Look up what it takes to be a competition athlete, and you’ll learn that clean eating is often part of their training regimen. What is clean eating? Well, it involves removing certain food substances from your diet so that you eat mainly unprocessed, natural foods that are better for your body.
What substances should you avoid if clean eating is on your agenda?
- Alcohol. When you consume alcoholic beverages, whether they are beer, wine, or other spirits, you’re essentially introducing toxins into your body. They contain no nutritional value and add empty calories to your diet. Not to mention that it is hard to complete a strict training regimen when you imbibed too much the night before.
- Fat. In addition to cutting out the adult-inspired drinks, you also want to remove the fat from your diet as well. Your body needs protein and quality carbs to help you train. Add fruits and veggies to the mix and you’ll get all of the nutrients you need to become a top of the line athlete.
- Packaged Food. Remember that you want unprocessed, natural foods to nourish your body so pre-packaged foods are out. You can’t expect to do your best when you’re eating from a box, can, or freezer container. Get out the pots and pans and cook your food the old fashioned way and you’ll receive much better results.
- White Sugar. Sugar sends your blood sugar on a wild ride, making it harder to make good choices. Plus it affects your immune system, which means that you’ll have a more difficult time fighting off bugs and infections, sidelining your training efforts.
While it may seem like clean eating means that you can’t have anything tasty, that isn’t actually true. Peanut butter is a great food alternative, allowing you to satisfy your palette without harming your body in the process.
Have you tried clean eating? What do you think of it?
