If you’ve ever tried to lose weight before, you know what usually happens: Things go along great for a little while, and you even lose a couple of pounds. But then, something comes up. Maybe work gets crazy and you find yourself relying on takeout more often than usual. Perhaps you take a well-deserved vacation and your eating habits get nudged off track. Or you finally give in to the friend who always insists that you get a giant bucket of popcorn at the movies.
Whatever that something is, it leaves you thinking that you’ve messed up big-time. As a result, you feel like you’ve blown it completely—so you throw in the towel and let loose for the rest of the day, or the rest of the week. Before you know it, you’re back to your old way of eating, and the pounds have piled right back on.
It’s an all-too-typical story, sure. But it doesn’t have to be this way! From restaurant meals to relentless naggers, let’s look at the strategies that can help you continue to eat clean when the going gets tough. Plus, we’ll talk about how you can deal with slip-ups in a healthier way so your weight loss doesn’t get derailed.
In a perfect world, the clean choice would be the easiest one every time. You’d have an extra free hour to put toward prepping all of your meals and snacks from scratch. Clean, delicious options would be the default whenever you went to a restaurant or traveled. You’d never have to worry about how you’d find something relatively healthy at your neighbor’s annual holiday party. And instead of bringing home a gallon of double fudge ice cream (“It was on sale!”) or inviting you to dinner at the new buffet down the street (“Everyone is raving about it!”), your family members and friends would do what they could to support your clean choices.
It all sounds pretty wonderful. But of course, we don’t live in a perfect world. We live in the real world—and with it comes challenges to eating clean and getting leaner. After all, hardly anyone would struggle with her weight if making the best food choices was always easy! Packing a healthy snack or making time to cook after a long day can be tough. Finding clean options at restaurants, on the road, or at social events often feels like a hunt for buried treasure. And dealing with the strange ways that other people sometimes react to your decision to eat clean can be emotionally exhausting.
But guess what? You can do this. The road to achieving any goal is almost guaranteed to have a few speed bumps along the way—and losing weight is no exception. The key to overcoming obstacles when they do crop up is to anticipate them ahead of time—and have strategies for success already in place. Let’s take a look at some of the most common stumbling blocks that strike when you’re trying to eat clean and lose weight and discuss how to keep them from getting in your way.
It’s true—eating clean takes more time than picking up a burger and fries at the drive-thru does. But that doesn’t mean that you need to spend hours following elaborate recipes or that you can’t rely on healthy convenience foods when you pull together balanced meals and snacks. By finding food-prep tactics that work with your schedule and lifestyle, you’re more likely to stick with clean eating for the long haul—even when things get hairy. These simple tips can help.
Plan ahead. A little bit of advance planning can go a long way toward helping you get clean food on the table, fast. Take time on the weekend to map out your meals and shop for groceries. Then, prep components that can be made ahead of time, such as marinara sauce or long-cooking whole grains. Similarly, you can put together easy options that make breakfast and snacks a breeze so you don’t end up having to rely on a muffin from the café or a sugary granola bar from the vending machine. For instance, if you like eggs in the morning but never have time to cook them, make Mini Spinach Mushroom Quiche. Pack the quiches in individual containers that you can grab and take before heading out the door. Love snacking on hummus or homemade trail mix? Make bigger batches and divvy them up into snack-size portions so you have servings for the entire week.
Learn to love leftovers. They literally make your meals work double duty. Instead of cooking a new meal every night, cook double batches so you’ve got dinner for two nights in a row, or freeze half for later on, when you know things will be hectic. And remember: There’s no reason to pack an entirely new lunch every morning before you run out the door. Have leftovers, like Maple Mustard Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Vegetables and Apples for lunch, instead. Or repurpose your leftovers into an entirely new meal: Stuff Tuna and Cannellini Salad into a small whole wheat pita pocket. Shred roast chicken and throw it into a salad, or toss last night’s Roasted Broccoli with Chile and Lemon with some quinoa and black beans. It’s convenient and clean, and it saves you the time you’d spend trying to find a decent option at the sandwich shop next door to your office.
Notes from a Clean Eater
“I can’t cook during the week because my kids are all involved in sports. So instead, I cook on Sunday for the week.” —Kelley S.
Find fast-cooking favorites. Having a few meals in your repertoire that you can make at lightning speed means that you’re less likely to order takeout when you’re crazy busy and don’t already have something prepped in the fridge. Chicken-and-vegetable stir-fries come together in minutes, as do veggie scrambles, omelets, and whole wheat pasta with sautéed greens and canned beans. For a full list of quick-cooking Eat Clean, Stay Lean recipes, see Chapter 13.
Think outside the (meal) box. There’s no rule that says you have to stick to traditional breakfast, lunch, and dinner foods. As long as the foods you pick are clean, nutritious, and leave you feeling satisfied, it doesn’t matter whether they fit the idea of a “normal” meal. Don’t have time to cook your usual oatmeal for breakfast? Smear some almond butter on a slice of whole grain toast, grab a piece of fruit, and you’re all set. Get home late and don’t feel like making dinner? Put down the take-out menu and make a clean snack plate with some hummus, roasted red peppers, olives, and whole grain pita bread, instead.
