What if, instead of putting more sugar in your mouth, you put more sugar in your life?
What if the cravings for sweetness that you try to satisfy by putting things in your mouth was actually a craving for more sweet things in your LIFE? (Or savory, or gooey, or chocolatey or whatever it is that really gets you salivating.)
Don’t get me wrong–I absolutely advocate for indulging in the foods that bring you bursts of pleasure and happiness. Having a piece of cake or pastry and enjoying it wholeheartedly without a twinge of remorse is an excellent way to enjoy the simple things in life and add a boost of happiness to your day.
It’s what mindful eating is about.
When eating food for pleasure, we MUST make it a full sensory experience…make love to the food if you will. Then we will reap the reward that the food is there to give us (ie. the food orgasm). BUT… if we aren’t present while eating it, then it’s not doing its job of giving us a sensory experience, so what’s the point anyway?
I realize this concept of giving yourself permission to FULLY enjoy food is challenging… the thing is, when we only halfway give ourselves permission to eat a specific food, and the other half of us is calculating calories, fat grams, inflammatory properties, etc. or we are completely zoned out, we miss the true pleasure of eating the food and usually feel guilty. As most of you know, this guilt leads to eating more, and it spirals out of control. Ugh.
Perhaps you’re also using food as the sole source of pleasure in your life. Maybe you’re waiting to live your life to the fullest until x happens: until you lose weight or until you get in shape. Until your kids are grown up. Until work slows down. Until you feel confident. There’s some variation of the “when/then” syndrome.
As many yo-yo dieters know, this when/then thinking goes something like: “When my diet works, then I’ll love myself and then I’ll give myself permission for pleasure”. Then they fall back into the cycle of overeating or binge eating because they’ve “blown their diet” or “lost willpower”. They figure that eventually they will find a diet that will work and THEN life will begin…….. so they go on depriving themselves and finding food plans and diets so that hopefully, they will get the body they want and finally! They can start enjoying their life.
But they never get there. It’s a vicious cycle.
I know this because I used to be one of these yo-yo dieters. And I am here to tell you, from personal experience, backed by client experience, that there IS another way. A better way!
A way that involves feeling good in your own skin FIRST. A way that involves living your life NOW, and finding pleasure and excitement in the world around you.
The world is full of richness waiting to be explored and discovered and enjoyed. Your task is to go seize it–to find the sensory and sensual experiences that will add sugar to your life, so that you no longer need to add it to your bowl.
And when you do this, the weight will come off.
You will feel healthy and vibrant and vital.
You will enjoy being in your body and interacting with life–and not because of the number on the scale.
And when you are so engaged with these pleasurable, relaxing, revitalizing experiences, you will find that the cravings for sugar or food subside, and every once in a while, you will make a conscious choice to enjoy and savor a piece of cake, with full permission.
It’s okay if you’re not there yet…or if you think you might never get there. It absolutely is a journey and a process. A process that starts with a simple intention.
So I encourage you, at this very moment, to close your eyes, take a deep breath or two and set a gentle intention to put more sugar in your life.
Imagine what it feels like to do more things that bring you joy:
- Connect with your friends
- Be leisurely
- Pamper yourself
- Engage your senses
- Make love (with or without a partner)
- Create artwork (even just using colored pencils and paper)
- Add flowers to your space (home and work)
- Get or give a massage
- Walk through a nature trail
- Snuggle with a pet
- Plan a date night
- Find a new cultural activity (Groupon!)
- Go to the theater, or an art show or concert,
- Try a new restaurant (and savor!)
- Dance around your room
- Buy some clothes that make you feel beautiful
- Paint your nails a crazy color
- Light a scented candle
- Take a luxurious bubble bath
- Go to the spa
See if you can get a sense of what it would feel like to re-discover pleasure, and give yourself permission to indulge in life NOW.
It is your birthright and a REQUIREMENT (not a luxury).
I would love to hear how it’s going for you, so please let me know!
To your pleasure,
Meredith