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April Challenge – Eat Clean for 21 Days

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21 day clean eating challenge
Eat Clean for 21 Days and Lose to Win with our April DietBet Weight Loss Pool
April 10-30! #BWLWApril

The start of the summer season, June 21, is about 12 weeks away. That is plenty of time to make major progress. That could mean not being out of breath when you play outside with your kids. That could mean wearing that swimsuit you’ve avoided because you don’t feel comfortable with your weight. That could mean seeing major improvement in your blood pressue numbers and not having to take medicine while on vacation. We know that 80% of the transformation equation is what we put in our mouths. This April, we are going to commit to clean eating and refining our eating habits for 21 days straight.

What is clean eating?

When you eat clean you will be eating unprocessed, whole foods that are prepared or cooked in ways that don’t add extra chemicals and toxins. We are talking about fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, lean meats, meat substitutes like tofu, soy, whole grains, lots of water, healthy dairy and fresh juice. We will avoid fried food, fast food, junk food, bleached white flour, artificial ingredients, soda, commercial juice and sugary drinks, processed sugar (white sugar, corn syrup), and foods with preservatives, toxins, dyes, saturated fat, and trans fat.  You will likely be cooking at lot of food at home, making green smoothies, eating salads, eating healthy snacks, and really realizing just how healthy you’ve really been eating.  It’s not about perfection…it’s about making healthy choices.

Ultimately it’s not just about weight loss or building muscle. It’s about our long term wellness goals and building a healthy lifestyle that we can maintain for the long haul. You may have a day or two where you don’t eat clean, but this about progress… not perfection. Keep your health and wellness in mind and feed yourself healthy food.

How do you join the challenge? Sign up by leaving a comment below. Let us know what your weight loss and wellness goals are for April. Updates will be sent out via our email list, so if you aren’t signed up, join today.






Click to Tweet: “I’m Eating Clean for 21 Days with the Black Women Losing Weight Sisterhood. #eatclean #BWLWApril www.blackweightlosssuccess.com”

Getting Started

Clean Eating Guide E-book

  • Need a guide to help you get started? Check out our Clean Eating Ebook

Looking for a clear, straightforward guide to help you navigate clean eating? Check out our ebook, “Clean Eating for Wellness and Weight Loss“.  It includes recipes and meal ideas too. Get your copy today for just $7.99.

Buy PDF Version | Buy Kindle Version

  • Create a Weekly Grocery List based on your food preferences.  – Not sure what to eat? Check out our Clean Eating Foods List. Whether you are vegan, going low carb, paleo, etc… you can eat more clean, whole foods vs. processed foods.
  • Create a Clean Recipe Go-To List with 10 Breakfast options, 10 lunch options and 10 dinner options. This list can serve as your go to list of meal ideas for meal prep and meal planning. A great place to start looking for recipes is Pinterest.
  • Check out these tips for eating clean on a budget.
  • Share your meal photos for Photo Accountability – Post photos of your meals, meal prep photos, workout photos and inspirational quotes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #BWLWApril
  • Don’t forget to exercise. Exercise and clean eating is a powerful combination. Work at your own pace. Find a form of exercise that works best for your level of fitness and your lifestyle.

I will post a list recipes and resources each week so that you don’t get bored.

Join our April DietBet Weight Loss Pool!

Lose 4% of your weight in 28 days and split the pot with other participants who’ve done the same.  Get the full details. Weigh-in April 8-9th – $30 Bet

Bonus Stakes Giveaway: One DietBet participant, chosen at random, will get a Polar Heart Rate Monitor and another will get 30 DietBet Credits. The fun starts on April 10th.

dietbet

Goals for April!

  • Cook or prepare at least 1 meal at home each day.  The goal is to cook more meals for yourself.  Feel free to prep and cook as many meals as you can, but 1 per day will be the minimum.
  • Eat 4-5 times per day – 3 meals and 2 snacks is a great way to split your meals up.  Don’t let more than 3 hours pass between meals.  Eat every 2-3 hours if you can.
  • Stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime.
  • No fast food, junk food or foods high in processed sugar.  
  • Look up the calorie, carb, fat and protein counts for what you eat before you eat it.
  • Be mindful of chemicals, preservatives, dyes and other additives in the foods you eat.  Read labels and do your research.
  • Avoid sugary drinks or soda.  This includes artificial sugars in diet drinks, like Crystal Light and Diet Coke.
  • Eat ANY fresh fruits or veggies that you like (fresh or frozen).  Eat as much as you want.  Use fruit to combat fruit cravings. (Note: Limit your intake of dried fruit as they are often dried with sugar and sulfur).
  • Consider cutting back on carbs. Consider limiting your carbs to around 30% of your food intake or go low carb if that works for you.
  • Use Moderation and Portion Control. If you do indulge in processed food, fast food, junk food, etc…do it in moderation and eat reasonable portions.

Resources You Don’t Want to Miss

TOP TIP for Success: Decide on a daily calorie goal and daily goals for carbs, fat and protein.

  • Protein has 4 calories per gram – .7 to 1 gram per pound of bodyweight
  • Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram – .7 to .9 gram per pound of bodyweight
  • Fat has 9 calories per gram – .4 to .5 gram per pound of bodyweight
  • You can also break down your calories by percentage. For example, 30% carbs, 40% protein and 30% fats.

