| You may be considering the often challenging | | | | changing your life habits. It can be difficult to make |
| transition from a standard American diet to a healthy | | | | life changes, even if you actually choose the path |
| organic or vegetarian diet. For some people, lifestyle | | | | yourself. Giving a little room to the negative feelings |
| changes will naturally arise from a reasoned decision | | | | will let you leave them behind more quickly. With no |
| to develop a healthy lifestyle. Your transition may | | | | room, they will work hard to sabotage your efforts. |
| come from experiencing health conditions that may | | | | At the same time, revisit your positive reasons for |
| be improved by dietary and lifestyle changes. You | | | | change several times a day. |
| may be trying to lose weight or improve the overall | | | | Visit a natural foods grocery store locally or online. |
| health of your family. | | | | Take a look at the foods that are similar to what |
| Choosing to eat differently can elicit many challenging | | | | you are used to. Notice the variety and the range of |
| thoughts and feelings, which do not initially support | | | | choices available. Buy some organic fruit and try a |
| the changes you are making. Making an unrealistic plan | | | | taste test. Stop fast food, week one and keep it up. |
| for change is a common way to ensure that habitual | | | | Choose organic meat or poultry if available. In the |
| patterns remain stuck. Here is a transition plan | | | | second week, substitute fish or vegetarian choices. |
| destined to sabotage your beginning efforts! | | | | Make the change to organic for one meal a day for |
| If your normal diet includes fast food several times a | | | | the first three weeks. Cook something out of the |
| week, as well as red meat, potatoes, and apple | | | | ordinary, that you can imagine enjoying. |
| cobbler, then decide to eat no fast food, no meat, | | | | Find new foods that you find unusual and exciting. |
| and no dessert. This decision will put you into an | | | | Interesting food selections could include gomasio (a |
| immediate mind-state of deprivation and your resolve | | | | seasoning made of roasted sesame seeds ground |
| will last about a day. In addition, the food choices you | | | | with sea salt), cinnamon raisin mochi (a delightful rice |
| will make with a sudden change will be haphazard and | | | | product in the cold foods case, that puffs up when |
| confused. | | | | baked), and baked organic apple, with cinnamon, |
| The next step in our unworkable plan is to go to | | | | served with vanilla soy ice cream. |
| your regular grocery store to try to purchase organic | | | | Visit a local farmer's market every week. Choose |
| and healthy foods. You may find a "health foods" | | | | healthy versions of frozen or prepared foods when |
| section with odd foods that you don't recognize and | | | | life is too busy for cooking. Look for sales and |
| a few bins with produce that appears more wilted, | | | | coupons online. Gather information and buy a new |
| less colorful and less shiny. The choices will be more | | | | cookbook. |
| expensive and look less inviting. | | | | Notice how you actually feel every day that you are |
| As an alternative, to create actual success in a | | | | eating in this new way. The best reinforcer for any |
| lifestyle transition, here are some ideas. First, write | | | | change in lifestyle is the intrinsic reward of feeling |
| down your three key reasons for wanting to change | | | | better. Take credit for designing a lifestyle change |
| the way you eat and the way you live. Write down | | | | and implementing it in a way that works for you. The |
| the three most important losses or negative feelings | | | | path to success in lifestyle change is gradual, gentle, |
| you imagine experiencing when you change how you | | | | sustainable and easy. |
| eat. | | | | Copyright © 2007 Annie Meyer. All rights |
| Take the time to notice and feel your discomfort at | | | | reserved. |