Notebook Excerpt: Developing Healthy Eating Habits
I have a strange relationship to notebooks. I am very particular in choosing one that feels right to me - having the kind of paper format I’m in the mood for. Sometimes I like the typical lined pages, or sometimes I’m in the mood for graph paper or even completely blank paper. I will scrawl into it various snippets - rarely visual doodling but always snippets of text spontaneously as they need to be written down. I get tired of notebooks easily, and move onto the next one that feels right without hesitation. I have many of these older notebooks in storage, all unfinished.
Right now, I am using a simple Hilroy 100 page blue notebook with lines. It is more rectangular than square, and I like its interesting length. So far it has been used to capture writing when I’m in those rare moods of perfect clarity - where I feel creative and inspired, or when I am having difficulty with something and need to write it down to think about it.
Since I am attempting to learn better eating habits - after years of psychological issues with eating, in a moment of furor I quickly wrote down the following list. The end goal is to never have to worry about my weight again, a dream I find tantalizing. I thought I might share, since it may help someone out there. Of course there is much more to add to this list. I think this may be one of my New Years Resolutions, alongside learning how to meditate:
Strategies to Normalize Eating:
1) Treat it as a gourmet experience - savour tastes, eat slowly, no TV or internet distractions - devoted entirely to the mindful experience.
2) Set out 1/2 of ‘normal’ portions, put the rest away for leftovers. Keep in mind that leftovers are very useful and economical! Eat like J! (aside: J has very healthy eating habits I hope to learn from)
3) Eat a large percentage of raw foods, get in a ton of raw veggies. Remember that raw food is easy, beautiful, colourful and healthy!
4) Plan out simple and easy recipes, make sure to pick up all ingredients. Remember cooking is fun!
5) Yes, they were all right when they said moderation is key - balance, but healthy vegan balance of course! You know how to do this!
I am very busy right now, preparing a grad school application and working on another freelance project, so blogging has been more difficult. But I am always active at the Tumblelog, which I really enjoy using. I am still brainstorming for a way to integrate the blog and tumblelog better. For now I will be creating posts here that consist of samples from the Tumblelog, or I may expand on a find I post over there.
So far, my strategy for the holiday season:
- Complete Grad School applications
- Clean the apartment (I’d like to do some deep cleaning and recycle/give away all unnecessary things. While it would be great to one day be living in a minimal, postmodern abode - for now I am a packrat)
- Baking and cooking! (We are going to be doing lots of food prep during the holidays for family and friends, and should get more mileage out of Veganomicon. Also, I’ve just ordered Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World!)
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