Eat clean diet plan to lose weight: Eating healthy food can improve your life in the sense that you have more energy, and your body gets all the necessary nutrients it needs. Many people are confused by the term clean eating. Sometimes it is a synonym for organic food. As a general term, it means eating natural and unprocessed foods. However, there is also a dietary program in which every meal should come from healthy ingredients without additives like refined sugar or salts. The latter one leads to weight loss.

The Eat-Clean Diet Review

The Promise

Forget counting calories. Your ticket to a lean, healthy body is “eating clean,” says Tosca Reno, author of The Eat-Clean Diet series.

She means eating foods — like lean protein, good-for-you carbs and fats, fresh fruits, and vegetables — six times a day in the right amounts. Do that, drink lots of water, and exercise regularly, and Reno says you’ll turn your sluggish metabolism into a fat-burning machine.

Dedicate yourself to the clean eating lifestyle, and you’ll lose about 3 pounds a week, Reno says. The benefits go beyond weight loss. You’ll stay healthy and have more energy. Your eyes will look bright and alert. Your teeth and gums will be healthier. Your skin will glow. Oh, and did we mention you won’t be hungry?

“When you Eat Clean, the benefits are visible (and perceptible to you on the inside, too) from the top of your head to the tips of your toes,” Reno writes in The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!

The Eat-Clean philosophy is that nutrition is far more important than exercise or genetics in shaping our bodies.

Does It Work?

The eating-clean lifestyle has some good points. It’s a balanced diet that focuses on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, fats, and protein. It also encourages you to control portion sizes. And it doesn’t ban any food groups.

But the plan also recommends taking supplements and even questionable medical treatments that draw warnings from some experts.

What You Can and Can’t Eat

The Eat-Clean principles are:

Eat six small meals a day.
Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of getting up.
Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
Have two or three servings of healthy fats every day.
Get fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes from fresh fruits and vegetables.
Control your portions.
Drink 2 to 3 liters of water (about 13 8-ounce cups) every day.

The foods to avoid:

Overprocessed foods, especially white flour and sugar
Artificial sweeteners
Sugary beverages, such as soda and juice
Alcohol
Foods with chemical additives like food dyes and sodium nitrite
Foods with preservatives
Artificial foods, such as processed cheese slices
Saturated fats and trans fats
Anti-foods — calorie-dense foods with no nutritional value

Level of Effort: Medium

Limitations: You have some flexibility. If you don’t like foods in Reno’s menu plans, you can replace them with others from the same food group.

Cooking and shopping: Planning can save you time grocery shopping, Reno says. Make a shopping list and stick to it. Keep in mind that foods without preservatives may not keep long, meaning more frequent trips to the grocery store. As for meal prep, a complete meal on this plan can be as simple as nuts and a piece of fruit.

Packaged foods or meals: None required.

In-person meetings: None.

Exercise:Strength training and cardiovascular exercise round out the Eat-Clean program. To lose weight, Reno recommends five or six sessions of cardio weekly, for 30 to 45 minutes each. If you’re new to strength training, start with light weights and longer sets.

Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences?

Reno says the Eat-Clean lifestyle is flexible and adapts to your dietary needs. Just follow the principles, she says, and eat the foods you can.

Vegetarians and vegans: This diet works for you. Eating clean doesn’t require eating meat, eggs, or other animal products.

What Else You Should Know

Cost: None beyond shopping for your food.

Support: There are no meetings or coaches. But you can sign up for the Eat-Clean Diet newsletter, watch inspirational videos, and connect with the Eat-Clean community online.

What Kathleen Zelman Says:

Does It Work?

Yes. The eating-clean lifestyle has some good points. It’s a balanced diet that focuses on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein. It also encourages you to control portion sizes. And it doesn’t ban any food groups.

Diet plans range from 1200-1800 calories, which is the low end of calories to sustain energy, satisfy hunger, and help weight loss. The once-weekly cheat meal or treat allows dieters a little flexibility and the option to splurge a little on a glass of red wine or some chocolate.

But the plan also recommends taking supplements, questionable medical treatments, and nutrition advice not based on scientific evidence.

Is It Good for Certain Conditions?

You will lose weight on this calorie-controlled diet plan that could be adapted for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Losing weight is good for many conditions and may even mean you don’t need to take as much medication.

Before starting on this plan, check with your doctor.

What Is a Cleanse?

One way of looking at the difference between a cleanse vs. detox: Detox diets focus on “out with the old,” while a cleanse will also address the “in with the new” aspect.

Detox diets are meant to be short-term, but a well-designed cleanse can help you form new eating habits that support your body and help you stay healthy for the long haul.

You’ll enjoy nutrient-dense recipes that help you kickstart — or restart — healthier eating habits.

And you can apply the principles of a cleanse to just about any aspect of your life — like stepping back from a toxic friendship or taking a social media break.

Do Cleanses Actually Detox?

There are two separate ends of this spectrum. On the one side, you have many medical professionals stating that the body is capable of detoxing itself.

Marjorie Nolan Cohn, MS, RD, author of The Belly Fat Fix, put it this way:

“Organs and the immune system can handle detoxification on their own, no matter what you eat. The best detox is an overall healthful eating plan along with plenty of fluid that promotes regular trips to the bathroom.”^[2]

On the opposite side of the spectrum, you have dietitians like Robin Foroutan, who say cleansing is a “legitimate component of health.”

While some cleanses are a waste of money, she holds that others aid detoxification in a helpful way^[3]:

“If a detox means cleaning up your diet, it has perks. A five-day juice or veggie cleanse, for example, may cut out problematic foods, like wheat, dairy, and artificial ingredients, flooding your body with antioxidants.”

It’s pretty clear that we’re bombarded with toxins everywhere! In fact, some articles claim that 515 chemicals come from just daily products^[4]!

