Strategy
Strategy
Purposeful Eating to stop snacking
Before we begin, there is one issue that must be addressed: snacking. Most of us have gotten into the habit of munching on small amounts of food between meals. We don’t think much of it and enjoy doing so. I used to snack from dinner until bedtime. This is mindless eating, usually out of boredom. If you want to experience the benefits of intermittent fasting, it’s a habit that must be broken. When we eat, especially high-carbohydrate snacks, our insulin levels rise. That is exactly how insulin resistance happens. The concept of purposeful eating is simple: if you’re hungry, eat. However, eating means making a plate and sitting down at a table. Take a portion of whatever you wish to eat. Heat it up if needed. Place it on a real plate. Then, sit at the kitchen table or island. Eat. This is purposeful eating. Taking a bowl of chips to the couch to watch TV is eating out of boredom. Grabbing the whole bag of chips and eating them while watching TV or using the computer is a recipe for disaster. When you do that, you’re probably not actually hungry. Be mindful of how you eat, and treat eating as an activity. Focus on eating when you eat. Don’t watch TV. Don’t engage in any other activities besides having good conversations with family and friends.
False Hunger
When you first start the fasting program, your brain may tell you that you’re hungry, but you actually aren’t. Wait twenty to thirty minutes. If you’re still hungry after that time, then eat. Don’t snack; eat a proper meal instead. If you find yourself needing to snack between meals, you may not be eating enough at mealtimes. Try eating more at mealtimes. It takes time to adjust to eating the right amount. You may also not be eating enough slow-digesting foods, such as fatty meats. Adding more fibrous vegetables, such as broccoli, will help you feel full longer. If you are outside of your eating window, ask yourself, “Am I hungry, or am I bored?” Over time, you will learn how much to eat to last until the ketones kick in, and unpleasant hunger will no longer be an issue. It takes a bit of practice. Remember, the sensation of hunger is not dangerous, and it does not mean you must eat. However, if you feel dizzy or weak, you may be pushing your fast too hard. Reduce your fasting time and increase your fat intake.
The Planover
Dr. Dan prefers the Planover method because it is efficient in terms of time and budget. These are not “leftovers,” but rather pre-planned portions to be eaten over the next few days. Some foods, such as starches, undergo a chemical reaction when refrigerated and reheated that converts them into a more resistant form, which improves their nutritional value.
The amount needed depends on how many people will eat it. You will have to adjust according to your family’s size and eating habits. I will provide examples of quantities and estimated portion sizes. I will also provide estimated costs based on market prices.
Combinatorial Math
Huh? You’ve gone too far, Dr. Dan. What is combinatorial math, and what does it have to do with a food plan?
Those are great questions! Most people would probably make a short list of the foods they regularly eat. We humans get bored doing the same thing over and over. Every parent has experienced the frustration of not knowing what to buy the kids that they haven’t eaten recently. One nice thing about the brain is that we are sensitive to relationships as well as to things. Combinatorial math is the idea of grouping a small number of items in different combinations to create the feeling of a large variety.
Here’s how it works: On cooking day, we prepare two proteins, such as salmon and turkey; two vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts and romaine salad; and two starches, such as mashed goat yogurt, sweet potatoes, and white basmati rice.
Lunch could be turkey, Brussels sprouts, and rice. Dinner could be salmon, salad, and sweet potatoes. The next day, lunch could be salmon, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes. For dinner, we could have turkey, salad, and rice. There is also homemade sauerkraut that can be added to any meal or substituted for a vegetable. It’s easy to pressure cook another vegetable to increase variety, or we can slice some cheese. The same goes for the starch. Fried yucca chips with guacamole are a quick and easy substitute for starch. Everything depends on the schedule. This menu can last three or four days, and when punctuated by wild cards, it will seem different enough. Don’t forget to add or substitute sautéed or air-fried mushrooms. On the second cooking day, choose two different proteins and add another vegetable and/or starch. Continue this pattern until the next cooking day. Only two days a week are needed to prepare most of the food. All of the cooking methods are easy and quick, so not much time or effort is required on cooking days either. Teach the kids to help clean up, and you will have a sustainable system for making delicious, nutritious food.
Beef is especially helpful because of all the different types and cuts. I like to see what’s on sale and let the market decide for me. For instance, preparing a sous vide brisket requires no more time or effort than any other cut of beef. All beef cooks sous vide with an overnight dry brine, followed by a quick finish in the air fryer to ensure the main protein is hot and fresh. On lazy days, it can be reheated in the microwave or air fryer in individual portions.
Each food group is eaten until it is finished, so there is little to no waste, which helps stretch the food budget. Some vegetables, like Brussels sprouts and broccoli, last several days, but others, like asparagus, do not store well. Homemade sauerkraut lasts for weeks in the refrigerator, and the brine makes a fantastic salad dressing base.
School kids without access to a microwave present a bit more of a challenge. I will add some school lunch options. Some kids may prefer to eat school lunch with friends for social reasons. At least they will get great food at home.
If they’re not allergic, you can include nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and macadamia nuts as well. They’re great additions to lunches on the go.
Treats like high-cacao chocolate (Lindt is often found at Walmart) and frozen sheep or goat yogurt with seasonal fresh fruit are other options if you have a Ninja Creami machine. Popped sorghum is another delicious, crunchy addition. Mixing up different items satisfies the brain’s desire for variety while minimizing cooking time and cost.