Clean eating works!! I wish so badly someone would have told me this after I had my son. I gained 60 lbs when I was pregnant and had a really hard time losing the weight. I always thought I was eating “healthy” but what I know now is that pre-packaged foods with a ton of ingredients and a lot of sugar won’t get you lean and toned – even if the label says, “healthy”.
I didn’t get lean by any crazy fad diet or expensive pill. I just focus on eating whole foods and keeping my grams of sugar under 35g or less per day. I eat every three hours so I never feel hungry. If you are looking for a great program to teach you the basics of clean eating check out Jamie Eason’s LiveFit trainer HERE – this program changed my entire approach to fitness and nutrition and I finally feel like I am able to get toned and lean. I especially like her approved foods list. I check that list all the time and the only foods I eat now are foods on that list.
Previously, I was doing a ton of cardio and not eating enough. Now, I only do cardio (HIIT training) 1-2 days a week for 20 minutes or so and I focus on weight training. However, the main changes came from my diet. Once I figured out how to eat clean, whole foods and make them taste really good so I could stick with it, my body changed drastically.
I decided to get a spray tan before we headed to the beach (I am so white I probably would have blinded everyone) and I wear so much 50spf sunscreen when I go out I probably won’t get much color while we are there anyways. I snapped this pic before I jumped in the spray tan booth 🙂
27 Comments
Hi, regarding the sugar, some foods have so much, apples, sugar snap peas, even lettuce, im eating 3x as much sugar as i should?!
Your site is amazing I am truly addicted to it! I have been wanting to eat clean and this info really help!
Jennie thank you so much!! I’m so glad you like it!
I am just really cautious with the foods I eat. I don’t count veggies that are raw when counting calories – so if there are trace amounts of sugar in veggies I don’t count that. I don’t eat a lot of fruit. I have 1/4 c berries in the morning with my oatmeal and sometimes 1/2 banana post workout or 1/2 apple post workout but that’s about it.
ok, thanks!
I too eat a lot of fruit. That is where I consume the most sugar. I honestly could live off of fruit and veggies. I know this can’t be good for me?? Yes I do eat protein too.
This is awesome!! GREAT JOB! It’s amazing with CLEAN EATING can do!! LOVE Jamie Eason!
Natalie,
Congrats on your new site! Love, love, love it!
Thanks Kathy!!
HI Natalie. I am so inspired by your website and information. I also gained 60 pounds with my pregnancy which I lost but then over the past 6 years I have fluctuated weight and now have gained 20 pounds back. I love the idea of clean eating but one thing that I have a hard time figuring out is when to eat. For instance sometimes I can workout in the morning sometimes in the evening so how do I know when and what to eat around the workouts?
Hey Brandy!! Congrats on losing your pregnancy weight!! Trust me, I know how hard it can be 🙂
I like to eat every three hours. I find that when I eat every three hours it helps to control my blood sugar levels and I don’t get big cravings this way. I will usually have a protein shake and 1/2 banana post workout, but besides that pretty much stick to the every-three-hour rule. Post workout you don’t have to do whey protein, you can do whole foods, but you just want to make sure you are getting a protein source with a fast-absorbing carbohydrate. I usually do oat flour or some fruit along with 1 scoop of whey protein. Hope that helps!
Sometimes I know it is hard to eat all your veggies so what we started doing is juicing. We bought a juicier at Wal-Mart for $60. It has been the best investment. There are lots of combinations you can use, we like to use 4 carrots, 2 granny smith apples, a celery stalk, a piece of ginger root, and 1/2 a cucumber. I really like this mix and lets face it I am not going to eat all of that every morning. My kids love it as well and will ask for their veggie juice if I don’t get it made fast enough. I will warn you that if you are not used to eating veggies you will need to be close to a bathroom when you start juicing. It will take a couple days for your body to adjust. My husband and I both found that we feel better, your skin tones improve, you sleep better. Its amazing and a great way to get all of those raw much needed veggies in.
Curious to know where you have your main sources of fiber are coming from… i too eat clean, as well as gluten/wheat free… i eat most things in a natural state and i eat a ton of veggies.. and i try and stay away from the fruit bc of the sugar… but alot of fruits are high in fiber and well to put it nicely… i am not “going” as much as i used to…. any creative ideas to get enough fiber to make me regular!!??
Hi Natalie
You don’t count raw veggies? Did you do the same with Live Fit Trainer? I am having a hard time planning out my 7meals (inlcuding PWO) and keeping them under 1500. Yes 7, if I dont eat every 2.5 hrs my stomach lets me know how unhappy it is.. It would be easier not to count raw veggies 🙂 Tomorrow I start carb cycling with Live Fit. I am pretty sure that carb cycling refers to starches right? Also I remember reading that you don’t count your PWO shake is that right?
I just stumbled upon your blog today and I want to say thank you for taking the time to share! I gave birth to my second daughter the day you posted this. I gained 55 pounds during the pregnancy and was already about 40 pounds overweight. I have a long way to go but I am dedicated to getting myself, and my family, healthier and I know that clean eating is the way to do it – long term. Thanks again for all of the inspiration, Natalie! I will be frequenting your blog and just liked your facebook page 🙂
Hi Natalie, I just found your fb page and website, thank you!!! I am on day 6
Of Jamie Eason’s LiveFit Trainer and I’m having trouble with the food. I am used to eating
2, maybe 3 times a day so 6 is a struggle but I know I need to eat more and clean. Can you
Give me an example of a day during phase 1?
Hey Brandy! Here is a link for a part of my site that I have sample days of food I eat – it might be helpful for you 🙂 https://nataliehodson.com/blog/category/healthy-eating/sample-meal-plans/
Nicole thank you SO much for taking the time to write such a nice comment! Don’t beat yourself up too much, it took me a long time to lose the weight after my son was born. Just remember that every day you make healthy choices is one day you are closer to your goals. I am so glad you found my site! Please keep me posted with your progress 🙂
Hey Megan! When I did LiveFit, I did count all my veggies (except for things like spinach and lettuce). But, on James Wilson’s program he says we can have as many raw veggies as we want. If I were carb cycling I would probably count veggies, but on a regular basis, I wouldn’t stress yourself out about it 🙂
I love your honesty in this post. Clean eating is ABSOLUTELY the key to changing your body – like we’ve heard so many times – you can’t out exercise a bad diet, and that is SO true. You rock!
Natalie,
I love your website and all your recipes! I’m on week 5 of Jamie Eason’s live fit trainer and your recipes are helping a lot. I’m new to dean eating and I’m not much of a cook so I need all the help I can get! Thank you!!!
Jenn
Jennifer thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!! It’s posts like yours that keep me motivated to continue sharing my recipes. Good luck with LiveFit – I learned sooo much from that program!
Thanks Electra!! YOU rock!! 🙂
hi natalie.. i was wondering if you have any good websites/books/blogs about healthy eating. this is my biggest problem ( which im sure it is for alot of people) but i just cant see to figure it out. im a picky eater but breakfast is hard for me. i can eat eggs, but i cant stomach oatmeal. have you tried shakeology or anything simular to that ?! thanks so much
My all time favorite book is the Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno! She breaks it down so clean eating is so easy and simple. She has quite a few other cookbooks too.
Hi Natalie!
I just started Live Fit and your site is a serious inspiration!! One question– I noticed fats are very restricted. I feel like my ideal fat macro percentage is closer to 30 pc. I eat things like nut butters, coconut butter, and avocado. Almost all my fats are in whole food form (no straight up oil except my fish oil supplement).
Do you think this amount of fat will seriously hinder my results? Thank you so much!!! xo
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