I just finished reading the book “Mindful Eating.” I’ve posted quotes from the book in previous posts but I wanted to follow up with a few more thoughts.
“When our relationship to eating and food is out of balance, it is easy to be overcome with negative emotions. [pg117]” Do you think you have a good relationship with food? Do you regret what you eat, even if it’s healthy food?
One topic in the last chapter of the book really hit home to me. It discussed the damage our “inner critic” can do to our self esteem and well-being. It’s also called “negative self talk.” I have to confess that I don’t always have the best relationship with food. Even if I eat healthy, sometimes my Inner Critic will start chatting in my head saying things like “Why did you eat that? Did you really need a second helping? You’re going to get fat.” Some other thoughts:
The Inner Critic says:
“You should eat less.”
“You should not be so uptight about food.”
“You should not drink so much, it makes you gain weight.”
I also confess that I analyze myself in the mirror sometimes to see if there are any changes. Instead of looking at my body and seeing the muscles, seeing the fit person who just ran an 8k race, I see the extra flab that I still “need” to lose. Can we ever really be happy with who we are?
“At Plum Village, the Zen practice center founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, before meals they say, “In this food I see clearly the presence of the entire universe supporting my existence. [pg 139]”
QUESTION: what steps are you taking to silence the Inner Critic? Do you think you have a good relationship with the food you eat?
Leave a Reply