Welcome!

In this blog, I hope to introduce an idea I've had for many years, but never really found the time to put down all my thoughts about it in an organized way. Well, a blog format is a nice way to share my thoughts in a disorganized way, so I'm glad it exists!

My idea, which I call the "gratitude diet", is basically a kind of mindfulness practice which is intended to incorporate gratitude for the food we eat. I believe this ultimately leads to a better relationship with food and healthier choices. The point isn't particularly to lose weight, though it helped me to do so.

Diets are typically associated with the ideas of deprivation, sacrifice. and most notably, guilt. Gratitude has the potential to turn that around. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, gratitude was the key to my success in improving my diet. This isn't to say that I'm "there" yet, or that I'm mindful at every meal. The progress for me was slow and not particularly steady. But it happened, and I hope to share my insights and maybe help someone else.

Mindfulness and gratitude for food are certainly not new concepts. What makes my idea unique is that it follows a daily plan that lasts at least a month. On the first day you allow yourself to eat JUST brown rice. As much as you want, but only that. The next day, you add beans or lentils (which is a meal that you could eat for the rest of your life and be perfectly well-nourished). The third day you allow yourself salt and spices. And so on. Each day allows a new food, and it's truly exciting when you get to eat something new. It re-frames the whole practice into something that you're getting every day rather than losing.