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30 Day Clean Eating Challenge

NXTLVL Challenges YOU to eat clean(er) for 30 days! Join us as we near the warmer weather... we trade in the long pants and parkas for the shorter shorts and the bikinis. Let’s develop habits that go beyond “Summer bodies” and transcend into health, vitality and overall well-being. Please read on to find a simple to follow 30-day guide to make small changes to get you a few steps closer to nutrition that serves you! You don’t need to transform your entire life, just try these simple game changers to ease into a healthier way of life and form better habits.

Have your family and friends join you, mix and match the below suggestions and get started.

Swap your beverages for water, tea and black coffee for the month, reduce calories and stay hydrated
Grill your meat instead of frying it. Cutting out frying oil can save you about 200 calories per meal.
Eat green veggies that grow above ground instead of root vegetables with dinner. Vegetables that grow above ground carry tons of micronutrients, and are higher in water content and lower in starches
Swap out the sugar for natural stevia sweeteners
Try almond milk instead of cow’s milk for a week
Make your own cookies following a simple recipe, like this, for a sweet treat!
Eat within 30 minutes of waking. Start your day off with an egg white omelette, stuffed with spinach and topped with salsa
Use maple syrup instead of pancake syrup for your weekend breakfasts!
Slice and microwave an apple for 1 minute. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stevia and enjoy as dessert
Try sprouted bread instead of whole wheat
Drink 4 liters of water every day!
Eat a piece of fresh fruit as a 10am snack
Try making a breakfast protein shake to start your day
Replace salad dressing with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, dried spices and a drizzle of honey
Change out your sour cream for Greek Yogurt on Taco Tuesday
Trade your pasta noodles for zucchini noodles (zoodles). Don’t have a zoodler? Use a vegetable peeler and make zucchini ribbon noodles.
Snacking on nuts is a great way to feel full. Be sure to measure out ¼ cup into baggies ahead of time to keep the calorically dense fats under control
Learn to love mustard! It’s a clean eaters best friend. Use it to top meat, the base for a salad dressing or as a healthy marinade.
Try canning. This fun hobby can line your pantry shelves with quick and healthy snacks in the “off season” for fruits and vegetables. Peaches in the Winter? Yes please!
Eat dinner at home for 30 days
Write a grocery shopping list before you go to the store. Pre-plan your week’s meals and only purchase the items needed
Make overnight oats to wake-up to a quick and healthy breakfast. ½ cup oats, 1 tbsp maple syrup, ¾ cup almond milk and cinnamon. Cover in the fridge overnight and microwave for 1 minute in the morning.
Buy basil paste (not pesto!). It is found in a squeeze tube in the produce aisle and it’s PACKED with flavor.
Make a batch of kale chips
Snack on air-popped popcorn with dried dill and paprika as seasoning
Learn to love pickles! Salty, crunchy, and a low calorie snack.
Make a food budget that prioritizes whole foods
Trade the potatoes for yams or sweet potatoes
Put chicken breasts and salsa into the crockpot and come home to a clean and delectable dinner
Explore the herb section at the grocery store. Try parsley, cilantro, thyme, sage and anything else you can find.

Clean eating is a term used everywhere you look. It’s “brag worthy” - telling others how disciplined you are, how wealthy you must be to afford Whole Foods Market, how organized you must be prepping, planning, and weighing out your food. It’s spoken of as a badge, “I’m a clean eater” #humblebrag. Barf.

What does clean eating me to me, in practice? It means I choose whole foods, whenever possible. Nutrition that grows or is cultivated from the Earth, and is minimally processed. That’s about it, it’s nothing more special than that. It’s not a bragging right, or a high-horseman’s flag to be flown - it’s a simple choice to do your best when it comes to nourishing your body. Don't buy into the hype of saying "I eat clean" - just eat for your goals and overall health.

You want to start cleaning up your diet and maybe you’re unsure of where to begin…. Try out this 30-day challenge to make simple changes in your daily life to improve your nutrition and feel better. Enjoy!

Authored by Becky Parisotto | Becky is a client of Next Level Performance, a so-so athlete, and a decent cook, clean-eater, blogger and head chef at www.whitewop.com