How many times have you heard this?

“I’m doing paleo.”

“I’m doing the keto diet.”

“I’m doing Whole 30.”

“I’m doing weight watchers.”

Maybe you or someone in your family has even said this at some point.

We hear these comments frequently — in fact, at least 5 times just this past weekend!  As you can probably imagine, it’s making us wonder if we need a name for the “keep it simple and EAT REAL” lifestyle.

What would you call it?

Maybe people could say,

“I’m doing the REAL FOOD diet.”

Then, when asked what it is, perhaps the answer could be…”I only eat food that I can tell where it came from.  If it grows from the ground, or in a tree, swims in the ocean or grazes on the prairie, I eat it.”

We realize many people choose diets for a variety of reasons…they want to live a healthy lifestyle but just don’t know how to get started, they want to lose weight, or maybe they need to improve their eating habits for medical reasons.

But, you know how we feel about diets.

Generally, people tell you what diet they are on and then begin to list all the things they “can’t have” and are no longer eating.  Talk about feeling deprived!

These diets often result in not only deprivation, but let’s be honest, they just aren’t sustainable.

Of course, people may feel successful because they see weight loss in the short-term, but then typically the weight comes right back…and then some.  This leads many dieters to throw up their hands and say “I give up!”  This “yo-yo” process increases the risk of chronic disease, reduces life expectancies, and subjects us to 8 of the 10 leading causes of death that are diet and lifestyle related.

This is why we don’t encourage diets.  

However, if people need a “diet” concept to embrace, maybe we need make the “REAL FOOD” diet a thing!

Instead of focusing on all of the foods you CAN’T eat, the REAL FOOD diet would focus on all the things you CAN eat!  And, encourage people to seek out a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, herbs and flavorful spices to add to their meals!

This idea of a “REAL FOOD” diet was reinforced when I was recently listening to Doctor Radio.  A listener called in and said she asked her doctor what she could do to eat healthier.  The doctor told her, “Well, a lot of people seem to have good success with the keto diet.”

So, this listener was calling in to seek advice on the keto diet after getting this guidance from her doctor.  This is another example of some doctors not being equipped to provide good advice about healthy, practical, and delicious eating.

Another caller said, “my doctor told me I needed to eat more fruits and vegetables, but I don’t know how to do this.  I just get so tired of eating apples and broccoli.”  These messages of “just eat more fruits and vegetables” aren’t working.

People need ideas, resources and inspiration to eat REAL FOOD that’s easy to prepare, affordable, healthy and tastes delicious.  We have seen time and time again, once you discover the magic of REAL FOOD, that’s when cravings change and it more easily becomes part of an everyday lifestyle.

So, maybe we need to turn this “REAL FOOD” diet concept into “the next big thing!”

Imagine people asking their doctors how they can eat healthier, and the doctor responds, “I highly recommend the REAL FOOD diet.”  And then, doctors direct them to the resources that can help them easily integrate this into their lifestyles.

What do you think?  

Are we onto something here?  

What would you call it?

Please share your opinions and thoughts!