Smoothies are another option. No, we’re not talking about the sugary, milkshakelike concoctions that can be found at so many smoothie shops and cafés these days. (They’re often made with powdered mixes, sugary juice, and even sorbet or ice cream, and they tend to contain little or no actual fruit.) We’re talking about real smoothies that contain fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (such as nut butters or seeds), and clean proteins (such as Greek yogurt or even some protein powders). When made with whole foods, you might be surprised by how satisfying a blended drink can be! For tips on how to build your own Clean and Simple Smoothie.
Count on clean convenience foods. Remember, you don’t have to cook every single thing from scratch in order to eat clean. Whether it’s a box of clean, whole grain cereal for breakfast or a jar of salsa to liven up your chicken fajitas, there’s no shame in using packaged foods selectively if they help you make healthier choices overall. The key, of course, is to use products that are minimally processed, low in added sugar, and made without unrecognizable ingredients or additives. If you need to brush up on the basics of choosing clean packaged items, just flip back to Chapter 3.
Keeping a few clean frozen entrées on hand can help you avoid greasy takeout on nights when cooking just isn’t going to happen. Still, even the best boxed meals aren’t usually quite as nutritious as something you’d make yourself. So when you pull one out of the freezer, try one of these easy tricks.
1. Start with a salad. It doesn’t have to be fancy! Romaine lettuce or baby spinach, some chopped carrots or slices of tomato, and a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar are all you need.
2. Have a steamed vegetable on the side. How about some broccoli or spinach? Asparagus or green beans? Pick whatever you like best.
3. Add a flavor booster. If your meal is on the lower-calorie side, try topping it with some diced avocado, chopped nuts or seeds, or even some Greek yogurt. (Just measure out the proper portions, since the calories from these extras can add up—and slow your weight loss—fast.) And don’t forget those herbs and spices! Sprinkle freshly chopped basil over an Italian-style entrée, or dust chili powder over a burrito bowl for an extra kick. You’ll amp up the flavor and add an extra dose of nutrition.
BEFORE
As a mom of three athletes, much of 50-year-old Kelley’s free time is filled with cheering on her kids at games and shuttling them to tournaments. Her hectic schedule doesn’t leave much time for cooking clean meals during the week, which meant that she had to get creative with prepping food for herself and her family.
“If I preplanned, I was successful. But if I didn’t preplan, I wasn’t successful,” she says. Kelley got into the habit of shopping for groceries and cooking meals for the week on Sundays. But when one weekend got particularly busy, she didn’t have time to do her usual prep work—and that threw her off. “So I felt like a failure. I was having cereal for dinner. I didn’t go off the plan, I just didn’t have great meals,” she says.
That setback almost made her lose her resolve altogether. But then, someone noticed that she looked leaner. “When you work so hard and somebody notices, it’s huge,” Kelley says. Around the same time, she started picking up on the positive effects of eating clean, too. “The last 2 weeks, I could feel the weight loss,” she remarks.
That’s when she knew that she’d be able to stick with eating clean for the long haul. At the same time, she realized that always trying to aim for perfection might end up doing her more harm than good. For instance, when the teacher appreciation luncheon was held at the school where she works, she knew that she wanted to indulge without feeling guilty. “Once a week, I might want to have a treat that isn’t part of the plan,” she admits. But even so, “I think that I’ll be eating in more moderation than I would have normally.”
Dr. Wendy Observes: It’s easy to get sidelined when you hit a speed bump. But when Kelley ran into the all-too-common challenge of navigating a time-crunched schedule, she adapted instead of giving up. Sure, some of her meals during that challenging week may not have been as tasty or pretty, but they were still clean—and that’s a success. It’s about progress, not perfection.
TOTAL POUNDS LOST
11lbs
TOTAL INCHES LOST
13.25
MOST NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS
Kelley’s cholesterol was high before she started eating clean. But afterwards, it dropped into the healthy range.
Is it possible to eat out and eat clean at the same time? Findings show that people who usually cook at home tend to eat fewer calories, less sugar, and higher-quality foods than those who dine out often.1 Why? Most restaurant meals pack way more salt, sugar, fat, and refined carbs into their dishes than you’d probably have at home. Not to mention the fact that the portions are enormous! If you were to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a restaurant today, you’d take in nearly 1,600 more calories than if you’d eaten the same meals at most restaurants 20 years ago, according to estimates from the National Institutes of Health.2
With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that sticking to mostly home-cooked fare can make it easier to lose weight. But that doesn’t mean that once you’ve committed to eating clean, you can never step foot inside a restaurant again. (Though it’s a good idea to stick to eating at home while following the Eat Clean, Stay Lean plan for the first 3 weeks or more. We’ll talk more about why in Chapter 8.) Dining out is fun and delicious, and enjoying the occasional restaurant meal is a treat that’s worth looking forward to. These simple principles can help you enjoy eating out without wrecking your weight-loss progress.
