From body for mind (by Dove and ainsley )

What a Simple Daily Eating Routine Can Do For Your Life
By: Dave Osh Dinner is an important meal in my home. It's practically the only time we're all together. When I don't travel (which happens too often), five times a week, we have a healthy meal, usually fresh vegetables, beans or lentils, eggs and a special dish which Ainsley converts to a high protein vegetarian version. I'm not vegetarian but I eat meat out and at home I respect the food preference of the family majority (not including our carnivore cat). But dinner is not about food. With a glass of red wine, we are all engaged in sociable conversation from the day at school, fitness, politics and news of my daily office excitement.
Ainsley is the best wine selector I know. She never fails to find reasonably priced great wines and we have a glass of wine every dinner. The good food, the wine and the conversation help me to switch from a long busy day into a relaxed family mode. Does it work perfectly 100% of the time? Absolutely not! There are days that I receive calls, arrive too late and miss dinner, or other fire-fighting. But I tend to forget these evenings and remember our great dinner ritual. So that's dinner. A pleasant mix of eating and communicating with no TV in the background or other interruptions. It's is my favorite treat. I wouldn't replace it with any luxurious expensive business dinner. It is one of our building blocks to forming a stronger, communicative, and bonded family cell. If you want to achieve such a goal as I do, make it your priority. Excitement rushes into my blood stream ½ an hour before I leave the office in expectation of our family dinner.On Saturdays, Ainsley and I have a "date". We usually have a drink in the local pub, hang out with friends, listen to live music, catch the latest movie, dance or whatever we feel like. We have no plans to ever stop "dating". We plan to be courting each other on our first, second, third anniversary and beyond. Sundays is back to family life: laid back and mostly eating out in the local restaurants. Sound boring? We never planned it to be a routine. It just happened. I guess when Ainsley reads this article, she will smile about sharing with you our simple but powerful eating routines. In addition to the importance of routine family, structured and scheduled meals for enhancing family bonding, it's the most effective way to control your diet, eat the right food and improve your family's health. I wonder how many parents will blame themselves when their kids are diagnosed with diabetes before reaching puberty. So enjoy the everlasting benefits of family meals. If you follow the basic, simple, eating habits I provide in my short book "Perpetual Wellbeing" or in my extensive "Anti-Aging Fitness Program", you will enjoy many years of health, happiness, love and success.
The rest of my eating routine is designed around my work schedule.It's very simple. Here's my routine:Meal One: 8:00 a.m., 5-6 fried eggs (2 yolks).beans and lentils. Coffee. Water. Meal Two: 11:00 a.m., protein shake, cottage cheese, or raw almonds, Water.Meal Three: 2:00 p.m., Salad with chicken or fish, water.Meal Four: 5:00 p.m., Protein shake, cottage cheese or raw almonds, waterMeal Five: 8:00 p.m., a well-balanced dinner of protein and vegetables.Meal Six: 11:00 p.m., I recommend it in my books but in reality does not exist when I'm being good. Once or twice a week I snack on something. When I do, I always regret it. If you need it, nuts will be your best snack. My favorite is a sugar-free 80% Cocoa Chocolate bar. Like my workout routine, my eating routine has been developed over time. It is designed to give me optimum energy throughout the day and provide me with the nutrients I need to lead a healthy life.Most of my current eating habits have been influenced by research that I've done on the subject. My approach to food is not difficult to understand: I believe that natural is better. You don't have to count calories or record fat grams to achieve your ideal weight and maintain optimal cardiovascular health. All you have to do is to eat the same ratio and quality of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. How are you going to do that? Get started by remembering these three easy principles: Principle #1: Eat protein at every meal.Principle #2: Limit carbohydrate to low Glycemic Index Principle #3: Eat natural fats.I have tried dozens of eating plans over the years. This one works best for me. I like being able to eat five times a day. I don't mind if each of those meals is small. Food is primarily fuel for me. I want to put the highest quality fuel I can into my body as often as I can. Of course, you don't have to eat exactly the same foods that I do. What you eat is a matter of personal choice. But to stay productive, energetic, and healthy, I recommend that you try for a similar balance of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and fiber.
When you're full of energy, your goals will be easier to tackle. And you'll enjoy achieving them even more when you're feeling healthy and strong.