You've likely heard the drill: eat well during the week and then eat what you want on the weekend. If you really stick to it, this is a rather good method. If you are eating well during the week, chances are you can't do too much damage. And if the incentive of eating that kind of food on the weekend keeps you eating well during the week, great if that works for you.
Weekend food is only one variation of finding the Balance of Food. The New York Times food writer Mark Bittman eats a vegan diet before 6 pm and then anything after that time. Bittman doesn't go off the deep end by any stretch, and he has been doing this method for 6 years.
The concept works as long as you keep to the rhythm. But what happens when the rhythm changes?
Indulging on the weekend can be a great reward after a long, frustrating work week. But sometimes rewards come sooner because you're tired or sad or depressed. Indulging on the weekend loses the point if you are indulging during the week, too.
In fact, the weekend offers up opportunities to do more cooking, whether that be for the weekend or meals during the week. Making a stew or a sauce or chopping up vegetables is a great way to spend some of your weekend. By cooking ahead, you can reduce some of that temptation.
But the weekend is part of why I started this Temptation of the Week feature. The first feature ran May 20, 2011 so we are on the 2-year anniversary. In explaining the segment, I noted that "Many people are eating well during the week, but having a more relaxed approach on the weekend. So we are giving them some creative ideas as a reward for doing well."
Well, the segment has evolved in the last two years. But the idea still remains of getting you to think about temptation, good and bad. The segment runs on a Friday so you have time to contemplate how to use the latest Temptation of the Week.
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