“The key is not great changes, but small changes you practice consistently, that will create great results!”

Challenging myself to eat food with only five ingredients or less is how I got started on my journey to eating real food. Before that, the idea of purchasing kale or anything else from the produce section was so foreign to me because these foods didn't come in a package with preparation instructions. The changes in my health and lifestyle have been dramatic since I started eating real food - foods that are grown and raised close to home - here's how you can get started:

“Change is never easy, but if you hold yourself accountable, the difficult will become your daily routine and the new will be your norm.”

To start the transition, focus on avoiding anything with ingredients you don't recognize or can't pronounce. By slowly working out those artificial colors, sweeteners and preservatives as food options, you will eventually find your way to the outer perimeters of the grocery store - the produce section. It's intimidating at first though! It's hard to be creative and find recipes that keep you on track. In the beginning, it was common for me to not use the new foods I had bought at all, and I'd end up wasting them; but I knew these things I wasted were great for my body, so I didn't stop trying. Change is never easy, but if you hold yourself accountable, the difficult will become your daily routine and the new will be your norm.

Even if you don't notice a difference in how you feel right away, just remember that what you eat creates your cells, becomes your blood and influences your mind. These are all long term processes, which are the results of long term behavior, so stay committed to your transition to a happier, healthier lifestyle. The key is not great changes, but small changes you practice consistently, that will create great results!