As a chef whose face is all over Food Network—he's starred in 80-plus episodes of Iron Chef, along with hosting Next Food Network Star, Beat Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction—Bobby Flay is asked one question all. The. Time: How are you constantly surrounded by food and still stay in shape?
"Obviously, working out is a big part of that, but so is eating correctly, and eating well," says the star. "I've been lucky enough to be able to do that for most of my life."
At this point, he's figured out what works for him to such a degree that he can rattle it off in bullet points (which he did, just moments before taking the stage to lead a panel discussion about ending food deserts, as part of Naked Juice's #DrinkGoodDoGood campaign).
It all comes down to doing three things every single day.
Rule No. 1: Choose "Most" Over "All."
"When I go to dinner or lunch somewhere, I eat three-quarters of what's on my plate, as opposed to everything," he says.
Rule No. 2: Ask This Question After the First Bite.
Do I genuinely like this? "If it doesn't taste good, I don't eat it," Flay says. "That sounds like a simple thing, but that's not the case for most people. We just eat no matter what."
Rule No. 3: Cut Yourself Off.
Flay also pays attention to when he eats each meal, especially come dinnertime. As the owner of 19 restaurants, Flay's used to working late nights, which means his last meal of the day often occurs while most places are still running Early Bird specials. "I try to eat dinner before I go in to work, so I'm not hungry after work and going out to eat at midnight," he says. "I think that's really important, though I don't always do it."
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