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Weight Loss the Easy Way = REAL FOOD Nutrition!

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It’s difficult for me to believe, but just 5 short years ago, my kitchen was fully-stocked with commercial “diet” products. My freezer and cabinets were filled with “low calorie” frozen meals….weight loss and protein bars…and, yes, even….(gasp!) diet pop and sugar-free gum! Like so many Americans, that is what I thought I needed to do anytime I wanted to drop a few pounds. Of course, now I cannot imagine ingesting any of those products! Not only are they comprised of mysterious chemical ingredients, but they also taste… horrible! (Of course, at the time I convinced myself that I liked them – – because I wanted to lose weight! Yikes!) Luckily, I now realize that these weight loss gimmicks and products are SO not necessary, and they actually deplete our health in the long run. So I just stick with eating an additive-free diet, instead! 

In her guest post below, wellness coach Jedha D. shares with us how she lost weight without any “specially-formulated” shakes or other “diet products” – by just eating real, unprocessed foods! She was even kind enough to include one of her favorite, figure-friendly recipes below! Check it out!

So what about you? Have you lost weight and kept it off by eating a real foods diet? What tips can you share with others who would like to do the same? We’d love to hear from you in the comments section below….

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Weight Loss the Easy Way = REAL FOOD Nutrition! (by Jedha D.)

When it comes to weight loss, it really seems to baffle so many people. We chase the diet fads and the bright shiny objects that claim to help us lose weight fast. We get drawn into the advertising campaigns, the ‘so called’ truthful claims, and the airbrushed images that portray perfectly beautiful bodies.

Weight loss is easy! I know because, after years of yo-yo dieting, I discovered real food and lost the 33 pounds that I had gained. I learned about the types of foods that cause weight gain and health deterioration, and I got them out of my life for good!

Since then I have never looked back, I can sustain my weight easily and I am more healthy and vibrant than I have ever been. I’m here to share the real truth about weight loss so you can stop chasing all the shiny objects coming your way and buckle down to getting some real and long-lasting results!

Real Food Nutrition

When it comes to weight loss, it’s ALL about real food nutrition!

That’s right! 80-90% of your results are going to come from what goes in your mouth! The other 10-20% can be boosted through exercise. So if you’ve been running wild on those cardio machines at the gym and not getting anywhere, then maybe you’ve just realized why.

Yes, it’s ALL about the food. And despite what many people think, you do not have to starve yourself to lose weight either. You simply have to eat the right foods, real foods!

So the simple equation to real weight loss results is to get your nutrition right, eating the right foods that promote weight loss and improved health. That’s it!

Okay, right now you may be thinking…I’ve heard all this before. But just wait a minute. Has anyone told you what those right foods are? Has anyone told you that a calorie does not just equal a calorie?

Not all calories are created equal. Junk foods, sugar, and even grain-filled foods are all empty calories that do not promote weight loss. They are the type of things you need to cut out in order to lose weight effectively. Additives, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and excess chemicals all have to be cut out of the equation for best results.

So what foods promote weight loss? Believe it or not, it is proteins and fats! Chicken, eggs, beef, pork, and turkey are all good protein sources. Avocado, olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut cream, and a few nuts are all good fats that promote weight loss. Of course, you still need a big variety of vegetables and a bit of fruit. So to lose weight easily you combine a source of protein with a variety of vegetables and a bit of healthy fat at every meal.

It’s not rocket science; it’s actually that simple and works every time! That doesn’t mean your diet is boring. Far from it because there is actually loads of variety and hundreds of tasty dishes you can make. Essentially you eat real food that is tasty, satiating, and super good for you. That’s the whole idea, right?

It’s not all about just losing those pounds; the focus should be on getting healthy so you feel great as well. One thing is for sure; you must get your nutrition sorted out. Clean up your diet, and you will lose weight without fail so you can finally stop chasing all those bright shiny objects and sustain a healthy weight and a vibrant life forever!

Here’s a delicious real food recipe that is good for you and your waistline (click picture to enlarge)! 🙂

Nut Crusted Lamb Cutlets & Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 6 lamb cutlets
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 egg – beaten
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • Coconut oil or olive oil for cooking

Garden Salad

  • 2 cups lettuce – shredded
  • 1 cucumber – halved and sliced
  • 1 tomato – halved and sliced
  • 1 carrot – grated
  • 1/2 red bell pepper – diced
  • 1/2 lemon
  • Olive oil

Cooking Method

1. Trim the cutlets of any really big chunks of fat around the edges of the cutlet
2. Pat the cutlets flat between your hands and set aside
3. Place the flour on a plate and the egg in a bowl
4. Place the almond meal on a separate plate. Put the ingredients in line in this order:  flour, egg and then the almond meal.
5. Take the cutlets one at a time, and first coat them lightly in flour. Second, coat them in egg; and lastly coat them very well with almond meal, pushing the cutlets well into the nutty mix to coat them thoroughly. Then set aside on another plate.
6. Repeat the process for all the cutlets.
7. Place a thin film of oil in the pan so it completely covers the bottom of the pan. Then heat the pan until the oil is hot and ready for shallow frying.
8. Place the lamb cutlets in the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side or until golden brown. You may have to reduce the heat on the second side to allow them to cook through at a slower rate.
9. Watch them carefully because you don’t want to overcook them. When you think they are done and the crumbs are nicely browned, turn the heat off and let them sit in the pan covered for 5-10 minutes. This resting period will complete the cooking and they will be ready to serve.
10. While they are resting, mix the salad together in a bowl and divide onto 2 plates. Drizzle with lemon and olive oil.
11. Serve your cutlets with the salad, and you have a delicious and tasty meal. Yum!

