Gourmets and gourmands worldwide fondly declare that they live to eat. What if I were to tell you that you should “eat to live” without compromising on the famous covenant of diehard foodies?

Food has everything to do with health and wellness. Do you know that the quality of your food has a dramatic impact on the quality of your life?

The idea of everyday food as everyday medicine dates back to 3,000 B.C. when Emperor Shennong introduced agriculture to the Chinese. Legend has it that he was a strong believer in the power of plants, and made tasty meals and teas from his harvest.

Here is a simple questionnaire designed to determine the true reason you eat: Are you eating because…

It’s 12 noon and it is time to have lunch?
You are hungry (which could be most of the time or not)?
You are bored?
You have a habit of snacking every two to three hours?
You are inside the cinema and you need to have a popcorn bag in front of you?
You are at home and in bed and it’s time to snack on something?
You have a craving?

Knowing why you eat has a positive influence on the way you think about food and, eventually, what you eat. It is a mindset one needs to establish.

One should be fed up (yes, pun intended) with buying new clothes each time you gain weight. You can put a stop to this immediately. You can only lose weight when you reach this turning point. When you do, it’s time to take charge. Let’s begin.

Be active

According to Dr. Gary Null, author of “Ultimate Anti-Aging Program,” you can easily lose weight if you are an Olympic athlete or the mother of a toddler.

To be active is the secret to losing weight.

The next tip is to control the portions of your meals. This doesn’t mean that you have to cut back on anything. It simply translates to not overeating.

Most people with weight problems do not know when to stop stuffing food into their mouths. Be honest with yourself—are you one of them?

The good news is that you can choose to lose weight without dieting. If you desire a slimmer body, just follow the basic guidelines.

Trim the fat—from any animal dish. Too much fat puts a burden on the liver. It also creates bloating.
Use non-oil cookware—one that cooks food by using the natural oil of the meat you are cooking. This is truly healthy cooking.
Go complex carbohydrates, not refined. Focus on grains, vegetables and fruits rather than white bread/pasta, cakes, candies.
Switch from three regular meals a day to six or seven. This means that you will eat the same amount of food but divided by more meals. The reason is that the body requires regular energy from regularly-timed meals. Therefore, starting today, stop starving yourself at breakfast and then overeating at dinner time. That would only lead to weight gain, not weight loss.
Try to alternate your red meat (beef) intake with white meat like pork (minus the fat). Introduce more fish and vegetables into your eating plan.
Start exercising. You can brisk walk, jog, dance— regularly. The key is regularity so that it becomes a habit.
Treat day—take note, it isn’t cheat but treat. Yes, you may have that slice of chocolate cake or a serving of halo-halo—but only after you have had a healthy meal.

This week’s affirmation: “My habits are healthy.”

Love and light!

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