Or WWM, as I call them - are little arrangements that help me keep eating habits within reason. I have tested them and proven them working for at least one person – me.
This is, of course, not a big deal, and my WWM may be not all suitable for people with different life dynamics or metabolism. However, taking into consideration universality of the craving problem I decided to share them.
So, here they are:
Plan for a week and plan for a day: It is easier for me to eat healthy, when I have a general meal plan for a week and a more specific – for a day.
For example, Monday is usually our vegetarian day (sometimes strictly raw and sometimes – not). Tuesday – is a former fasting (Paul Bragg’s inspired) day. Currently it is more like “no dinner” day, when instead we might just have tea with a wrapping (for example, whole spelt tortilla, scoop of soft goat cheese, two tomato slices and a bunch of greens).
On Wednesday we like to have grains or beans with vegetables, or fish and salad; Thursday is usually a big salad day with seeds or nuts for protein. Friday is my sunny-side-ups for dinner day. I like it with tomatoes and celery thrown in a pan together with eggs. My husband is a no-nonsense “just eggs, vegetables uncooked and on a separate plate” eater.
On Saturday we usually do grocery shopping and, therefore, have a freshest-possible salad. Sometimes (about once a month) we skip dinner and instead go for lunch to our beloved sushi place. That is, of course, if we are not engaged elsewhere (then we skip sushi).
We also skip sushi: when we are invited to a party on Sunday (then we “shift” home-made Sunday dinner to Saturday) or, sometimes, for financial reasons. And, depending on the experiences of the previous day, Sunday is either fish/salad, or vegetarian.
Green smoothies: We started incorporating green smoothies into our diet three times a week, mostly on non-raw days, to balance (and reduce consumption of) less healthy foods. Very soon we felt like having them almost every day with different combinations of fruits and greens.
No lunch: Because the concept of lunch has no equivalent in Russian tradition we ended up skipping it altogether most of the time.
In Russia the traditional meal in the middle of the day is called dinner. It can be a classic three-course, if you wish. In the evening people usually have supper, and tea is very popular and can be taken at any break, at the end of dinner, or supper (or instead).
So, after trying for a while to incorporate lunch into our daily routine, I returned my household “to our traditions”. We just have breakfast, early dinner, and then I drink my evening tea.
This way I freed my mind from constant evaluation of our second important meal of the day (is this enough or too much?) and from pressure of making something different for dinner.
This way I freed my mind from constant evaluation of our second important meal of the day (is this enough or too much?) and from pressure of making something different for dinner.
In fact I often prepare traditional lunch dish and just call it dinner. It is much easier to maintain variety this way.
Cut and share eating out: As we noticed in our first years in America
It is difficult to avoid, though, on a business trip where things are complicated by the necessity of eating in new places.
Maybe it is just me, but it is much harder for me to overcome temptations when trying new things. I may order one entry; then reluctantly agree to couple of "sides" and a "house salad" that goes with it; and then, after having an intense working day (which is usually the case on business trips) I feel myself entitled to a single dessert. Then the plates start coming… and it all ends in overeating.
But, again, maybe it is just poor me who sometimes does not fully understand waiters, or not aware of certain traditions.
So now, when we go to a restaurant, we usually order one salad and one entry or two different appetizers from lunch menu and share. There is always plenty for two.
It is difficult to avoid, though, on a business trip where things are complicated by the necessity of eating in new places.
Maybe it is just me, but it is much harder for me to overcome temptations when trying new things. I may order one entry; then reluctantly agree to couple of "sides" and a "house salad" that goes with it; and then, after having an intense working day (which is usually the case on business trips) I feel myself entitled to a single dessert. Then the plates start coming… and it all ends in overeating.
But, again, maybe it is just poor me who sometimes does not fully understand waiters, or not aware of certain traditions.
So now, when we go to a restaurant, we usually order one salad and one entry or two different appetizers from lunch menu and share. There is always plenty for two.
Some more WWM - next time.
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