How do you decide on how much food to eat? Use an online weight loss calculator to help you decide on the numbers that work for you. Here are some helpful calculators: www.webmd.com, www.myfitnesspal.com or www.freedieting.com. Please keep in mind that you have to do your own research and work figure out what works for your needs. Someone with blood sugar issues is not going to eat a high carb diet. Someone with pancreas or gallbladder issues can’t just pick numbers without considering how much fat they will be eating. There is no “one size fits all” plan. Here is some additional guidance.

Related posts:

  1. Recipes and Resources for Week 1 – 21 Days of Clean Eating
  2. January Clean Eating and Low Carb Challenge and DietBet
  3. Nov Challenge Week 3 – Clean Eating Resources and Recipes
  4. Nov Challenge Week 2 – Clean Eating Resources and Recipes
  5. Nov Challenge Week 1 – Clean Eating Resources and Recipes
  6. Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #12: Plan Your Leftovers
  7. Day 5 – Recipe Resources for BWLW’s October Challenge

Reader Interactions

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Comments

  14. I’m in! I’ve already lost almost 90 lbs. Looking to lose 30 more lbs by June for family vacation. This would be a great incentive!

    Reply

  21. I will take this challenge. Doc told me to be down 8lbs by next appt in May. Just want to lose weight and feel good inside & out!

    Reply

  23. In my new commitment to treat my body with the love and respect I deserve, my goal is 10 but I’m pushing for 15.

    Reply

  25. I would like to do the April challenge and lose 10-15 pounds. This would also help me adopt cleaner eating habits.

    Reply

  27. I really want and need to do this to be healthy. I am coming up on 50 next month and it is time for me to get back to eating right….actually better than I ever have.

    When I was diagnoised with Hypothyroidism in 2013, I stopped exercising and started eating whatever I wanted. Prior to then, I was always able to maintain a healthy weight, I exercised several days a week, drank two protein shakes and a sensible dinner.

    When I started gaining weight doing this exact thing, we (my mom and myself) knew something was wrong, so I did go to the doctor and I was told that I had a hypo thyroid.

    The first year, I didn’t do anything, because they doctor said a prescription would not help. The second year, I went to a different doctor and I was put on Synthyroid and I felt worst than I ever had. By year three (2015), I ended up with a doctor who put me on a natural product and it seems to be working and I am able to loose a little weight and feel a little better, I just need to work at it. I started working out really strong back in February 2017 twice a day, 4 or 5 days a week and I stopped eating pork & beef on January 1, 2017, so I am willing to do what it takes. By the way, I started looking at Clean Eating recipes last year and do it sometimes, but I believe in my heart that I would loose more weight, if I did it majority of the time…..at the least 80%, which I am willing to do.

    I usually drink a replacement shake for breakfast, mostly the Premier and I tried Slim Fast Advanced Nutrition this week, but it does not keep me full, like the Premier does. Anyway, has anyone been successful drinking two replacement shakes a day and one sensible meal with clean eating snacks? Also, I have Acid Reflux, so I have to watch things with tomatoes, spicy foods and any kind of pepper, so does anyone have a good menu suggestion?

    Thank you and I look forward to not only the April challenge, but a life change of eating better, cleaner and healthier.

    Reply

  29. I want to join the challenge. I need to get my system back on track and get healthier. I am in!

    Reply

  34. I’d like to join this challenge. Count me in! Already making baby steps toward clean eating, so having a tribe of sisters supporting one another will help in this journey. My goal is to simply feel better about myself. As I eat better, exercise, and even get a decent night’s sleep, my confidence will rise. Let’s do this!

    Reply

  35. I want to join the challenge! My desire is to create healthy eating habits while shedding pounds in the process.

    Reply

  36. Gave up cigarettes and replaced them with junk food. Gained quite a bit of weight over the past 18 months. Time to cleanse my system and shed the pounds.

    Reply

  44. I want to have a strong foundation and add more vegetables to my meals. While working on exercising for 21 days straight.

    Reply

  51. I would like to do the challenge. I’m 150 pounds ns looking to lose 10 pounds before I go to my family reunion this summer.

    Reply

  67. I am in. I am looking to lose 10 pounds in the month of April. I am also looking for a way to be accountable and consistent.

    Reply

  69. I’m in. I need to get my hormones in check and start my 40’s off healthy. If I want to have a baby, I have to get healthy.

    Reply

  70. I am all in with this challenge. Need to lose 50 lbs..I will be 60 yrs old soon.. I need to be healthy..

    Reply

  90. My goal- To get active again and to reverse putting back on the weight I lost a little over a year ago. To be healthy.
    I’m in!

    Reply

  95. I’d like to join. I’d like to lose at least 4 lbs for April. I’m only about 14lbs away from being under 200.

    Reply

  103. I’m in. My goal for the month of April is 10 – 20 pounds and to continue a clean eating lifestyle for me and my family

    Reply

  121. Busy lifestyle & injury has led to extra weight. Ready to start again with clean eating. Let’s get it!

    Reply

  128. Joining the challenge!

    April Weight loss goal: 5-10 lbs

    General goals: don’t eat out for 21 days! (Except one break for work dinner on April 18)

    Reply

  130. Sign me up! I have been eating healthy-ish with binges of crazy lol so I will like to have some more structure and accountability. Good luck, everyone!

    Reply

  135. I’m in. My overall goal is to lose 80 lbs. My youngest child is almost 3 so it’s time. Hopefully this will get me off to good start.

    Reply

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