Food for Thought...

Cover via AmazonI just got done reading Breaking Free from Emotional Eating by Geneen Roth (author of Women Food and God which I'm currently in the middle of now).

My brain has been racing with thoughts since reading it.  Not necessarily about the food aspect, but just a lot of really good points made and I thought I would share some of my favorite excerpts.

So many of my clients have expressed their struggles with eating and their relationship with food (as well as having my own struggles of course) that I just can't help but thinking about it. 

Here goes...

"We don't see the struggle of people we admire, the people we respect....We see them weel, sparkling, succeeding.   We can't look inside them.  But we are constantly looking inside ourselves, comparing our insides with their outsides.  And it's an unfair comparison."   

I was working with a client today and she made a comment about another lady that was very fit/super skinny working out next to us.  I continued our conversation by asking her if she liked reading, etc. and if she had heard of or read Women Food and God (since it's the "popular" book around right now) and she told me that she doesn't read nonfiction books, she has enough nonfiction in her life already.

"If you are looking with critical eyes, there is no such thing as an acceptable body.  Stop waiting for permission to like yourself.  No one can give it to you."  

Bam.  There it is.  Acceptance.  Such a simple word that we try to do everyday by accepting others, but how many people really are accepting themselves?  She goes on to challenge her readers to look in the mirror everyday and find three qualities that you love about your body.  I love this exercise, or maybe it's more of a challenge for some.  It's definitely a tough one that I will be challenging my clients to do in August.

And this last quote is still one that I'm personally digesting, but I still wanted to share it.
"When we get on a scale, we say, 'Tell me, machine, how I should feel about myself today.'  We've made the scale our symbol of authority, of worth, of truth.  If we've been "bad," there's no denying it because it shows up on the scale.  If we've been "good," getting on the scale will be its own reward.  The scale, like God, knows all.  A scale, however, is just a scale- a cold, lifeless piece of metal- until we give it its power."

I'm in the process of making a Fitness/Nutrition Wellness blog for all sizes, shapes, and ages.  Any suggestions, ideas of content you would like to see, or if it interests you, please let me know.

-J