When it comes down to controlling your diet there are only 3 aspects that you need to consider:
– What you eat.
– How much you eat.
– When you eat.
There are countless theories on how you should supposedly fulfill each of these, but most of them are not at all important. That said, the more you gain control of those three aspects, the more you can gain the benefits of a healthy diet.
– Satisfaction and fulfillment.
– High energy.
– Appropriate caloric intake for your goals.
– Enjoyment of what you eat.
There is one over all strategy that places you in control of all three aspects of dietary control so you can reap the most benefit of a healthy diet. That strategy is simply to prepare your own food.
I used to travel a lot and eat on the road on a daily basis. I never knew when I would come across a place to stop and grab a bite. Sometimes I would find myself in the back woods of Vermont, miles away from the nearest gas station or mom and pop shop. As a result, I would often go long periods of time hungry and low on energy. When I eventually did find a place to get something to eat, I was at the mercy of their menu. Some places had nothing but beef jerky or hamburgers that were under heat lamps. Other places made things far too big or too small for my tastes.
When you rely on others to make your food you throw all three aspects of a healthy diet to chance. But when you prepare your own food you gain 100% control over what you eat, when you eat and how much you eat.
In addition to greater control, you also save a lot of lifestyle resources as well. Preparing your own food saves you time, money and the effort of making food choices every day. You don’t have to figure out what to eat on a menu or decide if you want to “be good” or indulge in a craving. Your food is all ready set and thus so are your choices for the day.
Lastly, the better you get at making your favorite foods, the more you will enjoy your own cooking over that at a restaurant. You’ll be able to dial in your food to your own tastes and preferences.
So in the end, preparing your own food gives you more control, saves you resources and has more potential to satisfy your desires.
It’s a win-win-win!
