Pregnatarian Diet by Sean Dreilinger
…that have nothing to do with calorie counting or protein shakes.
“Dieting” is such a dirty word. I’d rather say that I’m just taking care of myself better. Losing weight, going on fad diets, getting those “rock hard abs,” are too superficial for me to take seriously. Taking care of your whole being, mind and body, is the cornerstone to living a healthy (notice I did not say skinny) life. Getting to that point may have absolutely nothing to do with obsessing over what goes in your mouth. Bad habits only change when replaced by good habits. So at least enjoy the ride.
1. Eat with Others. When we are around people, we are more interested in chatting than eating. The more we talk, the less we eat. Plus, eating with others is an intimate and special experience. If you think about it, gathering around food was the cornerstone of society since ancient times. That’s why whenever there’s a business meeting, a celebration, or even a conflict to be resolved, food is going to be part of it. When our mind is not on food first, we will eat less.
2. Eat in bowls. There is something about having platters of food in front of you that will increase your appetite for more than it already is. When there is just one plate or bowl in front of you, that’s all you will concentrate on and you are less apt for getting seconds. Leave the serving dishes or the pots in the kitchen, delegate a comfy place in your house to eat, and enjoy your bowl of deliciousness.
3. Eat half a portion at a time. If your eyes are already bigger than your stomach, eat half of what you would have eaten first, and then see how you feel. The food isn’t going anywhere. And by focusing on how much you are eating, you are controlling your appetite and therefore, you will be satisfied on less.
4. Drink a full glass before you eat. We often mistake hunger for thirst, and more times than not if we drink before we eat, our appetite will be less. Twenty minutes is usually the amount of time necessary to gauge your real appetite. Drinking a glass of water will re-evaluate how hungry you really are and prevent you from falling into emotional eating.
5. Plan your meals. I love cooking. I also love preparing my food, and even planning what meals I will eat later in the day or week. It gives me something to look forward to. And by cooking, I can control what goes into my food. AND…by putting in the work, I appreciate my food more and eat for a higher purpose rather than filling an empty stomach. Taking the time to figure out what and when you want to eat (and how to eat it) will make you enjoy eating without pigging out.
6. Keep your food fresh. Take care of your food! We gain weight mostly on processed and prepackaged food that can last for months. If we focus on buying perishable and fresh food, like fruits and vegetables, we will not only eat healthier but lose a few pounds at the same time.
7. Make your own staple products. Not that we want to believe it, but bread, waffles, muffins, bagels, and any other hefty and starchy food are usually processed and can stay on shelves for a while. We can go to bakeries on the regular and buy fresh bread products, but they are usually much more expensive and many of us can’t exactly afford a fresh loaf of bread every day. So why not make it ourselves? There are many easy recipes out there to make flatbread and pizza that are yeast-free and take no “resting” time to rise. You only need a few products and an hour from start to finish.
8. Take it home with you. We’ve heard of this before. Go to a restaurant, take half of it home. It makes sense. A normal bill for one person is around 20 bucks. Which is a lot of money for only one meal. Split it in two, and that’s more like it. Plus, we won’t scarf it down in one night.
9. Split a dish. Appetizers and desserts are great to share. And these are the dishes that pack on most of the calories at a restaurant. By splitting it, you are doing both you (and whoever you are eating with) a favor.
10. Do outdoor activities or volunteer. Emotional eating usually occurs when we have nothing else better to do but to stare at the TV and nosh. Though I am guilty of this myself, I consciously try not to do this. Keeping yourself busy at work, at home, doing hobbies, or visiting others will keep yourself from diving into that bag of chips hanging out in your cupboard. Also, eating makes us feel better. We can do other things to make us feel better. Volunteering is a perfect example. If that is too “out there” for you, simply helping out a friend, family member, or spending time with a pet gives us the same feeling of satisfaction.
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