Life Fit with Laura Lewis: A Diet of Joy
Being Life Fit is about your total health, including the health of all of your relationships. Life Fit is a journey, not a destination. It is a process of continuous growth: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Check in each Tuesday to Life Fit with Laura Lewis, author of "52 Ways To A Healthy You," as we explore our total life fitness. Then, weigh in with your own thoughts over at Laura's "Life Fit Chat" each Wednesday and Thursday for further discussion on the week's topic. For more information visit Laura at www.LauraLewis.com. There is a distinct difference between joy and happiness. Joy is a state of being -- a consciousness, while happiness is an emotion or feeling. When we live in a state of joy, we may experience moments of frustration or happiness but we never lack in the basic experience of joy. According to Martha Beck, contributing editor of Oprah.com, "To go on the Joy Diet, you add certain simple behaviors to your daily routine, practices that will improve your life whether you're feeling just a bit dreary or utterly confined to the pits. Feasting (Joy Diet-style) means adding an element of attention and structure to events that otherwise might slip by as too ordinary for comment. Doing this can turn the most ordinary situations into celebration."
Feasting is rarely, if ever, about food. "Feasting" is actually about fully indulging in the joie de la vie. But, when it comes to food, the Joy Diet does have two strict rules:
1. You must eat only what you really enjoy.
2. You must really enjoy everything you eat.
Simply put, follow your own natural appetite, and honor the process. Stop thinking about "good" foods and "bad" foods, and simply honor your body's natural food cravings while respecting your body's need for dense nutrients. Feasting is rarely, if ever, about food. "Feasting" is actually about fully indulging in the joie de la vie. But, when it comes to food, the Joy Diet does have two strict rules:
1. You must eat only what you really enjoy.
2. You must really enjoy everything you eat.
Beck continues, "On the other hand, if you give yourself permission to eat whatever truly makes you feel good, you may be surprised by how dietetically correct your body wants to be. Pediatricians tell us that if left to their own devices, children will choose a balanced, healthy diet. Adults will do the same -- unless they are eating for reasons other than physical hunger." So, what if you entertain the idea that you are actually eating for reasons other than hunger. How can you fulfill your body's other natural needs and desires? Beck recommends feasting on beauty, feelings, love.
The Beauty Feast. Savor the beauty of everyday life. Whether it is a flower in the garden, a song on the radio of the laughter of a child, life is rich in beauty. We must only stop to pay attention.
The Feelings Feast. Touch is the ultimate in Joy Feasting. From fantastic sex and therapeutic massage, to yummy textures such as flannel or silk, our bodies crave touch. Beck claims, "Just lying down and relaxing can be a feast for the body, especially if you can get away with doing it for a few minutes in the middle of the day. Stretching, scratching, skipping, dancing -- anything that moves your body in a pleasurable way can be a feast." Allow yourself to indulge your sense of touch.
The Love Feast. Affection is a multi-vitamin for the soul. Whether it is the affection of a child, snuggling with your cat or beloved pet, or the love or a domestic partner, to be human is to desire the giving and receiving of love. Read on for more tips on living a life filled with love.
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