If you have ever gone on a diet, I would bet you spent more time thinking about food and what to eat next than you normally do when you aren’t trying to drop a few pounds.  That “thinking” could lead to more consumption. 

What if you could take the stress out of dieting? What if you could have healthy meals delivered to your home for breakfast, lunch and dinner?  What if that freshly made food was weighed so that you were getting the correct portion sizes that would allow you to lose between one and two pounds each week?  Or if you just want to eat a healthy diet and just don’t have the time or inclination to cook, you can also have those meals, just more of them, delivered to your home.  

That’s what Sandy Pike is doing with her new business.  Pike has owned Jack Fry’s, Cafe Society and the Queen of Tarts.  Now, she has launched a new business called Real Solutions. To you, the customer, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all supplied.  Meals are low in fat, cholesterol and sodium, while high in fiber and flavor.  I know because I tried a few of the meals. 

Pike cooks and packages her meals at the Mayan Gypsy, a downtown restaurant.  Then she delivers the food to your door.  I tried a great breakfast (actually much more than I would normally prepare for myself) of frittata with turkey bacon, fresh fruit and two mini whole-wheat muffins.  Lunch was mandarin orange spinach salad and a piece of fresh fruit. Dinner was seafood stew and a mixed green salad. 

As part of the 1200-calorie meal plan, Pike says customers can expect a one- to two-pound-a-week weight loss.  The cost for 21 meals, which again are delivered to your home, is $100.  Everything, including salad dressings and cooking oil, is measured to keep portion sizes accurate. 

Dr. David Allen, the director of FitLouisville, says the key is the amount of food you eat.  “If you were to follow a well-balanced diet with calorie control, many of the arguments about carbohydrates and fat disappear.  Actually the ultimate burden is to make sure the calorie intake is correct in order to maintain a healthy body.”

For those who don’t want to lose weight but would like the convenience of the prepared meals and the balanced diet the cost is $125 for 21 meals.  That plan calculates out to 2000 calories.  The menu, which changes every week, is the same whether you choose the 1200-calorie or the 2000-calorie plan.  There is just more in the labor.  If you like the idea of home delivery, there is a $10 charge.  In the near future Sandy hopes to set up distribution sites. There is no sign up fee or contract to sign.  Customers order one week in advance for 21 meals.   

The goal of Real Solutions is to help customers create a sustainable, healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious well-balanced seasonal foods.  The meals stay within the American Health Association and the American Diabetes Associations guidelines by offering lower sodium, lower fat and offering foods from all the food groups in measured portions. 

For additional information or to place an order call 938-0392 or e-mail realsolution@bellsouth.net.

Kirby Adams is the consumer reporter for Kentuckiana’s News Channel WHAS-11 and a sports and fitness buff. You can e-mail Kirby at kirby.adams@whas11.com.  Kirby is also a member of Kentuckiana HealthFitness’ Editorial Advisory Board.

If you know of a little “gem” or a story, you would like to share it with our readers, drop me a note about it. 

                                    Kirby Adams

                                    c/o WHAS-11 TV

                                    P.O. Box 2588

                                    Louisville, KY  40201