"FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD"
by Layne Whitley
Western North Carolina Woman, August 2009

I recently enjoyed a beautiful hike where green was the guest of honor, with all kinds of life clamoring for expression. On my walk I noticed Chickweed growing all around, one of my favorite things to pick and eat. Chickweed tastes like lush lettuce and has incredible medicinal qualities such as cleansing the blood and metabolizing fat. As I nibbled on this plant I had to laugh that it seems like everywhere I go I think about food and what I could possibly eat!

At this point in my life I have come to accept that I am a “foody” through and through. Food is one of the predominant ways I filter and enjoy my life, and this passion is one of my greatest sources of creativity. When friends come back from a trip somewhere I ask, “What was the food like?” When I recall memories and special moments I remember spectacular meals as nostalgically as people. When I plan for an adventure or a gathering I am first and foremost organizing the menu.

There was a time when my relationship with food was not as healthy. As a woman, I felt the pressures of society to look a certain way physically and act a certain way emotionally towards food. From Junior High until most of my adulthood I struggled with guilt and shame because I loved to eat food (and lots of it!). Food became a love-hate battle that caused me distress, because I was also starting to gain weight as my metabolism slowed down.

My relationship with food changed the day I finally took a good, hard look at myself. One of my core values was to reach my potential physically... but, quite honestly, one of my other true joys in life was the pleasure of food. I had never been able to shift into a healthy lifestyle because it felt too much like deprivation – too much suffering and denial. Then it clicked. I had to reconcile both of these values or else I would spend the rest of my life in the mental ping-pong game of satisfying my needs and then hating myself for it. Thus began my life study of finding phenomenal food that was, believe it or not, healthy as well!

Part of this transition was rooted in the raw food movement. I began to learn incredible ways to create living foods the enabled me to break serious food addictions such as my salt & vinegar potato chip obsession and my steamy affair with bread products. Raw food recipes also introduced a world of eating sweets that are phenomenal but absolutely guilt free and healthy. Although I am grateful for these Raw Food tools, I do not subscribe to any particular “breed” of food regime. I eat mostly vegetarian, and I also eat meat occasionally. I enjoy a lot of raw food menus but I definitely heat my food often. And although I strive to be healthy, I can delightfully put down an enormous deep fried fish sandwich with a plate of cheese smothered French fries. Mmmm...!

I continue to research and cultivate recipes that absolutely satisfy my taste buds, and I am happy to report I am in the best shape I have ever been – while enjoying food more than can be imagined! Now I have come to understand the bigger picture. Some people see life through music, others see potential art forms, while yet others see through the enormous tapestry of their personal interests. Me? I love food! l see eating and meal preparation as a rich palette from which to work with and enjoy. I now understand that it has always been this way in my life, the difference now is that I strive to choose the right "colors"...

The best part of all of this? The mental noise is GONE. I never have a dark thought, a heavy "shouldn't" when I enjoy my passion. What a liberation! Although I now enjoy better health and physical shape, I see how my greatest "weight loss" was releasing guilt and shame when it came to food. By honoring my true self I was able to redefine my terms so that I could cultivate a healthy state of mind and live within my values. I feel authentically inspired, for now when I think of my wellness path I see how freedom is the greatest reward of all.

©laynewhitley, 2010. Article may be reprinted with permission.

Layne Whitley, Food & Weight Loss Coach, helps clients lose weight, eat healthier, and feel great… naturally! To get your FREE e-book on lasting weight loss and receive her weekly recipes & success mindset articles on reaching your wellness potential, visit www.laynewhitley.com or email her at coach@laynewhitley.com.