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Posted on 08/30/2010 @ 1:23 PM
Coping with Cravings Mindfully by Michelle May, M.D. I had a limited view of the lake through the window from where I was sitting. The water was calm and peaceful when from the edge of the pane, a duck drifted into my awareness. I watched it bob in the middle then float away. The ripples slowly receded back into the lake and it was still again. Minutes later several ducks paddled in from the other side of the window. They splashed about, apparently struggling for something below the surface. The strongest duck swam directly toward the window, circled several times then paddled back the way it came, followed by the rest. How like our cravings when we're not even hungry! They seem to appear from nowhere and capture our attention, some more than others. The difference is that I’ve never had a seemingly uncontrollable urge to jump up and devour a duck! Instead, I watch a duck with a detached awareness. I feel curious, even entertained, but uncompelled to take any action. I allow the duck to just drift away, unconcerned about where it came from, where it goes, or when another will emerge. The next time you have a craving, try this: Stop what you’re doing, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Observe the craving as if it was a duck, bobbing around in your awareness. Become curious but remain calmly detached. If the craving becomes stronger, imagine that is simply paddling toward you. If you feel compelled to stop and eat the object of your craving, smile as you picture yourself chasing down the innocent duck. Practice slowing and deepening your breath as you patiently wait for the craving to turn and float away. Imagine the lake returning to peaceful stillness. Eat Mindfully, Live Vibrantly!
Michelle May, M.D. P.S. I'd love to hear what your favorite Mindful Moments have been and why. Please post your comments on my blog (http://www.eatwhatyoulovelovewhatyoueat.com/)
Posted on 07/28/2010 @ 1:19 AM
Life Lessons Learned from Healing Your Relationship with Food Like many of you, I was captivated by the book Eat, Pray, Love, a woman’s exploration of "the art of pleasure in Italy, the art of devotion in India and, in Indonesia, the art of balancing the two." And like many of you, I will see the movie (starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert) with friends, followed by a great Italian meal with wine and intense discussion about our own spiritual and romantic journeys. The theme of self-discovery and balance of the body, mind, heart, and spirit has been an important part of my own story and the stories of many of the people I’ve met through my work. Unlike Elizabeth, most people who participate in an Am I Hungry? Mindful Eating Workshop or read Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat don’t set out with such a clear understanding of the transformation ahead. They are simply sick of their eat-repent-repeat cycle and wish to heal their relationship with food. Many soon discover that restoration of their instinctive eating cycle is the beginning of their personal path to wholeness. How can this be? Well, as one of my own teachers said, how you do anything is how you do everything. In other words, how we eat is simply a metaphor for how we live. As you learn to eat what you love and love what you eat, you discover that the lessons also apply to the rest of your life. Here are just a few of the many truths that I’ve learned and shared: * Transformation occurs when the pain of staying the same outweighs the discomfort of change.
* The answers are inside, not out.
* You have within you the amazing capacity to recognize and meet the deepest needs of your body, mind, heart, and spirit.
* Food (money, work, perfection, etc.) cannot do that for you.
* Our greatest struggles often provide our greatest lessons.
* Guilt leads to shame and paralysis. Regret leaves the door open for learning.
* All or nothing thinking leads to all or nothing. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.
* Mindfulness allows us to fully experience what is present in the now.
* Sensuous enjoyment of food leads to pleasure and contentment.
* Deprivation leads to distraction and obsession.
* Quality trumps quantity every time.
* Self-care is a necessity not a luxury.
* Knowing what to do isn’t the same thing as knowing how to do it.
* Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. I'd love to hear what life lessons you've learned through healing your relationship with food. Please post your comments on my blog (http://www.eatwhatyoulovelovewhatyoueat.com/) or Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AmIHungry). Michelle May, M.D. P.S. Our new audio, Guided Mindful Eating Experience, shows you how to appreciate, savor, and fully enjoy your next meal. Download now for just $3.99. http://amihungry.com/mindfulness-tools.shtml
Posted on 07/07/2010 @ 6:52 PM
By Michelle May, M.D. Can you conjure up the memory of a favorite childhood food? How do you feel when you catch a whiff of one of your family’s traditional holiday dishes? Do you smile when you think about the best meal you’ve ever had? Most of us would agree that food leaves a powerful imprint. A woman in one of my workshops once said, “Food is the background music to my life.” But what about your experiences with dieting? Are you aware of how they’ve affected your thoughts about eating? Although I haven’t dieted for over 12 years, I recently had an experience that made me realize how deep the groves really are. I had an early board meeting and arrived to find a continental breakfast. As I ate the top of a banana nut muffin I was aware that I felt disappointed. I don’t even like store bought muffins unless the top is fabulous (brown sugar, nuts, etc.) and I could tell by looking at it that this one wasn’t going to be. As you know, I believe in eating what you love—and I wasn’t loving this. So why did I choose it? I looked back over the options and saw bananas. That would have been a safer choice but I suddenly realized that I didn’t take one because past dieting taught me that a whole banana counted as two fruits. I had stopped eating them because I never wanted to eat half of something. Really? I chose a banana muffin over a banana because of the allowed serving size? Now that's funny! As I’ve worked with yo-yo dieters over the last decade, I’ve heard many stories about how guilt, fear, and misinformation has led to feelings of deprivation, bingeing, and even irrational choices. While some of the stories were about decadent desserts, chips, and fast food, others were about grapes (“you can only have 12 so why bother”), carrots (“they are high glycemic”), nuts and avocados (“fat is bad”). Pay close attention to old food rules that may be affecting your decisions, actions, and enjoyment now. Mindful eating not only helps you more fully experience your food, it teaches you to approach eating (and living) with awareness and curiosity. If you'd like a little help increasing your awareness, check out our new Mindfulness Tools, including an audio guide for deciding what you want to eat (just$2.99!): http://amihungry.com/mindfulness-tools.shtml. I’d love to hear your experiences; please post your comments - http://www.eatwhatyoulovelovewhatyoueat.com/2010/06/going-bananas-weird-thoughts-about-food-caused-by-dieting.html. (Check out my recipe for Banana Nut Muffins too - http://www.eatwhatyoulovelovewhatyoueat.com/2010/01/from-black-bananas-to-banana-walnut-muffins.html)
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