I was asked recently by a friend of mine, how to start a whole food diet. She was concerned about the cost and the time it would take to make all the changes in her diet. I had to laugh because I have heard this same question from so many people.

I told her that she did not need to spend hours each day preparing foods and then cleaning up afterwards. I also told her that the cost of organic foods is only going to go up as more people switch over to eating this way.

Eating for the Seasons

Most people do not realize that there are only four seasons in the year. These are spring, summer, fall and winter. If you live in a climate where you experience the other three seasons you will want to adjust your diet accordingly.

For example, if you live in the northern part of the country during the winter months you will want to eat more fruits and vegetables than during the other three seasons. You may also want to add more protein into your diet. This can be accomplished by eating more fish and lean meat.

In the southern part of the country, you will want to eat more grains and legumes in the fall and winter months. In the summer, you will want to eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

The best way to change your diet is to eat seasonally. The problem with most people is that they buy their food year round. When they get sick, they do not know what caused the sickness. They then try to change their diet and when they still get sick they blame it on their diet.

Whole Food Cooking Made Simple

When I talk to people about changing their diets, one of the first things I ask them is how much time they have to cook. Most people tell me that they do not have enough time. Then I tell them that the average American spends about 2 hours per week in the kitchen.

If you divide that time by four seasons, you will see that you only need to spend about 30 minutes per week preparing meals. I also tell them that if they cook one meal per day, that is only about 1 hour per week.

From Farm to Table

The next thing I ask them is what kind of meat they eat. I ask them if they eat any red meat. If they say no, I tell them that they should start. It is important to eat at least one serving of red meat per day.

Once they start eating red meat, I ask them what kind of meat they like to eat. I usually find out that they do not like beef or pork. This is a good thing because these two meats are high in fat and salt.

I then tell them that they should start eating chicken and turkey instead. I also tell them that they should avoid beef and pork because they contain antibiotics. If they eat poultry, they should eat organic poultry.

These changes in diet will help them lose weight and stay healthy.