The Zen temple my husband used to attend emphasizes the importance, during their retreats and training, of eating only until one is full. It's amazing how little food the body actually needs in order to accomplish this, and it is something I struggle with all the time. Which seems equally silly and sad in this moment.
So here I sit, belly over-full, feeling yucky and worrying about what caloric impact it will have upon my mid-section... and what is oh-so-frustrating is that even if I missed the initial "you're full now" signpost, I definitely got the next few hints—and I ignored them.
This is something I want to work on and get better about; a mindfulness exercise that can coincide with resolutions and new starts and whatnot.
It's the first two nuggets of wisdom from Michael Pollan's latest book:
Eat food.
Not too much.
That should not be too hard, right?
Showing posts with label Michael Pollan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Michael Pollan. Show all posts
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
NO SHU-GAH
Within this new health kick we've been following for about one week now, Andy and I have been biking everyday, I've been doing 20 minutes of Pilates each day (thank you, Melinda!), and we've been trying to eat more healthy foods... eliminating sugars, avoiding chemicals and things that don't sound familiar (or pronouncable), and trying not to overcook and lose our nutrients.
It's been a tricky road at times... old food habits can be very difficult to break, but we're making small changes steadily, taking our little baby steps in the midst of an attempt to transform some of our most ingrained routines.
Things that have helped: Michael Pollan (I know I've mentioned him before... but his books have really influenced the way Andy thinks and feels about food - it's a great way to begin to shift your philosophy about eating and sustenance); Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks blog (FANTASTIC, healthy, easy, and gorgeous recipes that have led to many new and exciting meals); and our local Co-Op, farmers' market, and orchards (great food, good prices, and the extra benefit of knowing you are supporting your local growers/economy).
One really cool thing I've noticed: not eating sugar really has led to fewer cravings. I've been eliminating desserts, sweets, and other manner of sugary treats, which is supposed to mean that those intense, insane, mind-stirringly crazy sugar cravings I get are supposed to decline over time, thereby making denial of such unhealthy eats more possible.
And it's working! I was highly skeptical, having listened to the excited declarations of friends in the past who had similarly restricted their intake, but it really does seem to be working for me. Which is lovely. Of course, we'll see if this holds true as we approach a different phase of my cycle - but hey! Why not be optimistic, right?
It's been a tricky road at times... old food habits can be very difficult to break, but we're making small changes steadily, taking our little baby steps in the midst of an attempt to transform some of our most ingrained routines.
Things that have helped: Michael Pollan (I know I've mentioned him before... but his books have really influenced the way Andy thinks and feels about food - it's a great way to begin to shift your philosophy about eating and sustenance); Heidi Swanson's 101 Cookbooks blog (FANTASTIC, healthy, easy, and gorgeous recipes that have led to many new and exciting meals); and our local Co-Op, farmers' market, and orchards (great food, good prices, and the extra benefit of knowing you are supporting your local growers/economy).
One really cool thing I've noticed: not eating sugar really has led to fewer cravings. I've been eliminating desserts, sweets, and other manner of sugary treats, which is supposed to mean that those intense, insane, mind-stirringly crazy sugar cravings I get are supposed to decline over time, thereby making denial of such unhealthy eats more possible.
And it's working! I was highly skeptical, having listened to the excited declarations of friends in the past who had similarly restricted their intake, but it really does seem to be working for me. Which is lovely. Of course, we'll see if this holds true as we approach a different phase of my cycle - but hey! Why not be optimistic, right?
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Food
I had a thought earlier today which may be lost forever - at least in its articulate, understandable form - but it had something to do with identifying major areas within my life and the life of my family that could be improved through intentional and constructive change.
The first area I thought of was food.
Andy has been reading some of Michael Pollan's books (In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma) lately and it has changed the way he thinks about food. In the meantime, I've become increasingly aware of how my body is reacting to certain things I've been eating... and it's felt very similar to the process of working toward quitting smoking - namely, I just don't feel well when I eat certain things.
I may crave them and desperately want to eat them, but I've noticed through a sort of intentional mindfulness that I tend to feel rather awful after I've consumed said chocolate, packaged food, junk food, fast food, restaurant food, etc.
On top of that, there is the issue of the extra weight I'd still like to take off and Andy's frustration over some steadily rising numbers on the scale as well. So here we are, in our mid-30s, feeling out of shape, overweight, and generally dissatisfied with the way we eat.
Today Krista Tippett interviewed Barbara Kingsolver on Speaking of Faith. The interview focused on Kingsolver's latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. I didn't get to hear the whole thing, but it seemed to connect in a synchronistic fashion to the conversations Andy and I have had about intentional communities, homesteading, gardening, eating better, and committing to buying and consuming locally in order to eat more fresh foods and ground-to-plate meals.
Food is such a complex thing for most of us. Whether we love it or hate it, feel to thin or too fat or just right, are gourmands or diner-hounds or live in ramen noodles and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese... food is an ever-present, expensive, and vital component of our lives.
To see food as an ethical, moral, or mindful choice seems to move it from an automatic activity to an intentional one... to carefully consider everything we put into our bodies requires attention, action, and patience. And if we really are to tackle some of the larger issues that seem to hold our country back from ever-greater achievement and efficiency within the scope of food consumption and production, it seems being aware of how, what, when, why, and where we eat is a necessary and beneficial first step.
The first area I thought of was food.
Andy has been reading some of Michael Pollan's books (In Defense of Food and The Omnivore's Dilemma) lately and it has changed the way he thinks about food. In the meantime, I've become increasingly aware of how my body is reacting to certain things I've been eating... and it's felt very similar to the process of working toward quitting smoking - namely, I just don't feel well when I eat certain things.
I may crave them and desperately want to eat them, but I've noticed through a sort of intentional mindfulness that I tend to feel rather awful after I've consumed said chocolate, packaged food, junk food, fast food, restaurant food, etc.
On top of that, there is the issue of the extra weight I'd still like to take off and Andy's frustration over some steadily rising numbers on the scale as well. So here we are, in our mid-30s, feeling out of shape, overweight, and generally dissatisfied with the way we eat.
Today Krista Tippett interviewed Barbara Kingsolver on Speaking of Faith. The interview focused on Kingsolver's latest book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. I didn't get to hear the whole thing, but it seemed to connect in a synchronistic fashion to the conversations Andy and I have had about intentional communities, homesteading, gardening, eating better, and committing to buying and consuming locally in order to eat more fresh foods and ground-to-plate meals.
Food is such a complex thing for most of us. Whether we love it or hate it, feel to thin or too fat or just right, are gourmands or diner-hounds or live in ramen noodles and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese... food is an ever-present, expensive, and vital component of our lives.
To see food as an ethical, moral, or mindful choice seems to move it from an automatic activity to an intentional one... to carefully consider everything we put into our bodies requires attention, action, and patience. And if we really are to tackle some of the larger issues that seem to hold our country back from ever-greater achievement and efficiency within the scope of food consumption and production, it seems being aware of how, what, when, why, and where we eat is a necessary and beneficial first step.
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