Arrive hungry, not starving. Eating less during the day (or not eating at all) means you can eat more at the restaurant, right? Well, not exactly. “Saving up” for your meal throughout the day might seem like a smart weight-loss strategy. But in reality, it means that you’ll probably get to the restaurant starving—which is a surefire recipe for overeating. So stick with your normal meal and snack schedule, instead, and enjoy a moderate portion of something delicious when you eat out. You’ll feel better and more energized during the day, and you won’t leave the restaurant feeling stuffed.
Birthday cakes. Specialty cocktails. Multicourse tasting menus with optional wine pairings. Celebratory meals and treats to commemorate anniversaries, promotions, or big wins. Any of these treats might feel like splurges worth savoring—and they can be! But because there are so many food-centric occasions these days, it’s essential to ask yourself: Is this particular occasion important enough for me to bend my healthy habits?
Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer. You know what works for your weight-loss goals and what doesn’t, and no one’s judging you but you. So if it’s a special occasion that you’ve been planning for a long time, or you finally got that reservation at the hottest restaurant in town, enjoy it to the fullest and savor every bite. What if you’re celebrating another wonderful life moment, like a birthday, a holiday, or a winning game? There’s no reason you can’t enjoy those events, too. But you might decide that, frankly, a clean and healthy meal and a bite of the cake is just as good or meaningful as having the entire piece and feeling lousy (or worse, guilty) later on. Remember, there are lots of ways to make a special occasion feel special. Pay attention to those opportunities, and you’ll probably find yourself making great decisions around your food without unraveling your progress. You’ve got this!
Be the first to order. Putting your order in before anyone else does means you’ll be less tempted to copy your dining companion’s decadent order. (“She’s treating herself to the fried chicken platter, so maybe I should, too!”) In fact, you might even influence others at the table to pick cleaner meals.
Pick a balanced plate. Just like at home, you want your meal to be a mix of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. So steer clear of entrées that are total carbfests (like a heaping plate of spaghetti) or pure protein (like a giant steak) in favor of dinners that deliver a little bit of everything. Think a piece of fish with olive oil, roasted potatoes, and steamed green beans, or black bean soup with brown rice and diced avocado served with a side salad.
Look for clean menu descriptions. Not sure what to order? Zero in on dishes that are baked, steamed, grilled, broiled, or poached. They’re lighter than those that are fried, crusted, or stuffed, for sure. But they’re also cleaner, since many restaurants use unhealthy fats, such as hydrogenated vegetable oils or margarine—both of which contain trans fats.
Sideline your sauces. A little bit of stir-fry sauce, pesto, or salad dressing adds flavor to your meal. But most restaurants tend to pour on way more than you actually need. The solution? Ask for sauces on the side, and dip into them with your fork. You’ll still get the taste, but without turning your meal into a calorie bomb.
Be a portion pro. When it comes to losing weight, the size of your meal matters almost as much as the ingredients. The thing is, it can be tough to stop yourself from devouring an entire plate of food once it’s sitting in front of you—even if it’s really, really big! So find simpler ways to keep your portions in check, such as by ordering an appetizer instead of an entrée. Split a full-size entrée with one of your dining companions, or ask your server to bag up half of your entrée before it comes to the table.
Remember the rule of one. Part of the fun of going out to eat is splurging on extras like wine, fresh bread, and delicious desserts. Always saying no to all three might help you lose weight faster, but it’s also likely to leave you feeling deprived. So strike a compromise: Instead of having a glass of wine, a piece of bread, and a dessert, pick just one—and enjoy it.
Tweaking or customizing your order can do a lot to make it cleaner. (And you shouldn’t feel bad about doing it. Restaurants want to make you happy!) Some simple swaps to try:
●Instead of: White rice or pasta
●Ask for: Brown rice or whole wheat pasta
●Instead of: Mashed potatoes
●Ask for: Roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes, or a baked potato
●Instead of: Cheese, mayonnaise, or sour cream
●Ask for: Sliced avocado, guacamole, hummus, or mustard
●Instead of: French fries or potato chips
●Ask for: A side salad
●Instead of: Croutons, crunchy noodles, or fried tortilla strips (on a salad)
●Ask for: Beans, such as chickpeas or black beans
Dining out? No matter what the cuisine, there’s a clean pick to be found.
Asian: Shrimp stir-fry with brown rice and vegetables
Make it even cleaner: Get the sauce on the side so you can control how much you actually eat. Eat four good forkfuls of your rice, and pack up the rest.
Diner: Three egg-white (or two-egg) vegetable omelet
Make it even cleaner: Skip the home fries and have a fruit cup or a side of sliced tomatoes, instead.
Indian: Chicken tikka
Make it even cleaner: Order chapati—a whole wheat flatbread—instead of the typical naan, which is usually made with white flour and topped with melted butter.
Italian: Whole wheat pasta primavera (with red sauce, not white)
Make it even cleaner: Order it with extra vegetables. And since pasta portions are usually way too big, ask for half of your meal to be bagged up before your server brings your plate to the table.
