Avocados are a great source for healthy fat.

Many Americans hop from diet to diet and fail to notice consistent results. Instead of making frequent, drastic changes to the food or quantity of food you eat, implement small, easy, effective changes for lasting results. Some people view “Paleo” as a sliding scale and implement specific aspects of it. If that works for you, go for it! The key is to make healthy, sustainable changes for lasting results.

1. Avoid processed foods

The standard American diet consists of an abundance of processed “food” that provides little to no nutritional value. The more processed something is, the less nutrients (and often more chemicals, additives, and other junk) it contains.

Examples: Refined sugar or sweeteners, refined grains (enriched), refined oils (hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated), “imitation” foods, low-fat and fat-free, fast food

2. Eat healthy fats

Healthy fats, like those found in quality oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados, help you to feel full. With the abundance of “low fat” products on the market, fat itself has been wrongly targeted as the culprit for the obesity problem in America. Not only do healthy fats allow you to eat less quantity of great quality food, healthy fats are also required for building and repairing cells.

3. Start cooking

Depending on your level of dedication, it may be quite stressful to eat at restaurants where you can never been certain about the ingredients or quality of food being used. Stock up on high-quality ingredients, vegetables, and meats, and cook for yourself. Find some great recipes and have fun!

4. Avoid calorie counting

The Paleo “diet” is not about counting calories. When you eat high-quality food, you tend to eat less of it because it is more satisfying. This does not mean you should eat an entire cake because it’s Paleo either.