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Clean eating is a lifestyle choice that focuses on wellness and healthy living, without sacrificing taste, flavor or convenience. It’s about making smarter choices when shopping for groceries (fruits and vegetables instead of processed food), cooking meals (using unprocessed ingredients rather than pre-packaged foods) and dining out (local, fresh options at the market or in restaurants).
The goal of clean eating is to achieve the best possible health by consuming whole foods – fruits, veggies, lean and plant-based proteins, low-fat dairy and whole grains – while avoiding artificial additives often found in processed food as well as “white” flours and sugars. Simply put – it’s changing how you eat to change how you feel and also how you look.
When it comes to clean eating, you’re what you eat. This nutritional strategy emphasizes fresh and minimally processed foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (7).
The result is a diet high in nutrients; low in sugar, sodium and saturated fat; and free of artificial ingredients – like unpronounceable chemicals that enhance flavor or preserve shelf life but aren’t necessary for good health (4).
For many people who embrace this lifestyle, they feel as if they’ve discovered the true meaning of deliciousness because their meals are fresher than ever before and usually boast more intense flavors.
Additionally, research suggests that there may be significant health benefits associated with clean-eating practices, such as (2):
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Getting started on a clean eating plan is easy – you simply need to know where to begin.
Begin by choosing fresh, whole foods that are lower in sugar and sodium (with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and lean and plant-based proteins) over packaged and processed goods (5). For example, choose peanut butter made with just peanuts and salt instead of brands with added sugars; Greek yogurt flavored with fruit versus a dessert pudding mix; or an apple instead of juice.
Next, be realistic about what you can achieve – this isn’t about strict diets but rather improving your current dietary habits. To that end, don’t expect overnight results. Rather, start by swapping one or two ingredients (e.g Greek yogurt instead of sour cream) at a time and work your way up to more sweeping changes over the course of days, weeks or months.
Most importantly, listen to your body and take it slow: If you feel tired after a meal, drink some water and then wait awhile before continuing on with other activities – like going for a run or going back to work. That kind of common-sense advice applies whether you’re following a plant-based diet that’s rich in fresh fruits and vegetables or sticking to cooked chicken breasts without any sauces or marinades. Just follow what feels right for you!
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Clean eating can help you lose weight because you’ll choose foods that are nutrient-dense rather than calorie-dense (6). However, you’ll still need to figure out a calorie deficit to meet your weight loss goals.
If, for example, you’ve been eating 2,300-2,500 calories to maintain your weight then you’ll need to reduce your consumption by around 500-1000 calories. Along with exercise, a good 2 week low carb diet meal plan can help you lose weight.
A few notes about this meal plan. While a keto 2 week meal plan might work for weight loss, not everyone can survive on low carb. Furthermore, clean eating is about wholesome meals and not necessarily restriction. Therefore, this meal plan incorporates all food groups. It’s a low-calorie diet plan with only 1,500 calories per day:
Total daily macros: 56 g protein, 160 g carbs, 79 g fat
Total number of calories: 1479 calories
Total daily macros: 89.5g protein, 199 g carbs, 44.2g fat
Total number of calories: 1517 calories
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Total daily macros: 79g protein,140g carbs, 73g fat
Total number of calories: 1492 calories
Total daily macros: 110.6g protein, 159g carbs, 63.1g fat
Total number of calories: 1506 calories
Total daily macros: 108g protein, 138g carbs, 59g fat
Total number of calories: 1488 calories
Total daily macros: 68g protein, 177g carbs, 63g fat
Total number of calories: 1513 calories
Total daily macros: 90g protein, 184g carbs, 48g fat
Total number of calories: 1503 calories
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Here are a few tips that can make creating a 2 week meal plan easier:
If you’re going to make a meal plan for two weeks, you need to make sure that the meat, vegetables, and fruits you buy will be fresh and edible for two weeks. Go for meats that can be frozen, pre-packed vegetables from the frozen aisles, potatoes, carrots, and apples.
Resist the temptation to store food in your pantry, hoping it stays fresh enough to cook in the second week. This applies to fruits and vegetables too. Take some time off to prep and freeze as much of your foods as you can – after all, most nutrients in these foods are preserved in low temperatures (3). You can also look for freezer friendly recipes so that you don’t have to cook much later; just take out of the freezer, thaw, and heat.
Most fruits will start spoiling after about a few days (1). It helps to include fruits creatively in your meals to avoid wastage. You can freeze fruits for smoothies, or use overly ripe ones like bananas in baking recipes instead of sugar.
You should always anticipate a change of plans in the course of the two weeks. So, if you plan on doing one big grocery trip, it’s best to buy extra ingredients for a back-up meal. This meal will cover unexpected guests, or when you don’t feel like sticking to the meal plan and want something different.
This should go without saying – it’s impossible to memorize an entire week’s worth of meals, leave alone two. Use a calendar or a spreadsheet to recall what you’re serving for each meal. Identify which ingredient can be used for multiple meals in an efficient manner so that you don’t risk having food go bad before you have time to use it.
A 2 week meal plan is a useful tool to help you get started on clean eating. The most important thing to remember is that clean eating is about the quality of the food instead of just its quantity. It’s about eating more vegetables than you might be used to, or choosing fresh fruits over processed snacks. Sticking to this plan should help you lose weight and eat healthier.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!