Middle Eastern: Chicken shish kebab
Make it even cleaner: Skip the white pita bread in favor of an order of grilled vegetables or a side salad.
Seafood: Any fish, grilled, with lemon
Make it even cleaner: Eat only a checkbook-size portion of the fish and polish off all of your vegetables.
Southwestern: Vegetable fajitas
Make it even cleaner: Ask for corn or whole wheat tortillas instead of white flour tortillas, and get a side of plain black beans instead of refried ones. Top your fajitas with a spoonful of guacamole instead of sour cream and cheese.
Steak house: Flank steak
Make it even cleaner: For your side, order a plain baked potato (eat only half) or spinach sautéed with garlic (instead of the calorie-laden creamed version).
Notes from a Clean Eater
“Now I’m very conscientious of what I eat when I go out. At happy hour, I’ll have oysters and thinly sliced salmon with some salad, instead of fried calamari and fries.” —George S.
Whether you’re on the go for work or headed out for vacation, being away from home can make eating clean more challenging. Though healthy options are more widely available than they used to be, most airports and roadside pit stops still aren’t exactly known for being beacons of clean fare. And once you actually arrive at your destination? Temptation lurks around every corner—whether it’s free soft serve by the pool, a round (or two) of cocktails before dinner, or the surf-and-turf special that everyone is raving about. Fortunately, a little bit of know-how can help you navigate the tempting terrain.
Notes from a Clean Eater
“While on vacation in Italy, we’d order one pasta or meat dish and one veggie or salad dish, and we’d share both. We also ordered soups that were loaded with beans and vegetables.” —Richard and Suzanne M.
Is there any way to avoid the fate of stale gas station hot dogs and giant airport cinnamon buns? Absolutely. Whether you’re driving or flying, packing clean fare at home can help you avoid being stuck with a not-so-appealing option—as well as minimize temptations—when the pickings are slim. Portable, protein-rich snacks like trail mix or roasted chickpeas are always an easy choice. But don’t stop there! If you’ll be traveling for hours and need to have a meal on the way, pack up something that’s easy to eat on the run, like a turkey and avocado sandwich with a piece of fruit or a peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole wheat bread. Sure, it’s nothing fancy—but it’s clean and satisfying, so it gets the job done.
What should you do when there’s just no time to pack food? When it comes to snacks, your best bets are also the simplest: nuts and seeds. Even the tiniest gas stations usually have a couple of packages on the shelf (think walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or sunflower seeds), and they save you the hassle of having to scrutinize ingredients lists when you’re in a hurry. Pick raw, roasted, or salted over any flavored options (which could be higher in sugar), and watch your portions. A snack portion of nuts is ¼ cup, which is roughly a handful, but most packages offer two or three times that much.
Plan clean pit stops! At first, it might seem smart to save calories by avoiding eating anything until you get where you’re going. But going too long without eating means that you’ll likely be starving when you reach your destination—which can set the stage for plowing straight into a plate of gooey nachos or greasy wings. Instead, aim to keep up with your schedule of eating a snack or meal every 3 to 4 hours while en route to wherever you’re going. It will take some planning, but staying on track will leave you feeling better about your food choices, as well as more energized. Have a big bottle of water, too, to help you stay hydrated and mentally sharp.
Whether you’re at the world’s most boring work convention or a luxury resort, merely being away from home can make you want to forget about your weight-loss goals and throw caution to the wind. And while it might not be realistic to expect to follow your usual clean-eating routine to a tee, you don’t want to let every meal turn into a free-for-all, either. Having a special meal or a cocktail can be fine. But go all out for your entire trip, and the number on the scale will probably read a few pounds higher once you get back home. Plus, a lot of indulging could make it harder to get back to normal, eating-wise. After all, it only takes a few nights in a row of splurging on key lime pie or double chocolate cake to get you into the habit of wanting something sweet after dinner every night.
How do you strike a balance? Eating clean while you travel is a lot like eating clean when you go out to a restaurant—you just have to do it for a longer period of time. Most of the time, try to stick to the same clean-ordering principles. When you feel like treating yourself, go for it—but indulge mindfully on the things that you really want and think about how much is really the perfect amount to satisfy you. As for the stuff that’s just okay, simply skip it. For instance, if you’re truly looking forward to having wine with dinner, pass on the so-so complimentary croissants at breakfast. Being choosy means that you can enjoy what you eat on vacation without feeling guilty—or completely derailing your weight-loss goals.
Hopefully, you feel pretty good about the choices you made while you were away. But what if you overdid it a bit? You might feel guilty, bloated, and even sluggish, which can set the stage for continuing to eat larger portions and less nutritious foods once you get home. In that case, your goal is to stop that negative cycle before it starts. Instead of dwelling on the unhealthy stuff you ate during your trip, start planning the clean foods you’ll eat now that you’re home. The sooner you get back on track, the sooner you’ll start feeling good again—both physically and mentally. After a day or two, you’ll start to crave the energizing effects of your favorite clean foods once again.
