Time Management 124 - Eat Healthy and Wise with the 3333 Method

Hello everyone, this is Helen Huang @ Organizing, based in Beijing, China. In order to better learn and practice the YiXiaoNeng Time Management System, after finished publishing 100 Chinese articles, I decided to continue writing and publishing a daily English article in another 100 days based on the "YeWuBin Time Management 100 Episodes" audio program. Today is the 124th day.

Today's topic is: The 3333 method of Healthy Eating

You all already know that the basis of time management is energy management. And you know that the basis of energy management is managing one's cadence and rhythm.

After we mastered the habits of sleeping well and then have been exercising, we can then focus on the next piece - eating!

In today's society, most poor health is due to two things: lack of exercise, and eating the wrong things! We all learned about the healthy food pyramid, but few people successfully follow it. And this is a problem - a habit problem. Therefore, today we will talk about the kind of diet we need to maintain our energy levels.

What does it mean to have a healthy diet?

There are four criteria:

1. Eat enough protein

2. Control your blood sugar level

3. Control your hunger

4. Don't eat too much at each meal

How specifically do we achieve each of these four core principles of healthy eating: protein, blood sugar level, hunger, and eat the right quantity of each meal? Here is what I recommend:

First, pay attention to the quantity and quality of foods you eat at each meal. Eat healthy in the morning, eat fully at noon and eat little at night. Healthy in the morning, fully at noon and little at night.

If this order is reversed, and you eat more at night like most people do, then the quality of your sleep will be poor;

If you do not eat properly in the morning, you will not be able to work efficiently, because your blood sugar will be depleted by noon.  80% of the glucose or blood sugar in our bodies must be supplied to the brain. Therefore, if you do not eat well in the morning and you experience hypoglycemia which's low blood sugar, then your brain won't operate well. So, its very important to maintain a healthy balance of blood sugar!

It's very important for a healthy diet to eat the right kinds and quantities of food at the right time.

Second, pay attention to the type of food you eat.

We eat three meals a day, and I recommend you to divide every meal into four parts.

The four parts are: energy grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, meat protein and non-meat protein. That's: energy grains, colorful fruits and vegetables, meat protein and non-meat protein.

Most people today eat refined or white rice and flour every day, but eat little grain. Refined rice and flour are processed by the body very quickly and release glucose immediately, which leads to a spike of glucose followed by a sharp decline in our blood sugar levels. Coarse grains, on the other hand, are more difficult to digest and therefore are digested much more slowly providing a continuous and steady stream of glucose over a period of time. Therefore, eating unrefined and coarse grains will supply glucose to us through the afternoon and well into the night.

A second concept to focus on is how much we eat and how many fruits and vegetables we should eat. The proper balance of fruits and vegetables gives us vitamins and minerals we need to boost energy levels.

At the same time, we have to eat enough proteins.  We can get this from milk and beans. Now many of us try to eat additional protein from meat which contains a lot of fat, so I recommend get that protein from other sources than meat if possible.

Three meals a day.  4 parts to every meal: protein, blood sugar, hunger, quantity.

My father's blood sugar was high.  I helped him control his blood sugar by teaching him how to change his diet. You can do it too.

I have asked traditional Chinese doctors as well as western doctors. And both believe in this diet: Three meals a day, four parts per meal. But how much of each part should we have?  I will tell you.

1. A fistful of energy grain;

2. A fistful of colorful fruits and vegetables;

3. A fistful of non-meat proteins;

4. And only a small palm sized amount of meat, keep meat to a minimum.

Now let me talk to you about the powerful 3333 method: Each meal should include the four parts – grain, fruits and vegetables, non-meat proteins like nuts and beans and a small amount of meat proteins.  Think of the 4 digits in 3333 as each of these portions in one meal.

Now think that each of these portions can be one of several different kinds of foods and that can be cooked in different ways. The three different ways we can think of the foods and how they are cooked… think of them like a traffic light:

1. Red light cooking is high in oil, salt, sugar and calories. Red means stop – stop eating this way.

2. Yellow light is slightly higher oil sugar and salt, just slightly, just enough. Eat cautiously, and modulation.

3. Green light is fresh, natural and original foods, the way they are found in nature without extra ingredients. It is recommended we eat every day.

Minimize the use of fried, stir-fried and other oil-based cooking methods, and I recommend you to use the cooking method of green light foods.

Many have protested the green light foods methodology.  They say that these foods are not delicious! Indeed, I must admit, it may not be as delicious, but in order to stay healthy and live a few more years, it is recommended that you gradually get used to the light, natural unaltered flavor of fresh food.

Do you understand the 3333 method?  Once again,4 portions for each meal, and each portion of the meal has three possible levels of healthiness: red, yellow and green.  The goal is 4 portions with each as green as possible.

A healthy diet focuses first on healthy food for the body, followed by good taste for the mouth. Make sure healthy first. Of course, if you can do both that would be great, wouldn't it?

Over the past few years, I have visited Chongqing to teach almost a dozen classes. And each time I was invited to eat their famous hot pot, but every time I silently smiled and sadly refused, because I want to insist on the healthy diet habit of 3333 and maintain the right balance of foods for my body and mind. Over these past few years, I have only eaten hot pot at one time as a guest with my friends.  My perspective is that hot pot is delicious, but in order to remain healthy and have more exuberant level of energy, I still insist on the dietary principle of 3333.

3333 every day, and keep your diet balanced and healthy. Eat well in the morning, eat fully at noon, and eat little at night. Maximize green light cooking, and try to use fresh and natural ingredients. Does the 3333 diet structure make sense to you?

That's all for the class today. Thank you being with me together. Have a wonderful day!

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