Sunday, July 22, 2007

Heartfelt Balance


Summer means a lot of things-- berries, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and the list goes on. Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me with her bounty. I thank her daily through my yoga practice.
Lately, I've been asking her for guidance. And each day she helps me through another. My yoga flow has renewed me and made me realize a lot of things. It keeps me going through the job I hate, it reminds me how strong I am, and how beautiful I am, too.
Being a woman, who has struggled against so much. Realizing your roots makes you grounded and loving. What I have struggled with lately is a balance between my passion of food and my health. I let my passion take over, causing me to over eat, and what woman hasn't. However, I've been at the other end many times, not eating, causing severe health problems, weighing 112 lbs and wanting to lose more not gain. Where's the balance?
Being a runner, makes this a challenge. I have to eat enough protein to sustain my activity. As well as the fact that I need to lose what I gained overeating. Since my marathon, I've been struggling with this. And being in a job you loathe does not help things.
So I back to where I was last summer, but with a new twist. I will eat what I want in moderation. I will watch what I eat and when I'm not hungry, I don't eat. Sweets are down to twice a week. I will not be a vegetarian like I was last summer. Protein in quantities that I need. Oh and eat all the fruit and veggies I want.
I realize that this is a food blog, but there are times, when things have to be spoken or written. I always find it easier in writing. So to everyone hanging in the balance, meditate and eat chocolate. What do you have to lose?

P.S. Summer Flavor Challenge has been extended to Thurs.

4 comments:

Deborah said...

I know what you mean - I have had a lot of struggles between my body image and my desire to eat. How do you remain healthy while having a passion for food? I agree with you that moderation is the answer. I think that if you are conscious of what you are putting into your mouth, savoring each bite, you will be less likely to overeat and you will actually get more out of the experience.

Seza said...

Your putting yorself out there which is great. I think it's awesome that you're aware of yourself and your needs/wants. I say keep on loving food and yourself. Sounds like your a pretty healthy person.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to find a balance between what you eat and what your body needs. Before my wedding I was down to 115lbs, mostly because I was eating off salad plates and working out like mad. Now I'm back up to 132lbs. My goal is to reach 125, which I think is a healthy and attainable weight that also allows me to eat chocolate cake! I wish you lots of luck in reaching your goals. I think eating what we like in moderation is the key to avoiding obsessive food behavior, like dreaming about ice cream or something. :)

Ari (Baking and Books)

Anonymous said...

Moderation is the key. And you're right to not eat unless you're hungry. That's tough for me because of the temptation to snack as I cook and then sit down for "mealtime" when I'm not hungry. A book that really helped me escape the feeling of being controlled by food is The Weigh Down Diet.