You might remember that in April I attended an event for the launch of resource® 100% Natural Spring Water. During this event I had the opportunity to meet several Los Angeles based lifestyle experts who offered tips on everything from nutrition to fashion. I spoke to all of them and received some great tips, but the expert that had the greatest impact on me was certified nutritionist, Christine Avanti.

Christine’s table was the first one I visited and the one I spent the most time inquiring about. I had a list of questions ready for her that had to do mostly with why I wasn’t losing weight. You see, I had been exercising religiously, 4-5 times a weeks for the last 4 months, counting calories but hadn’t seen any weight loss. I approached her table ready to ask her my questions when all of a sudden, I noticed the title of her book; “Skinny Chicks Eat Real Food“. Real food? I know this sounds like a dumb question but, what exactly did she mean by real food? I had to find out more.

My questions quickly shifted to her book and the meaning of “real food”. She started to talk to me about the factory food epidemic in America and how this is not the food our bodies were meant to consume. She spoke of the importance of eating food that does not come from a package but rather from natural fresh ingredients like vegetables, fruits, unrefined grains and chemical/hormone free meats and dairy. I thought to myself, this is probably a book about eating an all organic diet and that’s far too expensive for me. She then says, “I went to culinary school and didn’t gain a pound while completing my training”. I was astounded! Culinary school does not focus on low fat, low carb cooking. On the contrary, we’re talking full fat cuisine and buttery delicious pastry here. Yum!

I immediately asked how she did it. She smiled, handed me a detox cocktail which by the way was incredibly delicious, and began to explain the mechanics of the real food lifestyle. She said it was all about eating the right foods and the right combination of foods that help keep the weight off. I figured that basically meant no carbs but she quickly corrected me and said, “That’s the misconception. Carbs are fine, it’s the type of carbs that matter”. As I stood there listening to this fit, gorgeous, statuesque blond tell me that carbs are fine, I decided it couldn’t hurt to read her book.

So, I got a copy of her book, I read it from cover to cover and I’m stunned! Yes, stunned and here’s why; I really have no idea what’s in packaged food. Even worst, I have no idea what’s in most of my food. Like many young working American’s, I’ve opted for convenience when it comes to eating healthy by buying fat free, sugar free or light frozen meals with the perception that these were in fact healthful choices. I was wrong…very, very wrong. While reading Christine’s book I realized what she meant all along. Real food is food that is as close to its natural state as possible. Food that is not overly processed, has no artificial additives or preservatives and well, you get the picture.

This book has helped me realize that my goal shouldn’t just be weight loss, it should also be exceptional health and healthy living. While eating real food will aid me in my quest for successful weight loss and Brooklyn Decker’s body, it will also help keep me less prone to a host of ailments haunting our world today. So with that said, I’ve decided to adopt this real food philosophy and embark on a new food journey. I’m actually really excited about this. For the next three months, I will focus on eating real food, trying out Christine’s recipes (the pictures of the recipes look amazing) and journaling my experience. I will post updates every month for the next three months and share my experience and any learnings with you.

I actually feel really confident and comfortable making this lifestyle change. The book really sets you up for success with great tools that include sample menus, over 70 recipes, food journal templates as well as a real food resource guide, a real food on a budget guide and her favorite real food blogs. There are so many references that it seems impossible to fail. My biggest challenge I know is going to be me, factory food junkie Araceli. But believe you me, I’m much more determined to see a brand new and healthier me.