One day according to the method: from waking up to sleep
The method is easier to understand through one day than through ten rules. Below is an ordinary weekday following Анастасии’s method, from waking up to bedtime: what time the first meal is, what’s on the plate, where the workout fits in, what to drink between meals, and what the evening looks like. There’s nothing heroic about it—and that’s the point.
Wake-up, water with salt, coffee
A glass of water with a pinch of salt, coffee with cream. No food — the window is still closed, and it feels like an ordinary morning, not hunger.
Movement
A walk, stretching, or a short 20-30-minute workout at home. On an empty stomach — fine for light and moderate activity.
First meal
150 g salad with oil and vinegar, 2-3 eggs with bacon, half an avocado. The heartiest plate of the day.
Lunch
Chicken drumsticks or 150 g fish, cauliflower purée with oil, vegetables. Between meals — water, tea, nothing else.
Dinner
Steak or 150 g fatty fish, stewed zucchini, 150 g salad, sauerkraut, a spoonful of sour cream. The window closes.
Evening
Water, herbal tea. No coffee. Dim the screen an hour before bed. Lights out at 23:00 — dinner was five hours earlier, so the night will pass smoothly.
Morning: why the day doesn’t start with food
In this method, the basic routine is three meals within an 8-10-hour window: 10:00, 13:00, 18:00. The morning before the first meal is part of the 14-16-hour overnight break, and you don’t need to force yourself to endure it: water with a pinch of salt relieves sluggishness, while coffee with cream buys you another two hours. Why coffee with cream rather than milk, and what else you can drink while the window is closed, is explained in the article what you can drink during the break.
If going without food in the morning feels difficult during the first few days, it’s a habit, not a need: hunger comes in a wave at your former breakfast time and goes away after 20-30 minutes. After 3-5 days, the waves shift to 10:00. If you want a gentler approach, start with breakfast at 8:00 and shift it by one hour at a time; a three-week plan is available in the article how to start intermittent fasting.
First meal: the most substantial plate of the day
One rule applies to all meals: half the plate is vegetables and greens, a quarter is protein, and a quarter is fats. In the morning, this means a salad with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, 2-3 eggs with bacon or cheese, and half an avocado. Such a plate keeps you satisfied for four-five hours without thinking about food, because it contains nothing that sharply raises blood sugar.
The order also matters: salad first, then protein with fats. This way, the vegetables fill the volume, and satiety arrives on time. The rule itself and its frequent violations are discussed in the article plate rule; first-meal options are covered in low-carb breakfast.
3
meals
0
snacks
300 g
green salad per day
20-45 min
movement
Between meals: what this day does not include
There are no snacks. Not because they are "forbidden," but because there is no need: a substantial plate with fats and protein leaves no room for hunger until the next meal. If hunger comes two hours after eating, the plate was too light, and you need to add to it, not eat between meals. How to stop snacking and not give in — a separate article.
There are also no sweets "with tea," juice, fruit, or bread "with lunch." Instead of sugar — erythritol and stevia, if really needed. The first three days without them are difficult, then the brain readjusts, and after two or three weeks the craving for sweets noticeably weakens — as confirmed by those who completed the first month on the method.
What we drink during the day
| When | What | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | water with a pinch of salt, coffee with cream | a glass of water, 1 cup of coffee |
| Before lunch | water, tea, salted mineral water | another 0,5-1 l |
| After lunch | water, tea; a second cup of coffee — until 15:00 | 2-2,5 l in total per day |
| Evening | water, herbal tea | no coffee or alcohol |
Drink 2-3 liters of water a day, add lemon and electrolytes. Salt — 3-5 g a day, approximately one teaspoon.
Workout: where it fits into the day
Movement is the third pillar of the method, and it does not require a gym: 20-45 minutes at home, three to four times a week. On a regular day, it is most convenient in the morning, before the first meal — light and moderate exercise on an empty stomach usually works well, and protein comes an hour or two later with the first meal. It is better to schedule heavy strength training during the day, between lunch and dinner.
How workouts fit into the method and why they are the “third pillar” rather than the main one is explained in the article movement in the method. What you can do on an empty stomach, what to do after eating, and how not to lose muscle — fasting and training.
Evening: a dinner that lasts until morning
Dinner at 18:00 is the last meal, and it should be substantial: fatty fish or steak, vegetables cooked in oil, salad, sauerkraut, a spoonful of sour cream. A light dinner of salad with chicken is an almost guaranteed trip to the refrigerator at eleven. Leave at least 2-3 hours before going to sleep, and preferably four to five.
After dinner, have water and herbal tea. Coffee after 15:00 worsens sleep depth even for those who “don’t feel it,” while a short sleep the next day raises the hunger hormone. Why this happens and how to arrange your evening if you go to bed late is explained in the article night hunger and sleep.
Window 9:00-17:00. First meal after the morning walk, dinner at 17:00 — the most substantial. Until bedtime at 22:00 — five hours, the night is uninterrupted.
Window 12:00-20:00, two meals: lunch at 12:00 and dinner at 19:30-20:00. Bedtime no earlier than 23:00. Larger portions — with two meals, 150-200 g of protein goes on the plate.
Dinner remains shared — only the plate changes: meat and vegetables for everyone, a grain side dish for those who do not follow the method. This is covered in the article “one kitchen, different plates”.
A missed lunch is not made up with snacks. Make dinner more substantial, and start the next day as usual. One disrupted day costs one day.
What’s unnecessary in this day—and isn’t included
- Breakfast “because you have to” at 7:00
- A snack at 11:00 and 16:00
- Juice, fruit, and something sweet with coffee
- A grain or potato side dish
- Coffee after 15:00 and food after dinner
- An hour-long “to exhaustion” workout — 20-45 minutes is enough
Frequently asked questions about a day using the method
Are three meals mandatory?
Three meals are more convenient for the first week or two. After that, many people manage with two — when the third meal is skipped without hunger. The transition is described in the article about two meals a day.
What should I do if I wake up hungry?
Water with salt and coffee. After 20 minutes, the hunger usually goes away — it is a wave following the old schedule. If it does not go away and you feel weak, open the eating window earlier, but have a substantial plate, not a snack.
Can I switch the lunch and dinner portions around?
Yes. The main thing is that the last meal before bed contains fat and protein; otherwise, you will be hungry during the night.
How much time does cooking take on such a day?
The first meal takes 10 minutes, and lunch and dinner take 20-30 each if the meat and vegetables are prepared two days in advance. More details are in the article “how much time the method takes”.
- Principles of the Method
- The Journey
- The Method in Real Life