In one of my articles, I mentioned about intuitive eating. This is definitely a model that I am striving for and that I would like my children to live by.
So how does it look like in the practice? We remain flexible all day when it comes to meal times and amounts. However, it is different with children than with me. Children are not as "broken" as adults :) The child knows faster what he needs and when to stop. I, on the other hand, must break through the maze of programs and signals of my mind's needs before I can get to the real information. But I must admit that as you work on yourself it gets better and easier. At the beginning I would like to emphasize that I am against sticking to strict rules, but I have rules. What are the rules?
I (and my husband is trying to follow it as well):
- after standing up: pulling coconut oil
- light meditation / visualization
- brushing teeth :)
- exercise + warm/cold shower
- dry fast for at least 12 hours (usually between 16 hours - 18 hours)
- if I drink juice, I start my day with it
- if I drink a green smoothie, I drink it after the juice
- if I eat fruit I eat it after the juice or if I drink a smoothie after the smoothie
- I take a 30 minute break between the above meals
- meals as mono as possible
- if I eat a thermally processed meal, I eat it as last. I try to stick to the rule here that 60% of the food is raw (salad, etc.) and only 40% processed.
- I usually start eating between 12-14 and finish between 16:00-18:00 (19:00 maximum)
- I go to bed between 22.00-23.00 (usually I try to be in bed around 22.00)
- before every meal we thank for the food (it has nothing to do with any religion)
Children:
- after standing up: sometimes pulling coconut oil
- light meditation / visualization
- brushing teeth
- if they drink juice, they start their day with it
- if they drink a green smoothie, they drink it after the juice
- if they eat fruit they eat it after the juice, or if they drink a smoothie after the smoothie
- they keep a 30-minute break between the above meals
- meals as mono as possible (mainly they mix more then one fruit but they stay within the right fruit group)
- if they eat a thermally processed meal, they eat it last. I try to follow the rule here that 60% of the food is raw (salad, etc.) and only 40% processed.
- during the week, when children go to school / kindergarten, they have a breakfast box full of fruit (fresh and dried). At home, they don't eat anything before going out, because they don't want to. Sometimes they take freshly squized juice. They start when they want to. They eat green smoothie at home after the classes. As well at the weekend the children decide themselves when they want to start eating and choose what fruit or juice appeals to them.
- I close the kitchen at 19.00. I make sure that the children eat their last meal before 19.00.
- sleep: between 20-21.30 (depends on the day)
- before every meal they thank for the food (not related to any religion)
What else?
- we are vegan
- we eat mostly raw
- we eat a lot of fruit
- we don't eat gluten, sugar
- we do not mix food groups (with small exceptions from time to time), i.e. we do not eat nuts or avocados with fruit or groats (fat plus sugar / carbohydrates)
- we do one-day fasts (kids don't)
- we do enemas (no children)
- if we eat processed meals, we prepare them ourselves at home (with some exceptions)
- we eat sauerkraut, sauer cucumbers or other sauer vegetables only when eating thermally processed foods, usually not more then twice a month
In conclusion: the rules for eating during the day are very similar for us and for our children. I give my children the freedom. As for me, I try to be more careful not to eat too often. I try to keep a rule to eat about 2-3 meals a day. Rarely I eat one, but that is my goal I am aiming for. It may of course be changing, depending on the course of the day. During a few-day trips, holidays or other similar circumstances, this arrangement (2-3 meals a day) may change. I remain flexible, not to limit myself and not to blame myself for not following the rules. All in common sense and in balance.
If you are interested in what exactly I ate on a given day check out my entries on Instagram.