Day 7 - Have You Had Your RDA of Love?

It was the middle of the night in a hotel room. The darkness only broke in theme from a small slit of artificial street light filtering through a gap in the curtain. The thermostat-driven fan cycled in the background comforting my mind from the internal noise that kept me awake.

A shuffle of blankets, then carpeted but audible footprints and a wheezing and whine came into my senses. I jumped up and escorted my daughter into the hotel bathroom, whispering to keep anyone from being disturbed. I turned on the blinding fluorescent light. 'Jesus,' I thought to myself, 'you would think they would figure out how to create flattering lighting in the decades of hotel-bathroom existence.' My face looked just as pale and sick as my daughter's. Her chest was congested and in pain; her throat raw and sore. Tears ran down her face in frustration. I did the standard 'lips on the forehead' fever test. She was hot.

After rummaging through my purse and finding supplements and powders I gave her a big glass of water and chlorophyll to coat her throat. It is in times like these that I get frustrated. Proper nutrition would have come in handy for her the last couple days. Rest would have been helpful earlier that night. But what could I do now? I began worrying about whether I should go to the store and get some cold medication. She was so uncomfortable. I decided to focus on one thing only - get her to relax and to sleep. Let the body heal on its own.

In bed I positioned myself slightly upright so that her head could fall on my chest. The fever was still coursing through her body. I scratched her skin with my fingernails gently alternating from her back to her scalp. My mother did this when I was little and it always felt like the most instinctual method of soothing an aching and anxious body. I could feel the difference immediately. Her body calmed and became less rigid and constricted. I could sense by her breathing that she was staying asleep longer in between wormy movement. After just two hours her fever had broken and her body was soft and limp in dreamland.

Later when I asked my daughter what made her feel better she said that it was when I started scratching her back. She said the moment I did she could relax and her throat and chest felt better. I will say it time and time again (to both myself and to others) - nutrition is more than food. It is the care and feeding of an individual on all levels. What happened in that moment? Love. Love is a part of your daily needs. If you do not experience enough your health will suffer.

You do not have to rely on others to give you love. One of the most important strengths of character that you can gain is loving yourself on a daily basis. Look over the following list and answer the questions to see if you give yourself your dose of necessary love on a daily basis:

• Do you honor your body when you are hungry and eat?
• Do you prepare food for the day to feed yourself adequately?
• Do you stop when you start to feel full?
• Do you listen to how your body feels and respond to its overall needs? (i.e. when you begin to feel sick you slow down and rest?)
• Do you alter your diet and experiment with different foods to make sure you are getting essential nutrients?
• Do you pursue a hobby or passion on a daily basis?
• Do you get outside and interact with nature?
• Is moving your body essential to you?
• Have you learned how to have boundaries with other people, perhaps learning how to say 'no'?
• Do you forgive yourself easily if you make a mistake?
• Have you learned how to ask others for help, love and support or to communicate your needs? 
• Do you reach out to others and instigate affection? 

If you sometimes feel overwhelmed with the long list of nutrients that are required for your health and the media and new-driven studies that condemn some foods and lavishly promote others then always fall back on this one nutrition principle: love does the body good. Focus on that and its rewards will pass through into all areas of your well-being.

Recommended Daily Allowance of Love: Start out with doing three in the above list and build up to five!

Nat

Day 6 - Invasion of the Bodysnatchers

When: Last Night
Where: Holiday Party at a Friend's
Time: 5:30PM - 9:00PM


Like any holiday party there were families filtering in bringing dishes and beverages of all kinds. The beautiful kitchen counters were peppered with dishes, bowls and china full of enchiladas, nachos, spanish rice, salmon, salad and chip/guacamole/salsa snacks. I watched as pockets of people would form, sometimes all the wives in one corner and the husbands in another. Other times conversations would build on sports (the 49ers in this case), politics (the new tax bill) or school budget cuts. The general awkwardness in the beginning began to subside as I became more comfortable observing the beauty of human interaction and relationship.

