Before, I used to eat the regular Filipino dish of rice (kanin) and whatever dish (ulam) is available.

Now I only eat whatever dish (ulam) is there, but this time no more rice. But I make sure that when we buy food, I get okra, eggplant, upo, green papaya, green leafy veggies, chicken, pork and fish. As to fruit, I buy apples. I also buy nuts — I go for wallnut, almond, peanut, and sunflower seeds. I eat these food to keep my stomach flat. And I only eat during my eating window.

An eating window is the time I allow myself to eat healthy food and nourish my body with the proper energy from food that I need to function well.

One of the benefits I get from this discovery (knowing what to eat and when to eat) is that I crave less for food, I no longer feel that sudden trembling (panginginig) whenever I feel hungry (gutom), and I have more energy now than before. And of course I have a flat stomach because I lost weight and that stubborn fat in my tummy.

I don’t have a meal plan that I follow. I just avoid rice, bread, pasta and other high carb and high sugar food like rice, pastries, cookies, bread, pasta, pizza, etc. — well, as often as I can. However, I allow myself to eat these food when I have to, para hindi naman ako magmukhang killjoy. This usually is when somebody in the family or in the office buy a treat for everyone.