Getting Started

In this exercise, we will seek to understand your current relationship with food and re-imagine what you would like that relationship to look like. You'll need a pen and paper for this one. Let's begin by writing down the first 10 words that come to mind when you think about food. Pause this audio and begin playing again when you finished. Go ahead and start writing those 10 words now. Next thing food you consider healthy or good and write down the first three words that come to mind for that, pausing this audio again as before. Now let's repeat the exercise while thinking about a food you consider unhealthy or bad, pausing this exercise once more. Let's read and reflect on the words you wrote. What do you notice? Do you think I see food is your friend or your enemy? Is it something you enjoy or something you resist? Does it cause you pleasure or pain? Do you see food for what it is or for the effect you think it will have on your weight? And do you have a sense of appreciation around food or a sense of resentment? Let's think about how our relationship with food came to be this way. Are these words you wrote something that you learned from family? Are they a product of your current circumstances or do they come from somewhere else? Imagine what your ideal relationship with food would look like. Let's write down 10 words you'd like to associate with food and the experience of eating in an ideal world. Hit pause and begin writing those words now. Now take a moment to reflect on these words and how they make you feel. If you're finding that your relationship with food is challenging or painful, know that you're not alone. And now that you've identified some of your personal history with food, you can start taking steps to heal that relationship. So the goal is through the techniques and the practice of mindful eating, you can find the path from where you are to where you wanna be. We look forward to seeing you in the next lesson....