Whether it’s a cocktail party with friends, a dinner event for work, or a holiday celebration with your family, all of these events have something in common: At them, you’re likely to be surrounded by lots of foods that aren’t particularly clean—and lots of people who are encouraging you to eat them. Sure, you might be perfectly content cruising along with your kale, white bean, and quinoa salad or Greek yogurt and berries when you’re on your own. But when a well-meaning friend flags you down with a plate of deviled eggs or bacon-wrapped shrimp, it can be extra tough to say no. After all, you don’t want to seem like a party pooper—or worse, hurt the feelings of someone you care about!
Of course, steering clear of all social events isn’t exactly an option. (At least it’s not a very fun one.) So how can you hang out with the crowd and still avoid succumbing to peer pressure to abandon your clean-eating principles? Stick with these rules of thumb.
Go in with a plan. Before the event, think about how you want to eat. Are you going to a dinner party where the host always serves an outrageously delicious homemade dessert, or to a holiday event with the eggnog or special cinnamon bread that you look forward to every year? If you know that you’ll have an opportunity to eat things that you really love, decide ahead of time what specific things you’ll eat and how much of them you’ll have. By planning your indulgence in advance, you’re choosing to stay in control instead of letting your appetite or craving lure you on a whim. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy a bit of your treat instead of feeling guilty that you caved to temptation.
Eager to hop on the scale as soon as you get back home? Try holding off for a day or two. The combination of salty restaurant food and travel-related dehydration means that your body is likely holding on to more water than usual, which could translate to an unexpectedly high number on the scale. Don’t worry—just focus on getting back to eating clean right away, and you’ll lose any water weight after just a couple of days!
BEFORE
Travel and weight loss aren’t exactly known for going hand in hand. And traveling to a place that’s known for having some of the most delicious food in the world? Fuggedaboutit.
But that wasn’t the case for Richard and Suzanne, who already had a vacation in Italy planned before they decided to start eating clean. Instead of just taking time off from their weight-loss goals, they decided that they’d enjoy themselves without letting their trip turn into a week-long pizza-and-pasta binge. And the proof is in the results they reaped by sticking with the program.
For breakfast, they’d usually stop at a local grocery store for some fresh fruit. “We never once missed having a big breakfast, and it allowed more time to get out and tour,” says Suzanne. For lunches or dinners, they’d order what they wanted—but in a way that made it easy to keep their portions in check. “We didn’t binge on pasta or bread. We tried to balance our meals,” she says. Instead of ordering two appetizers and two pasta dishes, Suzanne would get a grilled vegetable dish and Richard would get pasta. Then, they’d split the two plates.
The couple also made trade-offs by skipping the stuff they didn’t care about that much; that way, they had room for the foods they really loved. For instance, they’d always pass on the breadbasket at mealtimes. And since Richard and Suzanne aren’t big drinkers, they didn’t bother with wine or cocktails. But Suzanne, who’s always loved sweets, did treat herself to delicious gelato made from high-quality ingredients.
In fact, after realizing how delicious simple meals made with fresh, quality ingredients could be, Suzanne was inspired to re-create at home many of the produce-centric dishes she and Richard enjoyed in Italy. These days, they’re eating tasty foods sparked by their travel memories, like cabbage and bean soup, minestrone soup, and even homemade pasta with fresh sauces. “Now, eating clean just seems like common sense,” Richard says.
Dr. Wendy Observes: Richard and Suzanne are a testament to the fact that travel can be exciting, delicious, and still supportive of your health. They turned what had been a potential obstacle to their weight-loss progress into a major success, complete with great food, memories, and even new recipe inspirations for their clean-eating lifestyle. It’s proof of how much you can achieve in virtually any life situation—without deprivation!
TOTAL POUNDS LOST
21lbs
4.5lbs
TOTAL INCHES LOST
8.75
4.25
MOST NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS
Richard: His systolic blood pressure (the top number) dropped by 24 points and his diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) dropped by 11 points, bringing both out of the high blood pressure range. His LDL (“bad”) cholesterol dropped by 17 points, bringing him from borderline high to just 4 points outside of the desirable range.
Suzanne: She used to crave sugar on a daily basis, but now, her taste for sweets has started to disappear.
Is it possible to reframe social events and special occasions so you can have your cake (or in this case, your weight-loss success) and eat it, too? Yes—but it’s important to answer these questions honestly first.
1. Do food splurges define what you call special?
2. Does eating whatever you want or as much as you want make or break the specialness of the occasion?
The answer to both is probably not. Remember, while the food is certainly fun, it usually isn’t the sole reason you’re gathering with others. In fact, it isn’t even the main reason. So when an event comes up, think about why you’re really there. Are you celebrating an important achievement? Getting an opportunity to spend time with people who matter to you, who you don’t get to see very often? By shifting your attention to the true focus of your gathering or event, the food immediately takes second place—which is right where it should be.
