Two years ago, I went with all natural foods. There were some minimally processed items, but most of it was completely natural. Here is what I learned from that experience:

A cast iron skillet filled with chicken and vegetable fried rice next to a large bowl of fresh garden salad on a rustic wooden table.
Caving to Chinese food isn’t a failure—it’s just a reason to modify your pace, upgrade your leftovers with fresh greens, and keep moving forward.
  • It is a tough routine to maintain.
  • It does not cost any more money. In fact, it likely saves money because there is less dining out.
  • It pays off in health dividends big time.

When I ate naturally, I lost weight. My blood pressure went down. My joints did not hurt as much. I felt better, and I had more energy.
 
I worked hard to keep my calories around 1500 per day and I also tried to exercise, mostly by riding my bike, several times per week.
 
But, I fell off the wagon. I am in a rut right now. I do not want anything healthy to eat at all. I just want junk. What is up with that? As a result, I am gaining the weight back. I do not have the energy I had. My joints hurt again.
 
So, as a consolation prize, we had Chinese food last night. It is a great option if you want to die early. There is nothing healthy about it at all. It tastes good when you eat it, but I always find I wake up hungrier when I eat Chinese food. And now, we have leftover Chinese in the fridge to eat. It costs too much money to throw away.
 
I decided I will eat it. But the least I can do is modify my diet for the rest of the day. I can eat healthy foods around it and with it to keep my calories under my 1,500-calorie mark so I can lose this extra weight. The race continues. You do not give up. You simply modify your pace for the day, arrange your healthy whole foods around the hurdles, and keep moving forward to achieve your goal.
 
Below is an example of how you can layer clean, whole foods around a comfort-food slip up to stay completely on track:
 
  1. Sunrise Fuel
  • 1 cup low-fat Lactose-Free Milk blended with 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, and 1 teaspoon of fiber powder.
  1. First Stride
  • 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites scrambled in 1 teaspoon butter in cast iron with 1 ounce of melted real cheese and 1 cup of chopped steamed broccoli.
  1. Mid-Day Charge
  • 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup fresh raspberries.
  1. The Pivot
  • 1/2 cup Pork Fried Rice mixed with 1 cup of steamed frozen vegetables., 1 oz pork, 1 beef stick, 1 chicken stick, and 3 to 4 wing pieces .
  1. Twilight Bite
  • Fresh salad bowl using raw spinach, lettuce greens, tomato, radish, cucumber, and celery topped with 1 hard-boiled egg and dressed with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.
  1. Nightcap Bridge
    • 1 small fresh Pink Lady apple, sliced.

    Daily Totals: 1,450 kcal | 91.5g Protein | 112g Carbs | 66g F | 25.6g Fiber | 775mg Calcium | ~1,915mg Sodium