Beginning a real food diet does not have to be terribly hard. The key to achieving success is to find an approach that you can make work. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to work.
See The Big Picture
Try not to think of your diet as being a temporary plan. It’s far better to see it as a different way of living – and one that you’re going to ease into. View it as an ongoing series of continual upgrades to your diet.
If you should slip up — inadvertently devour a whole package of Oreos in a single sitting (or whatever your own food demon is) — don’t beat yourself up over it. You’re only human! Just recognize it as an opportunity to identify a potential pitfall, and seek out ways to avoid it in the future. With that in mind, here are some tips.
Eat More Good Fats and Protein
Keep in mind that we are hardwired to favor fatty, sugary foods — and also to steer clear of starvation! Those are two huge reasons that conventional dieting is so tough. One good thing is that when you start eating a real food diet, you don’t have to deprive yourself – you just have to make better food choices.
Exchanging the typical low fat diet foods for more real foods that have healthy fats and protein can really help. Foods like grass-fed beef, raw dairy, and pastured eggs will help keep you satisfied and well-nourished.
For me, a simple adjustment like switching from cereal to eggs for breakfast made a huge difference. I got rid of the pre-lunch energy crashes, and my sugar cravings fell away. I also lost some fat — and my cholesterol profile looks terrific!
Good Old-Fashioned Advice
A classic piece of dieting advice is to be mindful of your eating — especially paying attention to when you start to feel full. As you follow a real food diet, you may be eating foods with more fat and protein than you’re used to. These foods will satisfy you much more easily than low-fat or high carbohydrate foods. Work on noticing when you’ve had enough, and your portion sizes will adjust on their own.
I know that conventional wisdom is to never go back for seconds, but I disagree. I like to begin a meal with one tiny serving, and know that I can return for more if I want it. Just make sure to pause for a minute between helpings and notice how much more you actually want. I think it’s a better choice than piling up your plate to start and then feeling obliged to finish everything you took.
Don’t Stress Over Cravings
If you struggle with cravings – don’t struggle too hard. The more you upgrade your diet, the less they will bother you, so give in a bit if you need to. Also – if you don’t notice fewer cravings in time, you should reevaluate your diet and play with it a bit. Keep trying to eat less sugar, and be sure you’re getting some healthy protein and fat with every meal.
I also highly recommend ensuring you always have one treat available to you. Mine is good chocolate, made with high quality real ingredients. Just try to make it a nourishing real food version of whatever it is that you really enjoy, and don’t go crazy with it, of course. Knowing that you can have that one good thing can do wonders for keeping you in the right state of mind about your new diet.
You Owe Yourself A Healthy Diet
Last – keep in mind that you deserve to eat well. I won’t lie – it does take some additional effort to seek out and prepare healthy real foods. With more experience, it will get faster and easier – but for now, remember that you are totally worth it!
Want to find out more about plans? Go take a look at Maria Campbell’s blog where you can find out more about and which one is perfect for you.