamed broccoli, sprinkled with 2 tbsp chopped almonds, and ¾ cup cooked quinoa.
Calories: 493,  Protein: 37g, Carbs: 43g, Fat: 21gÂ
BEEF STIR-FRY
Marinate 4 oz thinly sliced lean beef in 1 tbsp each low-sodium soy sauce, agave syrup, and fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Stir-fry beef in 2 tsp sesame oil, then add 1 chopped scallion, 3 sliced mushrooms, ¼ cup fresh green beans, and 2 tbsp shelled edamame. Serve over ¾ cup cooked brown rice or sorghum.
Cook 3 oz lean grilled steak and pair with ½ baked potato topped with 2 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt and 2 tbsp salsa. Serve with 1 cup steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a side salad with 1½ cups shredded romaine lettuce, 2 sliced button mushrooms, ¼ cup shredded carrots, ¼ sliced cucumber, 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette (preferably homemade). Side: 1¼ cups mixed berries.
Marinate 4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast in 1 tbsp pesto sauce and bake and slice into strips. Serve with 1 cup wholewheat pasta topped with 1 tbsp pesto sauce. For salad: 1½ cups arugula, ¼ sliced cucumber, 1 sliced radish, and balsamic vinaigrette (preferably homemade).
Top 2 cups cooked spaghetti squash with ¼ cup each tomato sauce and part-skim mozzarella cheese plus 4 oz grilled skinless, boneless chicken breast. For salad: 1½ cups shredded romaine lettuce, 2 sliced button mushrooms, ¼ cup shredded carrots, ¼ sliced cucumber, and 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette (preferably homemade).
Marinate 4 oz shrimp in 1 tbsp each low-sodium soy sauce, agave syrup, and fresh lemon juice plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Stir-fry marinated shrimp in 2 tsp sesame oil with 3 sliced mushrooms and ⅓ sliced red or yellow bell pepper. Serve over ¾ cup cooked brown rice or sorghum and top with 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Side: ½ cup blueberries or raspberries.
Snacks are an important way to get the nutrients you may not take in during meals. If you have a smaller frame or are shorter (approximately 5′), one snack per day may work. If you’re taller (approximately 5’7″) and/or work out regularly, you may need a third. Start with two and adjust as needed after answering these questions:
Is this a snack or a treat? A treat is a food that doesn’t add value to your diet; a snack provides valuable nutrients like protein, iron, fiber, potassium, or calcium.
Am I overdoing the carbs? You’ll get more nutrients out of your snack when combining carbs with protein or healthy fat. Try whole-grain crackers with peanut butter or a sliced pear with cheese.
Is my protein lonely? Protein needs to be complemented with other foods to maximize nutrition. Think carrots dipped in hummus, or Greek yogurt with fruit.
Are my portions in check? 1 oz of almonds (23 pieces) contains 162 calories, 14g fat, 3g fiber, and 6g of protein. Eating 2 to 3 ounces in one sitting can add hundreds of unnecessary calories.
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