When I left the US in 2018, I wasn’t trying to lose weight. I simply wanted to feel better in my body.
After over 15 years of working in education, I felt undervalued, overworked, and mentally and physically exhausted. It didn’t help that I relied on fast foods, late-night snacks, and meals that left me full but never nourished.
Living abroad — first in Thailand, then in 10 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America — drastically changed my eating habits. I lost 60 pounds the first year, with the support of an herbalist and other professionals, and have since shed an additional 40 pounds.
My time in Rwanda, specifically, left a lasting mark. Shortly after moving there, I adopted the habit that still keeps me from having too many highly processed foods: I ate one salad almost every day.
To be clear, this isn’t specific to or necessarily even common in Rwandan culture. However, when I was living there, I had an easy time getting my hands on a wide variety of vegetables and cooking at home.
I found that my favorite dishes — boiled beans, steamed green bananas, sautéed greens, and roasted meat — highlighted foods’ natural flavors without masking them with a ton of sauces and spices.
The salads have protein, fiber, healthy fats, and carbs, making them a satisfying meal
My salads are large, hearty bowls packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, and grains. They’re typically my biggest meal of the day, and I feel genuinely satisfied after eating them.
Each salad typically includes the following:
- Leafy greens, such as arugula or kale
- Roasted vegetables
- Quinoa or brown rice
- Chickpeas, lentils, or grilled chicken
- Nuts, seeds, or avocado
- Extra-virgin olive oil mixed with fresh citrus juice
- Herbs and spices
I usually eat the salad as a late lunch or early dinner. Sometimes, I’ll even have it in the morning. Because I don’t follow a set eating schedule, it just depends on when I’m hungry.
I feel less inclined to reach for ultra-processed foods after eating a salad
Once I started eating a large salad each day, I wasn’t nearly as drawn to ultra-processed foods. Instead of constantly feeling hungry or grazing on snacks throughout the day, I was full and energized.
As Gabby Zeagler, a registered dietitian, explained to me, meals with fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats “check multiple satiety boxes at once,” making it less tempting to reach for ultra-processed snacks.
According to Zeagler, fiber-rich vegetables and grains help create volume in the stomach, which signals fullness to the brain, and protein reduces hunger pangs after meals.
She said that adding healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, or avocado can slow digestion even further, extending feelings of fullness and stabilizing blood-sugar levels.
“Since it’s more stable, that often means fewer energy crashes and less rebound hunger,” she said. “Front-loading with a nutrient-dense meal can help reduce decision fatigue and may help reduce grazing because you’ve already hit key nutrients like protein, fiber, and other micronutrients.”
Although this habit works for me, Zeagler said that a large daily salad isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” meal, explaining that it might not be ideal for people with digestive conditions, reflux, or higher energy needs.
It’s worth consulting a professional if you plan to make any drastic changes to your diet.
I adapt the recipe based on my surroundings
One reason I’ve been able to stick to this habit for years is that I keep it simple. I just build my salads around available ingredients that I genuinely enjoy.
I currently live in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and have brought my salad-eating habit with me. Because fresh produce spoils quickly here (even when I refrigerate it), I’ve made a habit of going to the local markets and grocery stores every other day.
I like to batch-prep certain cooked items like grains, beans, squash, and marinated chicken so I can quickly throw together a bowl when I’m hungry.
Zeagler said having simple food rituals makes healthy choices more manageable. “When you already know what your default meal is going to be, you remove a lot of small decisions that can lead to impulsive choices when you’re stressed or hungry,” she said.
The key is to make sure the salad is substantial enough to fill me up. If I’m only eating lettuce, I’m likely to be hungry again in an hour.
The salad-eating habit has improved my overall relationship with food
Eating hearty salads daily has helped me maintain my weight loss, whether I’m in Rwanda or Mexico. More importantly, it’s changed my relationship with food.
Instead of obsessing over my caloric intake or following strict rules, I focus on building nourishing, well-rounded meals. It’s made healthy eating feel sustainable rather than restrictive.
All in all, I’ve found my salad-eating habit to be simple, easy to repeat, and effective. Years after I initially lost the weight, it’s still the easiest way I know to stay on track without feeling deprived.
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