Quick Fix Diets

As you get going with a real foods diet, it’s good to remember that you need to find some balance. No one can completely reorganize their lives just to change their diet. You have to balance the ideal against the practical.

It’s A Process

Try not to think of your diet as being a short-term plan. It’s much better to think of it as a new way of living – one that you will ease into. View it as an ongoing series of constant improvements to your diet.

If you happen to slip up — inadvertently devour a whole package of Oreos in a single sitting (or whatever your own personal food demon is) — don’t beat yourself up over it. You’re only human! Just recognize it as a chance to identify a potential pitfall, and try to find ways to avoid it in the future. With that in mind, here are some tips.

Healthy Fats and Protein Help

It doesn’t matter what we do, we are hard-wired to have a passion for foods that are high in sugar and fat – and to avoid being too hungry. It’s a built-in survival mechanism, and it makes it extremely difficult to stay with many typical diets. The beauty of eating a real food diet is that starving yourself just isn’t part of the plan. You just need to concentrate on eating good real food.

One example of this is exchanging typical low-fat diet foods for more satisfying alternatives. Real foods that are full of protein and healthy fats – think eggs, grass-fed meat and dairy – will help you stay satisfied.

Once I changed my normal morning meal from soy milk and granola to scrambled eggs, I noticed a big change. My energy level during the day became far more stable, plus the mid-morning blahs and sugar cravings went away — and I lost some body fat. Also, my cholesterol is great, but that’s a story for another time.

Eat With Awareness

A classic bit of dieting advice is to be mindful of your eating — especially being mindful of when you start to feel full. When you follow a real food diet, you may well be eating foods with more protein and fat than you’re used to. These foods will satisfy you much more easily than low-fat or high carbohydrate foods. Focus on noticing when you have had enough, and your portion sizes will adjust on their own.

I know that conventional advice is to never go back for seconds, but I don’t agree. I like to start a meal with one tiny portion, and know that I can return for more if I want it. Just make sure to stop for a moment between helpings and notice how much more you actually want. I believe it’s a better option than heaping up your plate to start and then feeling obligated to eat everything you took.

Don’t Worry About Cravings

Should you struggle with cravings – don’t struggle too hard. The more you upgrade your diet, the less they will trouble you, so surrender a bit if you must. And – if you don’t feel fewer cravings in time, you ought to reevaluate your diet and experiment a bit. Keep trying to eat less sugar, and make sure you’re getting some healthy protein and fat with each meal.

Also — and this is essential (at least for me) — make sure that you always have something that you can indulge in. Find one thing that you truly enjoy (in moderation!), and invest in a good real food version of it. My treat is ice cream, and I can tell you that it works like a charm in keeping me content and satisfied while I go about my diet.

You Deserve to Succeed

Finally – don’t forget that you deserve to eat well. I won’t lie – it does take some extra work to seek out and prepare healthy real foods. With more experience, it will get faster and easier – but in the meantime, remember that you are totally worth it!

Learn more about real food diet plans. Visit Maria Campbell’s website to get excellent advice on real food diets and what they can do for your health.

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