1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to think flexitarian. You can set discipline 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: defaults for yourself and reserve the right to take a 5 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: freer approach when you decide to. When this is your 6 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: conscious choice. Different behaviors aren't about slipping or failing. They 7 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: are about recognizing that all or nothing isn't the only option. 8 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: So you may have heard the term flexitarian a person 9 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: who is mostly vegetarian but not strictly so. Being a 10 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: flexitarian might mean usually eating vegetarian, but eating turkey on 11 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: Thanksgiving or lobster well in Maine, or burgers at a cookout. 12 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: Or it could mean being a weekday vegetarian who eats 13 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: meat on Saturdays and Sundays. Or it could mean that 14 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 1: you don't actively buy meat or order it in restaurants, 15 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: but you eat it when it is served to you 16 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: at a friend's home. Vegetarianism becomes your default, but you 17 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: choose to deviate from it when you want to, either 18 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:32,400 Speaker 1: based on specific exceptions or based on your feelings at 19 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: the time. I am not trying to reduce my meat intake, 20 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: but I am trying to consume less dairy because it 21 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: causes me congestion. No more cream in my coffee. I 22 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: go for the non dairy ice cream, even at my 23 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: favorite ice cream parlor at the beach. But when my 24 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:55,800 Speaker 1: husband and I were at an amazing restaurant and they 25 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: had ice cream as the dessert on their prefixed menu, 26 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: I had a few bites. Was I congested the next day? Yes, 27 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: I was, but I decided it was worth it. It 28 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 1: is the flexitarian mindset. The flexitarian mindset works with other 29 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: choices too. You can be flexitarian with alcohol, which might 30 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: mean not drinking alcohol except champagne on New Year's Eve 31 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: and at weddings, and fine wine when it's offered to 32 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: you it's something celebratory. Or maybe it means no alcohol 33 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: and work nights, but you and your spouse have an 34 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: interesting cocktail on Saturdays. You could make dining at home 35 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: or packing a lunch the default and only go out 36 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 1: to eat when you have a reservation or a calendar invitation, 37 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: which means that you have planned ahead and get to 38 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: anticipate that meal out. Or you could dine at home 39 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,519 Speaker 1: and pack lunches during the week and dine out on weekends, 40 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: regardless of the sphere of life, when you think flexitary 41 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 1: and you set a disciplined default and grant yourself permission 42 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: to deviate from it at your discretion. Now, some folks 43 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: with strict views of habits may think that this is 44 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: really just about giving yourself excuses. And obviously, if you 45 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 1: are dealing with an addiction such that permission to have 46 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: one drink leads to having six drinks, that is an 47 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: entirely different matter. But if you are not facing such 48 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: a situation, being flexible really isn't about giving into cravings 49 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: or being weak willed, whatever that means. It is about 50 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: recognizing that you can get a lot of the benefits 51 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: of a habit without doing it absolutely all the time. 52 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: If your standard for yourself is that you only don't 53 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: eat meat except on special occasions, you will in fact 54 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: eat less meat. You are achieving the goal you are 55 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 1: aiming for, but you will also feel free to loosen 56 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: your guidelines when there is a good reason. You are 57 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: not denying yourself or your loved ones or creating an 58 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: awkward social situation. If you are concerned about that, you 59 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: are just setting defaults that nudge you toward a behavior 60 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: You want and leaving yourself a few wild cards for 61 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: freeer moments in the meantime. This is Laura. Thanks for listening, 62 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:53,159 Speaker 1: and here's to making the moves of our time. Hey everybody, 63 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 64 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 65 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast pod. 66 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 67 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 68 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled 69 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 70 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 71 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, 72 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 73 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.