Raw food has been teaching me many small lessons, about myself and life, since day one. Now, at 2 months in, I am currently learning about my overeating issue, gratitude, and fulfillment. One large adjustment I believe many of us have to make when converting to a raw food diet, even if only temporarily, is the acceptance that the physical "full" feeling is no longer an acceptable indicator of when to stop and start eating. On a raw food diet it is very hard to achieve the full feeling and even harder to sustain it. I find myself continuing my cooked food habits of snacking when bored and overeating to try to maintain a full feeling.
The lesson I believe I am being given is one of patience, acceptance, and gratitude. The patience and willpower to SLOW DOWN and visually savor my food before eating, take smaller bites and chew every bite to taste my food and begin the digestion process in my mouth; contrary to popular belief you don't digest food when it is lodged in your esophagus because you swallowed it whole and it's stuck. The acceptance that food is fuel, and while I cherish it and obsess about it, and think about it when I am not involved with it, it is supposed to serve a specific purpose- to nourish my body. To accept that I have had enough. To accept that I may not feel stuffed but I have been adequately nourished. The gratitude and thanks for the bounty I have and the gift that living food is.
It is a process for me. I have been trying very hard to be more conscious of my meal time habits. Trying to take smaller bites, chew them well, and not go back for more, or snack just because I don't feel painfully full. It is hard for me. I am a comfort food junkie and I seek emotional fulfillment from my food. I think the lessons I am learning now may be the first steps of internally addressing that issue.
I am not really ready to think about it now, that part seems very overwhelming, so I am going to start with the enjoyment and pleasure of what I have, and take it from there.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
It's like you friggin' read my mind or something. I have been overeating a lot lately and I have really come to the conclusion that mindfullness and gratitude should be part of eating for me. This might mean that I have to give up snacking all together and spend a lot of time alone with my 3 squares a day, just savoring the gift and trying to feel when my body is adequately nourished. I really want raw food to be part of my spiritual journey. I'm trying to meditate more and break the cycle of overeating and guilt. It's been rough for me lately. I don't know if you've read A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle or not but he talkes about "The Pain Body" the part of you that actually likes to be miserable and that it's very resistant to change.
Finding balance is hard work
*Shalee (Self-help book queen)
I hear ya on this one! I love to snack, love to graze really but also have the tendency to eat too fast and then overeat in the process. Part of it is because I love food so much! I try to slow down or be mindful of what I'm putting in my mouth. Easier said than done though. I'd like to work on this more too.
Post a Comment