There is no right diet, only a process…

I write this as much for myself as for all of you out there. Most of us have dieted for one reason or another, and most of us have not enjoyed the process. That is why I help my clients to become more aware of their body’s intuitive needs, its subtle voice regarding what it wants. You see, every diet will get you to lose weight if that is your goal, simply because it is getting you to eat less. Period. But the truth of the matter is that when eating becomes what it was meant to be– a way of honoring and nourishing the body and soul in a way that is pleasurable to the senses (and to the tummy!)– we eat when we are hungry and only what we need. It is when we eat for other reasons like boredom, frustration, anger, depression and resentment that we become food stuffers and not eaters.

And just when we find the right combination of foods that make our bodies hum, something changes: the season, the stress level, our health status, and we are back searching for that which makes us feel good again. Remember that we are all on a continuum, we are all a work in progress. I am a work in progress. As the weather has gotten noticeably cooler, the huge green salads that had nourished me all season long are now not so attractive or nourishing to me come autumn. I crave the heartier soups and roasted vegetables, the grains I had not eaten much of in the warmer months. Now I need to find the right combination and amount of these foods that satisfy me and provide me with the energy I need to work all day or play all weekend!

I hope you will never feel frustrated trying to find the perfect diet. It is sitting next to the fountain of Youth! Learn to eat mindfully, and savor the food you have in front of you. Give thanks for it and enjoy it for the sheer purpose of nourishment. Take time to recognize how certain foods make you feel, and listen to your body: it will tell you what it needs.

Namaste,

Diane