What Is a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet:What Not to Eat

Hi Guys,

In my last post, “What Is a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet:What Can I Eat” I shared with you the foods that you could eat. This post will give you an idea of what to avoid and kitchen equipment you may need when preparing your meals. 

We know most fad diets don’t work . After the initial burst of enthusiasm and good intentions have worn off, a new diet gets harder and harder to maintain. In order to sustaining a diet for the long term means- like it or not you got to utilize your kitchen. 

What can we rely on to stay on track in those moments in the grocery store, at work, at friends’ houses, and even at home? Having our own healthy clean food on hand. However, success comes when our behaviors change from intentional to automatic—in other words, when we stop thinking about what we’re doing and can act on impulse is when we start living a healthy lifestyle opposed to a fad diet. 

Tip One 

Avoid Making Decisions as Much as Possible!

Making decisions is where diet changes often break down. The key here is to try to set up your life so that your food-related decisions are minimized and the healthiest choice is also the easiest. How to do this? Stock your house and kitchen with healthy food and be as consistent with your intentions as much as you can, such as by bringing food with you during errands and trips so you don’t need to forage in a gas station and keeping food (that you like!)

Tip Two

Organized Your Kitchen!

The key to living a healthy lifestyle is to keep everything in order and have a plan for success. For example if you know you are going out with a friend to eat plan ahead. Look at the restaurant’s menu online and figure out what you’re going to order in advance. When you get there, enjoy the company and don’t spend your energy and time figuring out how to navigate the menu. Breaking habits is hard when you’re accustomed to behaving in a certain way in a certain context, but even making changes to your environment that don’t seem food-related can help you in interrupting your typical patterns. 

Tip Three

Menu Planning!

With that said. You must make it a top priority to schedule a day to plan your meals and grocery shop. 

Tip Four

Be Prepared to Cook Your Meals!

Equipment needed to prepare clean foods include:

-Blender

-Juicer

-Food Processor

-Slicer

-Mason Jar

-A large container for menu planning

The longer you eat plant-based, the more automatic and easier it will be, so you’ll need to rely less and less on these strategies to stay on track. Once you’re in a routine of plant-based eating, you won’t have to stop to think about it. Below are foods the you need to avoid. 

Foods to Be Avoided

Fast Foods Restaurants

Fried Foods

White Foods “The 5 Foods”

-Refined Sugar

-Potatoes

-Flour

-Rice

-Sodium

-Soda

*As a general rule, avoid foods that contain food color, food dye, pesticide and preservatives. 

Just for you guys info I listed the benefits I believe to be beneficial for transition into a plant based diet. 

Benefits of a plant based food diet… my opinion!!!

Feel Clearer

Eating the Standard American Diet means not nearly enough fiber. And that equates to sluggishness. When your body is better able to cleanse itself, space is opened up within and you feel much clearer. 

Save Money

Eating whole grains, beans and legumes as the base for many meals is actually a cost savings. I’ve found that I haven’t had to shop much because I’m using basic staples that I already have on hand. No more box foods to crowd my pantry. 

Increase Creativity

Now that I cook more I have to think outside the box when menu planning and thinking of meals to cook for my family. This has helped me when writing for my clients. I get many ideas I want to share on this blog and with my clients I see on a daily basis. 

Lose Weight

As I mention before we recently started this diet in the first week I lost five pounds. I’ll keep you posted with my weight loss as the weeks progress. 

Be Inspired to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Warrior Chic

XOXO

Did you switch to a plant-based diet and experience any of these same benefits? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.