The 11 Golden Rules of Eating Healthy
Rule no. 1: Eat only when you are hungry
It’s a very basic, well-known, and much-ignored rule. Yes, we all know that we should eat when we are hungry. There is nothing new about it.
What is new is the way you will approach it from now on. Before you eat, stop for a second and ask yourself, Am I really hungry?
It looks very simple, but it can be so difficult at times! Especially in social events, when great food is served, and even though you are not really hungry, you still feel like eating with everyone and tasting everything.
One thing that can help you overcome this is remembering how bad it feels to be sick after eating too much. Every time you are about to eat more than you really need, remind yourself how you might feel later if you overeat.
There will be times when you ignore this rule and pay the price—feeling sick, bloated, in pain, or gaining weight. Please don’t fall into the feeling of failure! Simply move on and try to do better next time. You have no idea how good it feels to finish a social event or gathering feeling light (not hungry—just light!) and to have your pants (or tight dress) fit you exactly as they did at the beginning of the evening.
One trick I can share with you: when you see or smell great food and feel like eating it, but you’re not sure if it comes from real hunger or something else, try to separate (in your mind) your belly from your mouth. Now try to figure out where the hunger feeling is coming from: is it from the belly, which means you are truly hungry, or only from the mouth/head area? If you practice this enough, you will notice that you eat less (unless you are one of those people who truly eat only when they are hungry!).
Rule no. 2: Before you eat
Let’s say you are truly hungry and about to eat your favorite food. Stop for a second before your first bite and take a moment to be grateful. You may be grateful to God, to Mother Earth, to the universe, to the person who cooked the food, or simply to your good fortune. Take a moment to deepen your breath, slow down your thoughts, bow your head, and be thankful. Some people even pray or say a blessing over their food.
These grateful and deep-breathing moments will ease the flow of your inner life force, ensuring there is enough of it in every bite you put into your body. These quiet moments will also relax your belly muscles and support better digestion. It will be easier to take smaller bites and chew more when you are calm.
Rule no. 3: Eat only when you are sitting down
Food that you eat while standing (or walking— which is even worse) will never be digested the same way as food eaten while sitting down. If you would like to enjoy good digestion, you must sit comfortably. This is true for every single bite you take, in any situation. If you are strict about this rule, you will find that you eat less—especially if you cook for others and tend to taste food while standing and cooking.
Rule no. 4: Eat only when you are relaxed
Have you ever tried to eat when you are in a hurry, nervous, stressed, or angry? Your mood has a lot to do with the way you digest your food and how it will influence your body. Food has the power to heal you and make you strong—or make you sick.
Before your next meal, notice your mood. If you are stressed, angry, or feeling any negative emotions, take a couple of minutes for a short meditation or simply relax with a few deep breaths. The more relaxed you are before you eat, the better!
Rule no. 5: Chew your food well
Chewing well is crucial for the quality of your digestion. And not only that—the more you chew your food, the less you will overeat. Chewing a few more times than usual is not easy, of course. It requires patience. Be kind to yourself and resist the desire to eat quickly, especially when you’re hungry or in a hurry.
Please note that during moments of strong hunger, you tend to swallow your food with very little chewing; this is when you abuse your digestive system the most!
Some people recommend chewing each bite about 10 times, some less. I never put a number on it; I say: take it easy and simply chew until you feel the food is ready to digest.
Rule no. 6: Eat with your senses (and only tasty food!)
Food was made not only for survival, but also for pleasure. Make sure you eat delicious food and enjoy each and every bite. Before starting to eat, admire your food with your eyes. Smell it, touch it if you can. Lick your fingers if you feel like it!
It's a bit like making love with your food, letting it connect with the force of life that exists wherever love and positive emotions exist. Imagine food filled with the force of life! How great will you feel not only while eating it, but long afterward.
Rule no. 7: Never eat in front of a screen
Apparently, for many people this is one of the hardest rules! People tell me, “I’ll take the time to be grateful, I’ll take small bites, I’ll be relaxed… but I must do it while watching TV!”
Eating while watching anything is:
- Taking away some of the joy of eating because you are not concentrating on the food and its taste.
- Making you eat faster at times (according to the rhythm of whatever you are watching), which results in poor digestion.
It may take a while to break this habit. Eating with other people may help (it is okay and even recommended to share mealtimes with friends and family).
Practicing this rule may change the way you digest food; you will also notice that you eat less while enjoying it more.
Rule no. 8: Eat until you are almost full
This rule may be difficult at times, especially when the food is great! The old sages said our stomach should be half full of food, a quarter full of water, and a quarter empty.
My way of getting there is by asking myself: “Am I still hungry?” When I realize I’m not hungry anymore but could eat a couple more bites, I know it’s time to stop!
It’s not easy to push away a plate that still has some great food on it, but if you can do it, your body will thank you.
Keep in mind: it often takes 15–20 minutes for your stomach to “inform” your brain that you’re full, so you may want to wait until you feel completely satisfied. This might be the hardest rule for some of us (including myself!).
Here are two mini-rules that will help:
- Use only small plates from now on. You won’t believe how much less you eat with smaller plates!
- Never pick food from someone else’s plate, and don’t finish your kids’, spouse’s, or friends’ leftovers! Your body is not a garbage bag. This may be very difficult, especially for mothers. I know how hard it is to throw away delicious, expensive food instead of eating it.
- Use chopsticks whenever possible. They ensure you take smaller bites, helping you eat slower and feel full sooner.
Rule no. 9: Never eat food you don’t like
Some people tell me they eat certain foods “only because they’re healthy.” Please stop doing that! There is plenty of delicious, healthy food on earth. There is no need for you to suffer through food you dislike.
Even if you need a specific nutrient, you can always find more than one food that contains it. So please—never eat food you dislike just because “it’s healthy.”
I strongly encourage you to keep exploring new recipes and food options until you find the ones you love most (and that love you back!).
Rule no. 10: When you eat out
When you know you will be eating out and no healthy food will be available, eat something at home before you go (even just a little). When you feel full—or even half full—you have more control over what you order and how much you eat.
I know for some of you, eating out is a chance to indulge, but remember: there are always consequences!
A small tip: when you order a salad, always ask for the dressing on the side. Salad is usually the healthiest choice, but dressings often contain unbelievable amounts of oil (and not the best kind). When you get it on the side, you can control how much you add—I usually add half, and it’s more than enough.
Rule no. 11: Let your insulin levels drop between meals
Leave about 3 hours between meals. This allows your insulin levels to lower before rising again with the next meal. It has been proven that keeping insulin levels high most of the day (by snacking between meals) leads to unnecessary weight gain.
Also, start eating only 4 hours after you wake up (coffee included, if it contains milk or sweetener, as they spike insulin) and stop eating at least 4 hours before bedtime.