As I look back over five years of weekly reflections, I find recurring themes that arise at predictable times of year. One of those patterns is the appearance of essays about overeating in the fall. A newspaper article several years ago gave me a glimpse into underlying dynamics that made sense to me. The article was about bears and the voracious autumnal appetites that enable them to pack it on in preparation for a long winter's sleep.
Although humans do not hibernate, we are also adapted to surviving seasonal hardship. Before we invented food storage techniques, we were vulnerable to fluctuations in nature's bounty. A fat person was more likely to see spring and summer than a skinny one. Scientists believe, and my personal experience confirms, that we have a deeply embedded primal urge to over-eat. That urge seems even stronger in this time of year.
I have long idealized intuitive eating. On one hand, it makes sense that our bodies and minds know what they need for optimal well-being. On the other hand, our definition of "optimal" has changed while our instinctive urges lagged behind.
Under conditions of year-round plenty, we are healthiest when we eat in moderation and maintain a relatively lean body weight. Our instincts, however, still drive us to binge. In addition, our food supply has been engineered to grow sales by triggering the unbridled craving for sweets, salt, and fat. Relying on intuition won't often take us where we want to go.
As the days shorten, I am eating more. Several extra pounds have settled in for the long term with more on the way, unless I make a change. In an idealized quest for intuitive eating, I stopped tracking Weight Watchers "points" back in July. As I watch the scale inch upward, the tracking sheet is back. My intuition is no match for the year-round cornucopia that surrounds me; moderation requires mindful awareness and conscious choice. I pay more attention when I write it down.
My collection of insights about eating have converged from various sources. Most recently, I found an author who spells them out in a particularly helpful way. If overeating (whether seasonal or year-round) is an issue for you, check out Gillian Riley at
www.eatingless.com She offers a free e-book (What is Wrong with Intuitive Eating?) and sells additional titles that explore the topic in more detail.
Does a well-tuned intuitive voice enable you to maintain a healthy weight? If not, how might you apply deeper understanding and intentional effort in support of that goal?
