Sacred and Fit in the New Year

Good evening,

I know I haven't written in a while but it is not because I haven't been thinking of you, my Sacred and Fit family. In the last two years, you have truly contributed to my spiritual growth and through that to my health and wellness but also to my teaching and research.  In a few hours it will be  a new year and I didn't want to end this old year without acknowledging your contribution.

Sacred and Fit began with an idea that behaviors associated with health and wellness can be part of a spiritual practice.  In the beginning, I tied the lessons to my own personal spiritual tools, the Aramaic version of the Lord's Prayer and the Beatitudes. However, later I found that any spiritual practice could be enhanced by bringing a God consciousness to behaviors that are done every day (like eating) or behaviors that need to become a habit (exercise).

Sacred and Fit did for me what New Year's resolutions had failed to do....slowly and systematically, over time,  changed my thinking about healthy eating and exercise and helped me to create good habits and keep them.  As my hot Yoga sessions and regular walks became times of prayer or times to cultivate silence and serenity they became desirable activities instead of chores. Honestly, it has taken these two years to get to this point where something seems wrong when I don't get to walk. This Christmas I made a huge batch of cinnamon rolls but I only ate a few over several days and had no real desire to eat my normal six at a time...That was a Christmas miracle!

Just kidding...the real miracle is what happened at my job. I started using S&F principles at work.   I have (healthy) snacks at my desk and I bring my lunch every day so there were ample opportunities to think more about God while at work and to bring a God awareness to my work tasks. Last year was extremely intense at my job. In addition to the completion of my graduate student's dissertation,  I also helped write several grants. One was a federal grant that will (hopefully) fund a mobile dental and health clinic for the homeless,  those with insecure housing and those formerly incarcerated. These populations are the least likely to seek out health care. Also, medical and dental students have practically no experience with these populations. Volunteering at the medical camp will help rectify that.

When I connect the dots, I see that my Sacred and Fit practices led to a renewed desire to serve God in a tangible way by volunteering once a month at the soup kitchen which led to helping organize a medical camp at my church in Richmond which led to the grant.  I also saw how my daily meditation helped increase my own focus and concentration and so I introduced a guided relaxation in my classes,  which helped reduce test anxiety among my students and raised their grades.

This year, I received $350, 000 from the National Science Foundation with a goal of increasing the number of HBCU students who study science, engineering, technology and math. We will be addressing math and test anxiety through meditation and focused relaxation. Through focus groups the students revealed that they need encouraging words and uplifting reminders to help them do the academic behaviors that will result in good grades. So, we are developing a mobile app to deliver this type of information to their phones.

We all know that creating new habits is hard. The science of  behavioral change shows that there are some common features to success whether you are trying to be healthier, trying to get better grades or even trying to be a better Christian.

1.  Set small goals, get good at them before moving on to bigger things.  Be patient.
2. Build new habits by connecting them to habits that you already have.  Be persistent.
3. Have a partner for encouragement and accountability.   Partner
4. Change the thoughts behind the behavior.  Use your faith to renew your mind and believe in yourself.  Prayer & Affirmations

Sacred and Fit incorporated all of these components and we are now spreading the message. In 2013,  my research team and I will be bringing the S&F principles to a whole  new audience.  So if you are wanting to start the New Year with a renewed focus on making a significant change in some area of your life start with this: Know that your life is sacred and your body a temple. Next step? 
Don't know yet?...In January,  we focus on Visioning.

Happy New Year.

Lesson from Miami on "just sitting"

I can't believe that I haven't posted on the Sacred and Fit blog  for over two months.  The blog was just one of many important things that began to slip this semester as a result of too many obligations.  You know how it gets when you say "Yes" to little requests but when there are many many  little requests the important things get sidelined...the urgent becomes a priority instead of the important.   Well, I've learned my lesson and I got back on track this week while in Miami with my brother,  Damon. As you know, it's been close to two years since his cancer diagnosis.

I used to think that I spent time with my brother for him.  Every other time that I've gone to spend a week or two with him, I've had an agenda. Usually, our time together revolves around doctor visits, test results and chemotherapy. I've researched questions to ask the doctors and taught myself what the test results meant. I've learned how to get a little exercise walking down long corridors and to eat healthy from a cafeteria menu (that is hard!). I've written on this blog how hospital time seems so much slower than time in my normal life. This time it was even slower and there were no hospital visits at all. Chemo is now done at home by Nurse Johanna.  

Sunday night a big box comes from the pharmacy. The chemo drugs have to be refrigerated and the pharmacy delivers them to the door along with everything else Johanna will need on Monday morning. When Johanna comes she gets straight to work. Damon lies down on the bed and next to him, Johanna lays out the plastic tubing, syringes, drug vials and the portable chemo delivery machine that Damon will wear for 24 hours.  Johanna is chatty and vivacious. She talks about her husband, her sons, her recent speeding ticket, her favorite restaurant, all while clipping and straightening and sticking. Before long, Damon has had his pre-chemo drugs, his chemo drugs and is hooked up nicely to a machine that fits into a shoulder bag, the size of a lunch box.  The last drug to be injected is something to make him sleep. Then Nurse Johanna is gone and it is quiet...very quiet.

As he sleeps, I sit in the quiet little apartment and for the first time in a long time I just sit. Remember that saying "Sometimes I sits and think and some time I just sits"..well to be able to "just sit" requires some effort. I am tempted to think of the future and what the cancer is doing to my brother. He now weighs around 140 lbs. I am tempted to think of work and the grant applications- the big one that was just denied and the three others that are not completely written and have deadlines coming soon.  I want to worry but instead I notice the thoughts. I watch and listen in for a moment, like surfing channels and as I notice them they soon quiet, too.

I don't know how long I just sat but I do know that it made a difference for the rest of the week. Damon had some good days and so we went places he wanted to go and every time I was tempted to think about the future or things I should be doing, Every time I was tempted to worry, I would  remember just sitting and when you just sit, you are in the present moment. I went places with Damon, thankful for the moments we were having together.  I enjoyed his enjoyment.  What a gift, he gave to me.

There's so much I want to share with you about what I am learning while being with Damon. I also want to fill you in on my obesity research with green smoothies . Next week a focus group will convene at my university to focus on student health interventions. One item- green smoothies in the residence halls. I was invited to write a grant proposal to the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation after they liked my preliminary idea to fight childhood obesity- green smoothies at a summer camp. And youngest daughter Andrea will soon leave for San Francisco to follow her dream to start her own business franchise--green smoothies.
So much to share...next time.

A healthy relationship with a Twinkie

As you know, I am providing a book report of this ground-breaking book Health at Every Size. because of it's radical suggestion that we can trust our own bodies to reach a natural weight set point and never ever diet again.  We can do this by 1. learning to feed physical hunger with nourishing food; 2. enjoying the food, 3. sensing when no longer hungry and 4. stop eating. 

In this edition of the book report, I venture into one of the more controversial aspects of her book...examining what we eat and why we are eating it.  According to the author, this is the crux of the matter; the food we commonly eat is simply not that nourishing. Hence the title of Chapter Four  "We're eternally hungry"

The first three chapters were meant to provide enough evidence from the vast number of studies on weight loss to convince you that perpetual dieting won't work and actually makes it more difficult to keep weight off for the long term. In addition, exercising without a long term change in eating habits won't lead to permanent weight loss either. So, the question is, "If we can't diet then what should we be eating?"  The author points out that the human body has evolved to thrive on a hunter-gatherer type of diet (greens, grains, fruit, nuts seeds and some meat). Hunter gatherers did not have high fructose corn syrup, stabilizers and emulsifiers that are common ingredients in processed food. In addition because the hunter/gatherers that gained weight and kept it on were rewarded by staying alive, while the ones who lost weight quickly died off, we are genetically presupposed to maintaining our weight around a well-regulated setpoint. In short, for longterm weight loss, WHAT you eat is more important than HOW MUCH you eat.

The problem with processed food is the mixed signals that it sends our bodies. In the hunter/gatherer diet, the food provided sufficient calories, nutrients and roughage (fiber) such that the body's weight control monitors located in the stomach, liver, pancreas and brain would turn off the appetite when sufficient levels were reached.  With a processed diet, the body will have sufficient (often an overabundance of)  calories but little nutrients and in some cases no roughage at all. So while some aspects of the weight control monitoring system say ENOUGH, others are saying MORE, MORE and we will eat more.