As I sat on a small bench looking over the room the children ran like a living snake threading through the small crowds down the hall. I watched as my daughter merged with delight into the chaos of it all. I wondered what it would be like if adults no longer felt the need to talk and analyze and instead wanted to play. What would it look like if we were all wrestling, playing, screaming, dancing and pulling at each other instead of being acceptable citizens?

I heard screaming and banging on doors down the dark corridor to my right. As I followed the noises two rooms came into my sight, only briefly as the children ran into one, opened the door, and then into the other. The boys had conquered one room with wooden swords and what looked like a metal detector. The girls were giggling from their room, trying to keep the boys at bay. They were jumping on the bed, hiding in and out of  the closet and one brave girl was taking it upon herself to neutralize and drag any boy that infiltrated back out.

My daughter's face was a bit troubled. She approached me and said that her throat hurt a little bit. I laughed when I heard her talk. She sounded like my Uncle Bill, raspy-smoke-voice and all, but with an innocent flair of concern. I got her water and suggested that she slow down and rest a bit.

Later that night I saw her being beckoned by the golf-ball sized peppermint chocolate balls that were magnificently piled in a tower upon a plate. She grabbed one and ran outside into the snow with her friends.

It occurred to me that all of us, in certain situations, disregard the messages our bodies sends us. We each have a set of priorities that may overpower our desire to be healthy and well. I looked around and saw the margaritas, beer and wine flowing and saw that it was no different for us when we grow up. Invasion of the bodysnatchers for sure. How many of the adults needed to be in prime condition for the weekend trips ahead? Were any of us on the edge of becoming sick? Did we have injuries that we were recovering from? We get invaded with the desire to create a certain experience, fit in or escape from our needs - all-the-while our body will make a visit with us when we get home.

This is not to say that letting go and having fun is not essential for health because it absolutely is! Yet as I sat there I wondered what each of the attendees own health priorities were. What do we place ahead of physical health and vitality? Consider if some of the following have precedence over the feelings of your body:

• Social acceptance (being liked and accepted by others)
• Having fun (creating excitement and temporary pleasure)
• Taking care of others (your 'role' in family and relationship)
• Escaping from obligation/responsibility/feelings
• Working (career, getting tasks done)
• Cleaning (or any other action that keeps the 'status quo')
• Time (urgency or deadlines)
• Addiction (smoking, food, drugs or meds)

Ask yourself if any of the above have priority over your body and if that feels right to you. Do you sometimes allow your body to be snatched away because of imbalanced priorities? Do you have enough self-respect to honor your physical and emotional needs?

My daughter learned an important lesson. She got home last night and was horribly worried that she was going to be too sick to have a play date with her friends. She took vitamin C and chlorophyll (I AM a Nutritionist and have an arsenal of supplements at her disposal) as she sat in the bath, requesting whatever potion I had available. I explained to her a basic and powerful concept: you can try to counteract your actions with supplements and medicine all you want but it is what you eat and how you treat your body in those initial moments of feeling that really matters. The more we are aware and in our body, the more inevitably we enjoy every moment. 

This holiday make sure to have proportionally more fun being in your body than escaping from it! 

Nat

Day 5 - What Is An Awake Eater?

Ah, the olden days. Eating all my Halloween candy in one night, gorging myself on chocolate covered oreos and ice cream or going back for a fourth serving of my mother's fantastic macaroni and cheese even though I was bursting at the seams; these were the good ol' days of elation while eating and pure dread in the aftermath.

Ah, the days of obsession. The cabbage soup diet, no-fat-gram diet and restricted calorie diet; these were the days of pure elation with the idea of a quick fix and pure dread realizing it never was.

Never could I have imagined that one day I would be able to straddle the ground of being unapologetic in my love for food while also fully loving my body. Yesterday was a case in point.

My husband and I met for lunch yesterday at the Berryvale cafe. I got some smoked salmon that I put on top of a fresh beet and caper salad and he chose a kale salad and a piece of polenta pizza. All in all we had nearly the same amount of food.

