Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hold the Paradox, Drop the Burden

by Amy Gaudia ©2011
Paradox [par-ə-däks]
noun
1. a situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or
qualities

Burden [bər-dn]
Noun
1. a load, esp. a heavy one.
2. a duty or misfortune that causes hardship, anxiety, or grief; a nuisance
Chapter 1:  Introduction
This booklet was created for all the many people who enjoy food, are feeling too heavy and are fed up with fad diets and ridiculous theories about human nutrition.  The Paradox is very simple and will be spelled out clearly in Chapter 5.  Please do not jump ahead.  It will unfold with much greater meaning if you just read it as it is presented.  A remarkable opportunity for change will soon be revealed to you.
This is a guide, a suggestion, and an experiment.
It is NOT:
*  Another fad diet
*  Mystical or New Age
You will NOT be required to:
*  Buy equipment
*  Keep a diary
*  Engage in rigorous exercise
*  Weigh and measure yourself
*  Adhere to any spiritual/religious practice
*  Count calories
*  Make special recipes
*  Use urine dip-sticks
*  Take pills
*  Eat meat
*  Eat vegan
*  Join a support group
You WILL be encouraged (but not required) to:
*  Read Michael Pollan’s books and articles
*  Examine your habits and thoughts
You are, as of right now, strongly encouraged to engage in regular enjoyable physical activity.  If you do not already have something in place such as exercise routines, sports or yoga classes, then a good place to start would be walking for a half hour every day, or frequently dancing in your living room to some upbeat music.
Chapter 2:  A Shift in Perspective
By now you have probably heard the expression, “some people live to eat while others eat to live.”
Which one are you?
If you fall into the live to eat category, please give yourself a moment to reflect on what that actually means to you, and how it plays out in your overall relationship to food. 
Now may be the time to convert.  Accepting this challenge means that you are about to flip your perspective and …
EAT to LIVE.
Food is for nourishment,
social bonding,
and enjoyment.
There are hundreds of weight loss diets out there and many people are becoming increasingly aware of the high rate of failure. Among the scientifically based explanations and theories about the failures, the most significant is the lack of a paradigm shift.  Even the best ones that I have read about still place heavy emphasis on specific types of food with every moment of your day revolving around recipes, weekly menus and schedules, proper combinations for maximizing your metabolism, and even the color of your plate.  Although the choices may be healthier, balanced and more nutrient-dense, the perspective is such that you are living for food, rather than eating to stay alive and well.
How do you make the shift into the "eat to live" way of being? 

 (This is an excerpt from my new ebook, now available on Smashwords)
http://smashwords.com/b/118158