Chapter Four provides some history for the high-fat/high-sugar, overly processed and animal-product rich standard American diet but cautions the reader not to make broad generalizations like "all meat is bad" In fact she writes.
                 I'll say it now and I'll be saying it again: Please do not use this information to create or justify self-punishing rules for demonizing food or restricting your intake. if you find yourself  doing that, stop reading this chapter....


The chapter goes on to describe the health issues associated with high-glycemic foods and the benefits of fiber (an apple is better than apple juice). Also presents studies detailing the benefits of whole grains vs refined. (brown rice is better than white rice). There's a section on high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that states just how much of this sweetener Americans consume (estimated ins 2001 to be 62.6 pounds per person per year). The issue with HFCS is that although we eat a lot of it, the body's weight control monitors don't register it as nutritious, so we get the calories but not the signals that we've had enough. This is a common problem with artificial sweeteners also. In fact, one study with rats showed that artificial sweeteners could also induce our brains to crave more sweets. 

The link between food and brain is also implicated in fat. In animal studies that included more repeated and frequent exposure to fatty food, brain mechanisms reconfigured to crave more fat.  The type of fat used in these type of studies is saturated fat (found in animal products) or transfats (found in processed foods) and not unsaturated fats which is found in plants.

The health benefits of a diet rich in plant foods is in the section called "Protein..and the Meat Controversy."   The author is not suggesting that we all become vegetarians. However, she is urging us to consider protein as an accompaniment rather than the main attraction on the plate. A plant rich diet reduces the risk of heart disease in addition to aiding in weight loss.While a little bit of meat protein will help you have the "full" feeling longer after eating.

In the final two segments, a theme begins to develop around how to create healthy eating and that is to PAY ATTENTION to what you put in your mouth. The segment about Drinks points out the strong correlation between soft-drink consumption and heavier weight. This is especially true with children and adolescents. The author suggests that we not only read labels to know how much HFCA or artificial sweeteners are contained in the beverage but that we also pay attention to how it makes us feel after we drink it: sluggish or energized; hungry or still thirsty.

The segment is followed by one on Processed and Fast Food, even though the entire chapter has really been about comparing the health and weight benefits of less processed food in the diet. That message is merely summed up in this segment where the author concludes that the type of food we eat has an effect on the weight monitoring signals between gut and brain. In essence, the food that we eat, sends us signals and communicates that we need to eat or that we need to stop eating.  However we need to first hear the signals before deciding on how to answer it.

The chapter concludes with a few exercises in which the reader can learn about their eating habits: "How Do your Eating Habits Drive Your Setpoint?" "Check Your Diet for Fiber;" "Fat Consumption" and "Eating Activity Habits."

Before ending, I'd like to return to the idea of PAYING ATTENTION to what we eat.  In Sacred and Fit, one goal is to not only pay attention to what we are eating but to also consider why we are eating it. In order to become a unrestrained eater (one who listens to her body's hunger signals) a person has to be paying attention and in order to pay attention the person can't be in an ever rushing, crazy frenzy. Even in this chapter, Dr. Bacon urges us to create a healthy relationship with food. and to do that we must rid ourselves of the idea that some food is good and some is bad. One has to admit that processed food tastes good. The goal is moderation. Dr. Bacon uses an example of a Twinkie..

  If you maintain a neutral attitude you can watch your response to (a) Twinkie. You can be more perceptive to its flavor, noticing whether it really tastes good to you or if it was just the idea that tasted good. Perhaps you learn that it doesn't satisfy your craving-that there was something else you really wanted that the Twinkie can't provide. Perhaps you become more sensitive to your taste buds toning down after the first few bites, making the next bite less pleasurable. Or perhaps you notice that half an hour after indulging in that Twinkie your energy crashes and you start craving sugar again. This information will ultimately affect your taste for Twinkies in the future. (So) is eating that Twnkie good or bad? It all depends on how frequently you eat it, how much you eat, what else you eat it with, whether you were attentive to it....By staying connected to your body,some foods may lose their appeal or you may no longer feel driven to over-indulge.

The simple answer to loosing weight-

Dear Friends,
 In the last  two blog entries, I wrote about chapters One and Two of the book Health at Every Size.  This book by Linda Bacon is affirming some of the Sacred and Fit principles- So, before going on let's review

From the book

#1 Self-loathing is counter productive. LOVE YOURSELF, no matter your size;
#2 Change your eating habits as part of a LIFE STYLE CHANGE instead of a temporary vacation from your regular eating. Remember, you will not keep weight off by being on a diet

 Additional lists from S&F

#3 SLOW DOWN enough to notice what you eat, where you eat, when you eat and how you feel while you are eating.
#4 Drink more WATER
#5 Find the fun in MOVING your body.

 The first two chapters were really focused on the science of weight loss; the biology behind yo-yo dieting and the role of the brain and hormones, like leptin in weight loss and gain.  We learned about set-points. We found out that there are restrained eaters who eat because of external cues instead of listening to their bodies natural hunger and satiety (not hungry) signals. We learned that dieting can turn off your normal hunger and satiety signals. We learned also that overweight people tend to be restrained eaters and that fighting your body with sheer will-power is a losing proposition.

In chapter three, Dr. Bacon provides even more information on  why losing weight by restricting calories is so difficult. She discusses other possible influences, such as stress, sleep and genetics. She even provides evidence that environmental toxins like pesticides can influence the delicate microbial balance in our digestive systems. Finally, she ends the chapter summarizing studies that have  measured the effectiveness of weight loss medicines and weight loss surgery. The bottom line, you will lose weight, but it comes at a cost to your health...and even then, you may gain the weight back.

One can conclude from all of this that weight loss is complicated and difficult. So what's the answer....According to this book, the answer is fairly simple. So let me fast forward.


Feed physical hunger with nourishing food, 

Enjoy the food immensely,  

Sense when you are no longer hungry and then 

Stop eating.
 
I know that this seems simple but just "feeling physical hunger" is a challenge if your set point has been thrown off. Don't worry. The body is adaptable. Set points can be re-set with nourishing food. But what exactly is "nourishing?" More about that in Chapter Four.

HAES Ch2 What prompts you to eat

In chapter two of the book Health at Every Size Linda Bacon takes on the topic of WHY we eat. Her conclusion- Most of us don't eat because we feel hungry. Instead, we eat because...

• it's TIME to eat; 
• there is still food on the plate and people in Africa are starving; 
• there is just a little left in the bowl and it shouldn't go to waste
•  something bad happened 
• something good happened
• feelings of sadness, guilt, boredom, frustration, loneliness or anger

On page 32, Dr. Bacon makes this radical statement:
As you read in the first chapter, denying your hunger doesn't lead to weight loss or better health. And eating when you're hungry won't make you fat. In fact, the opposite is true: eating when you're hungry helps maintain your setpoint and keep you at the weight that's right for you and denying your hunger leads to compensatory mechanisms that trigger fat storage and weight gain. (Emphasis mine)

I know that for many of us this is going to be hard to accept. I know that it was for me. Before I started Sacred and Fit, I did not regularly follow my own body signals to eat or stop eating. For the most part, I would follow my thinking. My MIND is what led my eating. For instance, sometimes, I would skip breakfast then conclude that meant I could eat a larger lunch and dinner. I would see a commercial or see someone eating something good then I would want it. I ate ice cream when I was upset. Chips when I was bored. Chocolate when I was upset, bored, sad or happy.  It wasn't until I became much more conscious of my thinking that I began to realize that I hardly ever let myself feel hunger.

On page 34 Dr Bacon continues:
If you don't trust and respond to hunger, after a while the self-regulatory setpoint mechanisms that controls your fat stores breaks down. You weaken your innate ability to hear you hunger and fullness signals. When this happens, you start to gain weight. No ideas you (or anyone else) may have about how to maintain a healthy and appropriate weight can be as effective as listening to your body. Losing weight is not about finding the perfect proportions of carbohydrates, protein and fat or tricking yourself into feeling satisfied. Rather, maintaining the right weight for you is about respecting your hunger and trusting your body to guide you in doing what's best. And that's hard  if you're regularly eating for reasons other than hunger....(Emphasis mine)

In the end of the chapter there is a test to determine if you eat because of messages that come from your body or if you eat primarily from messages that come from your mind's interpretations of external stimuli.  When eating is driven by external cues that your mind is interpreting as a signal to eat, the term used in the research field is "restrained eater."  Those who follow their internal signals are "unrestrained eaters."