I chose a table that was basking in the sunlight. The yellow glass table top was warm to the touch and as I sat down I felt at ease and comfortable. As I always do, I drank a big glass of water before eating. I have this weird compulsive nature when drinking my water before a meal. I tend to make the goal of drinking it all at once (16 ounces this time) in one fell swoop. I see my husband's smirk as he positions his face near the bottom of my elevated and emptying cup, face distorted through the textured plastic. I move the cup, still gulping to see him through the corner of my eye. He darts to the same bottom-of-the-glass position again making a face that looked like Rocky from The Mask. I had to hold in my laugh.

"Are you sure that is enough?" He says with a mischievous smile. I place the cup down feeling hydrated and ready to eat.

Our conversation during a sit down meal is always inspiring. We talk about philosophy, politics, spirituality and meaning in everyday life. Eating with him or my family feels so right. I feel that I am not only receiving nutrition from my food but also from the emotional connection. Today was no different.

As we banter back and forth I place the pieces of salmon on top of the beet salad, developing just the right portion with each bite. I let each forkful be chewed and swallowed before I move on to choosing the next bite. I take in small amounts so that I have the chance to retort his points (he should have been a lawyer, he is so darn good at arguing his theoretical case) without a full mouth. By the time 20 minutes has gone by I look down and am amazed that only half of my meal is gone.

"Wow... you eat slow." My husband said.

"I was not conscious of it. Just enjoying it I guess." I continue eating and he starts fidgeting, squirming in his chair like a schoolboy ready for recess. I look over at him and there are two empty paper containers, already set aside and folded for neatness. "Your already done?"

"Uh... yeah." In this moment I realized that something was changing. It was usually me that would finish first and wait for him to sift through his meal. The days when we lived on Hawaii and frequented the same restaurant in Hanalei - I would gulf down the rice and sweet and sour chicken like it was the end of the world. Somehow I had changed. I had realized that faster eating was not better eating and that in fact it was detrimental to positive sensation. He sat there opposite me experiencing only half the enjoyment I was because his meal was already gone. 'The slower that we go, the more taste and texture we can experience,' I thought to myself.

Through studying and teaching awake eating I had become a healthy eater, really and truly. It was no longer a conscious process of reminding myself to slow down and feel. I naturally inhabited my body. I felt light and free; my body not bound by dissatisfaction or unending desire.

"I feel full. I will save the other half for later." I packaged up the remainder. I couldn't believe that with how hungry I was when I sat down that I was satisfied and full of energy from just half the portion that was served.

As we left the deli the accomplishment I felt could have engulfed the world. A healthy and joyful eating experience may sound simple to some but is most likely not achieved for the majority of us. It is a big deal when you feel freed from a self-induced slumber of numbness and can awaken to the natural bodily feelings of pleasure.

Do you want to be an Awake Eater? Here are some of the qualities that personify this condition:

• Giving yourself essential nutrition.
• Giving yourself permission to eat what you want.
• Choosing food you like. 
• Letting go of 'food rules' (there is no forbidden food).
• Enjoying the process of eating.
• Knowing how to eat.
• Eating when you are hungry.
• Continuing until you are satisfied.
• Understanding when you are full.
• Trusting your body to give you signals.
• Eating for physical rather than emotional reasons.

The magic happens when we discover that the secret to boundless health and attractiveness is to actively love and appreciate our body and the food we eat.

I believe that eating is a biologically embedded moment allotted for us to take care of ourselves and listen. Are you giving yourself this chance? At your next meal or snack I challenge you to slow down and revel in what you are eating knowing that the longer you linger the more enjoyment you receive. This practice can also happen to change your life.

Nat

Day 4 - Worrywort

When I was 12 I went to a psychologist for severe anxiety that had progressed into agoraphobia. I worried constantly, keeping myself up at night. I bothered over the next day of school, the upcoming field trip or the inevitable moment where I would have to learn how to stall a plane (funny, I know but I had chosen the career of being a fighter pilot). My childhood was to a large degree defined by the overwhelming sense that something was wrong.

I vividly remember a moment in a therapy session. The psychologist said that worrying had no purpose for me and that because of this I should begin to let it go. 

"But worrying is a process of preparation." I said. "It helps me prepare for the unknown in life. If I don't worry than I will be at the whim of what is to come. I will have no idea what happened until it hits me."

