I wanted to give an update and talk more in detail about the benefits of clean eating I have seen so far in my lifestyle and how I am getting my body back on track.
The Benefits of Clean Eating and What I Learned
What I Eat
My 1 week working with a nutritionist was eye opening. I paid attention to every detail of how my body was reacting to the dietary changes. Tracy creates meal plans based on a whole food diet. The diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, plus healthy proteins and fats. It also means cutting back on refined grains, additives, preservatives, unhealthy fats and large amounts of sugar and salt which I was eating a lot. Although the meals are healthy, they are very tasty. The benefit of clean eating is I am trying foods I would not think to make, like butternut-squash soup or a kale edamame tuna salad. It is been rewarding to try new flavours and foods that do not negatively affect my health. Tracy Houle is also amazing with taking directions about the meals, so if there is a dish I feel is not for me I just let her know and then she eliminates the food item from my meal plans or finds a substitution.
The Benefits of Clean Eating on My Skin
The first couple of days my skin went through a drastic change and I saw the benefits of clean eating right away. My skin developed a different glow and was smoother than usual. I kind of plateaued after, but my skin is still clearer than usual and I look less tired. I also decided to stick to my skincare regime every night before I go to bed. It was important to make changes in not just the way I eat, but also in my lifestyle in general. Looking and feeling fabulous goes beyond the food you eat.
My Weight
The past 10 years my life went through many unexpected changes which led my weight to be my living roller coaster. When my life was my so called normal I was an average of 123 pounds. Flash forward to 2017, my weight reached 135 pounds. This is my experience and the way I felt about my body and in no way I am body shaming anyone that is this weight. This is the heaviest I have ever been, and I didn’t feel like me anymore. Aside from all the health issues, gaining weight took a toll on different aspects of my life. My main focus is to improve my health and have a balanced gluten free diet, but one of the benefits of clean eating is that you do lose weight. So far I have lost 5 pounds by eating healthier foods, eliminating gluten (as much as I can) and eating more consistently throughout the day. My goal is to gradually go back to my weight of 123 pounds, but I want to do it as slowly as possible.
My Overall Health
This comes as no surprise to me, but most of my symptoms are gone. I have not had any sharp stomach pains since I started eating the meal plans that Tracy creates for me, I am also not bloated all the time, and overall health has improved drastically. I am still not where I want to be, and my hives still do surface, but only when I slip up and eat something with gluten in it. Even though working with a nutritionist is amazing, I need to be committed to the meal plans and not let myself slip up and be tempted by eating foods not in my meal plan. Like that gluten cookie… Feeling healthy had by far been the number one benefit to eating clean.
The Challenges I Face With Clean Eating
Clean eating is the best gift you will ever give yourself, but some days are hard. Clean eating has really challenged me as a person to stay committed and persevere through temptation. You are bound to cheat once or twice. Do not feel too guilty about it. It is part of the clean eating process and the journey to be smarter about what you eat. There is a solution though to satisfy all of your sugar cravings. After my breakdown at Mrs Fields I had a chat with Tracy and expressed my need to include some snacks that substitute my unhealthy sugar cravings, so now she always adds yummy, healthy snacks. There is always a way around clean eating to satisfy all of your cravings in a healthy manner.
Don’t forget to read my post about Getting My Body Back on Track with Clean Eating.
Tracy Houle Nutritionist CONTACT INFORMATION
- Email: tracylynnhoule@icloud.com
- Website
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- Instagram: @tracyhoulenutrition
Photography: Laura Clarke Photos
This post was sponsored by Tracy Houle Nutritionist. All opinions are my own. 
