Makes Sense To Me

I have been reading “WOMEN FOOD AND GOD” by Geneen Roth.   I first heard about this book when the author was interviewed by Oprah. The following paragraph from that book is something each and every one of us that struggles with weight or any other obsession needs to read.  Here it is:

“The bottom line, whether you weigh 340 pounds or 150 pounds, is that when you eat when you are not hungry, you are using food as a drug, grappling with boredom or illness or loss or grief or emptiness or loneliness or rejection.  Food is only  the middleman, the means to the end.  Of altering your emotions.  Of making yourself numb.  Of creating a secondary problem when the original problem becomes too uncomfortable.  Of dying slowly rather than coming to terms with your messy, magnificent and very, very short—even at a hundred years old—life.  The means to these ends happens to be food, but it could be alcohol, it could be work, it could be sex, it could be cocaine.  Surfing the Internet.  Talking on the phone.”

That is so profound I have spent all day thinking about it….I do a lot of eating when I am not hungry especially at night.  Wow what a concept ONLY EAT WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY or at the very least, to be honest enough with myself to pinpoint the real reason I am  stuffing cookies I don’t even like in my mouth as fast as I can without choking.  This is something I will be working on A LOT.

What I Noticed Week Ending 4/4/10

Another week down the tubes.  Here is what I saw this week that caught my interest.

1,  I get a newsletter from Oprah and it had a link to an article by trainer Andrea Metcalf about burning more calories while walking.  Some of the suggestions are heel walking, side walking, crossover or grapevine walking, and waist whittler walking.  A description of these techniques can be found on Oprah's website. 

2.  Lynn at http://www.escapefromobesity/ wrote  a review of "Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life" by Thich Nhat Hahn and Dr. Lilian Cheuong.  This interested me because I have been trying to be more mindful as I eat.  Paying attention makes me fill up faster.

3.  Another book recommended by Oprah.  "Women, Food, and God" by Geneen Roth.  There is an excerpt of the book is in the April issue of Oprah's magazine.  I will be reading that during my trip to the library this week.

I can, I will!!

Random Thoughts W/E 3-7-10

OK so this week, I'm not sure if I noticed things, or just had random thoughts.  Here goes.

While out walking, I noticed muscles in my ab area, not really sure what they are called - I need to look up muscle names.  As I feel them, I want to visualize them.  Precisely which ones have escaped the bonds of blubber and are finally doing their intended job?  It is so cool!  It's like removing layers....now I can't wait until the next layer goes away!!

I noticed that several bloggers list the nutrients values  of  foods, for example, walnuts have omega 3 oil.
Is it important to you to know this?  If someone like Dr. Oz endorses the addition of, say walnuts , to your diet would that be enough information for you to include them?  Would knowing the specific nutritional information be important to you or is it just enough to just know something is good for you? 

One result of exercising consistently and regularly is a different physical carriage, I am a lot more aware  of my posture.  Oprah referred to this effect as one's "strut".  I would add more self confidence to the list of benefits as well.

That is what I noticed this week.

I can, I will!!