Upsides to the Down Economy/ How to Eat

Just finished reading an Oprah-plugged book, Women Food and God. Seems like Women God and Food would have flowed better, title-wise, but whatever. It pretty much all boiled down to The Eating Guidelines, which was, of course, listed at the end of the book. I can save you twenty four bucks and a couple hours of reading by giving them to you here. The theory the author, Geneen Roth, proposes is that if we really listen to our bodies and eat what our bodies are telling us to, we will reach our natural set weight and never have to "diet" again. It kind of boils down to common sense and the old adage of "watching what you eat". Well, not just watching it, but really watching it. I don't know if I really buy this theory since last night my body told me to eat potato salad and pickled eggplant for dinner and salted popcorn with Milk Duds for dessert, with a Klondike bar thrown in for good measure. Also, nowhere in the book does it mention exercising, which even if it doesn't contribute to significant weight loss, does make you feel better, tones your body and is psychologically beneficial. So, while I don't buy the whole theory in Women God and Food, one thing that has surprised me is how much I eat standing up, or even walking. I am normally a stickler about sitting down at a table to consume a meal, but for some reason while I'm snacking, I oftentimes eat on the go. I realized this as I found myself yesterday throwing grapes and Baked Lays into my mouth (on separate occasions) while walking up the stairs to my bedroom. It is completely mindless eating, in the worse sense of the word. One of the guidelines is to "Eat sitting down in a calm environment." I once heard Hilary Clinton say on the Rosie O "Donnell show that calories eaten while standing up didn't count. I guess she was wrong. Without further ado, The Eating Guidelines.

1. Eat when you are hungry.

2. Eating sitting down in a calm environment. This does not include the car.

3. Eat without distractions. This includes: radio, TV, newspapers, books, intense or anxiety-producing conversations or music.

4. Eat what your body wants.

5. Eat until you are satisfied.

6. Eat (with the intention of being) in full view of others.

7. Eat with enjoyment, gusto and pleasure.

P.S. I feel like eating bacon. Is this my body or my brain telling me this? I shall resist.