I don’t want to live to eat. Not being underweight is important to me but the prospect of dedicating almost hours per day to preparing and eating food sounds more painful than the skinny-ness itself.
There has to be a better way.
This is a topic I’ll definitely be diving into in greater detail in the future, but here are some ideas I’ve been brainstorming so far that will allow you to eat to live rather than live to eat:
- Flex your creativity. Slip 1 tablespoon of olive oil onto your fried eggs as you’re cooking them and that’s basically another 100 calories added to your meal, and the amount could be added to pasta or even a protein shake. Think about how you can slip a few extra calories into each meal without making it more bulky and heavy hitting.
- Simplify, simplify, simplify. Go beyond your desire for muscles, strength and weight in general. Think about how complicated the rest of your life is and work on that. If you’re always in a rush regular big meals will seem like an exaggerated burden (not to mention the effects on your ability to recover from training). Read books like The Power of Less and The 4-Hour Workweek to gain control of your life and time.
- Mix it up. You don’t have to eat alone as you consume vast amounts of calories. Add some variety to meal times by having friends over or (gasp!) talking to your family. Throw in some TV or light reading and soon enough meal time is no longer a satisfaction-less void. Being at a fancy restaurant or in any unique location also adds in some much needed intrigue.
- Think snacks. Instead of having big meals regularly that can take up time and attention start preparing small snacks for consumption throughout the day and make them easily accessible. For example, take an apple or two with you to work, or have a bag of mixed nuts nearby when you’re sitting at a computer. Calories don’t need to be found in big meals. Beat the system by finding small snacks that pack a big punch and can be always on you for when you feel even slightly hungry.
- Ease the pressure. Does eating your required daily calories feel like too much of a burden? In a perfect world you’d be able to shoot for the stars and hit them, but in our ectomorphic world figuring out how to eat more is an ongoing process. Don’t be ashamed of starting small, choosing to not reach your calorie requirements in full but working your way towards them. Slowness isn’t weakness, it’s simplicity at its finest.
