The Weekly Nourishment Journal

Introduction You’re all excited about a new outdoor exercise routine. You dutifully suit up and show up for three days in a row. “This is it,” you think, “I’ve finally found the answer.” On the fourth day, as you wake up and slowly come to consciousness, you hear the pitter-patter of raindrops against your bedroom window, and your enthusiasm and resolve drip away with them. And that’s the end of your new routine. When was your last rainy day moment? Was it another diet or food plan you tried and then abandoned? Maybe a hospital or medical weight loss program, or a surgery, or yet another book or magazine article? The trouble is applying what’s in these books and programs—sticking through with it past that first rainy day, and those that come later. I’ve been there, too. I have worked as a therapist for close to 20 years now and another five years before that as peer recovery support. And I’m also in long-term recovery from a history of disordered eating. Food is something we have to deal with every single day. Changing what we eat—and more importantly, our relationship with food and body image—requires incredible amounts of support. Yet, even when through the grace of hard work and support you get to the point where food is in its place, a new struggle emerges. Suddenly, every other life problem lights up in neon and you’ve got nothing to shield your eyes. Because that’s what disordered eating behaviors like binge eating, purging, and restricting can do for you. They’re a buffer, or a shield, that keeps us from having to deal with our problems head on. There is peace beyond disordered eating. You can find balance and freedom in your relationship with food and your body, which will extend to your relationships with yourself and others. This book contains my best advice and suggestions to overcome some of life’s greatest challenges: food, relationships, stress, and anxiety. You’ll find tips and practical tools for embracing recovery concepts like gratitude, mindfulness, self-care, planning, yoga, and spirituality. You’ll find 52 of my most read and positively received writings from the last 15 years. That’s one reading per week for an entire year—plus eight bonus posts to get you through the holiday season. Why a weekly reader, instead of a daily reader? Having to do anything every single day is overwhelming. I want a gentler approach for you. How to use this book Here is my suggestion, and I encourage you to do what works for you: On Sunday, read the post. Choose one of the prompts to journal about or let it lead you where you need to go in your writing and in your introspection. On Wednesday, or another day midway through the week, skim through or reread the post and journal on the second prompt. On Friday, journal about the third prompt. This will bring some closure to the week and help you enter the weekend, supporting you throughout. You can browse the Table of Contents to explore a specific theme or issue; start at the beginning and go in order; or simply open up the book at random to see what the universe brings. You might choose to read the book with a buddy or in a group. Or you might share your journaling with a therapist, clinical team, or other supportive people. This book alone will not solve the problem. This book is meant as a guide to inspire and support inquiry, and to help you go deeper—beyond the food and body. Are you ready to start? A note about word choice and inclusion: Whether you identify as an emotional eater, food addict, compulsive eater, binge eater, or as having an eating disorder or disordered eating, this book is for you. I use these terms interchangeably throughout the book. What words will I never say? Overweight or obese, even if you’ve said those things about yourself. You Can’t Lie to Your Journal Your journal will start to reveal if you’re headed toward relapse. It’s very difficult to lie to yourself when you’re writing. There’s something about putting pen to paper that always brings out the truth. That’s why journaling is such a powerful tool for your recovery. If you’ve been getting complacent with your recovery, your journal will start to reveal if you’re headed toward relapse. Here are a few suggestions to make sure you get these important messages: ● Keep writing, even when you don’t feel like it. Start with “I don’t feel like writing today…” and see where it takes you. ● Read your journal entries to your therapist, support group, or a trusted friend or family member. You’ll get an outside perspective, and they may recognize the warning signs before you do. ● Re-read your own entries. You may see patterns, such as more negative thoughts or particular issues coming up day after day. Even when you’re doing many of the right things in your recovery, relapse can sneak up on you—especially if you’re lying to yourself about what’s going on. Keep talking to your journal, and the truth will come out. Journaling prompts: 1. Start with one clean sheet of paper. 2. Write the word breathe at the top, and take a breath. 3. Check in with yourself, and write three feeling words at the top of the page about how you're feeling right now. 4. Fill one full page with stream-of-consciousness writing. It can be about anything: the three feeling words, what's going on with you, or even “Why is she making me fill out a whole page?” 5. Write three more feeling words at the bottom of the page, describing how you feel right now. 6. Pause and observe.