From time to time, we all need to strip our routines down to the basics. That’s what clean eating is for—focusing on whole foods and limiting refined grains, sugars and processed oils to help achieve optimal digestion, improve energy levels and better fuel your workouts. 

Clean eating isn’t just about cutting things out; it’s about adding in things that your body is likely already asking for. Trainer and Integrative Health Coach Alexia has witnessed how powerful it can be, both within herself and amongst her clients. “I believe our body functions best on things it recognizes so everyone can benefit from incorporating the tips above into their lifestyle!” she says. 

Below, Alexia shares her four best tips for making clean eating a priority in your everyday routine. 

1. Build awareness. The first step toward a “clean” approach to eating is to simply build awareness. “I encourage people to start logging their meals in a diary form so what time you ate, the contents of your meal, and how you felt before and after! I think we often think we know what we eat, but when you actually sit down and look at it, your perspective changes and you start becoming empowered to make better choices,” Alexia explains. 
2. Have your staples on hand. All our needs vary greatly, but it’s most important to find foods you love that also pack a nutritional punch. Alexia’s favorites include blueberries, dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower), pumpkin seeds, and of course, dark chocolate!  
3. Make room to indulge. Clean eating doesn’t mean never having what you love most. In fact, there’s a way to build little indulgences into your diet in a moderate way. Alexia recommends sticking to a 90/10 approach—90% of the time you eat from a place of balance and “abundant awareness”, and 10% of the time you’re able to fully indulge without guilt. 
4. Be intentional. “Food fuels your mind, body and spirit,” Alexia says. “Small daily choices that become habits are what make the world of difference when it comes to our health and vitality.” Your intentionality can seep into everything you do—whether you’re adding more colorful veggies to dinner, vowing to drink more water or stepping outside to get some sun every day. 

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