THE EAT-CLEAN DIET STRIPPED

I have several books by Tosca Reno. Her first book, which I have, was released in 2007 and was titled "The Eat-Clean Diet".   Tosca has written a number of books and articles in magazines about her philosophy of eating clean, exercising and nutrition.  It all started when she was about 40 years old and unhappy about how she looked, how she felt, and how her life was going.  She decided to make some changes including losing a lot of weight and started going to the gym.  She transformed herself, competed in physique competitions and wrote about it in several magazines.  From there, the books, speaking engagements, motivational and wellness seminars, consulting and television shows occurred.  Tosca has two websites: eat clean diet and tosca reno

Recently I bought one of her latest books, the Eat-Clean Diet Stripped, which focuses on dealing with these last 10 pounds that you want to lose.  This diet is to be followed for a month as it limiting in the number of starchy carbohydrates you can consume.  Her premise is based on eating clean which means getting rid of eating processed food; reducing intake of sugar substitutes; eating fruits, vegetables, lean protein and high quality carbohydrates; watching your fat intake; and eating every two to three hours.  She is a proponent of combining a protein with a vegetable or fruit for snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon.   She is also a strong advocate of tracking of what you eat and the exercises you do.  You don't go hungry on her program but it is not a free for all where you can eat like you are at a huge buffet table.

You have to measure your portions but you don't need a scale or measuring cup.  You use your hands as a guide for measuring your portions.  For example, a cupped hand is one portion of starchy carbohydrates.

After being on this diet for for a week and half, I have lost 2.5 pounds. It has been a long time since I have lost this weight in this time span.  What am I eating differently than before?  I had been eating clean before and exercising.  There are a few differences. I am including a protein with my mid morning and afternoon snack and I am eating less starchy carbohydrates.  I have gone from eating five to six servings to two servings of starchy carbohydrates.  Furthermore, my options for what kind of starchy carbohydrates is more limited in that I am not eating bread or pasta.  I can have rice, potatoes, quinoa, oatmeal and other non-processed carbohydrates.  Do I miss bread?  At times, you bet!  But I feel less bloated and leaner.  Am I a perfect student?  Not 100 percent but close.  Today I took two bites of the DH's chinese bun that was just out of the oven from a local chinese bakery.  The smells from this box of chinese buns was intoxicating when we were in the car.

After a month on this program I will graduate to eating more starchy carbohydrates and increase daily servings to up to four.   I will keep you posted on how I am doing.