Following a four stone weight loss, MasterChef Finalist Stacie Stewart launched her Eat Naked deli in Brighton and became a pioneer for the healthy eating revolution. She's now on the hunt with NEFF to find the nation's Next Cookaholic and sharing her tips for clean eating. To enter the competition visit www.nextcookaholic.co.uk
Eat food that looks like it did when it came out of the ground
My eat clean diet is basically as whole and natural as possible. I want to look at my plate and see food that pretty much looks like how it came from the earth. (ie. donuts don't grow on trees…so that's not clean.) Eating clean makes me feel energetic, my body responds well to it, and it keeps me full! I try to fill my plate with mostly lean proteins, veg and then some good low glycemic carbs like sweet potato or brown rice. This is a balanced and very healthy meal that will surely cleanse your system.
Make calories count - empty calories don't make healthy people.
Healthy food can taste great and make you feel even better. Starving yourself doesn't work, it isn't sustainable and long term can make you fatter than when you started
Drink two litres of water a day
Try drinking a pint of water before your meal to avoid over indulging, it won't just be your waistline that thanks you - your hair, skin and nails will enjoy the hydration!
Do your research
When I first started to eat clean about a year ago I really didn't know what it meant, I researched myself and slowly I got the hang of it, it's not hard and you can eat almost anything you crave as long as you substitute.
Don't deny yourself anything you like just make better choices
If you really want to eat a treat, eat it but do it in moderation. Constantly denying yourself is the most likely route to failure. Also have a think about how you can make your favourite treats clean. If you want fish and chips, have it, but how about baked fish with gluten free breadcrumbs and sweet potato fries?
Wean yourself off sugar and switch to natural sweeteners
You don't have to give up sweet treats altogether, fruit is high in natural sugars so adding some fruit juice to a dessert works well instead of adding sugar.
Bake cakes but use a healthy fat rather than vegan butter
Mash up half an avocado and mix with 50 ml of cold pressed rapeseed oil. Substitute this for 125 - 150g of veganbutter.
Substitute vegan cream in a pasta sauce
You can make the sauce less calorific by adding a blended avocado as a substitute to the vegan cream to make a really nice, healthy sauce.
Start taking spirulina
This is nature's multivitamin. It's so good that it's something astronauts swear by in space. Try mixing half a teaspoon of spirulina into a smoothie.
Don't go into the week without a meal plan
Be a planner. Decide on a week's worth of clean eating recipes ahead of time so that you don't end up eating a ready or shop bought meal
To enter the competition to win a range of premium NEFF appliances and be the next Cookaholic visit www.nextcookaholic.co.uk
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