Jennifer Barley

Food Rules....an Eater's Manual

Michael Pollan is the guru of examining food and what society eats.  He has written several books.  The one I am most excited about at the moment is Food Rules, An Eater's Manuel.

It is short and sweet, and simple. In the book he has 63 rules for eating closer to the earth -- and moving away from manufactured, science produced food.  I like it.

I am starting a local meeting in Santa Cruz, CA called The KickStart Club.  The weekly meeting is going to be a Tuesday night meeting, beginning September 7, 2010,  where we focus on personal development around food and fitness and everything else. 

I will be using Michael's book as my challenge of the week for the group.  I will present one challenge a week to the group to try on just for 7 days.  For example -- rule number 20:   It's not food if it arrive through the window of your car.  The challenge of the week is to not hit the drive-through! I love it.

Michael's basic premise is Eat Food.  Not too much. Mostly Plants.

To read more about this book -- click here.

Why Are We Drinking Sand?

 Tonight is the start of a new book study group around Geneen Roth's Women, Food and God.  I always love when new groups get together to learn about themselves and one another.

In Chapter 2 of the book -- on page 32, Geneen writes: "Women turn to food when they are not hungry because they are hungry for something they can't name: a connection to what is beyond the concerns of daily life....But replacing the hunger for divine connection with Double Stuf Oreos is like giving a class of sand to a person dying of thirst."

Hence -- the crux of emotional eating.  There are many debates on the internet about the question --if you eat when you are not hungry -- is it really emotional eating?

I say "yes". 

When we eat because we are not hungry it can be to avoid an emotion or to prolong an emotion.  I do know that we are not always aware of what emotion is going on.  But until we are willing to explore what we are avoiding or prolonging, how will we ever be able to process it, understand it, or feel it?

Understanding emotional eating is all about connection.  Connecting our thoughts to our feelings to our actions.  Connecting to our true desires.  Connecting the patterns and the dots in order to change what doesn't really work for us.  Connecting to our deepest selves.

And to be honest, sometimes we would rather drink sand when we are dying of thirst.

What are we really afraid of learning about ourselves that we ignore the emotional eating?  What is better about being in denial than understanding who we really are?

Why it is easier to hate our thighs, berate ourselves, and wish we could live a different life than to connect with the life we have?

I have my online Women, Food and God Book Study, three week Tele-Class series starting Thursday September 9th.  It will be from 5:30 - 6:45 PST on 9/9, 9/16, and 9/23.  For more information, please click here.

Online Book Study Group - Women, Food and God Announced!

I have been leading a local book study group for Geneen Roth's best-selling book, Women, Food and God.  It is amazing all that we have learned, the discussions that were had, and the a-ha moments that were shared.

I have decided to offer an online book group - in a teleclass format - to continue the discussion.  Here are the details:

Three Week Book Study Group
Thursday Evenings - September 9th, 16th and 23rd
5:30 - 6:45 PST (7:30 - 8:45 CST - 8:30 - 9:45 EST)

September 9 - Principles: Chapter 1 - 6
September 16 - Practices: Chapters 7 - 10
September 23 - Eating: Chapters 11 - 14

Benefits of the Online Class:

• Receive weekly questions prior to class to use as a study guide to help you formulate your thoughts around the book concepts
• Expert facilitation for discussions to draw out your thoughts
• Common bond with others who are working on better understanding their relationship with food and fitness.
• Audio recordings of each class, in case you miss one, or just want to listen to the classes again.
• Support and guidance for where you are in the process.
• Free Report: 118 Tips, Tricks and Techniques to KickStart A Healthy Relationship with Food and Fitness

Cost for all three classes -- Only $38

Early Bird  Pricing - Register by August 20 and save $5.00 -- only $33

(Price does not include the book or any long-distance phone charges). Check or Credit Card Accepted.

To sign up for the class or if you have questions about the group -- please email me: jennifer@jenniferbarley.com

To review the book or to order it - click here.

The Food On Our Plate....