As you can see, this meal contains a good protein source in the lamb, some fats in the olive oil, and a little carbohydrate in the salad, making it a well-balanced meal.

These are the kind of delicious meals you can eat every day, and you certainly never feel deprived. I hope you’ll try it and enjoy!

Author Bio

Jedha D. is a weight loss and wellness coach who is passionate about helping people get off the merry-go-round and change their life from the inside out. She helps people achieve better weight loss results and a lifestyle they love, with real food and positive mindset changes. She is the author of a paleo breakfast cookbook and 30-day meal plans, and she writes an active real food health blog over at Paleo Weight Loss Coach.

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“Living Abroad: My Personal Revelation about Real Foods”

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In the guest post below, Mariana Ashley shares with us her story of how it took living in another country for her to truly understand what it meant to eat a natural diet composed of REAL foods – – truly real foods; not the pseudo-“natural” processed stuff promoted by much of the American food industry.

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“If you live in America, you know how difficult it can be to maintain a diet completely composed of whole, unadulterated foods. Of course, the slow food, green movement that’s blossomed in America over the past decade or so has made it easier in some ways, but there’s just as much marketing of supposedly “healthy, natural” foods that has served only to confuse consumers who want to live a genuinely natural lifestyle.

After years of subsisting on American staples, eating fast food several times a week, going out for dinner, etc., my mother tried to switch things up by committing to natural, organic foods. Unfortunately, most of these foods were processed and packaged, and they paid only lip service to natural foods. If it was labeled natural, organic, or diet, my mother–God bless her–just assumed it was healthy and wholesome.

It wasn’t until I studied abroad in Russia my junior year of college that I realized what it means to actually consume “real food.” Of course, don’t get me wrong—there are plenty of McDonald’s and other American fast food chains in Russia, and there were lots of food items at the grocery store that were far from being healthy or unprocessed. But in Russia, especially outside very urban areas, eating whole foods is far from being an expression of trendiness as it is in many parts of the developed, Westernized world. It’s just a fact of life.

Grocery stores in Russia are very unassuming places. Most of them are the size of convenient stores in America and carry only the essentials, like milk, eggs, cheese, a few selections of meat and produce. If the vegetables and fruits are not in season, they don’t carry them. For most items, there are only two or three brands available at the most. Some items, like milk, had only one choice. The simple, red-and-white label read “Milk.” No skim, no two percent, no brand label with pictures and marketing. Just milk.

For someone like me, who is completely overwhelmed by the overabundance of brand choice in your typical American grocery store, going to a Russian grocery store became an actually enjoyable experience precisely because of this simplicity. Look at your typical grocery store item in Russia, and you could bet your bottom dollar that the number of listed ingredients could be counted on one hand.

Most Russian families make quick trips to these grocery stores. When it came to purchasing items for making full-fledged meals, it was off to one of the many outdoor markets, which is an experience in and of itself. The Russian family I lived with loved food and loved the bonding experience endemic to meal times in your typical Russian home. I’d never experienced anything like it.

In America, it almost seems that families eat together out of a certain sense of anxiety about the breakdown of family values. Children and teens in America cannot wait to leave the table and get on with their lives on their cell phones or televisions. In Russia, at least in my experience, the whole family, both young and old, genuinely enjoyed meal times. There were always several courses, dessert, beer, wine, or vodka for the adults, free-flowing conversation, banter, joking—in a word, joy.

And it was through this experience of living abroad in a culture that doesn’t fetishize real food but actually and truly enjoys it—partly because they don’t really have much of a choice–that I learned to embrace whole foods. I’ve carried with me this Russian gusto for real food and meaningful conversation, and it’s truly changed my life.”

About the Author

Mariana Ashley is a blogger and freelance writer, whose posts offer a college guide and news for prospective students and parents. She also enjoys writing about sustainable living, parenting, personal finance, and more. She welcomes comments via email at mariana.ashley031@gmail.com.

11-year-old boy explains what’s wrong with our food system

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Want to eat a more natural diet??

Be sure to get yourself a copy of our additive-free cookbook & grocery shopping guide, “Eating Additive-Free“! It’s stuffed with 150+ tasty recipes and tons of additive-free grocery shopping guidance!! Your satisfaction is guaranteed…or your money back!

Let Birke Baehr (below) explain why you should care…