And if it’s a situation where you know the food isn’t going to be that great? It’s not worth the splurge if it’s not truly delicious, so decide ahead of time to steer clear of the junky stuff. (Sorry, boring mini quiches that came from a box.) Fill a small plate with cleaner offerings, like crudités and hummus, shrimp cocktail, fresh fruit, and a few cubes of cheese, and call it a meal. Or skip the food entirely and enjoy a clean meal beforehand or afterward. Why eat unhealthy stuff that you don’t even care about?
Notes from a Clean Eater
“When I go to the movies, I bring my own stuff with me, like a Kashi bar. When my friends cooked spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, I brought ingredients to make a salad. At a bar, I’ll have seltzer with a splash of cranberry juice—just enough to change the color.” —Steve B.
Have a no-fail excuse. Just because someone offers you a cupcake or a second helping of buttery mashed potatoes doesn’t mean that you have to eat it. Still, bumbling over an excuse about how you’re trying to lose weight or eat cleaner probably isn’t enough to steer a well-meaning food pusher away from your plate. (“You’re at a party! Live a little! You can get back to your diet tomorrow!”) What to say instead? “Thanks, that looks delicious! But I’m not hungry right now.” By complimenting the food and putting the blame on your full belly, you’ll avoid hurting your host’s feelings. And if you’re full, you’re full! Nobody can argue with that. More importantly, this tactic avoids an all-out rejection by implying that you might want some later when your appetite comes back. (Even if you know that isn’t gonna happen.)
Be a little deceptive. You don’t need a reason for not wanting to try the Swedish meatballs or the signature mojito—but some people might ask anyway. If you’re uncomfortable fielding those kinds of questions (or you just don’t feel like it), playing pretend can help. A highball glass of sparkling water with lime looks an awful lot like an alcoholic drink—and if you don’t say otherwise, no one will be able to tell the difference.
Another option? You can always serve yourself a small helping of something, even if you don’t actually plan to eat it. Sometimes, just having something on your plate is enough to stave off intrusive questions. Of course, this only works if you’re really confident that you won’t be tempted to take a bite. For added insurance, pick something you don’t actually like very much instead of, say, your favorite thing ever.
How can you make smart choices when you’re surrounded by pigs in blankets and deep-fried egg rolls? Keep these rules of thumb in mind the next time you’re at a party or gathering.
1. Scan your surroundings. Take a look at all of the offerings, then start filling up your plate. When you know everything that’s being served, you can be more strategic about what you do—and don’t—serve yourself.
2. Go for the clean goods first, then pick a treat. Divvy up your plate into four imaginary quarters. Fill two of those quarters with clean fruit and vegetable dishes. (Think salad, fresh berries, or roasted or sautéed vegetables, rather than creamed spinach or cheesy stuffed mushrooms.) Fill another quarter with lean protein, like roasted turkey breast or shrimp cocktail. And save the last quarter for whatever yummy treat you want. Mac and cheese? Scalloped potatoes? You got it.
3. Savor every bite and move on. Enjoyed everything on your plate? Good job. (But remember, if it turns out you don’t like something on your plate, you don’t have to eat it!) Your hunger should now feel satisfied, so skip the line for seconds. Go catch up with your friend or hit the dance floor, instead.
You’ve told your family members, friends, and coworkers that you’re trying to eat cleaner and lose some weight. Everyone seems enthusiastic about your decision—after all, you’re taking steps to improve your health! So what’s with your spouse still insisting on bringing home a bucket of fried chicken for dinner? And why is your best friend continuing to insist that you hit the local pancake joint on Sunday mornings instead of taking a power walk through the park?
There’s no doubt that the people who care about you don’t want you to have to deal with obesity-related conditions like high blood pressure, high blood sugar, or high cholesterol. They also don’t want your weight to hold you back from the things in life that you enjoy. But at the same time, some of them might not feel completely comfortable with your decision to eat cleaner. Picking the smoothie or oatmeal bowl, for instance, might serve to highlight the fact that your dining companion’s biscuit, sausage, and gravy platter is a less-healthy option. It can even cause the other person to feel like she’s being judged—even if you have no feelings at all about what she’s eating. In order to avoid feeling like she’s making a terrible choice, the other person might encourage you to stop eating bird food and treat yourself. Just like misery, indulgent eating loves company.
Tensions can run even higher at home. If you and your spouse used to love going out for ice cream after dinner or your family always made cheesy nachos on movie nights, your decision to opt out can feel, to them, like a rejection. What’s more, they might feel worried that your next move is to take away their favorite junky foods. To stop that from happening and get things back to how they used to be, they might try to sway you back toward your old habits.
How can you navigate these kinds of situations without abandoning your weight-loss goals or making things uncomfortable between you and the people you care about? When someone tempts you to hop off the clean-eating bandwagon, the best thing to do is be straight with them: Remind them that you’re working to lose weight, and you’re making these changes in order to achieve that goal. You’re getting leaner because you want to feel great, have more energy, and most importantly, be as healthy as possible for the long haul. When you’re honest about your feelings, most people will try to respect them. Still, it might take a number of reminders before it really clicks. After all, if you’ve done something one way for a long time or tried other diets that didn’t last long, others may not immediately be convinced that this time’s for real. And if there’s someone who continually tries to sabotage your efforts by not respecting your wishes, you may want to think about whether he or she is really worth your time.
