Whole Foods: Two Steps from Mind to Mouth

You probably have some dietary goals, such as losing weight or eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. If you have read The China Study, or similar gold-standard research, you know that a whole foods, plant-based diet will lead to a trim body while substantially lowering the risk of chronic illness.

Having good intentions about your diet is a critical first step. By themselves, though, intentions often fail to translate into behavior change. Somehow, old habits manage to triumph.

A recent study of the use of mental imagery and implementation plans shows how to get whole foods out of your thoughts and into your mouth. Here are two steps to greatly increase the probability that you will make the change you want.

First, form a specific goal. Start with one change, which may be big or small. For example, you might decide you want to eat fruit four times a day. Write down a detailed implementation plan to make this happen. For example, you may plan that on Saturday you will get in your car at noon, drive to your favorite grocery store, and buy a dozen apples, a dozen oranges, and a bunch of bananas. At specific times during the day, you will go to the kitchen, get a piece of fruit, and eat it.

The implementation plan alone will reinforce your intention and enhance your success. However, imagery will make it significantly more likely that you will carry out your plan. Here's how it works. Go to a quiet place, close your eyes, and relax your body. Take some deep breaths but don't fall asleep. Imagine yourself in vivid detail carrying out your implementation plan.

For the supermarket trip above, see yourself getting out your car keys and sitting in the driver's seat. Turn the key and hear the engine start. Mentally take the drive to the store and visualize where you park. Imagine walking to the store, getting a cart, and going to the colorful produce aisle. Continue through every step until you are home eating the fruit. The more senses you involve in your imagery and the more concrete your images are, the more effective this strategy will be to help you achieve all the steps to the best diet on earth.

Janice Stanger, Ph.D., is a plant-based nutrition author, educator, and speaker. You can read chapter excerpts, find recipe resources, and learn about permanent, hunger-free weight loss on the site for her whole-foods book The Perfect Formula Diet.