Time Your Eating Success at Regular Intervals

Progress is not a linear pursuit.  We take one step forward and sometimes two steps back.  No matter what however, we keep going.  One of the best ways to make sure we can keep going is to manage expectations, set small realistic goals, celebrate milestones and then take a moment to take stock before moving along to the next thing.  This works with managing the day's meals, the week at work, a vacation, or a major project at home.  We are human.  We can only handle so much at a time.  By being realistic and giving ourselves mini breaks, we can actually go further than if we tried to do too much too soon.

This philosophy works with eating as well.  By planning healthy meals and snacks that we can look forward to, we can plan our nutrition and enjoyment to match the rigors or pleasures of the day.  For example, if you are going to be outside digging up the yard, clearing out winter debris for hours on end, a good breakfast of protein and carbs will go far in keeping you fueled for the heavy lifting.  A break with lots of hydration and maybe a piece of fruit and string cheese can keep you going until lunch time.

Meals and nutritious snacks are fuel to keep the body going, to keep the metabolism roaring and to keep us from getting too hungry.  Treats are different.  These are the foods and maybe beverages that we enjoy just because we do.  We don't need a reason.  It's not about physical hunger or thirst, but we want to have these pleasures because they too are part of our success, i.e. practicing how to manage the extras without going overboard.

Eating at regular intervals gives us pause to regroup.  It gives us stamina to keep going.  It gives us something to look forward to.  It satisfies our primal urge to chew.  We are never more than three hours away from something to eat.  What a relief!