OK, I feel better having the beginning principles. It's going to mean some big changes for me- I still use the very unhealthy artificial sweetner in my coffee(have you realized yet how important my coffee is!! LOL.). Often the vegetables I eat are not organic and are frozen with cheese and preservatives. I used salad dressing on my salads. I still use my flavored creamer in my coffee like said in my other post. I eat crackers(processed). so I just went in and redid my breakfast and lunch for work today. I have started drinking herbal tea with a little honey this morning until I can figure out what to do about my coffee situation. I know I don't get enough or any healthy fats and not enough protein. But anyway I packed a cooler with fresh carrots, apples, 2 boiled "happy" eggs and 1/4 c sunflower seeds. Does that sound ok? I can see I'm going to need everyones help especially at the beginning but as we say, I am committed not just interested!! GO CLEAN EATERS!!!

@Nancy: You have all the support you can imagine, and many of the items you mentioned I have adapted for myself over the years. I'm thinking you can get soy cream, and add a little sweetness to it with Agave Nectar, and get a natural flavoring such as vanilla or hazelnut to add to it...this could even be pre-mixed to save time in the mornings. Just make sure the soycream is unsweetened or naturally sweetened before you purchase it! Hope this helps, and COFFEE is the one thing that Tosca said she wasn't giving up! lol!

I love the Cliff notes.

I believe I can commit to the clean eating principles fully. I brought a full on clean eating cooler with me today. 4 meals....wowzers! I think my biggest challenges are going to be getting past the quantity of food and giving up my caffeine free diet coke at night. I'm giving myself a week to ease into that last one. I noted that you are allowed small amounts of pure maple syrup which may help with the oatmeal flavouring. I had it plain today and it was too bland....maybe some cinnamon or something as well.

I don't have my book, but I know I need to go ahead and make changes. I realize I need to get some soy creamer for my coffee instead of the powdered creamer. Any other thoughts besides soy creamer in case I don't see this at the grocery store.

I wish my book would come today...

Wow! I am going to give this a strong effort. I am cooking 2 egg whites as we speak, lol! I like that I can eat often. I have a 24 hour day timer so I am writing in what I eat in the appropriate time in order to help me plug it all in later (for the 4 in 4 challenge).

Even though I don't have the book...not eating processed foods has been an eye opener.. Even though I fix veggies, I have processed foods along with them... Not to mention I have actually paid attention to the amount of salt I put in as I cooked....

The pie chart was surprising to me, as if I had blindly been asked I would have thought training would have been a third of the equation. I'm commiting fully to this lifestyle; there may be some tweeking along the way, and I'm willing to exchange some of my current likes and challenge myself to eat/do some things I haven't been doing, for at least the month of September. I'll give it a chance to become integrated as is or choose to adapt it and find my own balance knowing I tried it,(did you read my post on egg white...that's a tuffy and I'm committed! hahah)

The pie chart is very interesting. I know that genetics play a part, but I have seen many people who have been able to 'manipulate' their genes to get the shape they want. Training makes sense, but I honestly thought it would be greater than only 10%!

As for the CE Principles ...
I feel that I can do them. My biggest hitch will probably be avoid alcohol ... not that I NEED it, but I have some plans coming up this month where alcohol will be involved. But I will just make sure to keep it moderate ... not overly done.

I will elaborate further on my readings in my blog.

Can I have unsweetened applesauce in my oatmeal? I do not like milk so I have always used raisins and applesauce in oatmeal. I will hardboil some eggs and be more prepared for tomorrows breakfast. I like how you set out the main points in chapter 1, thank you Lisa!

My thoughts on Eating Clean is based a lot in the ingredients ... can you pronounce all of them? If not, I (personally) won't consider it clean

@KC: Yes, on page 69 it lists 1/2c unsweetened apple sauce, or 2T apple butter; or 1/2 c plain fat free or low fat yogurt as an add in for the oatmeal. It is important that the oatmeal you are using isn't the instant kind...either rolled or steel cut oats. You can soak them overnight in water to cut cooking time. Oh! that reminds me to go do that now! lol!

Thank you Lisa. I have some grocery shopping to do, but it will have to wait until this weekend. Will have to make do with what I have.

@KC: You are so very cleanly welcome! lol! Happy shopping...you'll be looking at food in a whole new light!

My step-son's biological mother (who passed away last year) followed a strict vegan, macrobiotic diet. Now that I cook for my stepson, we are already following these principles pretty closely. I was "eating clean" without even knowing it! I don't see anything in your list about coffee...is it OK to drink a modest amount of coffee? Anyway, thanks for listing the starting principles.

Thank You....this was helpful....I just copied/pasted in my new SYD spiral!! saved me some typing!!!

@Elise: Coffee is allowed in this program...it's one of the things Tosca said she wasn't willing to choose not to have!

I have a question - why are people referring to whether you can pronounce the ingredients or not? I have not read anything in the book regarding this and I'm about 32 pages in so far.

Rhonda- I think they are talking about all the difficult to pronounce chemical compounds that are in perservatives.

Yes I suppose so - I guess some of the posts are much farther ahead of me.