Sunday, June 13, 2010

Intuitive Eating

Written May 30, 2010:

Dan and I recently took a trip to Tampa for a conference of his on Clearwater Beach.  We enjoyed our time together, but realized we probably don't need more than 24-48 hours of alone time before we're ready to be reunited with the little ones.  By the end of our five days we couldn't wait to see them.

I read a new book on our trip that was recommended by a friend called Women Food and God by Geneen Roth.  Roth is a leading voice in the anti-diet/ normal eating/ intuitive eating movement.  Adherents of this way of thinking claim that dieting (and the binging it inspires when the diet fails) leads to obesity and negative self-image.  She encourages people to stop dieting, to stop thinking of foods as "bad" or "good" and instead to learn to really listen to their body.  Feed your body when you are hungry, and stop eating when you are satisfied.  Eat what your body is craving.  Eat sitting down, pay attention to what you are eating, focus on the experience.

Roth's book deals a lot with emotional eating, eating that has nothing to do with the body's need for food.  I really recognized a lot of what she was talking about.

1 comment:

Suzanne said...

I have heard these kinds of ideas in the past. I think they are all good. My only hesitation is that I'm not certain it is possible to completely separate the emotions and our physical state. Sounds good in theory, but I doubt it possible in reality. Besides, I see a benefit to the warmth and fun associated with baking cookies and getting hot, melty chocolate chips all over my face or sharing a brownie mixing spoon. There's something to be said for the jovial family dinner that has nothing to do with only the body's needs.