Help! My partner is a junk-food addict. Does your dearly beloved love fatty fried foods, desserts, and sugary drinks? These smart strategies can help you keep your healthy habits going—and maybe even nudge your partner to make slightly cleaner choices without starting a fight.
• When he wants pizza or burgers for dinner every single night . . . Your partner might never be the kind of person who’s going to crave brown rice and broccoli for dinner. So meet him halfway by showing him how delicious cleaner versions of his old standbys can be. Instead of ordering pizza, make it with whole wheat crust and top it with sauce, loads of veggies, and a smidge of cheese. Or make grilled fish tacos instead of pork carnitas. And if you always serve dinner with a salad, you’ve got your clean eating covered!
Sometimes, showing can be more powerful than simply telling. If you’ve told a friend or family member repeatedly about your intentions to eat clean and they’re still not supporting you in the way that you need, set the words aside for a while and start relying on your actions to get the message across. As they see you continually make clean choices, they’ll start to understand that yes—you’re serious about this!
• When she’s constantly bringing junky snacks into the house . . . Be up front with your feelings. Your partner might not understand how tempting or distracting it can actually be for you to have a gallon of ice cream or a giant bag of chips in the house, so tell her how having all that stuff around stresses you out. When she sees things from your point of view, she’ll probably want to do what she can to avoid upsetting you—such as not buying those foods, or storing them out of sight and eating them when you aren’t around.
• When you’re legitimately concerned about what he’s eating . . . Yup, your partner went and ordered a slab of deep fried meat loaf with cheesy fries for dinner. You’re cringing inside, but try to hold back on the judgment. Instead of starting a fight in the middle of your meal, wait until later to talk—and then be honest. State the facts about why his order was objectively bad for his health (in this case, loads of unhealthy fat and refined carbs). Then explain the real reason why it bothers you: You love your partner, and you want him to be around for a long time, too.
How can you stick to your clean-eating guns without putting up a fight—or making your eating plan the topic of conversation for the next 3 hours? First, remember that eating doesn’t have to be the main event of every social gathering. Sure, food-centric traditions have their place—and no one’s saying that you should serve fruit salad instead of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving or insist that everyone eat tofu instead of hot dogs at the annual Fourth of July cookout. (In fact, we’d strongly recommend against it.)
But you also don’t have to buy popcorn and candy just because you and your partner are seeing a movie. Or have cookies with your coffee every time your friend comes over to chat. Instead of meeting with your team over lunch, why not try a walking meeting outside? By finding ways to keep food out of the social equation (or at least to make it a smaller part of it), you’ll feel less tempted to abandon your eating goals. You’ll also be less likely to come up against resistance from people who might try to sabotage your healthy habits. After all, the point of socializing is to connect with others—not spend the entire time with your mouths full!
Another option is to make an effort to compromise. If your gang wants to make dinner plans, chime in with a suggestion for a restaurant that offers some satisfying clean options for you in addition to the old standbys for them. When the neighbors invite you over for a cocktail party, ask if you can bring a snack to share with everyone, such as hummus with fresh-cut vegetables for dipping. (You’ll know it’s clean, but everyone else will just see it as another delicious option.) If your family is begging for their favorite beef stir-fry, make it with half the meat and twice the vegetables, and make the sauce from scratch instead of using the packaged stuff with the artificial ingredients that you used to rely on. (Or pick a cleaner store-bought option.)
And when you can’t beat them? Join them. Just be smart! The next time your dining companion absolutely insists on going to the place that only serves meatball subs or trying the new food truck known for its irresistible doughnuts, join in and have fun. Speaking up about your preferences and finding ways to meet your own needs is important. But once in a while, it’s worth going with the flow. In those cases, find ways to keep your portions smaller without going hungry. Order a side of grilled vegetables so you can eat less of the poor quality entrée, or start your meal with a cup of broth-based vegetable soup.
We know—it isn’t always easy to eat clean when you’ve got a gaggle of pint-size pizza and burger lovers to feed. But it’s not impossible, either. Here are some smart tips that’ll help you keep your sanity without breaking your diet.
• Cook one dinner—for everyone. Trying to cater to everyone’s tastes is exhausting, so don’t even bother. Instead, double or triple the Eat Clean, Stay Lean dinner recipes as needed so everyone can have what you’re having. (If they’re hungry, they’ll eat it!)
• Make meal prep a family event. Still not sure your kids will be into eating salmon or grilled chicken for dinner? Enlist their help in the kitchen to make dinner together, and over time, those “yucky” foods will become a whole lot more appealing.
• Stock up on (only) healthy snacks. Sticking to clean foods is surprisingly easy if there’s no junk around to tempt you. For the next few weeks, stock up on fresh fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds, and whole grain crackers and hummus instead of the usual junky chips and cookies. Sure, the kids might complain, but they’ll get over it.
