Hello! How's your hydrating?
Last month I ordered a used copy of Geneen Roth's Women, Food, and God (in spite of the title, it's not religious nor is it referring to the "God" many envision when that word is spoken).
I read it.
I'm reading it, again.
This time as I read it I thought I'd use my blog to jot down some of my ponderings as a way to get to know myself. I'll share things she says, questions she asks us, mental exercises she poses.
Prologue, Page 2, Roth writes:
"The retreat is based on a philosophy I've developed over the past thirty years: that our relationship to food is an exact microcosm of our relationship to life itself."
AS I turned out the light last night and tried to fall asleep, I began wondering in what way does the way I eat reflect how I live my life. I don't think I binge on life. Maybe I do now that I think about it. I can be kind of compulsive. When I work on any project, I keep going until I'm finished and don't want to be interrupted. It drives me crazy when I have to stop; it drives me crazy when there's still cookies left in the package.
One thing that dawned on me last night (enough to turn the light on and write it down) as I was stuck on making the comparison is that I just don't like to deal with food. I don't enjoy shopping, lists, menu plans, cooking and cleaning up after. Sometimes I do, there are moments, but not everyday three times a day.
And, sometimes I just don't like to deal with life. I live in this grown-up world, and I don't always feel grown-up. There's tough things to deal with. Can't someone else take care of the mess while I enjoy the end product?
How does the way you eat reflect the way you live your life? Are you fried, raw, or shaken? :)
I just had to pop in and tell you I read the book a month or so ago and really enjoyed it. It's a whole new perspective on eating and why we do.
ReplyDeletePrior to last year when I made a change, I'd say my eating did reflect on my life. I would eat quickly and impatiently. That's how I did everything in my life.
Hmmmn... interesting. Sometimes I don't want to deal with life and take the simplest way out of a situation, which is also what happens when I end up eating bad (but fast) food rather than preparing in advance and doing something right.
ReplyDeleteGood analogy.
On the other hand, I done did my drinkin' [water] yesterday,so take that, life!
I like Geneen Roth and was wondering about reading this book. Maybe I will. hhmm...
ReplyDeleteYes, I totally think that my eating is similar to the way I eat life - I lack discipline and the drive to stay focused on long term goals for many things, outside my relationship with God, marriage and being wife and mommy.
You've got me thinking on this one. Thanks! :)
I bought that book a few weeks ago and stopped reading about 1/3 of the way in. I think she wrote the chapter about not underestimating the desire to bolt for me. There were some truths in there that I didn't want to deal with at the time. I've turned a corner since putting that book down; it may be time to go pick it back up again.
ReplyDeleteI was the W.I.D.T.H. submission about the family picture. My weight loss blog is at http://assinseat.blogspot.com. The addresses got mixed up. Thanks for coming and leaving a comment. I really appreciate it. :)
It's a good point she makes and one that should be obvious to us, but it's not! When I was obese I had parts of my life that were organized and healthy, but many parts that were not and eating fell into that camp.
ReplyDeleteMy water yesterday was terrible, because I was hostage 7 hours at various kid activities. Do I have a nice steel water bottle? I do not... yet.
ReplyDeleteI think what you said about not liking to deal with food is critical. I was the same way... still am a bit at times. But it helped me to think of the line from "French Women Don't Get Fat" where she says her favorite things are breakfast, lunch and dinner. And that was great for me to think of it that way. There was "duty food" and "fun" food. I was often not really hungry at mealtime. I'm thinking more now in terms of fresh-food-that's-a-treat... wonderful cherries or blue cheese with my raw vegetables, things I can say, "Oooh, it's LUNCHtime!" about.
Re food and life, I struggle every day with an innate tendency to be disorganized which I think has put quite a few pounds on me over a lifetime. I have to fight hard to stay on top of basic routines. Things other people do by rote, if they are not fun, I have to talk myself into them, every time. Talk about an inner child.
Great post! Thought-provoking!
I have not read the book but have heard great things about it!
ReplyDeleteMe, I am not a good cook & don't really like to because... I HATE THE CLEAN UP!!! So, I do cook but simple, the recipes I try have few ingredients so I don't get overwhelmed & I clean up as I go with the little I do. :-)
Some people really need that really great & exciting food but I am fine with what I do & the way I cook it.
As for real life, I do understand that. I do tent to the "avoidance" when it comes to life. I wish I could help you more with that. Exercise & health are easier for me. I feel I can control those much better than real life.
Great thoughts. I definitely am in the category of wanting to get it done and over with. I don't want it to take any more of my time than it has to. I love when it is planned but I don't like taking the time to plan.
ReplyDeleteFirst time on the blog. Jumped over here from MizFit's blog.
You have such an interesting blog. Like so many others have posted, you're such an honest person. It's so neat that you're willing to put yourself out in the open like you do. Awesome! I like that part about Roth and order and how we relate to food is kinda the same way we relate to life itself. That's such a fascinating way to think of it. It reminds me of one of the main things almost all of the major philosophical/religious schools of thinking tells us, if I don't mess this up, but that humans are really made up of a spiritual aspect, a mental aspect, and a physical one. And they seem to put them in that order. They all seem to say that if you get your spiritual house in order, then your mental house will be better, and then your physical will fall into place, almost without effort. I don't know a lot about your religion, Gina, but I have heard that one of the main things is that no matter what you're faced with, that if you will choose what you know is the right path (which I think would have to be a spiritual thing), that everything else will work out all right. Anyway, like I say, I love your blog. I just know you're going to not only achieve your goal, you're going to help so many others achieve theirs.
ReplyDeleteHello, everyone! Thank you for your insights and sharing and encouragement. I just spent the last hour and a half commenting back to each one of you individually. I guess I rambled on too long because when I clicked "post comment," I was informed that I lost my signal. And all is gone. My life-changing wisdom - poof.
ReplyDeleteYesterday afternoon and evening we had no phone/internet/cable, and I missed my window of opportunity to reply.
And today's window was broken.
Nooo! Hate that!
ReplyDeletei have been hearing a lot about this book. i will check it out.
ReplyDeleteas for your challenge, i knew that i wasnt getting enough water so i bought a 64oz jug and i drink a lot but still feel tired. thinking i need to get regular in my eating because sometimes i dont eat. but hey, i am drinking lol