01 09 10 Tweet Dietitians Eat Chocolate Too: "Food is not an anti-depressant."--Michael Pollan

Thursday, November 3, 2011

"Food is not an anti-depressant."--Michael Pollan

Well, I'm on the mend.  I never thought that the 1.5 hours I saved by NOT working out and napping/rehabilitating the hamstring would be so productive.  I'm still reading The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, MD.


The Amazon.com review:
 "The Road Less Traveled... helps us learn how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become a more sensitive parent; and ultimately how to become one's own true self.
Recognizing that, as in the famous opening line of his book, "Life is difficult" and that the journey to spiritual growth is a long one, Dr. Peck never bullies his readers, but rather guides them gently through the hard and often painful process of change toward a higher level of self-understanding."


I wasn't sure how to explain it's impact on our relationship to food but here it goes.  We use food maliciously.  We're lazy.  We use food as a source of entertainment, relief from boredom, and as a break from our problems.


I find frustration with clients at times when people just say "I don't want to deny myself but if I work out I can still have results?"  What is the real reason we overeat?  Many weight problems (overweight and underweight) stem from events in life that we cope with instead of accepting the problem.  We're a society that brushes issues under the rug.  They're still there but we can cover it up.


Why are we unable to deny ourselves?  When I was 12 and lost 60 pounds (via the NordicTrack and the desire to be a Spice Girl), I never craved or wanted junk food.  I had a goal and I achieved it...then the Spice Girls broke up and I could never be the 6th member.  Son of a...


We can live in denial and we can always buy bigger pants but at some point we're going to have to take our clothes off to shower and look at what we've 'swept under the rug' which settles around our midsection.


You will not die if you eat a salad {repeat until you believe this}.  You are not selling out on your Southern roots, ethnicity, race, or gender by eating healthy.  I still like you because you're reading my blog.

We don't deserve anything, there is no easy button.  We have to work for it.Life is difficult.  But we can be organized, we can accept life's circumstances and face our problems. 


Every morning holds a sunrise for the start of a new day and a new you.


Now, watch some Beavis and Butt-head I've been deep enough.