The view from my desk today is beautiful. Icicles are hanging from the overhang that covers my deck, there is still some snow clinging to the bare trees, and the sun is out, making it all look shiny. Lovely. Good work, Father.
I've been reading a book called Intuitive Eating. The premise is to get out of the diet mentality and feed yourself, not just eat. Food is apparently not the enemy! Meal time is not supposed to be a war between it and us. Hummm. Interesting idea.
The two authors are nutritionists, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. They make a lot of sense. They say that years and years of habitual dieting can cause us to distrust ourselves where food is concerned. For some of us, that distrust can lead to a general feeling of "loser-ness" and a sense that we can't control anything about ourselves or our lives. Not a fun place to be. This can lead to rebellion, which can lead to more eating. Hummm. I can identify with that.
I like their approach. I think it makes sense. Food should be a pleasure. They talk about enjoying each bite and only eating what you REALLY want (not what you think you should have). Then, you won't eat as much because you will be satisfied emotionally and physically. When you eat what you "should" eat you tend to feel unsatisfied and deprived, and will probably pig out later on what you were really hungry for. Might as well eat what you wanted in the first place and save time (and calories).
How are you supposed to know what you really want to eat? I have so many "forbidden" foods on my mental list now, I don't know what I actually like anymore!
At this point in my life, I'm pretty tired of dieting. I feel like I can't win the war, so what the heck? Surrender to middle-aged fatness. It's okay, really. I don't mind looking like a frumpy, boring old lady. Really.
But Tribole and Resch say I can eat whatever foods I really want, be satisfied, and may lose weight naturally. I'm supposed to focus on the eating, not the avoidance thereof. Well, that sounds kind of fun. It flys in the face of what I tell myself about food every day "you can't eat that, you shouldn't have this...". Kind of scary to consider dietary freedom...
It's definitely more appealing than yet another freakin diet and all those stupid rules. I have way too many diet rules banging around in my head as it is after all these years. And like I said, I'm a rebel. If I'm going to eat, I might as well like it!
Meanwhile, I'll keep reading.
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