• Have fun without food. For the next 3 weeks, try breaking the food-as-fun habit by planning family activities that don’t involve eating—like a morning bike ride, a trip to the local bowling alley, or a predinner hike. Chances are, everyone will benefit.
Notes from a Clean Eater
“My brother-in-law, Alan F., lives next door. So he’d make two meals a week, and I’d make two meals a week, and we’d share. Doing it with somebody was huge. Not just for the emotional support, but because someone was making half the meals for me.”—Kathy C.
Once the pounds start melting off, the compliments will likely start flying. And if you were used to hiding your heavier body in baggy clothes, you might decide to start wearing outfits that are more flattering to your stronger, leaner shape. The kind words and awesome new reflection in the mirror are both great motivators to continue eating clean and working toward your weight-loss goals. But the newfound focus on your appearance could leave your partner or friends a little green-eyed—especially if they are on the heavier side.
Of course, if all that positive attention makes another person want to eat cleaner and lose weight too, great! If not? Your decision to get leaner is a good thing for both you and your loved ones—but it’s about you, not them. And it’s okay to remind them of that in a nice way. If your partner is prone to jealousy, diffuse the issue by stressing that you aren’t trying to lose weight to impress others. You’re doing it to feel better about yourself—both physically and mentally. Losing weight allows you to pursue a more active lifestyle—like meeting your friends for a round of tennis or taking that hiking vacation you’ve always talked about. It can increase your energy to help you be more productive during the day, and it can even reignite your sex life. Most importantly, though, losing weight improves your health so you have more healthy years to spend together.
Whether you overdo it on those irresistible cheese poppers at a party, eat an entire basket of chips at your favorite Tex-Mex spot, or even devour an entire pint of ice cream in front of the TV, remember: It’s not the single wild splurge that throws your weight loss off track—it’s how you deal with it afterwards. One poor choice isn’t going to cause your pants to suddenly be too tight or make you gain 10 pounds. But dwelling on it might. That’s because when you let yourself feel gross, guilty, or out of control over something you ate, you’re usually driven to make more unhealthy choices. It might seem like the floodgates are open, so you may as well just keep on eating junk. Or maybe you get the idea in your head that you don’t “deserve” to have a lean body, so you subconsciously start eating stuff that causes the pounds to pile back on.
But diving into more poor-quality food will only make you feel worse. And everyone deserves to have a strong, healthy body that they love. So instead of seeing the situation as proof that you’re a failure at eating clean and wishing that it had never happened, use it as a chance to learn something new that can help you make better choices in the future. Did you devour all of the cheese snacks because you skipped lunch and showed up to the party starving? Next time, eat beforehand so you aren’t ravenous when you arrive. Were your inhibitions lowered at the restaurant because you’d had a little too much to drink? Make a mental note to sip your cocktail more slowly next time, or to stick with water. Did you reach for the ice cream because you were bored? Next time you have a free night, think about what you can do to stay busy so you’re not tempted to snack.
No, making a plan for the future won’t undo what happened in the past. But it will take your mind off the flub so you’re not replaying it in your head and letting yourself feel terrible about it. And it’ll give you a game plan for next time. Because you’re not going to let one measly slipup stop you from eating clean and achieving your weight-loss goal. Nope—no way.
It’s your weight-loss goal and you have to do the work, so why should you get others involved? Like with any challenging journey, strong support is key to success. In fact, findings show that dieters who embark on a weight-loss program with friends or family are more successful at maintaining their loss compared to dieters who go it alone.3
And support can come in many forms. There’s emotional support from a friend who smiles with your successes and comforts you when you’re frustrated. There’s motivational support from your workout buddy who helps you find the get-up-and-go to lace up your sneakers. There’s hands-on support from your spouse or family members who help shop for clean foods, keep tempting trigger foods out of sight, or watch your kids so you can steal some time for exercise or meal prep. There’s even support-as-distraction from people who encourage new kinds of activities that don’t center around eating, like taking a hike instead of meeting up for ice cream.
So be open about your feelings, ask for what you need, and be willing to accept help. You’ll feel stronger, and chances are, you’ll have an easier and more enjoyable time working toward your goals.
Notes from a Clean Eater
“On an extremely anxious day, I desperately needed a peanut butter and jelly fix. So I scratched that itch. I adjusted for it for the rest of the day, and then I moved on.”—Alan F.
1Expect the unexpected. All journeys, including weight-loss journeys, have speed bumps. By knowing where they might pop up, you can ride over them more smoothly.
2 Know that you can eat clean anywhere. Whether you’re dining out, on vacation, or at a social event, it’s almost always possible to make a healthier choice.
3 Remember, honesty is the best policy. If it seems like a friend or family member might be trying to sabotage your weight loss, give it to them straight and tell them why you want to get lean. When you’re up front about what matters to you, they’ll want to give their support—and you’ll feel more motivated to stay on track, too.
4Don’t let yourself get derailed. Everyone overdoes it from time to time. So look at an unexpected splurge as a learning opportunity for next time.