The therapist paused and gently replied, "What are you preparing for? What is it that you are afraid of?"

"I don't know. Anything I suppose. So much can happen that I am not prepared for."

"Like what?"

I paused and thought. I felt so silly talking about the anxiety because the deeper we went the more irrational it seemed. I was used to being able to analyze my way out of things. "I guess I am afraid that I will have no way out. At a sleepover in the middle of the night I will be the only one awake, the only one that exists. I wont be able to leave if I want to. At the movies I will inconvenience other people and be judged for needing to walk out. I am afraid....because I do not think I can trust other people to care."

At the time I was prescribed Valium. I remember sitting at the foot of my parent's bed after returning from the pharmacy. I had the orange pill in my hand and I looked at it with a sense of indignation. Why was I taking this medication? What was the point of altering my brain chemistry if I did not get to the root issue that is causing the problem? Maybe it was my worrywort nature that prevented me from taking it. I flushed it down the toilet and went to bed. 

Looking back it is all clear to me. Somehow I had acquired beliefs about myself and life that naturally led to my fear and anxiousness about daily living. It was not until I began to change my perspective on myself and life that my experience of such fear and doubt was able to wane.

Our beliefs are essentially thoughts that we think repeatedly. Our thoughts are a part of nutrition because we consume them everyday and they can become a part of us just as much as any foodstuff. Beliefs either nourish us or deplete us. Here were some of mine, along with beliefs that I used (and still use to this day) to counter the irrational one:

• I am not safe. vs. I am always safe because I choose to take care of myself.
• I cannot trust other people to care. vs. I am always supported.
• Food makes me fat. vs. Food nourishes and feeds me. I can choose how to use it.
• My body's reactions are uncontrollable. vs. I choose how I react to situations and circumstances.
• Living life is scary. vs. I can create any life experience that I want.
• I hate my body and the way it looks. vs. My body is a wondrous vehicle that I use to feel and experience life.  

I had a journey ahead of me to discover my true potential. It involved listening to, honoring and respecting my physical body. I learned about how to cherish and inhabit my body by becoming aware of its emotional signals (feeling bad and subsequently finding a lasting solution) and physical signals (noticing my hunger and fullness, as well as the joy of movement).

When you find that you are worrying or are anxious about a loved one, a coming meeting presentation or the way your body looks investigate what beliefs are in a holding pattern in your head. Emotion is always predetermined by what it is that you accept in thought form. Ask yourself the following questions to shift your energy from worry to resolution:

1. What is it that I am worried/afraid/concerned/doubtful about? (i.e. getting fat)
2. What beliefs do I have that support this anxiety? Why do I think this fear could happen or already is happening? (i.e. because I have no will power and food is the enemy)
3. What beliefs can I use to replace the ones above? (i.e. I have the ability to listen to and take care of my body. Food nourishes my body and makes it beautiful. I am capable of making decisions for my own well being.)
4. Write down the old beliefs and the new ones. Carry this around with you whenever you find that you fall back into a state of anxiety to gently alter your beliefs about yourself and life.

If I can do it, you can too.

Nat

Click here to read an article on the importance of seeing a Nutritionist and having a support system in reaching your goals. 

Day 3 - The Two-Time Sit Down

Last night I was exhausted. Sometimes the hardest part of the day is actually coming home when there are many tasks still ahead; making dinner, helping Cammie with her homework, reading the bedtime story (and since we are in the middle of a great story it takes about an hour before we can put it down) and maybe having a moment or two of pure sitcom heaven.

It occurred to me as I was driving home from work that the best time to consciously interact with my food was now. If I could gently and curiously approach my relationship with food at a time when I was most fatigued and willing to consume my desires then I would no doubt be mastering the art of awake eating.

Most of us are busy, tired and drained and it is precisely for that reason that we tend to get home, plop ourselves on the couch and eat into oblivion. I developed an exercise called The Two-Time Sit Down that is designed to help us understand our true physical and emotional needs with food. Here is a breakdown on my website if you want to give it a try. 