The short survey is 27 items. A few examples are:

• Without really trying, I naturally select the right types and amounts of food to be healthy
• I generally count calories before deciding if something is OK to eat
• One of my main reasons for exercising is to manage my weight
• I seldom eat unless I notice that I am physically hungry
• I am hopeful that I will someday find a new diet that will actually work for me
• The health and strength of my body is more important than how much I weigh

It is important to determine if you are a restrained eater or an unrestrained eater.  Particularly because if you are a restrained eater then the attempts to control your food intake through willpower is an attempt to fight your own mind with your own mind. On one hand your mind is interpreting signals to eat from external sources, commercials, billboards, bad day. GO! On the other hand you are telling yourself that you shouldn't or that's fattening NO GO! So, while ignoring the body's internal signals the mind of a restrained eater is constantly battling...eat or don't eat; eat a little or eat a lot; eat this or eat that. In our society it is virtually impossible to ignore external cues to eat so the battle is easily lost. Restrained eaters will eventually overeat.

We are getting closer to Chapter 9 where Dr. Bacon explains how to become an unrestrained eater, how to move your body because you love to do it and what to eat in order to find your natural set point but before that, we are on to Chapter 3, what keeps a restrained eater restrained.

HAES- Chapter One- The biology of set points

In the last posting, I introduced Chapter One of the book "Health at Every Size" by Linda Bacon. In Chapter One we learn about homeostasis and natural set points, the biological basis behind why it is so hard to lose weight and keep it off.  Dr. Bacon ends that section of Chapter One by describing a 1995 study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. The study was called Changes in energy expenditure resulting from altered body weight and was authored by Rudolph Leibel, Michael Rosenbaum and Jules Hirsch.  After Googling this citation, I found the study and read it myself.

I copied the abstract and it is at the end of this blog.

What is so interesting about this article is that it is not a fluke? Actually, there have been hundreds, HUNDREDS of studies that conclude the same thing. The bottom line- Because our bodies resist starving, a diet of fewer calories than usual will trigger the body to lower the metabolism, so as not to wander too far away from the setpoint range.  During periods of overeating when more calories than usual are obtained, the body does the opposite, revs itself up in order to burn the extra calories, again in an attempt not to wander too far from the natural set point weight. This study points out another caveat..that for overweight people, the lowering and reving up of metabolism doesn't work the same way as it does in people who had never been overweight. For overweight people who eat fewer calories, the body works even harder to lower metabolic activity and retain weight.

Don't think that the brain is not affected by this lowering of metabolic activity. In fact, the master switch for set points is the hypothalamus, located deep in the brain. Brain and body are  linked by hundreds of chemical messengers: hormones, peptides and neurotransmitters that circulate in the blood stream. Chemicals that trigger a lowering of metabolism are not limited to the hypothalamus, they also can affect emotional and motivational centers in the brain. There are at least 40 identified chemical messengers that influence these interconnected physical, mental and emotional neural circuits involved in eating and satiety.

The chapter includes a a brief discussion on two of those chemicals, leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is a chemical that signals the brain to release other chemicals that turn down the appetite, speed up metabolism and increase the desire to move. In one early study, fat mice injected with leptin lost 30% of their body weight. In another study, mice with a genetic mutation resulting in no leptin production were fat even when they are caged with normal size mice.  Another chemical, ghrelin works to increase appetite and is influenced by leptin and other gut horomones that are activated by the type and volume of food that you eat. At the same time your brain and body are getting the message to "eat" or "don't eat", there is also a response to the myriad of chemical messages associated with your emotions and generated by your sleep/wake cycle. What's more, the amount of chemical messages and the receptors that exists on target organs throughout the body is influenced by genetics. According to the "thrifty gene" theory, the humans that eventually evolved from the hunter/gatherers were NOT the ones that were likely to be thin. The humans that could resist weight lost had evolutionary advantage and we, apparently, descended from them.

The chapter ends with a set of questions related to your natural set point for weight. Some of the items are:

• Do you have difficulty recognizing when you are hungry or when you have had enough?
• Do you routinely eat beyond a comfortable level of fullness and then feel lethargic, stuffed and uncomfortabe after meals.
• Do you go through periods where you eat out of control in anticipation of soon going on a diet?
• Do you eat as a coping mechanism?
• Questions are continued.....

The author concludes that if you answer YES to any of the items  then you are likely to be above your natural setpoint. She then explains that her book will help you get to the natural set point that is the weight that is healthiest for you.

...By the end of the book, you'll be answering "yes" to these questions:

• Do you eat naturally in response to signals of hunger, fullness and appetite withou fixating on your weight or food habits?
• Is eating effortless and enjoyable?

  Soon your body will be guiding you in making nutritious, pleasureable choices.  No more counting calories, totaling fat grams or weighing broiled skinless chicken breasts!  pg 99

 I know you want to hurry up and get to the "What do I do" part of the book. But that is in Chapter 9 and my next blog will be on Chapter 2 where Dr. Bacon identifies the two major reasons for set-point change: 1) Eating for reasons OTHER THAN sensing hunger and 2) Eating foods that make us full but DON'T really nourish the body.

Want to know more? Buy the book or Stay tuned......


*****************************************************************************

N Engl J Med. 1995 Mar 9;332(10):621-8.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

No current treatment for obesity reliably sustains weight loss, perhaps because compensatory metabolic processes resist the maintenance of the altered body weight. We examined the effects of experimental perturbations of body weight on energy expenditure to determine whether they lead to metabolic changes and whether obese subjects and those who have never been obese respond similarly.

METHODS:

We repeatedly measured 24-hour total energy expenditure, resting and nonresting energy expenditure, and the thermic effect of feeding in 18 obese subjects and 23 subjects who had never been obese. The subjects were studied at their usual body weight and after losing 10 to 20 percent of their body weight by underfeeding or gaining 10 percent by overfeeding.

RESULTS:

Maintenance of a body weight at a level 10 percent or more below the initial weight was associated with a mean (+/- SD) reduction in total energy expenditure of 6 +/- 3 kcal per kilogram of fat-free mass per day in the subjects who had never been obese (P < 0.001) and 8 +/- 5 kcal per kilogram per day in the obese subjects (P < 0.001). Resting energy expenditure and nonresting energy expenditure each decreased 3 to 4 kcal per kilogram of fat-free mass per day in both groups of subjects. Maintenance of body weight at a level 10 percent above the usual weight was associated with an increase in total energy expenditure of 9 +/- 7 kcal per kilogram of fat-free mass per day in the subjects who had never been obese (P < 0.001) and 8 +/- 4 kcal per kilogram per day in the obese subjects (P < 0.001). The thermic effect of feeding and nonresting energy expenditure increased by approximately 1 to 2 and 8 to 9 kcal per kilogram of fat-free mass per day, respectively, after weight gain. These changes in energy expenditure were not related to the degree of adiposity or the sex of the subjects.

CONCLUSIONS:

Maintenance of a reduced or elevated body weight is associated with compensatory changes in energy expenditure, which oppose the maintenance of a body weight that is different from the usual weight. These compensatory changes may account for the poor long-term efficacy of treatments for obesity.

Know your Body/ Love your Self

As promised, I am beginning a series of blogs on the book "Health at Every Size" (HAES). The principles that are promoted in the book are consistent with the Sacred and Fit philosophy- EVERY LIFE IS SACRED, set apart, consecrated, put here on earth as part of a larger plan and grander purpose.  EVERY BODY IS A TEMPLE provided with all that is necessary to fulfill the grander purpose. 

Of course, there are people who  experience disabilities or  illnesses while on this earth They also have a purpose to fulfill.  But,  for those of us fortunate enough to have a healthy body I believe, that taking care of it is  an important part of the spiritual journey.

