The January Diet - How's it Going?

Oh no, it's January. And, by now, even if you barely watch tv or flip through magazines, you've really gotten a heaping gulp of what January brings:

*a carefree celebrity advertising the latest diet program on tv and radio commercials

*more magazine articles showing before/after photos of speed-based diet pills

*gyms offering cheap "dream body" deals

*diets consisting solely of green tea, protein shakes and please-no-carbs-whatsoever

*conflicting diet rules [organic/nonorganic, meat/meatless, sugar/Splenda]

*models and other "beauties" airbrushed and polished to "perfection" selling whatever....

*...and yet more celebrity trainers quite literally torturing clients on television.

Instead of telling your body what it needs, let it tell you. Wait, wait. Read that again. Instead of telling your body what it needs, let it tell you.

I can understand if that statement scares the willies out of you. You might think your body has been screaming at you for years that you should be living off of Edy's Rocky Road and Snickers bars versus counting points, calories or carbs! But, if you gave into that temptation, wouldn't you lose total control?

(no, i am whispering you will not! just keep reading!)

Food doesn't have that much power. Again - Food doesn't have that much power. (Strict and superficial exercise regimes don't have that much power either, folks!) It's everything else in life that drives you batty when attempting to control it through diet and exercise. So, instead of diving into the Edy's ice cream tub or measuring your bicep to deltoid ratio (what does that really mean anyway???), consider what's really going on in your life.

How's your breath? Are you holding it? Is it okay to take a deep breath? Is your mind racing? Do you feel "good enough"? Do you feel too big, too small? When's the last time you got quiet with yourself, just to be, or to pray? How long is your "stress list"? If you had an hour to talk about yourself in private and total confidence, what would spill out? The little things, the big things, the medium things, the random things....think about it.

Then, imagine relaxing your body, your face, your jaw, your hips; then, imagine (just totally pretend here if necessary, okay??) - imagine, everything being okay. Imagine your body being okay exactly how it is today. Imagine your financial situation being okay. Imagine your list of unknowns being totally okay and on their way to working themselves out with time and patience.

If you can imagine an instance of peace on Earth (even when things are still the same!), do you still need to dive into the Edy's tub, run solely to burn off the calories, or compete with yourself to restrict more and more? If you can imagine all your heart's desires being met, and if you were to know that everything will ultimately be okay, can you imagine relaxing enough to listen to your body?

Turn the station when a "HealthyTrim" ad dances across the radio waves. Throw away the magazine articles illustrating xxx calories for breakfast, xxx calories for lunch, xxx types of snacks. Fire a trainer who refuses to work with you if you don't follow "his" plan.

My wish for you is to practice tuning into your deepest wisdom. The deeper you look, you won't find a whole gallon of ice cream waiting to be devoured. You might see a bowl, so eat it with delight, but you'll find a much richer life when you can see beyond the surface. It's not easy, and it's not fast, and setbacks/mistakes are allowed. This isn't a Monday diet, and as long as you're true to yourself, you never fall off the wagon.

Look into your heart. Ask yourself what choices you can make that are healthier for your whole being; Ask yourself "what am I truly hungry for?"; What can truly nourish your mind, your body, your spirit?; What dreams have you buried?

You have your whole life to practice nourishing yourself from the inside out - what a gift! I also know that sometimes we all seek sound advice for our bodies (food and exercise-wise) that come from a self-care perspective and not a "diet" perspective. I encourage you to research and always know that balance, moderation and flexibility are three really comforting and wise factors when taking care of yourself and taking advice from others.

So, touch base with your heart, your deep wisdom, your physical/emotional hunger cues, then research, ask the questions, talk to the experts, and run for the right reasons.