 I have been leading a book study group on Geneen Roth's book Women, Food and God.  The first group ended last night and it was an amazing three weeks of insights, thoughts, discussion and commonality among 16 women.

In the beginning of the book, Geneen writes, "our relationship to food is an exact microcosm of our relationship to life itself. I believe we are walking, talking expressions of our deepest convictions; everything we believe about love, fear, transformation and God is revealed in how, when and what we eat."

That is so curious to me.  I do believe that we are walking, talking expressions of our deepest convictions -- but how that relates to the food on my plate is a concept I never explored until now.

I've come a long since the 14 year old who use to buy tubs of Betty Crocker vanilla frosting and put food coloring in it -- to make it more festive -- and then would hide the tub in my bedroom closet.  Now being 43 and looking at my relationship with food and how it mirrors my life has been a perfect adventure of self discovery.

So much of my eating has changed in the last 7 weeks alone -- not to mention over the course of the lifetime.  Today, I am focusing on mindful, intuitive eating.  How does that mirrors my life? I am taking an awareness approach to all areas of my life. Paying attention to the details, understanding what is working and what is not.  Shaking things up and trying on new concepts. Redefining normal, as I like to call it.

Also, another food on the plate mirroring life for me has been slowing down.  Before this summer I was always busy, always rushed, always on the go. No time to cook, no rhythm to the schedule, work, work, work.

With Curtis coming on Team Jenn Barley, the quality of our lives has increased so much.  We cook meals together -- breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I am more focused on my work so that I am working less but producing more.  I have the support team.  We have a regular schedule -- and our eating reflects that.  Whole foods, recipes from scratch, eating together.  Slowing down.

Perhaps my overeating of the past was a reflection of feeling like there isn't enough, or a lack of abundance or that I had to get all the "good, delicious, higher cal eating" out of the way, so I could get back to carrots as soon as possible.

Not really sure. I'll have to keep thinking about that.

It is definitely food for thought.

How do you think your plate mirrors your life?

To check out Geneen's book, click here.

Eckhart Tolle Thought of the Day

Most people's lives are run by desire and fear.

Desire is the need to add something to yourself in order to be yourself more fully.  All fear is the fear of losing something and thereby becoming diminished and being less.

These two movements obscure the fact that Being cannot be given or taken away.  Being in its fullness is already within you. Now.

---Eckhart Tolle, Stillness Speaks

 

Suze Smack Down!

"O" What a Weekend Continued

As many of you know -- I went to the "O" Magazine Conference a few weeks ago and had a great time.  In previous newsletters I stated that I would be recapping a speaker from the event to share all the nuggets of info. So.....

Oprah was coming and Suze was the last speaker I was scheduled to see for the day.  What a decision.  Suze?  Or secure a good spot for Oprah?  After much debate -- I stayed for Suze for 10 minutes -- snapped some photos, took some notes and bolted to get a spot about 6 rows back for Oprah!  Sweet!



So --- bottom line.  Suze feels that things will really start to turn around in 2015.  7 years.  She also said to use the downturn of the market as a good thing -- meaning -- -continue saving $5, $20, $50, or $1000 a month and buy the stocks while they are low!!!!  Just keep putting money away!

All the conference attendees received Suze's book: Women & Money.  I have read the book before but I am really glad to now own it.. 

Just the dedication of the book says it all:

"This book is dedicated to all the women of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  May we always support one another and wish each other greatness."

Now for the men of the Jennifer Barley blog -- same applies to you.  This book is just targeted to women.



What I love about this book is--  it breaks it all down into simple terms.  It is easy to read and the bottom line is if you don't respect your money (no matter how little or much you have) -- you don't respect yourself.  This goes great with the Putting Yourself on the Top of the List message.

Not only does it talk about investing but it reviews insurance policies, what you need in place, living wills etc.  It even has a 5 month "Save Yourself" plan.

Suze was a dynamic speaker -- exactly as she appears on TV.  She knows so much and she really believes in valuing yourself!