Is "Eating Clean" Enough for Fat Loss?
Hello! I hope you had the most amazing summer filled with: beach days, refreshing iced coffees, hearty salads that actually satisfy, BBQ gatherings, and gorgeous sunsets (or sunrises if, like me, you're an early riser).
While I was away from your inbox this summer, here's what I've been up to:
I tied the knot and got married! 💍
I've been working on some exciting larger projects behind the scenes (and I'm still making progress on them).
I took a brief hiatus from recording the podcast.
I spent quality time with friends and family.
My all-time favourite tradition, 'Steak Sundays,' continued to bring joy and quality protein to my weekends.
I also relished in the longer days filled with city bike rides, paddle boarding, and lake days.
Now, let's chat about "clean eating" and fat loss...
Do you remember the magazine and book, "Clean Eating" by Tosca Reno? She was a big name in the women's fitness scene in the early to mid-2000s, and that's where I first encountered the concept of "clean eating."
If you're not familiar with it, clean eating boils down to whole foods, with a focus on fruits, veggies, protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Sounds pretty good, right?
Well, like most things in the health and fitness world, these well-intentioned ideas sometimes turn into rigid ideologies.
For me, the next phase was the Paleo Diet, where you're essentially eating like our caveman ancestors—cool, right? So, I tried "clean" eating, I went Paleo, all with one underlying goal: shedding pounds, maintaining a lean physique, and keeping my weight in check.
But it often led to this cycle of saying 'no' to sugar, then indulging in it, feeling guilty, restricting again, and constantly wondering why I struggled with body composition and my relationship with food went down the drain. 🙃
Oh, the memories! I totally forgot that I couldn't just dump spoonfuls of butter into my coffee, go wild on almond butter, or binge on "paleo-approved" desserts and then scratch my head wondering why I kept gaining body fat.
I mean, come on, I was eating CLEAN! 🙄
Clean eating is all about quality, but you've got to pay attention to both quality and quantity IF you're chasing specific body composition goals.
You can enjoy WHATEVER THE F*CK you want and still reach your goals (as long as they're realistic).
Once I started focusing on my total energy intake (calories) without becoming obsessive, tracking my protein intake, mostly enjoying high-quality foods, and indulging in my favourite treats in moderation—well, that's when everything finally clicked for me.
🌟 What if you could find the perfect balance of quality and quantity that worked for you?
🌟 What if you could figure out the amount of food, the types of foods, and the number of cookies that satisfy, without killing your energy or your body goals?
🌟 What if you just needed to be shown the way ONCE, so you could do it, on your terms foreva, foreva, eva? (shoutout to Outkast)
If you have body composition goals and you want to team up with me one-on-one, let's dive deep into personalized nutrition, crafting your ideal plate, figuring out your daily energy needs, dialling in your macros—without ditching any of your favourite foods! You can APPLY 👉 HERE.
Oh, by the way, in case you missed it, I talk about my own fat loss phase in my latest PODCAST EPISODE: Spotify Apple
Sending strength, encouragement, and finding your perfect balance of both quantity & quality,
Alicia