 HAES does not speak of  spiritual qualities, per se, but the principles behind the HAES movement require a level of spiritual maturity.  After all, Jesus' teachings culminate in the admonition to love God and He stresses that loving God includes loving others as we love ourselves. It's the "love ourself" part that often gets overlooked.

If HAES was part of a "Love Your Self" course, the first assignment would be to "Understand the Body That You Have Right Now." 

In Chapter One, we learn about the biology and neurobiology of weight. To sum it up- Our bodies, operate with biological systems that were inherited from early humans. In the hunter/gatherer environment, it was necessary to hold on to extra calories obtained during feast time since famine time was sure to follow. The brain and body systems responsible for feeding developed mechanisms that were designed around a functional set-point range. So, when there was a lack food for a long period, the body's metabolism would slow as to conserve every ounce of body fat for survival.   Motivation and behavior would also be affected.

Set points are part of a natural process called homeostasis and are not unique to weight. There is a range of ambient temperatures that are optimum for humans. When it is too cold we start to shiver so that our bodies can go back up to that range. When it is too hot we sweat. Blood pressure, blood glucose levels, insulin and a host of other hormones and biomarkers have set point ranges. We don't consciously control these functions. Our bodies and brains know what to do.

It is because of this regulatory metabolic set point that the body resists loosing weight and seeks to hold on to weight.  It is because of the brain's hormonal communication network, that we are largely unaware of all that our bodies do to try maintain our natural set point. Natural set points change as we grow older but our behaviors and food choices can overide or even alter the natural setpoint.

You can identify your natural setpoint:
- The weight you will maintain when you listen and respond to your body's signals of hunger and fullness and eat or stop eating accordingly.
-The weight you maintain when you don't fixate on your weight or food habits.

You can identify an altered setpoint
-The weight you keep returning to between diets.

Next time: There is more to weight than diet and exercise: The roll of hormones and genetics.

Health at Every Size- This book will change your life forever!

I look forward every year to the summer when I can relax, catch up on reading and writing and get into my garden.  Not this summer. In the past two months, I've written a NIH grant, nearly finished a manuscript, had one graduate student successfully complete her dissertation, advised two students on their Master's theses, hosted a weekend reunion with 48 of my favorite in-laws where I was committed to preparing healthy meals and for an encore I kept my 3 year-old grandson, Ameen, for an entire month. I am currently making plans to help my brother move into a new apartment in Miami because he needs to be closer to family members. School starts in 21 days so I must start to prepare for classes but in the midst of all this busy-ness,  I am making the time to read this one book because I think it will change my life forever.

The book is "Health at Every Size" by Linda Bacon.

 As you may recall from my last blog (written BEFORE Ami's visit), that I found this author while writing the "Obesity is not an illness" grant proposal that was submitted in May. During that frantic time, I just had time to skim her web resources. But now I'm giving this material some serious scrutiny.

 Dr. Bacon is making a very strong case based on published peer reviewed research that show why diets and exercise don't work for the mass majority of people who desire permanent weight loss. Furthermore, repeated dieting actually causes eventual weight gain because of the diet-induced changes that occur to the body's metabolic set point. She presents findings that weight reduction surgeries (the deliberate debilitation of functioning organs in order to reduce food intake) actually have serious side affects, including higher mortality rates. She also shares findings from numerous studies that show "overweight" people live longer than thin people and that those extra pounds may actually be protective. Sounds CRAZY! I know...but there's more. There is research with twins who were raised apart that show the genetic influence on body size and shape is much stronger than we realize. So, thinking that I need to go on another diet is problematic.

Dr. Bacon not only provides facts she give background. For instance, she recounts the history of when our culture became obsessed with thinness in the 1920's and the marketing that keeps the thin ideal in place. She talks about how much of the food in grocery stores are calorie dense but nutrient poor. Almost all processed food contains corn or soy products (including meat and dairy products from corn-fed animals). Yet, we have inherited a body physiology that is programmed to seek out nutrients and store calories in case there is a famine. So, the food choices are a problem.

 Moreover, she connects the dots between the processed food industry, agribusiness, poor health and pharmaceutical companies. And although I don't regularly go for conspiracy theories, her "follow the money" argument is VERY compelling. There is a reason that potato chips provide more profit than a potato. There is a reason that research sponsored by companies that make high fructose corn syrup will conclude that there is no harm in consuming high fructose corn syrup. There is a reason that medical students don't study nutrition. So, lack of knowledge about our food is a another problem.

 In the end she makes some very clear cut recommendations that take the focus off of the relentless but mostly futile striving for thinness and aims instead at becoming healthy  Calling this the new Peace Movement, because it stops the war against our own bodies, Dr. Bacon concludes that well-being and healthy habits are more important than any number on the scale. She confronts the "my-big-body-is-ugly" or the "fat-means-lazy&stupid" way of thinking head on. And makes the radical conclusion that becoming thin does not equate with loving yourself. So, our thinking is the biggest problem.

Dr. Bacon list the ways to participate in the HAES movement, where you can even sign on as a member. Although she describes these principles as simple, this radical new way of thinking is not necessarily easy. To actually live out these principles will require mental, emotional and spiritual fitness, just like I advocate here at Sacred and Fit. But if in the end, you can look at yourself in the mirror everyday and feel nothing but love and appreciation for what you see, then the effort is worthwhile.

Ways to participate in the HAES movement.
Accept your size.  Love and appreciate the body you have. Self-acceptance empowers you to move on and make positive change
Trust yourself. We all have internal systems designed to keep us healthy- and at a healthy weight. Support your body in naturally finding its appropriate weight by honoring its signals of hunger, fullness and appetite.
Adopt healthy lifestyle habits. Develop and nuture connections with others and look for purpose and meaning in your life. Fulfilling your social, emotional and spiritual needs restores food to its rightful place as a source of nourishment and pleasure.
Embrace size diversity.  Humans come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Be open to the beauty found across the spectrum and support other s in recognizing their unique attractiveness

Too busy to read the book. No problem, I will be outlining each chapter in the coming blogs as many of the principles go right along with Sacred and Fit. I'll be sharing how I am adopting this radical new "Peace Movement" in my own life as part of my Sacred and Fit philosophy, so stay tuned. This book might just change your life forever, too.

Cure for obesity: Health at Every Size

 I am writing a grant and it is due in 6 days and for the last month I have been reading and writing about "Obesity."  I have been immersed in studies and statistics about obesity: the obesity epidemic, obesity related diseases, obesity and all-cause mortality.

The grant funders want to fund projects that abate (slow down/reverse) or prevent obesity. That's what the grant is supposed to offer, an intervention to cure obesity.  After a month of reading and study, I have changed my mind and my entire approach. I can't offer a cure for obesity because 1) obesity is not an illness and 2) there is no external cure.

I know that I may not get the grant by adopting this view- that obesity is not an illness, nor is it bad, ugly or morally bankrupt. But I want to broach the topic in this grant proposal of thin privilege, where the perception of thinness, just like other privileges  and ranks of status (race, wealth, gender) is given meaning by the culture. I understand that I will be holding one tiny candle up to the torrential wind of a culture in which you "can't be too thin" But the other side of that coin is the marginalizing and demonizing of fat people and instead of 'internalized oppression"(a product of racism) we have internalized "OBSESSION" with thinness. 

However, just like any other prejudice, thin privilege is predicated on lies. Here are three, just off the top of my head.

Lie #1 Thin is healthy and healthy is thin.
Not necessarily. Ever seen a thin smoker? or heard of binging and purging? I rest my case.

Lie #2  The BMI categories are correct and meaningful
Nearly all my life, I have fought with my body and my appetite because I didn't want to be fat. I've never wanted to be fat and yet, according to all of the BMI (Body Mass Index) studies I am fat.  I have a BMI in the "overweight" category and I have since I was 11 years old. It has only been in the last two years, since adopting Sacred and Fit, that I have begun to question what this number means.

When the BMI is used as a measure, Black people and white people differ on what is underweight, normal, overweight and obese. According to the statistics,  Black people's normal weight (lowest mortality) corresponds with white people's overweight category. But since it is the white people's "normal" number that is almost always used, this may result in a statistical over estimation of the number of overweight and obese African Americans.

