Clean Eating 101

What does eating clean mean? 

THREE METHODS FOR EATING CLEAN

METHOD 1
There are many people simply looking to remove the chemicals from their diets and bodies, and therefore  eat clean. Their focus is NOT on losing weight, but on general health.They avoid processed foods of all kinds, yet eat only when the need arises or three times per day.

METHOD 2
(I believe this is the most common/popular method at the moment)

1. Eat  Lots Of Plants – Eat food that is straight from nature. (Some people say “as close to the way nature made it as possible”. But I think that leaves too much wiggle room – in my humble opinion) Eat mostly foods that are off a tree, bush, plant or vine, and you’ve pretty much got it covered. The idea is to stay away from anything that humans (food corporations) have altered in any way.
2. Include Meats - Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher. Don’t buy pre-packaged meat products because you never know what’s in them. When possible, buy whole meats and grind them yourself. You’d be surprised what’s in ground turkey meat! You can also select a few turkey breasts and ask that the butcher grind them for you. Many butchers are more than willing to accommodate.
3. Enjoy Grains - Eat grains that are still complete and haven’t been broken down into “glue”. Stick to brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains.(For a list of foods to stock your pantry with, check out this list.)
4. Read Labels I don’t know how many breads I’ve picked up at the store that say they are whole grain. But when I take a look at the ingredient list, white flour is the second ingredient after whole wheat flour!
5. Eat Fewer Ingredients. Try not to purchase foods that have more than 3-6 ingredients in the ingredient list. And be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. If you find a “mystery ingredient” such as “spices”, contact the company! Ask them what they consider to be spices. If it’s anything other than honest-to-goodness herbs and spices, avoid it! And remember, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably shouldn’t go into your body.
6. Eat 5-6 small meals per day. This may seem like a lot at first. But remember, you are eating smaller portions. If you really have a hard time with this, prepare your regular three meals and a snack for the day, and divide lunch and dinner in half. You’ve instantly got 6 small meals!

METHOD 3
There is also another method of eating 3 regular meals and squeezing in 1 snack for a total of 4 meals. You eat every four hours instead of every 2-3. This concept is from Jillian Michaels and the theory behind it is that if you eat every 2-3 hours, your insulin stays continuously spiked and you end up with a higher chance of diabetes.

I have no idea if this is actually the case. I’m simply supplying information for you to consider. Do what feels right for you. The Gracious Pantry does not endorse one method over another.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GET ALL THE TIME IS “what are your must have items?”

So I have put together a small list of my favorite items in no particular order!

VITAMINS

Prior to embarking on this fitness journey, I did not take vitamins. I have always heard about the benefits specially if you do not eat enough vegetables and fruits but it simply was not my thing. When I decided to go natural one of the main things I was instructed to add to my diet was vitamins. So I did! It turns out that For me, GNC Women’s Ultra Mega was a great fit! I have not gotten as sick as I usually do, but that could be because of  combination of things including vitamins. I do take them everyday and have seen my nails, and hair grow alot. So should you run and buy vitamins? No. Check with your doctor first and if he recommends it you should try it! Specially if you have some type of immune deficiency like I do. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR! Remember this works for me, you have to find what works for you!

SUPPLEMENTARY SHAKES

I started drinking supplementary shakes because it was a quick way to get going during the mornings. I mix the powder with fruits and juice, water or almond milk it is very tasty! Makes my life easy when I am lazy and I need a quick meal. I have tried a number of shakes and natural shakes with no protein are my favorite. However, I enjoy the protein because it has helped me build muscle mass! So should you go and buy all the protein powder to make shakes? No. You should test them. GNC sells the protein shakes I take and have sample versions you can try before investing $$$. Shakeology has to be order through the website. If you are interested let me know and I can get you hooked up with a discount!

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

I can vegetables all day, every day, and be absolutely happy about it! So ofcourse I have lots of veggies. A week’s worth of vegetables costs me about $30 from the local market. After buying your goods make sure you cook for the week and prepare your meals, this will initially be very time consuming but once you are done, you will be done for the week! Should you go and buy lots of veggies and fruits for your weekly meals? ABSOLUTELY!

