5 Day Clean Eating Challenge

Eating clean is something I committed to a little over two years ago and I haven’t looked back since!  It literally changed my life for the better and the way I look at food.  Now don’t get me wrong, living a completely clean lifestyle doesn’t mean I’ve given up sweets and the occasional pizza completely, but I believe in living life by the 80/20 rule.  This means 80% of the time I choose to eat organic, non-processed healthy foods aaaaand 20% of the time I allow myself to splurge.  This not only allows me to keep my sanity because YES I still love indulging in some of my favorite meals I grew up on, but it also helps me stick to this chosen lifestyle.  Truth be told my skin has never glowed more, I’m in a much better mood (so say my friends haha), my workouts have gotten stronger and, believe it or not, I sleep better too!  Oh and of course I can’t leave out the added bonus of needing new jeans which is always a plus.

So when two of my favorite girls Jamie and Kristen from the blog I Don’t Go to the Gym reached out to me about their 5 Day Clean Eating Challenge – I totally had to jump on board!

Beginning Monday, March 2nd, these girls will be kicking off this challenge by providing a full shopping list, meal plans, delicious recipes and daily check-ins all to make it oh so easy to start your journey to eating clean.  If you’re not new to clean eating then that’s okay too!  This is still a great way to maintain your healthy lifestyle, try new recipes and seek out motivation from others doing the challenge.  So how do you join??

Well Jamie and Kristen have started a private Facebook page that anyone can join that is SO helpful because this is where you’ll find your weekly meal plan and recipes as well as everyone else that has joined the challenge for awesome accountability and support!  Best part??  This is completely FREE!!  All they ask is that you “LIKE” I Don’t Go to the Gym on Facebook to begin – it’s THAT easy!!

So whether you had some New Years resolutions you haven’t been sticking to or you’re simply ready to kick start your healthy eating plan for that summer bod, what better way to start than with a bunch of girls all with the same goal! Remember clean eating is a lifestyle, NOT a diet so if you approach it head on with that mindset then you’re already off to a really great start.  Here are some helpful tips to stay on track:

• Always stock your fridge with fresh produce
• Eliminate added sugars from your diet
• Try sticking to the outside of your grocery store where all the fresh produce is
• Drink TONS of water!
• Don’t eat foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce
• Focus on nutrients, not just calories
• Cook your own meals and try to plan out the whole week ahead of time
• Portion control!