Lie #3 Everyone should have a BMI that is "normal", regardless of race.
There may be racial differences in weight gain and weight retention
In a study just published, black adolescents did not loose weight as did their white counterparts who were monitored for two years, even thought they ate about the same amount of calories every day and had similar high levels of physical activity.  Read more here....

Because poor and minority people are more likely to be obese, there is a risk for race and class prejudice to influence the debate about the cause (no self control) and cure (just exercise and eat less ) for obesity. When in fact, study after study shows that periodic dieting almost guarantees failure to obtain long term weight loss due to diet-induced changes in metabolism. Also, strenuous exercise does little in terms of obtaining weight loss because it takes a whole lot of time effort to burn enough calories to lose one pound and yet 1 minute and 1 Snickers can undue the entire effort.  Note: regular exercise that causes you to break a sweat does help  retain weight loss when used in combination with healthy food choices. 

I won't even mention the role of public policy in creating "obesogenic" environments (lots of fast food, few parks and grocery stores) or the influence of lobbyists who advocate for "pizza" being considered a school lunch vegetable (just happened) or other larger cultural influences.

The only possible Cure for Obesity- Stop believing in the numbers.
If I didn't believe in the numbers from the BMI, the dress tag, the tape measure or the scale I could perhaps believe in my own health and well-being.  I could believe in my own God-given gifts and talents. I could believe in my purpose and my calling. I might believe that the size I am is the size I am, nothing more. I could focus on loving myself. I could increase my peace of mind.  I would be part of a new movement.

Next time, more on the new movement and the manifesto- HAES. Health at Every Size.
  Read more here...










  

Omnipresence means God is in the scrambled eggs

What a month it has been. I usually can't wait for May to come. It brings the end of the semester, the beginning of summer, Mother's Day and my birthday!  However, May 2012 brought much more. This month, we learned that my brother had to resume chemotherapy.  A young family member is having trouble adjusting to civilian life following time in Afghanistan. My mother was hospitalized with chest pain.  And finally (I hope)  a dear friend of the family was found dead in her apartment...murdered.

I have put over 6000 miles on my car in the last six weeks traveling between Richmond, Washington, Wilmington and now Akron, OH. I find myself feeling rushed and overwhelmed, at a time when I need most to be clear, calm and focused.  When I began to feel out of control, I literally gave myself over to eating badly. I made excuses for not preparing my travel snackpack of fruit, nuts granola etc.  and then was forced to purchase the tasty, non-nourishing, calorie-laden convenience food that are common at gas stations.  I stopped drinking my water because I forgot my water bottle.  Once I got into crisis mode exercise went out the window.

I noticed that when I am stressed, it is easier to stay up late, and then skip my morning routines which grounds me and sets a tone for the day.  When I am worried, I talk more. I want to talk to people about what is worrying me and find myself repeating bad news over and over until it becomes bigger and bigger in my mind.  Then, the more worry I feel, the more justified I feel to eat badly. I stop drinking water. I get too busy for yoga and walking. It then becomes harder to get up early. Not getting up early means no time for spiritual routine. Without spiritual routine, I worry more and when I worry I feel overwhelmed and begin to eat badly.....

Do you see where this is going?  I finally did. So this morning I put the brakes on. I got up and decided to  pray to change things around.  What came to me was simple, powerful and profound.

The solution came in the form of the Blessing for the food, which has now become  the Prayer While Eating.  As it happens when I was feeling particularly desperate, the prayer time was particularly sweet and peaceful. I continued to feel calm as I prepared breakfast and when I sat down to say the Blessing, realized that what I was most thankful for was the omnipresence of God.--The ever-present Presence. --The no-where that it isn't, nature of God. I realized that God is as much present in May 2012 as He was in April 2012 or in any other month. Even with what looks like bad circumstances and troubles, God is present.  I can trust that things are not out of control. I can have faith that there is an ultimate plan. 

I thought on this as I ate breakfast and spontaneously I created a new practice for myself. I blessed EACH mouthful of food, as I was eating it.

I said silently as I chewed- "Knowing the omnipresent nature of God, I am thankful that God is the source of this food. I am thankful that God was present in the preparer of this food. I am thankful for God's presence in the food and I am thankful for God being here as the eater of the food. God is everywhere."

I immediately noticed two things.  I ate slower and I ate less. I slowed down because it felt like the right thing to chew each mouthful completely while I was praying. This meant putting the fork down and resting my hands on my lap. I ate less because after what could have been my first helping, I was full.  My head had a chance to register satiety messages from my stomach and since I felt full, I didn't need another helping.  I also felt the calm of the morning's meditation as I went about the day.

 So, I will try this during each meal today and when I drink my water and when I have my tea. If it makes me feel as good as I do now, I will I will certainly continue this for the rest of the month of May. And I know that the rest of the month will be better.

One of the most difficult things I do every day is get out of bed. My alarm goes off at 4:30 and it is so very tempting to stay warm and cozy, turn off the alarm and drift back to sleep. Honestly, it is more than tempting- lately that is what has been happening. Then yesterday, I got a wake-up call, literally.

On my way to work I got a call from my phone carrier about the phone bill. They were threatening to turn the phone off.  We have a family plan and I knew that I had paid my portion, so I talked the woman into giving me one day to get the bill paid and I commenced to calling daughters. I didn't notice the escalation in my voice until the call with daughter #1 was almost over. The bill was going to get paid but the cost of that conversation in terms of relationship, in terms of peace of mind, is what bothered me for the rest of the day.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the killing of Trayvon Martin  and the large number of emails that I had received from fellow psychologists. One of them was a Dr. Marella, who advocated working form a peaceful state, as the starting point of any reaction to Trayvon's murder.  That post prompted an email from a good friend D.M. who pointed out that Dr. Marell's request for a time of atonement and confession is only a start. D.M. wrote about his own son, who as a youngster would take things that did not belong to him and how he and his wife would make the child return or pay for the item. He also wrote about how even though Mr. Zmmerman may apologize to Trayvon's parents, that apology shouldn't  take the place of a jury trial.

 Yesterday's incident with the phone bill helped me to see that D.M, and Dr. Marella are both right. I did what D.M. would likely suggest--I got my daughter on the phone and had her commit to taking care of her responsibilities. However, I didn't do what Dr. Marella would suggest- starting from a place of peace.  In fact, I was embarrassed after talking to the customer service woman, upset at the thought of loosing phone service and frustrated with my daughter who had a day earlier told me that she knew the bill was due but had decided to not pay it.

  What has this got to do with getting out of bed...everything. On the days that I consistently give myself over to prayer and meditation before starting my day, I don't have to consciously seek out a place of peace. It seems that the peace that I get during that time lingers throughout the day. I don't have to "remember" to be kind or compassionate. I don't have conjure up hope when things don't appear to be working out. I don't have to force myself to believe that things will work out.  The discipline of obtaining grace for each day provides grace for each day.

Looking back on the last couple of weeks, I can now see the effects of drifting back to sleep.  I had a misunderstanding with a good friend and noticed my hesitancy in making things right. A family member experienced an emotional crisis. I noticed how easy it was to think the worse.  I went days without calling my husband.  I found myself drawn-in to conversations where the main topics were complaints.  So, the incident with daughter was not surprising. Fortunately, it was enlightening.

This morning, I was up.

Inquiry to Discover

I was listening to a lecture by a famous Neuroscientist the other day. Her name is Candace Pert and her lecture was on the molecular signals of pleasure. Pert has been researching this topic for over 30 years and is partly responsible for discovering the body's own opiate receptors, which led to the discovery of the body's own version of opiates, called endorphins.

A large amount of endorphins are released in your brain when you need to be shielded against pain. People have often recalled times when something traumatic happens, like an accident, and they notice only after everything calms down that they have an injury. Endorphins are released during childbirth. Endorphins also cause the extra boost of energy and the blissful feeling that runner's get when they have run to a certain level of exhaustion- the runner's high.

It was interesting to learn from Dr. Pert,  that there are opiate receptors in the gut. That wonderful feeling after eating is not just a matter of the food tasting good but also because of the drug-like feeling of pleasure caused by endorphin release.

