It is time to create your New Years Resolutions and weight loss always come up. You will be bombarded with weight loss ideas, products and programs.

I believe in going to the core. you don’t need to count calories, take pills or adhere to rigorous programs, just get back to healthy eating as a lifestyle. You can let your body guide you, selecting the fresh fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, and raw milk cheeses that appeal to you most.

You might be surprised at how easy and fast it is to prepare a phenomenally healthy meal or snack.

Here are fundamental guidelines for a healthy eating lifestyle: Try one or try them all, but if you feeling yourself getting overwhelmed, slow down. Master one tip at a time and only then move on to the next. 

Go gluten free. Eating wheat and gluten triggers an immune and intestinal response so give your body a break. Go as many days as you can without any grains at all.

Change the timing of your meals and fast for 15 hours. The goal is to condense your eating into a shorter period of time, which leaves your body time for fasting each day. By eating breakfast and a late lunch, then skipping dinner, you can easily fast for 15 hours a day or so. Depending on your schedule, you may prefer to skip breakfast and eat lunch and dinner instead. The benefits of fasting are numerous and check out this TED video why fasting bolsters brain power.

 Swap out soda and other sweetened beverages for primarily water and occasionally unsweetened tea and/or organic black coffee.

Skip unhealthy fats (synthetic trans fats, vegetable oils) and indulge in healthy fats like those from butter, coconut oil, avocado, olive oil, and nuts. I use coconut oil for all my baking. Use olive and avocado for sauces and dressings.

Choose meat that’s pastured (grass-fed) and organic; avoid processed or CAFO meats.

When eating dairy or eggs, choose organic, free range and pastured raw versions.

Make your own fermented vegetables and enjoy them regularly.

Upgrade your baking by replacing wheat flour with coconut flour, margarine with butter, sugar with pureed fruits and veggies, and vegetable oil with coconut oil.

Eliminate processed foods from your meals (the less processed foods, the better).

Cook your own meals at home, ideally from scratch (including growing as much of your own food as possible).

Avoid artificial additives; if a food contains artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, or artificial flavors, skip it.

Eat slowly and mindfully, and be sure to chew each bite thoroughly.

Bonn appetite!