1. Start Immediately

When I decided I was going to start eating clean, the best advice that I got was to start immediately. In my mind, I was telling myself that I could start the next day, but I think I knew that by telling myself that, I’d probably put it off the next day. When I was told to start immediately, something clicked. Why wouldn’t I start reaping the benefits immediately rather than put it off? The earlier you start, the better your own benefits will be!

2. Throw Everything out

I know that it can be tempting to keep all of the bad food you’ve bought in your cupboards, but you’re only hurting yourself. This can especially be tough if you buy your own groceries, however, hear me out. If you keep food that you love but aren’t doing you any favors in your house, you’re only encouraging yourself to binge-eat it in a moment of hunger later. If you don’t even have it in your house, you’re more likely to reach for a fruit or vegetable when those hunger pains hit.

3. Figure out What Makes You Feel Good

It can be a trial and error process when you’re trying to figure out what works best for your body when it comes to eating clean. When it comes down to it, there’s not just one way that you should follow things. You may notice that you break out when you eat dairy, or that whole wheat doesn’t really sit well in your stomach. Adjust your meals accordingly. Just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean that it will for you!

4. Use Pinterest

Eating clean can get boring, and fast. You’ll want some variety to keep you interested in your new lifestyle change, or you’ll get sick of it quickly and want to go back to your old eating habits. To fix that problem, check out Pinterest. Pinterest has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to recipes, substitutes for some of your favorite meals that don’t fit in with your new lifestyle change and more. If you’re looking to add some spice to your clean eating, Pinterest will save you.

5. Start Planning Your Meals

Find a method that works for you. That could mean planning your meals on a big, white board calendar. It could mean just including notes in your regular planner. You could even dedicate a weekly planner to it. If you really want to go crazy, you could plan an entire night to make your meals every night. Whatever works for you, figure it out, and plan your meals accordingly. It will save you from going for that takeout meal when you’re in a rush.

6. Drink Water with Lemon

There’s a lot of debate about what exactly drinking water with lemon does for you. I’ve read that you should drink it in the morning, at night, and during the day. I’ve read that it does all of these amazing, miracle things. I can’t attest to all of those, but I am sure of a few things. At first, I just drank hot water with lemon every night before bed, and I noticed that it helped calm me down before bed and helped me stay asleep once I fell asleep. Then I added it to my morning routine and felt like it was settling my stomach in the morning, something I desperately needed. Then I added a slice of lemon to my regular drinking water, and instantly felt a change in my skin. I felt much more hydrated. I don’t have any scientific proof of what it exactly does, but I know that, at least for me, it has made a tremendous difference.

7. Pay Attention to Portions

If you’ve started eating clean to lose weight but aren’t losing weight, it may be for a number of different reasons. You may need to consult your doctor, but it may be something as simple as your portions. Look at your portions at an average meal, and if they’re larger than they should be, scale back a little bit.

What are your tips for people who are starting to eat clean? Give them help and encouragement in the comments!