Food Women God and Oprah

Anybody else catch that episode?  Oprah declares that she is never going to diet again.  See if you follow this:

"Diets are based on the unspoken fear that you are a madwoman, a food terrorist, a lunatic. The promise of a diet is not only that you will have a different body; it is that in having a different body, you will have a different life. If you hate yourself enough, you will love yourself. If you torture yourself enough, you will become a peaceful, relaxed human being."

Women Food and God by Geneen Roth


(I am trying to make use of these silly "read more" things...so really, read more.)

Torture!  I get that.  I have long been annoyed with the idea that I have to constantly think about, obsess about, talk about losing weight.  In an ideal world I would have a dancer's body and really high metabolism.  I don't.  Some of the ideas in this book center on treating yourself with kindness.  Think of it this way: if we loved ourselves more, if we treated ourselves with the kindness that we treat our daughters...we would not feed ourselves or treat ourselves or overwork our tired bodies the way we do.  Now, I know that there are loopholes to that theory.  I am a mom and with that comes full days and late nights.  The highs far outweigh the lows and the thing is, the bottom line is that if I liked myself more....well, I think you get it.  Well, I like myself fine.  I do.  I just don't give myself enough credit. Another theory in this book is that we "diet" by way of obsession which leaves us no time to really focus on the things we truly want.  Imagine how  much time and energy and passion you would have if you could just not think about that anymore.  Ever.  I don't mean giving up on yourself either.  To truly look at your day, your menu, your meals and see on the plate how you feel about yourself.  What did you have for dinner?  Was it because it was easy?  There?  So good that you were willing to deal with the stomach ache later?  I am still in the beginning of this book but I have to say that I think I get it.  

My confession:  I am too afraid of accomplishment that I just don't try.  I hide from my own "greatness".  Before you laugh, you do it too!  You know you do.  I hide my colors for many reasons: fear of failure, ridicule, mockery...and even success.  If I succeed at something else, where will that take me?  A road not yet traveled with five other people along for the ride.  What if they don't want that ride?  

I challenge you to take a minute and read this book.  Give that to yourself.  Read for ten minutes here and there until you find something that resonates with you.  If nothing resonates, well you're in the cool crowd for having read a book Oprah suggested.  If it does; however, take that minute to think about how truly amazing you are and how you deserve to be treated.  The idea that we are to treat others the way we want to be treated only works if we don't beat the crap out of ourselves every day.  Be kind to yourself.  Be grateful for your moments of clarity, quiet, joy as well as the moments when you want to run away from it all.  That's just my two cents for the day.

Enjoy and if you do read it, come back and share.  I would love to know your thoughts.