So the bad news is that along with all the cues from the outside urging us to overeat (commercials, billboards, other people), along with the ease of obtaining good-tasting calories from one of gazillions of fast-food restaurants- our own bodies may become addicted to that wonderful feeling of fullness.  No wonder that obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight is so very difficult!!!

Fortunately, Dr. Pert finished the lecture with some more insightful information. She talked about the role of the medial prefrontal cortex or mPFC in overcoming hormonal cues.  The mPFC is in the front of the brain (right above the nose and behind the forehead). This part of the brain is unique to humans and used for the planning of behavior, the assessment of risk, goal attainment and many other important cognitive skills.  Dr. Pert spoke of studies that showed that the mPFC is activated during quiet focused attention, like meditation and contemplative prayer. Furthermore, activating the mPFC in a quiet focused way serves to calm down the surge of hormones, like endorphins and in addition improve one's ability to bring focused attention and intention to other behaviors....like eating.


So, the  bottom line is that when you practice quieting the mind you are also quieting the hormones in the body... and the more you practice it the better you will get at keeping your mind on task. This ability for mind to win over body will prevent  giving in to urges to eat impulsively, or eating when not hungry, or eating when feeling, lonely, tired, angry or bored. 


Healthy lifestyles include many different and bountiful ways to feel pleasure besides eating food. We are all scientists, to a certain degree, charged with discovering our own paths to health and wholeness. Every single day presents an opportunity for a new discovery once you commit to the inquiry of knowing and appreciating yourself.     Quieting the mind is a good first step.

The power of my own peace

I belong to a professional organization of Black Psychologists and ever since the killing of Trayvon Martin in Florida I have received emails every day from members urging some type of action. There are calls to protest, or calls for political action but this one, by Dr. Mersella caught my attention. He apologizes. Further, he promises to work toward inner and outer peace in his own thoughts and actions. 

What sense does it make in the face of such justifiable anger and frustration to offer such sentiments?   This is exactly what the principle of non-violence protest is all about..the realization that the anger and hatred that seeded the problem cannot also root out the problem.

It should be evident by now that the solutions needed for out times, must come from a deeper source, a higher wisdom and a more enlightened view.  This does not mean that there is no place for public outcry and political change. However, a long view of history will quickly reveal that what ever is necessary to cause lasting and profound change in the human condition it must occur by creating changes from within. As Rev. Michael Beckwith says, "A person cannot seek to change the world and also remain the same".

Put another way,  In order for the world to change, I must change myself.

You and I both know that change is hard. If  changing one's own eating behaviors is difficult, what about ingrained prejudices, implicit feelings of superiority or inferiority, the effect of institutional biases that reinforce stereotypes. How does one person combat all of that?

 I say it is through a deep and abiding inner presence that will then influence all other actions and will alter all contradictory beliefs. I speak from my own experience. I have protested in my day and I have fought for political change. I know that it is hard and exhausting work and sometimes the rewards seem to be so fleeting. However, now I would have my protest be fueled from this inner presence and peace I want my political maneuverings to be informed by inspiration and insight. Then no matter what happens at the end of the day, I can have faith that something was accomplished.... if in no one else, in myself.

In peace and in health,
Cheryl

There is a deep, abiding darkness in the soul of our times.  A passion for violence and hate that is omnipresent and unrelenting in its pursuit of satisfaction and satiation. I am filled with grief and sorrow as a witness to the injustice, indifference, and faceless presence that is devouring our world. I offer you and every victim of this endless and timeless horror of our times my apology and promise to work toward inner and outer peace in my thoughts and actions.  Hope is not enough.  Patience cannot heal.  Our own nation, our institutions, our  popular culture are the very sources that sustain and nurture violence, destruction, and death.

 

 If there is any meaning to come from the killing of yet one more Black, one more repetition of a killing that has crossed centuries and place, let it be that this  evil be confronted in all it's forms across our land.  We must not permit time to remove this killing from our mind or conscience or actions.

It is time for a national atonement -- a confession and a public plea for forgiveness for what we have wrought, and continue to deny.

Anthony J. Marsella, Ph.D.

Called to Revolution (Posted March 1, 2012)

Last time I wrote about how the principles of Sacred and Fit have transformed my life, starting with my health and fitness. I don't think I've every actually written about those principles on the blog but they are available at the Sacred and Fit website. Losing weight and keeping it off has been just one benefit of this lifestyle change. More than that, living these principles was a way for me to begin to infuse my relationship with God into every area of my life. During the fast, I prayed specifically for my relationship with William, being disciplined with my finances and to be a more effective teacher at my job. Due to some things going on at work, I spent a lot of time praying for my job.


I believe that in order to cause a radical shift in behavior, radical change is required on all three levels, spiritual, emotional/mental and physical.  For me, seeing my body as a temple, a dwelling place for God- raised caring for my health to a spiritual act. Using fasting, prayer, meditation and introspection- caused a change to occur in my thoughts and feelings about my body. Finally, in order to adopt new healthy habits and maintain the motivation for spiritual discipline, I made physical changes in my environment and created ways to support a new way of being.

During the fast, I came to understand that if I could raise eating and exercise to a spiritual act then I could also make my job my ministry. I'm not talking about proselytizing. I'm talking about seeing my students as God's beloved. Using fasting, prayer, meditation and introspection to create a change in how I relate to them and how I teach them. Adopting a way of being in the classroom, that creates an environment for excellence for me and for them.

In January I was inspired to chart this course after receiving two words "Teach What?"  Those words caused me to use the month of February waiting and listening for the rest of the message. So, before my morning meditation, I started to spend a few minutes, right after waking, to listen for the complete answer. As I went to sleep, I pondered the question and waited for the answer. During the day, I would quiet myself and create a space for the answer to come. It finally did, last Sunday at church. In the midst of a sermon where the Pastor was not preaching about teaching, suddenly he made a statement about teachers and at that very moment, a revelation erupted in my head.

"Teach What, Teach Who and Teach How." 
And this time, I got the entire message- So, here it is.
 I am to teach WHAT I've been hired to teach but I must realize that at every moment, I am also teaching much more than the content area or book knowledge. I am always teaching something about my values, which will ultimately be of the most use to my students. 
IF I believe my students to be "underprivileged" or "low performing" I will teach to that belief. When actually, WHO my students are is a matter of my own faith and not anything else.
 HOW I teach them is directly related to my capacity to love, as faith and love work together. There is no fear in Love and therefore, no need to worry about resources. I will have all that I need.

 My capacity to love is directly related to the love of God flowing in and as me, the evidence of which is peace. The peace of God is directly related to the continued spiritual disciplining of my mind, will and emotions. From peace will spring joy.


Sacred and Fit started out for me to be about health and wellness. However, at the end of the day the Body/Temple is put on earth for a reason, a purpose, a mission- a calling. Not all ministries happen in churches.  Not everyone's calling will be big and flashy.  Mine isn't. But the need for ministry; the need for the expressed love of God exists all around us, including here at Virginia State.

I am called to be a teacher. I have received my charge and I am now a Revolutionary Teacher.
What is your Revolution?

No failure in the Revolution

There are times in teaching when a spark is created, a moment when a student gets an insight and from that insight a whole new level of understanding emerges. I cherish those moments but unfortunately, those times have been rare. Much more common are the times like yesterday when the entire class seemed lost.

This was their midterm exam and as I walked around the room. I could tell something was amiss. Early on, they were doing a lot of thinking but not a lot of writing. About halfway through the 90 minute class, what I thought had been deep thinking revealed itself to be frustration- fidgeting,  sighing, pages turning and then turning again as students sought questions they could answer.

 In the last fifteen minutes I saw it and felt it--the resignation, the hopelessness, the fear.  Answer sheets that had more white space than writing. heads in hands, eyes staring into space with five more minutes remaining. Although I offer lots of homework and many quizzes, there is only one midterm and a final exam for this class and these students are seniors who need the class to graduate. I felt tendrils of frustration seeking entrance into my own mind and the temptation to start blaming them and defending myself against a tidal wave sense of failure.  Then I recalled my Charge- Teach What, Teach Who, Teach How.

 Last time, I shared with you, the Charge, I received concerning my personal Teaching Revolution. After deeper reflection I saw that the charge also contained the instructions for times like this. As I walked the room, I brought to my mind Who I was teaching and What lessons I ultimately wanted to impart. I could feel the tension in the room rising but in bringing to mind, my Revolutionary Charge, I retained my peace. I stilled myself and started listening to receive the How.

