Eat Pray Love

I just got done watching the Oprah episode that had Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love on. This is one of my favorite books of all time. I couldn't put it down and it made a huge impact on my life. Watching the show got me thinking that I really want to read it again. I have to get it back from my mom so I can dive in again. I read it so fast the first time and I think this time I will slow down and savor it a bit more.

The lesson that I took most from the book is one of self care. Having a husband, 5 sons and 2 dogs I haven't always taken as much time for myself as I would like. I guess I never really felt like I deserved it. Since finding The Journey and taking the time to focus on my own healing I have begun to believe that I do deserve to be healthy and happy.

I think that getting control of my eating is a natural progression for me. By feeding my body what it needs to repair itself from years of abuse I am saying yes to my own soul and I am saying yes to health which allows me to say yes to happiness.

It is a process, a journey and I am taking it with excitement and gratitude. Everyday is a new learning experience for me. I now look at things in a new way and it is so refreshing. When I have a craving I am able to look at it and see what it is trying to tell me. What am I to learn from this overwhelming feeling? Often my lessons are lessons of self worth and everytime I am faced with them I have the opportunity to learn and to grow.

So what did I learn on Wed? I learned that I have strong emotional ties to food as I am sure many of us do. As the day goes on I become more weakened by the cravings and the desire for something "substantial." I do so well until about 5:00 and then I begin to pace around and start looking for something to eat. It is a sort of yearning for something. I wasn't exactly sure what it was and then I stopped and got quiet. I asked myself, what am I looking for? The answer that came to me was passion. Hmmm. I need to explore this. I do feel my life is lacking in passion. How do I find it? Which way do I turn? I will continue to contemplate this.

Breakfast-smoothie with banana, spinach, orange and flax

snack - banana

lunch- green juice with spinach, apple, celery, cucumber, kale, lemon, ginger

snack - orange

dinner- salad of spinach, dandelion, tomato, pine nuts, dried blueberries and garlic with a dressing of orange juice, olive oil, miso. Dandelion is too spicy for me.

cooked butternut squash with coconut oil, agave and salt.