One book is called Eating Mindfully by Dr. Susan Albers. It was recommended to me by a nutritionist. Honestly, if you like reading stereo instructions, you will LOVE this book. Dr. Albers takes Buddah's discourse on the four stages of mindfulness and applies them to food. When we eat we should be mindful of our mind (isn't THAT redundant), mindful of our thoughts, mindful of our body and mindful of our emotions. Basically, it's striving to be aware of when and why you are eating. Are you eating without thinking? Eating only when scared? Judging your eating habits and or others? On and on it goes...with self-help exercises to go along with it.
If you didn't have an eating disorder before reading this book, there's a good chance you might after reading it. Phew. I felt totally incompetent and unprepared to do anything when I finished. I also found myself arguing against the logic that it's all on me. I know that I'm not perfect. If I put that much emphasis on myself, I know I would be doomed to fail.
Another book that says basically the same thing, but with a positive spin is French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. Mireille suggests that we fall in love with our food and only accept the best quality. She also suggests that you slow down and enjoy your food. Don't read or watch TV while eating...make every bite like it may be your last. She also recommends lots of water and walking for exercise. Of course, she also suggests eating nothing but leek soup one week-end a month, but what can I say, she's French.
My friend Monica was telling me about a time that she and her husband were in a car accident in Europe. They were taken to a hospital in Paris where everyone spoke English. Monica spent about 10 days recovering in the hospital, during which time she ate only hospital food. Now this hospital had a gourmet restaurant in it...so good that people off the street would come in and eat. Monica was having wine with meals, rich food, and the good stuff -- butter. She complained to her doctor that they were going to have to roll her out of the hospital. No, no no -- he said. When you prepare your food with natural ingredients, you will be fine. It's when you start adding in all of the pre-packaged foodstuff that things don't go so well. A nurse went on to explain that because of a chain of events, most French families now had both parents working. Because there isn't as much time to prepare food, the French are turning to pre-packaged meals and take-out. Result? Their obesity level is rising. Hmmmm...
I can't help thinking back to Daniel and what a role-model he is. No, not in the lion's den, but clear back in chapter one:
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Daniel 1:8-16
2 comments:
Good food for thought- get it? yuk yuk yuk
I lately have been trying to eat only after I have had hunger pangs. If I am just bored, or down, I try to find something else to do than eat. It sounds simplistic, but I think it will help me stay consistent.
Exercise is a key- I don't believe there is such a thing as weight management without it.
I loved Eating Mindfully. It helped me more than any other book I've ever read. If you have an eating problem, you can tell when someone understands how hard it is. The author of this book really got it.
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