What to Expect in the Beginning of Your Whole Foods Transition?



What to Expect in the Beginning of Your Whole Foods Transition?

The first days and weeks of following a new food plan can be tough. Even when you choose to transition slowly, you may still have some times when you struggle. This is why it is very important that you are patient with yourself, you have a meal plan for each day, and that you plan enough meals and snacks into your day to avoid getting hungry. 

Another area where many people struggle is family. It can be hard for you to change your lifestyle when your family is not eating the same way. But this doesn’t have to derail your efforts completely. If you are the one who prepares the meals, then you can make the decision not to fix anything that doesn’t follow your new whole foods lifestyle. While this might seem like it will upset the family, it doesn’t have to.  Simply try to base your meals around any whole foods your family already likes.  This might take a bit of creativity, but it can be done. And if they don’t like what you have made, they always have the option of fixing themselves dinner, which just means more leftovers for you. Everybody wins!   Some tips below.

Detoxing

It’s completely normal to struggle with symptoms such as fatigue, cravings, stomach upset and headaches when you begin a new lifestyle plan.  Your body is detoxing and you may be battling with yeast symptoms as well. Go easy on yourself this first week as you adjust to the new lifestyle. Stay with it. You may have been eating carbs and sugar for many years and it will take some time for your body to heal and readjust to eating healthier.

After the first week or two, the detox symptoms usually resolve on their own, and this is when the fun of eating whole begins. You start seeing some weight loss and experience things like more energy, mental clarity, clearer skin and a better immune system. Your taste buds will also change, meaning you will start to crave healthy foods and you will start to hate the processed foods that you once loved.

And once your family sees all of these positive changes in you, it is very likely they will choose to follow your lead. Many times it takes seeing the changes in someone else before we are able to commit to making the same change in our own lives. Your example can be the biggest motivator for them to change.

Eating Whole Away From Home

If you work outside the home, it is important to be prepared to bring your own lunches.  For starters, you will want to make sure you have enough whole foods packed for the day to ensure that you don’t get hungry throughout the day and slip into old habits. Snacks are important.  This is especially true if you work far from home, because it would be especially tempting to grab food on the go if you are hungry and know you won’t have anything to eat for hours.

You will also want to make a plan for things like office lunches and office parties. While these things are meant to be celebrations they can cause a lot of headache if you aren’t prepared for them. Make note of when office birthdays are and bring yourself a sweet treat made from whole foods, this way you will have options when the party comes around. If you are going to an office lunch, look up the menu online a few days before the luncheon. This will give you time to figure out what is best for you to eat (you can even make a tiny container of unprocessed dressing to take with you and add to a salad).

Take your new lifestyle one day or even one meal at a time. Don’t stress too much about the future and what you will do about things like parties and holidays. With a little planning and preparation, you have the tools to make this new lifestyle a success. And the more routine your whole food lifestyle becomes for you, the more natural everything will become.