Weight

One really important aspect of the "gratitude diet" idea is that it really shouldn't be about losing weight. I'm not saying that losing weight or trying to lose weight is bad. Just that a focus on that over everything else is problematic.

My own story with this is complex. Over the month that I followed the diet, I did lose weight (somewhere between 5 and 10 pounds) Then, when I stopped following it took a month to gain the weight back. Yet, in spite of that, the whole exercise was extremely beneficial to me in a psychological, or I'd even say "spiritual" sense. It planted a seed of thought which over enough time re-shaped my mindset about eating. Years after, when I started another change of diet (giving up desserts and other sweet foods permanently) the groundwork that had been laid by the gratitude diet was a big factor in my success. And in that time, I did lose weight - about 30 pounds - over a year's time.

The thing is, if I had looked at the whole thing in terms of "weight loss", it would not have helped me much, because in the immediate term the endeavor was a failure. And I have no idea what effect it would have for other people, since everyone has a different metabolism. Plus, some people might need or want to gain weight, and I'd like to think that the gratitude diet could help with that too.

The main goal of this diet is to eat more healthfully, more mindfully. The lessons it teaches can then be carried into other kinds of diets or plans that can help improve physical health (whether it's weight loss, weight gain, or strength-building). It's more of a mental or spiritual practice than anything else.

I'm writing this blog hoping to at least get this whole idea down, though I don't feel particularly confident that it will get read by very many people. (Maybe if I post it on Facebook, I can get a few friends to read it...?)

That said, if this were an idea that caught on (in my wild fantasy...haha), what I envision isn't "millions of people losing weight", but rather millions of people who no longer talk about how they're "being bad" when they eat a brownie, or "punishing themselves" with salad after eating a large meal the day before. I'd like to see people really take joy in their food, and to be more aware of those who don't have enough (and to take action about it). I'd like to see people feel comfortable about when and what they're eating, because they've integrated their "higher minds" with the part of themselves that enjoys the sensual pleasures of food.

Hm. I think the next topic I post about which isn't "Day 6", "Day 7" or whatever should be about body acceptance.