Since we started Little Erth we’ve had the opportunity to engage in interesting conversations with people who are either interested to explore a plant-based lifestyle or incorporate more plans into their diet.

One of the most recurring questions we get about healthy eating is “will it fill me up?” Or “I enjoy my food and I’m not sure this will satisfy my taste buds.”

People generally associate healthy eating with dieting or deprivation. This is a major misconception.

It is very important to understand that changing your lifestyle has nothing to do with deprivation.

Think about this for a second, dieting is a very stressful process. You’re constantly counting calories and worrying about not losing as many kilograms as you should each week. This stressful urgency could be counterproductive because stress causes your stress hormone (cortisol) to rise thus increasing your insulin level causing you to crave sugar and fatty foods.
This is one of the reasons why some people struggle with weight loss.

On the other hand transitioning to a healthier lifestyle is a decision devoid of any kind of stress because the objective is related to a sustained state of wellbeing.
This process is filled with excitement about learning and exploring all kinds of nutritious foods.
I will share some steps here that might help you enjoy the process!

Step one
1- Decide
As petty is this may sound, a decision is very important because you need to be convinced that this is the path you want to take. You should feel it in your gut and make a promise to your body that you will take care of it more consciously from now on.

Step two
2- Learn
Before you start doing anything, spend some time reading about your body. How does it work? Why do we crave certain foods? How does the digestive system work? What does gut health mean and how can we take care of it? Spend some time learning about the harmful effects of certain foods that may be falsely marketed as “healthy” such as protein bars, cereals, etc.
I can’t stress enough how essential this step is before you delve into a new lifestyle.

Step 3
3- Eliminate
You’re now ready to start taking a conscious look at your fridge and pantry. Enjoy kissing all the unhealthy foods goodbye and making space for much more goodness.
After you’ve educated yourself about the foods you should avoid it will be much easier to detach from them. These would include processed fruit juices, sodas, packaged cereals, processed cheeses, candy, white flour, white rice, and the list goes on!

Step 4
4- Incorporate
This is my favorite step because it is all about incorporating more goodness into your life. It’s about shopping for healthy alternatives to everything we love. It’s an endless process and I still learn something new each and every day.

Step 5
5- Have fun!
This is when the real fun begins. It is now time to get your hands dirty and pamper yourself and your body with delicious and easy recipes. Many people say they don’t have time to cook. I must admit cooking does require discipline but if you follow all the steps mentioned above, at this stage you’d probably be thinking twice before eating out.

Do not hesitate to reach out should you have any questions or need any support in your health journey.

Enjoy the ride!