The first time I did this exercise was an accident. I was at work and eating a salad with delicious turkey pastrami on top. It was the perfect balance of crunchy, crispy and hearty during a busy day. Half way through I had to take a phone call that ended up lasting over an hour. When I hung up the phone and looked at the salad I was no longer hungry. I had energy; the kind that is light and free. But my body did not need more fuel - it was already well amped up. I put it away for later. The weird thing was that if I had not received the call I had the full intention of eating every last bite. 

Essentially The Two-Time Sit Down Exercise entails eating half of your meal, going and doing something of purpose and coming back to the other half of the meal to see if your relationship with the food has changed at all. What you find may surprise you!

I made a green bean and tuna salad when I got home. By the time the dish was ready I was very hungry. I thought to myself, 'Do I really want to do this exercise now? Maybe I will just pile more on my plate than I usually do, so that I know I will get enough even when I divide it in half.' Alas, I fall prey to honesty. I have to do this right even when it is most inconvenient. I reminded myself that no matter how much I do or do not eat I will always give myself permission to honor my desires. The point is just to feel. I must be awake to sensations no matter my disposition.

I served myself my usual amount (the amount I would eat including going back for seconds and thirds if applicable). Then I divided the amount in half on my plate. I focused on eating the first half slowly and with intention. I applied The Awake Eating Method (read more about it here) to truly absorb and take in every morsel. I loved placing half of an olive with just the right ratio of green bean, tuna and tomato to make the perfect salty, savory and citrusy bite. By the time I was done with that the first portion I still wanted more. I wanted to have more of that perfect balance of flavor ignite on my tongue. Instead I did the next step in the exercise which was - go do something!

My daughter and I did jumping jacks and squats for fun. I swept the floor. I took my dogs outside. I could feel my body settle a bit and my stomach, although not stuffed full, was content and taut. By the time I was done with my tasks another 15 minutes had gone by. I sat in front of the second half of my meal and checked in. The food still looked good. My stomach was by no means empty but there was still something lacking. I rated myself at around a 5 on the hunger fullness scale. I was not hungry but not full. I still felt ungrounded. I ate the rest of the meal.

What was amazing was allowing myself time to digest and absorb the first half of the meal calmed my body. No longer was I eating with a sense of urgency. The second half of the meal was the best for me because I allowed myself to dive in slowly. I ended up leaving a couple tablespoons of food leftover on the plate. I knew when I was done.

During my training and research into Intuitive & Awake Eating I discovered a lot about myself. Even though I ate ‘healthy’ food and took care of my body, I really had no idea how much I did not listen to it. I find that this is true for most, if not all, of us when it comes to how we eat. We eat however much we put on our plates. What we put on our plates is really just a product of the quantity and variety of food that we see in front of us. We serve portions that we have experienced made us ‘full’ or ‘stuffed’ before. We eat based on how empty, deprived or lonely we are inside. Sometimes we see our empty plate and want more taste, texture and substance yet never check in with our body to see if what we are searching for is a physical or emotional need. Sometimes, like last night, our hunger is a desire for nourishment beyond the meal.

The reason why intuitive eating is the center of my nutrition practice is because it is truly the foundation for a happy life. Intuitive eating is like learning how to interact in a healthy relationship. You can learn how to identify the perfect mate (career, build, weight, personality, values, character traits and all) but if you do not learn how to participate fully in the relationship then what is the point?! We learn how to identify supposed 'good' and 'bad' foods but never learn how to have a joyful and easy relationship with food and body in the first place.

Try The Two-Time Sit Down Exercise and investigate your relationship with food. Use my suggestions above or begin keeping a to-do list with you where you can write down the things that you would like to do in your day. When you employ this exercise just bring out your list and choose from the many things that you could do. Some other suggestions: take a bath, draw a picture, call your parents, write that email, clean out the fridge or make love!

Give this first step in Awake Eating a try and let me know how it goes!

Nat

Day 2 - Morning Glory

During the night I feel as though I have left my body and traveled to other worlds. My dreams take me to places with no name and I journey through fear, doubt, insecurity and triumph as I conquer each circumstance. Being chased by thugs, walking through a dark alley, sneaking into a red carpet affair or trying my best to find another living being on a lonely and abandoned beach lit only by moonlight. These are some of the places I go.

