When we say "diet", what are the first words that come to mind?
Perhaps you'll start thinking about "obligation", "effort", "weight loss", "sacrifice", ...
Rarely is this word associated with health, wellness, or pleasure, as it should be.
In this newsletter, we want to take a few minutes to ask (and answer) this question:
We have proof, and as you may have gathered from past newsletters, we want to share our experience as much as possible so you can find some interesting ideas to improve your and your family's wellbeing ;)
Alessandro and I plan our meals on Friday evening for the entire following week. This allows us to first and foremost build our healthy and balanced diet, always consisting of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, and fats (yes, even fats are important... the healthy ones, though). Having the whole week under control, we can immediately see if we are "eating the same things all the time", considering the foods that have a short shelf life and therefore have priority.
There's one thing, however, that we never plan on the Weekly Menu, but for us, it's a constant at dinner: a square of extra dark chocolate (85% Ale, 95% Silvia)!
It's a small pleasure that gives us great satisfaction because it concludes the meal, the day, and above all, it's a moment of relaxation to share together.
SuperQuark Moment: Dark chocolate, besides being delicious, is rich in beneficial compounds like flavonoids, antioxidants known for their anti-inflammatory properties and ability to improve heart health. Some studies suggest that moderate consumption of dark chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and even improve brain function.
When we eat chocolate, our body releases endorphins (pleasure hormones) that lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone).
Since we care about your wellbeing, we've collaborated with a future yoga and meditation teacher, our friend Adriana Malavasi, who has created a 10-minute meditative guide for you to help find your center.
So, how do we avoid overdoing it? As often happens, we ask ourselves this question: "what do we have control over?"
We had also talked about this in our first newsletter "How we survive Christmas" (if you missed it, you can catch up by clicking here).
The answer lies in "creating an environment" that helps us stick to our initial intentions.
So, here's our simple action that brings us great results:
when we finish dinner, Alessandro takes the chocolate bar, takes a square for each of us, and puts it away immediately. Then we sit down to enjoy it calmly together.
A simple and effective method! We had indeed noticed that if we left the entire bar on the table, it was much easier to eat more and then feel guilty about it.
Attention: we are not nutritionists, so do not take our diet as a "golden rule valid for everyone". We just want to share our approach to nutrition.
Perhaps you'll start thinking about "obligation", "effort", "weight loss", "sacrifice", ...
Rarely is this word associated with health, wellness, or pleasure, as it should be.
Can pleasure and health coexist?
As we see it, absolutely yes!We have proof, and as you may have gathered from past newsletters, we want to share our experience as much as possible so you can find some interesting ideas to improve your and your family's wellbeing ;)
Alessandro and I plan our meals on Friday evening for the entire following week. This allows us to first and foremost build our healthy and balanced diet, always consisting of carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, and fats (yes, even fats are important... the healthy ones, though). Having the whole week under control, we can immediately see if we are "eating the same things all the time", considering the foods that have a short shelf life and therefore have priority.
There's one thing, however, that we never plan on the Weekly Menu, but for us, it's a constant at dinner: a square of extra dark chocolate (85% Ale, 95% Silvia)!
It's a small pleasure that gives us great satisfaction because it concludes the meal, the day, and above all, it's a moment of relaxation to share together.
SuperQuark Moment: Dark chocolate, besides being delicious, is rich in beneficial compounds like flavonoids, antioxidants known for their anti-inflammatory properties and ability to improve heart health. Some studies suggest that moderate consumption of dark chocolate may reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, and even improve brain function.
When we eat chocolate, our body releases endorphins (pleasure hormones) that lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone).
Since we care about your wellbeing, we've collaborated with a future yoga and meditation teacher, our friend Adriana Malavasi, who has created a 10-minute meditative guide for you to help find your center.
The key is not to overdo it
Because our body reacts so positively, the risk is that we might eat more than intended.We had also talked about this in our first newsletter "How we survive Christmas" (if you missed it, you can catch up by clicking here).
The answer lies in "creating an environment" that helps us stick to our initial intentions.
So, here's our simple action that brings us great results:
when we finish dinner, Alessandro takes the chocolate bar, takes a square for each of us, and puts it away immediately. Then we sit down to enjoy it calmly together.
A simple and effective method! We had indeed noticed that if we left the entire bar on the table, it was much easier to eat more and then feel guilty about it.
The pleasure of small things
We have found the balance between health and pleasure in the small things and by creating variety in our meals to reduce monotony at the table.Attention: we are not nutritionists, so do not take our diet as a "golden rule valid for everyone". We just want to share our approach to nutrition.