Incorporating the Rice Diet Solution into a busy lifestyle requires a new set of references. The diet centers around meals that are low-protein, low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium, high in complex carbohydrates and low in calories, and it includes the idea of mindfulness or awareness when eating. The ability to read nutrition labels makes the diet a little easier to manage. Knowing the nutritional value of a food, its contents and foods to combine with it, requires learning some new skills and conducting some personal research and experimentation.
Read Labels
Label reading is essential with a diet plan that cuts so much fat, salt and sugar. Processed foods are full of all three. The Food and Drug Administration has information on label reading that outlines what the nutrition panel contains and how it can help the consumer. There is a sample label on the FDA website that clearly marks the different portions of the label and what they should be used for. Print a color copy of this sample label and carry it when shopping. Refer to it when reading labels and share it with others learning to read labels.
Shop Proteins
Knowing identify and combine proteins from sources other than dairy and animal products will help ease the transition to the rice diet. Make a two-column list; whole grains on the left and vegetables/legumes (peas and beans) on the right. Using a nutrition site like the USDA's Nutrient Database, note how much protein is in a cup of each food. Carry this when eating out, shopping or creating a meal menu. Don't memorize it, but use it as a reference. The information will assist in getting the most out of a meal.
Maintaining Mindfulness
A large part of using the rice diet is learning to incorporate mindfulness. Not everyone has an affinity for the same types of meditation--every mind is different. Finding the right one may seem daunting, so begin small. A simple, easy walk around the block is enough to separate a person from the noise of the television, radio or house mates. Making the effort to find a few pleasant areas to visit once a week works, too. Local rose gardens, hiking trails, ponds, lakes, parks or even the grounds of a local monastery or arts museum can be a mental and visual relief. A break can begin the shift to a larger piece of mindfulness.
Tags: sample label, when eating