It’s pretty clear we weren’t meant to live in such a toxic environment. As a result, it brings up the question: Could our bodies use a little extra help? Could a toxin flush result in long-term weight loss?

Yes, some commercial cleanses out there are wild and dangerous! But, as Robin claims, it might not be as all or nothing as it seems.

Potential Benefits of a Cleanse

If you’re considering a cleanse, Beachbody offers two: 3-Day Refresh and the 21-day Ultimate Reset.

These programs don’t just eliminate junk from your diet — they also focus on fueling your body with nutrient-rich foods and reshaping the way you think about nutrition.

3-Day Refresh is a 3-day cleanse that could be a good way to jumpstart a healthy eating plan or help your body recover from a not-so-virtuous weekend.
Ultimate Reset is a longer, more intensive program that can help transform your diet in the long run. This 21-day program uses whole foods and supplements and focuses on mind and body wellness.

These Beachbody cleanses also help to support your body’s natural detoxification processes.

(Not sure which Beachbody cleanse to do?

“Your body wants to get rid of the unhealthy stuff, but if you keep eating more junk, you’re not going to be able to get the other junk out,” says Faye explains. “It’s like clogging a drain.”

By stripping your diet down to the essentials, you’ll give your liver and kidneys a chance to do their job more efficiently. And while a cleanse may require a few food sacrifices, you definitely won’t have to skimp on flavor or variety.

How do I know if I need to detox?

Put simply, you need to detox when your body is overloaded with toxins. These toxins present differently in everybody but some common signs include bad skin, having problems with weight and constantly lacking energy.

Our bodies actually detoxify naturally, but after constant exposure to toxins, the process can become compromised and our body can struggle to cleanse our organs and tissues properly. Eating a diet that incorporates a lot of meat, dairy and processed or fatty foods can clog the system. Regardless of your diet choices, the state of your detoxification mechanisms and your exposure to toxins (not just food, but chemicals too), just about everyone can benefit from the occasional detox. Think of it as a way to reboot your system, giving your body a fresh start.

What exactly does a detox involve?

Detoxes vary a lot and depend on the individual, their goals and level of health. Generally they involve a combination of natural health products, dietary improvements and lifestyle changes. Detoxes are designed to encourage the removal of toxins from your body, improving your liver function and overall well-being.

Do I have to eat differently during a detox?

Most of the time, a change in diet is necessary, but it depends on your usual diet and the detox programme you’ve chosen. It’s best to eat foods that can be digested easily, and of course natural, wholesome food is always preferred. Steamed or raw vegetables, chicken, fish, soups and broths are all good options. Try to eat what’s in season too, as this will ensure you’re getting the appropriate nutrients for your body. At the end of the day, it really comes down to what works for you. While some people can survive quite happily on raw salads and grains, others need more variety.

How often should you detox?

While it’s reasonably common practice to do two detoxes a year, it really depends on your lifestyle. There is no reason why you can’t do more if you feel you need them. If you’re feeling sluggish or if you’ve been eating a lot of processed foods, it could be a good time for a cleanse.

How will I know if the detox is working?

Everybody is different and the effects of a detox vary. A cleanse works by releasing the toxins and as they work their way out of your body, they can cause a variety of side-effects along the way. It is quite normal to feel worse before you feel better. Sometimes people experience headaches, fatigue, nausea and even flu-like symptoms. Others experience bad skin, stronger smelling sweat and urine or a coating on their tongue that causes bad breath. While these kinds of symptoms are all signs that your body is detoxifying, they can be quite overwhelming, even if they are temporary. If they continue, you should consult your healthcare professional.

7 Day Diet Plan

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

A little prep at the beginning of the week goes a long way to make rest of the week easy.

Make Vegan Superfood Buddha Bowls to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.
Prepare Citrus Vinaigrette to have with dinner throughout the week.

Day 1

Breakfast (325 calories)

1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup raspberries
3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

A.M. Snack (62 calories)

1 medium orange

Lunch (360 calories)

1 serving White Bean & Veggie Salad

P.M. Snack (326 calories)

1 large apple
2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Dinner (422 calories)

1 serving Greek Roasted Fish with Vegetables

Meal-Prep Tip: Gather ingredients for tomorrow’s dinner, Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup, so it’s ready to start cooking on Low tomorrow morning for 6 to 8 hours.

Daily Totals: 1,495 calories, 78 g protein, 129 g carbohydrates, 33 g fiber, 79 g fat, 819 mg sodium

To Make It 1,200 Calories: Reduce to 1 Tbsp. walnuts at breakfast and omit the peanut butter at the P.M. snack.

To Make It 2,000 Calories: Increase to 1 1/2 cups yogurt and 4 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, and increase to 3 Tbsp. natural peanut butter at P.M. snack.

Day 2

Breakfast (324 calories)

1 serving Spinach, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

A.M. Snack (206 calories)

1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Lunch (381 calories)

1 serving Vegan Superfood Buddha Bowls

P.M. Snack (37 calories)

1 medium bell pepper, sliced

Dinner (532 calories)

1 serving Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup
2 cups mixed greens
1/2 avocado, sliced
1 serving Citrus Vinaigrette

Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve leftover Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup to have for dinner tomorrow night.

Daily Totals: 1,479 calories, 56 g protein, 160 g carbohydrates, 47 g fiber, 79 g fat, 1,136 mg sodium

To Make It 1,200 Calories: Change the A.M. snack to 1/3 cup sliced cucumber and reduce to 1/4 avocado at dinner.

To Make It 2,000 Calories: Add 1 slice whole-wheat toast with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast, increase to 1/3 cup almonds at A.M. snack, add 1/4 cup hummus to P.M. snack and increase to 1 whole avocado at dinner.