In the few minutes that it took to return to my office, I knew what to do. I immediately sent the entire class an email with an attachment of the test they had just taken. I told them that even though I had not yet graded their exams, I would be willing to offer them another opportunity. They now could take the same test at home using their books and notes. I would then average the Take Home version with the In Class version as their final midterm grade.  Since next week is Spring Break, they have two weeks to get this assignment done.

After I sent the email, I took a moment to notice how good I felt. This time, I was the one having sparks of insight. One insight was that it is possible to stay in peace in the midst of a perceived failure when you remember your Charge. The other insight was that remembering your Charge, all the time, in every day life, requires lots of practice. I understood that my How idea could be traced all the way back to a green smoothie or rather the practice of choosing a green smoothie or a salad or taking a walk. The practice of self-control over little things provided the foundation for the self-control over big things. In essence, Self control ultimately teaches peace control.


Of course, it is possible that I would have had this idea for the Take Home exam without focusing on peace or having an expectant faith in the Revolution. However, in comparing this situation with other similar situations I've faced, I don't think so. Something was very different about this. I believe the Revolution is working...one opportunity at a time.

Everyday, we all get opportunities to choose and every single choice can be practice for the Charge. What about you? What Charge have you been given and how are you practicing it today?  It can be as simple as choosing to drink a glass of water.

The REAL reason for fasting

So you know in January I did the Daniel Fast. I came out of it with new healthy habits and a renewed inspiration for my job. In fact, I was inspired to cause a revolution. Well how's that going?- one may ask.

Let me start with the good news- My fast-related health habits have stuck with me, just as I had hoped- During the week (green smoothies, Cliff bar nuts seeds/, salad and a sensible dinner)  I keep this up most days but not all. I generally splurge on weekends. Using the principles, I've learned through Sacred and Fit,  I am now at my goal weight and find it fairly easy to maintain. I don't feel like I'm on a diet. I don't feel deprived at all. In fact I feel more energetic.  Most importantly, the small incremental health habits that I have incorporated over the last 2 years, have spilled over to other areas...which was what led me to pray about my job.

I started out praying for my students and how to be more effective at teaching them but during the fast, something shifted. While in prayer during the last week of the fast,  I heard the words "Teach what?" I understood I was to focus on something deeper than Neuroscience. I am just now finding out what that is.

When I came back from accompanying my brother at the Cancer Center in Houston, classes had been in session for almost three weeks. I had been communicating with my students over the internet, via the course website. I was regularly emailing my students and posting assignments. During the first week, I noticed the number of students who didn't even open the website (majority of the class). By the second week, a little more than half had at least checked in but most of those had not done the posted assignments. When I returned on the third week with my plan to start where the website assignments had ended, I found that the students were not at all prepared.

Well, one could think, it was because they weren't use to the online format or that the type of distance instruction didn't lend itself to the subject matter. No wait, there's more.

When I returned I heard so many complaints, so I opened up all of the assignments again during week 4 and asked students to complete them. These assignments allow students to use their notes and open book and mainly serve to make sure they are keeping up with the reading. I also allow students to take the online quizzes as many times as they want within a prescribed time period, to encourage mastery of the material. Last week (week 5) I computed grades and found that nearly one third of the class has earned under 70%.  This is a class of college seniors who plan to graduate in May, 2012. My class has a departmental requirement of a C or better. 

After class I asked to speak to each of the failing students,
Q: "Is there a reason for your current grade?"
A:   I didn't go online because I work; I didn't go online because it is too much trouble;  I didn't go online because I can't really read it from my phone;  I don't have the book; I don't really care for the class; I figured I'd get to it eventually and lost track of time; My home internet sometimes goes out and I can't stay on campus because I have to get my daughter from daycare; I can't afford the book and the library (where the book is on reserve) is too loud....

In January, I thought that I was fasting to for my health and fitness, or to support my brother, but now I see the truth. THIS situation was the ultimate purpose of the fasting and prayer. How to be love in the face of this and not immediately judge and criticize? How to see my students as God sees them? How to have a servant's heart?  How to start the revolution?

Radical Teaching and Revolution: Lessons from the Fast

During the time in Houston, with my brother, I had the rare gift of "down time." Even though I would never want to have down time in a Cancer Center, it served a valuable purpose during my month of the Daniel Fast.  In addition to keeping my mind focused on serving my brother, I had time to pray about my job. Don't get me wrong. I love my job. But in the grand scheme of things, I know that what I teach is just necessary for the degree. Ultimately, knowing about brain mechanisms is not valuable in the lives of my students. It won't make them better people.

Last fall, I had begun to question the entire point of higher education as I read more about the housing crisis and the highly educated people that profited from it. I read about the tactics used to entice people into buying homes that they couldn't afford. I read about re-financing schemes targeted at minority communities that had people losing homes that had been paid off. I read about these highly educated people who were only concerned with making more money for themselves and I began to question the value of an education.

My students believe that they need an education to get a "good" job.  By the time they take my course, they are seniors and the class represents one of the final hurdles of college life. In the last two years, I have learned that most of my students don't want to learn to know, they want to learn in order to pass. Given this situation, I focused my fasting and prayer on how to be a better teacher. The answer came in a question of two words "Teach what?"

Perhaps, the reason my undergrads took issue with my teaching over the internet while I was in Houston was because there is something vital and necessary that can't be delivered via Skype. "Teach what?" Perhaps,  I am doing more in the front of the room than describing neurons. Like, last semester, when I began every class with a breathing exercise. I needed those three minutes to orient and focus myself. Once I asked myself, what if Jesus was sitting in each of these chairs, then how would I teach them.

What if Jesus IS sitting in each of those chairs?

If I truly recognized God in each of my students then perhaps, I could convey that knowledge to them. If they knew themselves in this way perhaps they would enter life after college fully prepared to use their faith in helpful and creative ways to serve humanity.

 Perhaps in the cultivation of self-discipline, that is essential and necessary for a faith-filled life, they would also place a ceiling on their desires- not ever needing to horde or borrow, eating healthfully, making wise use of time.

Perhaps in creating a life fueled by faith, service and self-control, my students would become so successful at what ever they were doing, they would ultimately realize that love is the principle thing...that education without love is destructive and dangerous.

The answer to my prayer- Teach what?

Teach students to see the God within them. Teach Truth. Teach Self-Discipline. Teach Love. Teach Peace, Teach non-Violence.

Q. What would happen if I and every one of my students became such a teacher?

A. Revolution.

Endng the fast and beginning the fasted life

I was not ready to end my 30 Day Daniel Fast on Sunday when the church-wide fast was due to end. It wasn't because I didn't want to eat something other than salad and green smoothies before 3:00; it wasn't because my clothes were looser and my skin clearer. Nor was it because I had discovered that a simpler menu meant simpler shopping, simpler clean-up, and more time outside of the kitchen.

I was not ready to end the Daniel Fast because I liked having the entire act of feeding myself dedicated to a Godly purpose. Hunger served as a reminder to pray. The desire to spontaneously eat something, even when I wasn't hungry, reminded me of how to discipline my wants and desires. The act of cutting up kale and washing carrots became a soothing ritual.  I felt like I was on on a spiritual retreat.

The constant barrage of food ads, fast food signs and food commercials helped me to see just how hard it is for a person to be of a healthy weight in our culture. I have much admiration for the likes of Jennifer Hudson (and my cousin Audrey), but after my Weight Watcher's meeting, I realized that although Jennifer is thinking about food in a different way, she still has to think about food (and points) all of the time.

I was glad to have been on my Daniel Fast while in Houston with my brother. I think that it helped me to stay focused on him and his care.  But once I returned to my normal life, I felt the tug to return to my break-neck, hectic, crazy busy existence.  Then I came across this quote in a book, the phrase "Festina Lente." It is Latin for "Make haste, slowly." 

That is what I wanted from the fasting experience- how to live better in my normal life. To me, a Godly life is a calmer, richer life; where I don't need food to calm me down, or distract me from lonliness or boredom. Nor am I naval gazing all day.  When my mind is God-focused I am calmer and my mind is clearer. With a clearer mind, I am more creative. When more creative, I can solve problems and see solutions that I normally wouldn't see.  It's not so much about the fasting or the food. It's about the focus.

