Lifestyle Change

Original picture from Loosen Your White Collar

I wanted to give you a few tips on how to change your lifestyle, if that is your desire.  This particular post will focus on food lifestyle, but the thought can be applied to other areas as well.

Tips:

1. Set a Goal - where do you want to be in the long run?  What do you want in the short term?
2. Make a Plan - how do I obtain my closest short term goal.  Don't move past that goal until it is met, then you can plan for your next short term goal.  After each one you are a huge step closer to that long term goal.
3. Start small - change one thing (or set of things) at a time.  Don't try to complete the entire race in one big jump, but rather take one day at a time.  For instance, my family started with removing artificial food colors.  Once we conquered that we removed MSG, High Fructose Corn Syrup (this step cuts out a lot!)...  Then we moved on to all artificial ingredients...  The we began lessening our meat intake, and now we are going vegan.  Eventually we hope to remove gluten, but we will wait and see.  That is a part of the larger goal, and not something I think about right now.  We will only move that direction once our vegan goal is fully obtained and not difficult; really a second nature to us.  Then we will re-evaluate and decide if we desire to move further. 
4. Don't just take things away from yourself, but also add good rewards.  We added juicing (which we love).  We added gardening (something I truly enjoy).  We added higher sugar content fruits such as dates, persimmons and the like to replace the sweet tooth cravings!  Actually, my kids think dates are candy they taste sooooo good. (fresh dates, not dried)
5. If you struggle get accountable.  I have my hubby and kids, but I have also found the transitions easy; they just motivate me.
6. Hang around like minded people.  It is easier when you all desire the same goals, or are moving in the same directions.
7. Give yourself some slack.  If you mess up it is OK, just start again...now, not tomorrow!  Like I stated before, we eat this way at home and are relaxed when out with people.  We still try to make good choices when out, but my kids can eat cheese, or we can eat meat on Thanksgiving...not a life or death issue!