From Amazon.com ~ Unlike so many diet books, this cheery addition to the self-help shelves wasn't written by a nutritionist or a fitness pro, but rather by a "creativity expert" who "accidentally stumbled upon a weight-loss secret that works" while teaching a creative "unblocking course." While this might sound like so much snake oil, the optimism and common-sense attitude of author Cameron are winning. Her system is both simple and inexpensive, promoting exercise, food journaling, and something called "morning pages," which are stream-of-consciousness passages dieters record after getting out of bed: "A day at a time, a page at a time, we become mindful, acutely attuned to our personal feelings." The second half of the book is filled with exercises, some more goofy than practical ("if your museum has a gift shop, buy yourself five postcards glorifying the body type you've got"), and stories detailing chronic overeaters paths' to weight loss success. These stories are sometimes inspiring, sometimes repetitive, but should motivate dieters to give writing a try.Haley over at Cheaty Monkey recommended this book last month so I thought I'd check it out.
Definitely a different concept. It was an interesting read.
Before you snack/eat, you should question why you are eating and ask yourself four questions:
1. Am I hungry?
2. Is this what I want to eat?
3. Is this what I want to eat now?
4. Is there something I can eat instead?
There are lots of writing exercises to do to help you figure out why you do what you do in different situations.
I know why I eat/overeat. I enjoy the taste and sensation of food. And I do eat when I'm not hungry so I know I have to keep occupied and distracted. I tend to be fairly social which means eating out a lot where I don't make the right choices.
A lot of the book seemed to focus on sugar cravings and better ways to replace them. For me, I crave chicken wings and junk like that more than anything. Alas, an apple won't replace that.
For me, it's all or nothing. I'm either on track or I'm way off. I've got to learn that there is an in- between.
Hi Teena,
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by my blog and thanks for your kind blogoversary wishes!
I lost 100 lbs without dieting. I did it by walking instead of riding. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. I used sneaky exercise. I can't say if this will help you, but I continue to do it and have not regained the weight!
The scientifically impossible I do right away
The spiritually miraculous takes a bit longer
I thought the book was a really interesting, unique approach. It definitely got me thinking and more conscious about my habits when it comes to food. I could NOT keep up the "morning pages." But, definitely, the writing I DID do, with her guidance, helped me discover a lot of things in relation to my diet and life -- that continue to affect me!
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