The food that I eat makes a difference in my ability to focus. Foods that make you jittery or sluggish don't help you stay focused. Food, therefore, plays a role in how easy or difficult it is for me to have a calm, clear and creative mind.  So, I've decided to continue with my Green till Three, a little while longer. I've added soup to my menu of  smoothies and salads and have committed to not eat anything after 8:00 p.m.  I am motivated because I have a problem that needs solving.  It is a big problem that has to do with my job.

Last semester, I had several students who were expecting to graduate once they completed the semester. In order to do that they had to obtain a "C" in my course.  Unfortunately,  for some, that didn't happen.  Furthermore, I serve as a faculty adviser. I advise students on what courses to take. A few of them have lower than a C average. When the student's grades drop below a C average, then they are placed on probation. Federal financial aid only allows one semester grace period. If students drop out they could end up with thousands of dollars worth of school debt and no degree. If this happens on a mass scale, then the University undergoes a budget crisis.  How can I help these students?  This problem was also a focus of my prayer and fasting and I did receive an answer.

I have to start a revolution!

More about that next time.

Finding God at Weight Watchers

I'm in Houston with my brother while he recovers from Cancer surgery. He is now cancer-free and we are so thankful. He has had a long year of chemo and radiation treatments which culminated in his successful surgery.  My brother is fortunate in that his insurance has allowed him to be treated at this mega-specialty hospital in Houston. People from all over the world come here.  On the day he had surgery there were 59 other surgeries performed. His ward only services people with cancers associated with digestive organs. And even though his surgery was extremely difficult, it is routinely done here.

His surgeon commented to me that one of the things that helped Damon was the fact that he was healthy and strong before the chemotherapy began. Because he was able to withstand this rigorous treatment, they were able to shrink the tumor enough for it to be surgically removed.   Had he been obese or diabetic things would have been much more difficult.

A few days after we learned that the surgery had been successful, my host family here in Houston attended their Weight Watchers meeting and invited me to join them. They were signing up again as part of a New Year's commitment to healthy living.  I had never been to a Weight Watchers meeting so I was happy to tag along.

I found it very inspiring.  The leader, Betty Jo, did an excellent job of facilitating. There were about 100 people there and she knew how to work the room in a folksy kind of way. There was a lot of interaction as people shared their struggles and their triumphs. Betty Jo offered a lot of encouragement and gave practical tips about how to manage yourself while you are on the Program. The word "diet" was never used. Weight Watchers is a life-style.

I thought about this after I got home- the life-style change that happens when you are constantly aware.

Weight Watchers requires that you track every single morsel of food that enters your mouth. There is a point system and you only have so many points per day. Fortunately, most all fruits and veggies are zero points, so they are encouraged. Which was a great thing for me as I have continued my "Green till 3" Daniel Fast since being here and introduced green smoothies, to my hosts. They LOVE them.

This constant awareness is the same thing that is asked of those who go to AA meetings. The basis of the Twelve Step program is awareness. You have to monitor yourself and slowly over time, with the help of your new community, change the thinking and reasoning that led to drinking.

Constant awareness is also the basis of a spiritual practice. Just being aware of your thoughts and habits is necessary in order to be God-centered. Just like it's easy to be too busy or too stressed or too tired to monitor your points or go to your AA meetings, it is sometimes not so easy to be in constant communication with God all day through out the day- to "pray without ceasing".

However, imagine if every morsel of food was a reminder to lift up a short little prayer. It would be like God Watching and Weight Watching combined. By God Watching AND Weight Watching maybe more people would stick to the program. If more people stuck to the program then they would not be obese. When people are not obese they are healthier and less likely to have diabetes, hypertension or heart disease. If people are healthier then if some bad disease does happen they will be more resilient.

That's what I got out of going to Weight Watchers.

Fasting in a Cancer hospital

I am well into the second week of our church fast. I am adhering to my "Green till 3" goals despite being here in Houston, Texas tending to my brother, Damon, while he recovers from cancer surgery. He is doing very well, remarkably well and is now cancer free. It has been  a long year, with his chemo and radiation treatments and it will be a slow recovery but we are all thankful for this outcome.

A cancer hospital provides a great space for reflection, especially if you are disciplining yourself with nothing but Green (raw) food most of the day. There are lots of opportunities for free doughnuts and coffee. I pass the  Starbucks and Chick-Fillet on the way to the room.

However, these are not my biggest challenges. The biggest challenge is to keep a peaceful heart and mind when all around me there are balded heads from chemo and the recent surgery patients rolling their IV stands.  The talk of a waiting rooms is all about sickness and recovery.  I've learned more than I ever wanted to know about the symptoms of cancer, the treatments for cancer and the ravaging of cancer.

No, forgoing food is not the biggest challenge. It is only the practice session. The actual game involves how to be peaceful in the midst of fear and anxiety.  How to love and to express love to a person who is in pain.  How to remain kind, compassionate, gentle after hours of sitting and waiting...trying to manage  your normal, back-home life from gmail. And finally, reminding myself that the God I serve lives in Damon; relating wiping up a puddle of body fluid to an act of worship.

This is why I fast, so that I can learn to control myself and my actions, so that I can learn to control my thoughts and feelings. I cannot allow myself to eat anything I want because I can't allow myself to think any way I want. It is not about the food.  It is about the thinking.

I was reminded of this during a sermon last Sunday. I am staying with extended family members who attend Weaver Avenue Baptist Church. The youth pastor, (who looks like a sophomore in high school) gave an incredibly energetic and far-reaching sermon. His verse focused on the story of Zachias, who climbed the tree to see Jesus and in the telling of that story he included: Mohammed Ali's fight with Joe Frazier and Rope-A-Dope (with boxing imitations); a famous Basketball dunking competition won by a guy who was 5'8"; late night comedy star Arsenio Hall; and a Do-It-Yourself home repair project.

The insight that I received from the sermon was that anything and everything can be a reminder of God's presence.... if you are looking.

Tonight I will be accompanying my family to a Weight Watchers meeting...and I am looking for God to show up.   More on that next time.

Fasting and New Beginnings

One thing I really like about the New Year is the opportunity it gives for a new start. I am a teacher and January is always a new semester.  So, no matter how hard things were in the Fall semester, I get to start again. Also, our church goes on a church-wide fast in January. This provides a time to focus on a behavior that I want to change. Last year, I embarked on a 40 day raw-food fast. When it was over, I had learned a lot about myself and also had identified areas in my spiritual walk that I have worked on all year. I also learned how my body feels when I eat only raw fruits and vegetables. I liked how I felt, However, I LOVE cooked foods and so a 100% raw food diet was not sustainable
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For January 2012, I have begun a 30 day, regimen that I'm calling "Green till 3." I am eating only raw fruits and veggies (mainly in the form of green smoothies, big salads, nuts seeds and fruit) until 3:00 p.m. followed by healthy snacks and dinner.  It has only been one day, but I believe that this fast will have a lot to teach me as well. At breakfast and lunch during the fast, I plan to turn my thoughts toward my relationship with God. No eating while working at the computer or standing by the sink! My goal is to eat mindfully and gratefully, while focusing on some inspirational material.

The reason for this is because there are OTHER areas I would like to change. I noticed last year, that the discipline used in eating raw food, was transferable. I was better at staying on my budget. I exercised more. But I'm still a long way away from demonstrating the Fruit of the Spirit in every area of my life and with every person in every situation. Yes, it's a big goal but being a CHRIST-IaN is a big thing. If Christ is in me, then I should be acting like it all of the time.

So, I have challenged myself to make three distinct changes in my life by January 1, 2013. The focus for the next 30 days is to identify what areas need attention....my temper, being impatient, clutter in my closets...it can be anything.  As I write this I'm thinking one of the three will be to feel less rushed during the day. I often sense that I should be rushing to finish what I am doing so that I can get on to the next thing. I want to be at peace instead of being rushed...but I also need to get things done. This is one area.  As I quiet myself and pray this month, the other two areas will identify themselves, I'm sure.

I'll keep you posted of the progress.