It is when I open my eyes that the true magic begins, though. As I enter back into my body the sensation of my skin, from my toes all the way up to my scalp is palpable. The soft and receptive mattress cushions my body and the layers of fabric blanket me gently. My excitement for the simple yet profound morning to come is reason enough for me to open my eyes with curiosity and expectation.

I used to underestimate the power of being in this body and living my daily life. Somehow I thought that I should be flying planes, parachuting into the jungle or being whisked away on a romantic excursion, rolling my naked body in warm sand. I would get disappointed when the mouth-salivating love affair or world-renowned career that I could conjure up in my dream-time was not of this reality. Why wake up and be excited when my body or my life is not how I want it to be?

This dynamic shifted for me when I began recognizing the significance of every movement and decision I made; from the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning to the end of the day when I plop my purse on the window sill at home and begin my descent into the night. To truly take advantage of and feel every joy of this body I must recognize that being in it is the ultimate vacation. The vacation starts with a simple departure from the norm.

That is why morning time can be a key to changing your life. Just by getting up an hour earlier you are able to reshape and re-sculpt your body and your life. It is an allotted period of time where it is just you and your body. There is no responsibility, interruption or obligation in the quiet solitude of dawn. And from using this time fully you will see amazing results.

The first thing I did this morning was take my dogs outside to go to the bathroom. If I just about move an inch Basil (my Australian Shepard) will dash to the head of the bed and lick me with fervor trying to beckon the coming sunlight.

It was 5:30am and the forest was damp and busy with raindrops sifting down to the soil below. The cold air and drizzle coated my skin and I took a deep breath in. I felt like I was in an Irish soap commercial and that there should have been a waterfall, harp music and mermaids. I should have brought the camera. There is nothing more inspiring than to wake with the critters of the forest who are darting in and out of bushes and rushing up and down the trees.

I went upstairs to begin my morning ritual. I wash my face with warm water and get on my workout clothes. I do this slowly and with great intention. My body feels supple and soft as it adjusts to being awake. I stretch and meditate briefly (5 minutes tops) on my exercise mat and drink a glass of water.

I do a workout (right now it is 20 minutes of interval training) and push every muscle and fiber in my body to become stronger and full of life. I revel in the feeling of my breathing becoming heavier and sweat beads trickling down my body. I visualize blood flow coursing its way to every nook and cranny within, bathing my cells with oxygen and nutrients. It is almost as if doing this brings me into my body and makes me fully alive. You can see how different my body looks in just 20 minutes of movement.

I make my breakfast for my daughter and I. Right now it consists of a coconut and berry smoothie. So simple and fast yet gives my body a multitude of nutrients that it needs to recover, regenerate and thrive throughout the day.

Simple Coconut Berry Smoothie

1 Cup Organic Coconut Milk, 1 Banana, 1-3/4 Cup Frozen Fruit (Raspberries & Pineapple this morning). Place in blender and blend away! Add flaxseed or hempseed as optional boost. Serves 2-3.

We eat quietly as we chat about what we are looking forward to at school and work. The rain pitter patters outside. We both revel in the sweet and creamy fruit concoction as the decadence of breaking the fast of nighttime feels divine.

By the time I put on my clothes and get ready for work I feel as though I have spent hours at a spa. No task is too much and no day is too full when I focus on my Morning Glory time.

Your own personal Morning Glory requires just two things: an intention and then the follow through. If your intention is to tone and sculpt your body then exercise and movement is key. If relaxation or more purpose is your intention than reading a book or going on a nature walk may be the avenue to get there. Regardless find your goal and start implementing it tomorrow morning!

