How to Start Your Whole Food Journey

Ready to ditch the processed junk and start eating more clean, whole foods? When you’re first starting out on this journey it can seem a bit overwhelming because there is SO much information out there and you just don’t know what to believe or where to start. Here’s the deal, if it doesn’t have 20 ingredients, can’t be made in some weirdo lab and comes from the earth, you’re pretty safe! 

I remember when I started on my real food journey (it’s been almost 10 years now!). Eating whole foods wasn’t as big as it is now and there definitely weren’t nearly as many resources available back then as there are now. I was always interested in nutrition and at that point I was looking into health coaching certifications, and I came across a real food blog (100 Days of Real Food-HIGHLY recommend), that shared ALL the secrets and nonsense that the food industry has been hiding from us for SO many years. Through her blog, I found several additional resources, and the information I found was truly eye-opening. Don’t believe me? Do a little research and you’ll see for yourself! 

Once I really dug into this topic, I coudn’t unsee or unhear what I had learned. I knew from that point on I needed to make a change in my lifestyle and health and it started with the food I was putting into my body each and everyday. So how did I tackle this mound?! I followed these tips to really jumpstart my journey:

Start with one meal at a time. I started with one meal at a time. For example, I started making simple swaps for breakfast. Rather than eating a poptart on the go (yes, I actually at those for breakfast), or that “healthy” oatmeal packet from Quaker (take a look at that ingredient list), I started making my own healthier versions of these meals. Do we really need a packet of oatmeal when we can simply cook a large batch of oats in a pot on stove in like 5 minutes and have at least 3-5 breakfasts worth from it? I think NOT!

Review the ingredient list on everything you buy. While swapping out my unhealthy food choices, for better, homemade versions, it was also SUPER important to read the ingredient label on EVERYTHING I was buying. You don’t need to overstress about this, but a good rule of thumb is, if you don’t know what the ingredient is, how to prounce it, and there are more than 10+ ingredients listed, it’s probably not the best choice.

Avoid buying junk food. One of my best pieces of advice for anyone starting out, is to stop buying the junk food. If you don’t buy the junk food, you won’t eat the junk food. No one wants to give up all of their “treats” though because what is life without a good treat now and then? I mean we all look for our “nighttime snack” when our littles go to bed, amiright?! My suggestion is to make your own (finding a healthier recipe), or finding an option with better quality ingredients.

Meal plan. We’ve all heard this over and over again, but meal planning is the number one way to keep you on track when it comes to your health and nutrition. Fail to plan, and plan to fail. The best way to go about this is to find some healthy, real food recipes that are simple to make when starting out, and add those to your meal plan for the week. Again, thinking about one meal at a time! Need some help with this?! Grab The Busy Mom Printable Pack, where I offer templates for meal plans, weekly menus, grocery lists, and much MORE!

Choose organic whenever possible. One of the best things you can do for your health is to reduce the number of harmful chemicals and pesticides that you are consuming every day. A great way to go about this is by purchasing organic produce and meat whenever possible! A good rule of thumb is to follow the EWG’s clean 15 and dirty dozen. Starting your own garden with even just a few vegetables is also a great idea! When looking for meat, make sure it’s grass-fed, and pasture-raised! You could also consider using a service like Butcher Box or Good Ranchers.

Focus on fruits, veggies, protein, and whole grains. Everyone can benefit from eating more fruits and veggies, and whole grains have several benefits as well. Try replacing 1-2 less healthy options with a fruit or vegetable at each meal and notice how much better you feel. For example, if you typically eat chips with your sandwhich, replace them with a handful of grapes or a side salad.

I hope you find these tips helpful and put them to use as you are starting on your new whole food journey! Starting small and taking action steps as you feel comfortable, will help you introduce healthier options into all your meals and crowd out those foods that are no longer serving you!