A tell-tale sign of super clean eating is boundless amounts of energy.  That’s exactly what I experienced most days last week when I felt light, focused, present and calm all day. No mood swings, no energy dips, steady energy that fueled my busy day.

When I started to reflect on why I felt so good, I traced it to several things, most importantly, the healthy and clean eating I engaged in throughout the day. It started first thing in the morning with a raw food smoothie and lasted into the evening with healthy dinners such as salmon, fresh tomatoes sliced with olive oil and basil and sauteed veggies from the farmers’ market.

I focused on fresh fruits and vegetables with some lean protein thrown in for good measure, complex carbohydrates like quinoa and healthy fat from olive oil and avocado.

To give you an idea for why I felt so great, take  a look at just the fruits and vegetables I had on one of the days.

Raw Fruits and Vegetables

Avocado
Strawberries
Blueberries
Cherries
Watermelon
Banana
Kale
Spinach
Romaine Lettuce
Carrots
Tomatoes

Cooked Vegetables
Green Beans
Summer squash
Zucchini
Onions
Collard Greens

Here are a few keys that I used to keep it clean:

• I had a broad range of fruits and vegetables from the color spectrum, mostly organic, with a variety of nutrients. Even better, almost all the food was locally grown
• I focused on more raw fruits and vegetables that are naturally energizing
• I spread my assortment out over the course of the day starting at breakfast but including snacks (carrots with a little hummus in the morning, cherries in the afternoon)
• I kept the portions reasonable so I never felt too full or that I was going hungry

When all was said and done, it amounted to clean and healthy food that I was inspired to make and thoroughly enjoyed eating.

Do you ever notice your clean eating patterns and how it impacts your mood? What foods are especially helpful for you to maintain your energy and feel your best?

Filed under: Farmers' market, Healthy Meals, Locally Grown Food, clean eating