Last year I read a book called “Intuitive eating” by Evelyn Tribole, and Elyse Resch. I loved the book, it was so ayurveda, I wonder if the authors knew how ayurveda it is. They talked about listening to your body while you eat, making sure the food is still tasting good while you eat because if it’s not, it is probably a sign that you are full. Also eat what you crave because your body knows what you need, and to check in with your self every once in awhile to see if you are satisfied, not full, just satisfied. They went on to say that we americans are so obsessed with dieting and its emphasis in rules and regulations that we have stopped listening to our bodies.
I am obsessed with the scales! and have been most of my life. My parents were always trying to lose weight, I had siblings that were overweight, and you know how teenage life was, all the skinny little girls going around saying “oh I am sooo fat.” My brain says “eat less, weigh less” so every day I would weigh myself and hang on that I hadn’t gained any weight. I know its not right, I just couldn’t bring myself to stop.
Last September right after I read the book we went on a week long vacation to Yellowstone, yes I get really crazy when I can’t take my scales with me, I decided to take the opportunity to put the book to the test. Every meal we ate, before I began to eat, I would remind myself that I was only going to eat what I craved, eat until I was satisfied and to check in during the meal to make sure the food was still tasting good. I felt good the whole trip, I never felt like I ate too much, like sometimes you do when on a vacation. I felt freed from thinking about food all day. And when I got home I had not gain any weight. That didn’t stop me from going right back to my old habit of weighing every day.
Over the last few months I keep thinking I should put the scales away. Even though I am in denial that I am on a diet, what do you call watching everything you eat, every minute of the day? Dieting had made me so preoccupied with food that sometimes I wouldn’t even eat. Dieting has definitely made food an enemy. Dieting makes me feel guilty (even when I’m not officially on a diet).. Dieting has slowed down my metabolism.
This last month when we went to Glacier National Park, again I could not take my scales with me, another opportunity to intuitive eat. I decided before we even left that if I hadn’t gained any weight when we got home I would put my scales away and only weigh on Sundays. Intuitive eating is mindful eating which is very yoga, and yoga is a mind, body connection. I loved being free from the scales. I ate just what I wanted and payed attention to my body, when the food didn’t taste as good as it did in the beginning of the meal I knew I was finished and being satisfied, I stopped eating. Easy!
I bring the scales out on Sunday only, just to satisfy myself that all is well. The rest of the week I am free from the worry of food. I choose to eat foods that are both pleasing to me and nourish my body, by using all my senses to explore, savor, and taste, the ayurveda way of mindful eating.
Nancy Adams Certified Thai Yoga Therapist
and Ayurveda Consultant
These are my own thoughts. I sometimes take writings from others to support my own ideas.