WATER

This may seem like a no brainer but you need to drink a lot of water on a daily basis. You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water. If you weight 100 lbs then you should drink 50 oz of water a day! I love to flavor it with lemon! And word on the street is, that it is very beneficial for your body! I am not expert so ask your doctor!

Clean eating may feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you have a lot of changes to make. My advice is to take baby steps. Make little changes every day and don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes. We all do. Just realize that it’s what you do the majority of them time that counts.

If you need a little more general information, here are some more ideas to help get you started.

Please share your thoughts and keep us updated on your progress! Follow us on ig: @iAmHealthyFit 

iAmHealthyFit 21 Day October Challenge!

I am extremely excited to announce my first official iAmHealthyFit fitness challenge. Some of you might be wondering; What is iAmhealthyFit? Well I am glad you asked!

iAmHealthyFit is a fitness group designed to support men and women of all ages ready to be the change they want to see. Although we all wished we had the internal motivation to get us through out fitness journey, the reality is that we all need a little push here and there. At the very least it's helpful to be reminded of why we wanted to change our lifestyle in the first place. iAmHealthyfit is not about quick fixes, and dieting for vacations one month from now. I am about helping people change their lives to learn to love the person they see in the mirror. I want to help you determine what happiness looks like to YOU and work closely with you to achieve it!

My first challenge starts exactly FIVE days from today on October 7th! This challenge is designed to encourage people to stay active. I remember moving back to the United States from Honduras, in the summer of 2011, and by January 2012 I had gained over 15 pounds. The crazy part was that I did not realize I was gaining the weight and did nothing to stop it. However I remember feeling too lazy to workout and too cold to run. I put this challenge together in an effort to make sure you get your 30 minute workout on a daily basis! No need to gain those pounds you worked so hard to get rid off for the summer. I don't believe in losing weight, I believe in getting rid of the weight, because noone wants to find those pounds once they are gone!

To enter the challenge you must follow us on instagram @iAmHealthyFit. You must post a video or picture post-workout and hashtag #iAmHealthyFit. Then all you have to do is spread the word and have fun! It is very important to me that I celebrate the participants of the challenge. Everyday I will feature a challenger whom exemplifies iAmHealthyFit. At the end of the challenge I will select three winners and they will receive iAmHealthyFit Shirts! The winners will be featured on both, this site and MaseTV.com where I contribute a fitness column. I truly hope you enjoy this challenge, but more importantly I hope everyone uses this opportunity to take a step closer to a happier and healthier version of themselves. I am not an expert, I am simply sharing with you what I've learned throughout my iAmHealthyFit journey!

Please share your thoughts, comments and concerns! I am hear to listen and help in any way I can! Besos and see you soon! Remember you cannot reach the finish line if you never start the race!

This part of my life is called..."I am in a long distance relationship".

This part of my life is called...

"I am in a long distance relationship".

Being in a Long distance relationship....might be one of the most complex pieces of my life. I am still wondering how I ended up in this place, where technology has become my best ally in maintaining my relationship. One minute we were friends, the next we were friends in different countries, and without realizing it we became lovers living in different states. 

Interestingly enough my long distance relationship has done a couple of wonderful things for me. First it has made more patient. It's hard to be restless when I know I have to wait to see my king. Secondly it has pushed me to learn to enjoy "me time". I miss my babes and I am constantly looking forward to spending my free time with my him. However, given the importance of having a balanced life, I have learned to just chill. Is ok to miss the king, but the queen must take time to enjoy her family, friends and herself! Next is my favorite, traveling!! The most awesome part of being in a long distance relationship is meeting my lover in a different part of the country, and even the world (why not) every chance I  get. This new venture has taken me to different parts of my beloved Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Aruba, in the USA to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Flint, Atlanta, DC and Harrisburg just to name a few; all in the last year and half.

There is something refreshing about knowing that each trip brings a new adventure! And although sometimes (well alot of times) I wished my king was a short cab ride away, I am slowly learning to adapt and learn to play with the hand we've been dealt.

I always welcome your thoughts! Tell me what are your views on long distance relationships, and how are you taming the beast! In the mean time enjoy  some of my favorite flicks from my most recent travels!

Besos de Ms. Dulce de Leche 

Welcome to Aruba!!