As January 1 looms...

On the eve of the month-long NDH (that’s National Dieting Holiday to those not in the biz), many of you are experiencing your last supper. This meal, or easily meals, is tangled up permission to eat all the foods you enjoy before starting another restrictive diet. 

Awwww, the diet. The diet fantasy seduces us to believe in deprivation to promote change, romance, and livelihood. Because only 3% of your fellow dieters are successful, 97% of you will find yourself in this same position next December 31st. And this January 31st. 

I encourage you to try something different this year. Consider dusting off your body’s own system to regulate your natural shape: hunger and fullness cues. Sounds too simple? Yup. It certainly is simple and not easy. In future blog posts, I will give you more on how to be aware of these systems and how to give yourself permission to do so.

Until then I am going to try and seduce you with prose. I appreciate it is not romantic like the Alli commericals or Weight Watchers testimonials. Just know they are referencing that 3% and I am talking to you.

Today

Instead of denying...

I will promote my body.

Instead of punishing...

I will honor my needs.

Instead of distrusting...

I will listen to my wants.

Instead of cheating...

I will give permission to enjoy.

Instead of obsessing...

I will reflect curiosity.

Instead of resolving...

I will be aware of my being, my body, my love.

Instead of being my critic...

I will be my friend.

Be kind to yourself my friends and Happy New Year.

A new recipe for permission

As our society prepares for the communal nondenominational Last Supper with our National Diet Holiday (aka January) looming, I find myself exhausted. All this solitary permission giving makes me feel a bit lonely and defeated. Alas, I received Dr. Michelle May's recent blog post on holiday eating and permission giving. Whew, thanks for sending in the reinforcements. Check out her clever, creative, and effective post:

Holiday Recipe for Overeating and Instinctive Eating

Ralph Lauren just lost another customer.

I find great joy and release when writing letters to the editor or those in charge when things piss me off. This open letter to Ralph Lauren takes the cake and inspires me to grab my pen:

Open Letter to Ralph Lauren

While describing one man's disgust with RL's recent photo-shop of horrors, he reminds me that we as individuals have the power to stop companies from distorting our bodies in print. Stop normalizing the thin ideal as the only acceptable choice and only good moral choice. Money talks here and RL won't be getting anymore of mine.