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Am I Hungry? That was one of the focuses of the retreat -- eating what we love & need when we're truly hungry. It sounds so simple, but for those of us who eat for reasons other than hunger, like me, it's not! One of the tools we learned about was determining our level of hunger & fullness using a scale where 10 was overly full to the point of feeling sick (using the balloon visual, it would be filled to the point of exploding), 5 is neutral & 1 is ravenous (that balloon completely empty). The goal is to eat before we get too hungry, between a 2-4 (from the start of hunger pangs to the first point of very hungry heading to the point of starving), and only to the level of a 6 or 7 (full or the beginning of very full). We also learned how helpful it is to determine how hungry we are when we start eating & deciding how full we want to be when we finish. For as Michelle said, if we aren't hungry when we start eating, how will we know when to stop? And as I quickly realized, it is a great feeling to eat just the amount that you need. You have more energy, enthusiasm & are ready to get on with life.
Having just finished my breakfast, that's what I must do… get on with my day, but first I'll pray --
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.
And, for this one day of mindful eating & living, and each of its one meal, moment, bite & emotion, I'll pray, breathe, journal, feel & express my way. I'm grateful today for each & every one of you, my family & IRL friends, sunshine & some slightly warmer temps in the northeast and having the health & wealth (that I take for granted too often) to live this life I love! xoxox
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