Tips for making your own Morning Glory:

• Go to sleep early! Waking up an hour earlier without taking into account the amount of sleep you need is counter-productive. Make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Do not place judgment on yourself for going to bed early and do not let others. 99 percent of the time 8-10 pm is television and just general 'space out' time. You are not missing out. You are changing your life.
• Be creative. You may not like to exercise at home or sit in the lotus position and meditate. Figure out creative ways to liven up your morning and fulfill your intention. Go on a walk in a local park or forested area with your dogs.  Purchase a workout DVD program to motivate you. Create a mock artist studio where you can paint and draw in the morning. There are many ways for you to move and honor your goals in the morning.
• New music can be motivating. I am kind of cheesie. I enjoy dancing in my underwear and sweating hard to music that gets my adrenaline flowing. When I find new music that inspires me I cannot wait to get up in the morning and listen to it on my iPod during a workout or relaxation session. Dabble in the oldies you know you love but have not listened to in awhile, watch MTV or VH1 (usually in the morning they actually have music) to find new music or take a chance and buy a bestseller off of iTunes.

Nutrition is more than food. It is the care and feeding of the whole you. Start now and know that there is another person out there up at 5:30am paving the way for a better future.

Nat

Day 1 - I Am Not a Normal Nutritionist

I was Christmas shopping in town at a local clothing boutique enjoying the various colors and textures on display. With items in hand I roamed from rack to rack joyously imagining the textiles on friends and family.

The front door opened and bells jingled and quieted as a woman dressed in a beautiful woven sweater and jeans came walking in. She had lustrous brown hair and a curvaceous body. She recognized a female employee and they began to talk. After the usual, "how are you's" and weather acknowledgments the conversation shifted to diet.

"What is this?" the customer asked as she pointed to a supplement behind the counter.

"Oh, so here is how this works," the employee replied as she pulled her aside. "You take a couple drops of this three times a day.."

"What does it do, make you less hungry?"

"Yes! It is an appetite suppressant. Like today, all I have had is breakfast and I am not even hungry right now."

"Oh, wow!"

"I have lost about 20 pounds already."

"I want to do this! Is it easy?"

"Well, I would recommend that you start after the holidays. It is simple but really hard. You can only eat 500 calories a day."

I walk up to the counter with my items trying my best to remain unexcited. It is moments like this where I have to remember the adage, "Do not give advice unless someone asks for it." I have found this to be invaluable guidance. Even still my heart pounds with fervor to make this injustice right.

The employee, a blond middle-aged woman with vivacious motherly energy, noticed me and the nutrition business cards that I had left there weeks before. She gave me an awkward almost embarrassed glance.

"Well you should be talking to this one here!" She said, gesturing to me as she positioned herself by the register. "She is a Nutritionist!"

"Look at you! Your thin!" The female customer exclaimed.

"I have not always been thin." I interjected but only to deaf ears. 

"You should go see her, instead of me!"

"No. We do not want a simple diet and lifestyle plan. We want immediate results!" They laughed. I smiled back.

I could not blame them. The common advertised nutrition concepts dished out by the mainstream nutrition world preach moderation and exercise as the keys to healthy living. The belief is circulated that people who are overweight or unhealthy are actually just lacking in will power (unlike the rest of us) or somehow mentally deficient.

In fact I remember when I was an overweight teenager going to a Nutritionist. The attitude that I had when I left that program was no different than what these two women have adopted here. Counting calories, fat grams and monitoring my food intake ended up making me feel more deprived and lost then before. When the promise of a fantastic new diet providing amazing results was displayed before me I would jump on board without a second thought.

What I did not know was that dieting destroys the metabolism, one of the most important components in fat burning and body sculpting. I had no idea that restricting calories below a certain point could actually cause my body to hold onto every calorie I ate like a bee to honey. It never occurred to me to think beyond the present moment; if this one month diet will help me lose all the weight, what will I do when it is over? And what is more attractive to others, a thin body or a healthy body? My only concern was changing the number on the scale at any cost. I understood the boat these women were in. I was there.

I am not a normal Nutritionist. I did not get into this profession because I was good at being a healthy eater. I got into this profession because I was downright bad at being a healthy eater. I have studied, researched and devoted my adult life to the purpose of excavating the true ways of being that produce physical results. Now I know the keys of nourishment that produce a radiant and healthy physique. You would be surprised at some of them.

This blog is an honest attempt of displaying my life for you to see so that you know it is possible care for and  honor your body while also loving it. I live my day to day life loving and listening to my body, even when it is challenging. Journey with me to see how...