Eating to Thrive
With it being the middle of winter and post holiday season it is no surprise I have had more students coming to me looking for weight loss. It is true that yoga can aid in overall physical health. With that said, I am not a fitness instructor or personal trainer. I am not a nutritionist or dietician and do not provide advise on how to eat. What I can offer is a spiritual approach focusing on ideas such as exploring one's relationship to food, self-esteem, self-care and body image.
Community
2020 provided ample opportunity to be sedentary and eat more. Emotional eating, and the following weight gain, became common place for more people than ever. With sheltering in place and social distancing we were, in large part, removed from our communities and support systems.
“Healing doesn't happen in a vacuum. We are human and we have an inherent need to see and be seen, to touch and be touched. No one heals heartbreak alone.” - Chelsea Roff.
Our Bodies
First, we can look at the forces that have shaped our relationship with our bodies and start setting the stage for positive body image. There are social, culture and economic influences that have shaped our personal body image. The practice of yoga is one of focused mindfulness, which can empower us to make healthy choices for our bodies in the present moment. We can appreciate our bodies for the amazing gifts of function they give us. This temple of the body allows us to live our lives. Choose to put gratitude for wellness and utility ahead of judgements about beauty and attractiveness.
Self - Care
The body is a gateway to connection with ourselves and others. It is our vehicle to express and receive such feelings as love, kindness and compassion. Beyond the breathing and movement of modern postural yoga, Ayurveda, the sister science to yoga, gives us some lovely practices for self care. One such self-care act is Abhyanga - a full body self-massage with warm oil. Like me, you may also appreciate the self- care that goes into internal cleansing. Kitchari is a nourishing dish used in Ayurveda to de-toxify and cleanse the body.
“ Tell the image-makers and magazine-sellers and the plastic surgeons that you are not afraid. That what you fear most is the death of imagination and originality and metaphor and passion. Then be bold and LOVE YOUR BODY. STOP FIXING IT. It was never broken.” - Eve Ensler
Inner Awareness
Interoception, the connection we have to your internal experience, is a key pillar of finding a healthy relationship with your body. Trust you body to tell you what it needs. We can intentionally deepen our capacity to pause, identify and explore our sensations, giving us the chance to discern and respond to our bodies physical and emotional needs. One helpful practice is to pause before a meal to take note of the physical sensations whatever they are. Maybe you've been rushing through your day and you find yourself tense and empty. Or, are you calm and full from your last meal still? Are you feeling numb, or pain, hot or cold? What does this all tell you about how much is appropriate to eat? What emotions might these sensations be pointing to? Then, note how you feel after the meal and if you would have done anything differently, in term of what you ate and how much you ate.
Positive Mind States
The philosophical aspects of yoga give us guidance for restorative and contemplative practices to reduce anxiety and depression and positively influence our nervous system. The more skillful we become in these practices the more possible self-regulation is. Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and manage your energy states, emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in ways that produce positive results such as physical and mental well-being and loving relationships. Developing this ability requires self-awareness, emotional intelligence, efficient filtering of sensory stimulation, coping effectively with stress, and sustaining focus – all area we have touched on.
In this new beginning of the new year I invite you to take some time to explore these concepts further for yourself. For more on creating positive mind-states please refer to my articles Yamas and Niyamas, Jnana Yoga, and the guided meditations. I have written about my personal experience with yoga and weight loss here.
Special thanks and acknowledgement to the non-profit Eat Breathe Thrive for their amazing work in the area of creating an integrative approach to overcoming food and body image challenges.