Yes, Yes, YES!

“Every choice moves us closer to or farther away from something. Where are your choices taking your life? What do your behaviors demonstrate that you are saying yes or no to in life?” -- Eric Allenbaugh

Yesterday, my daughter signed us up for a 5k walk on New Years' Day in Seattle.  I was happy to say "yes"!  It is the Commitment Day 01.01.13 5K.  This is an organized effort happening in 30 cities across the US encouraging people to make a commitment to their health.  Check it out.

When I said YES to this idea it got me thinking.  Saying yes to health is a great idea.  

The first lesson I have been writing about in my new Body Belief book is "Surrender the Diet Mentality".  We have been taught, through years of dieting, to say "no" to things.  No to bread, no to chocolate, no to eating after 6pm, no to fat, no to carbs, no to sugar, . . . .   The diet mentality is all about keeping yourself from eating certain foods and sticking with a diet that is filled with foods you are not necessarily thrilled to eat.  The whole diet mentality is based on the philosophy - you are doing something wrong, and you must make it right. It is based on restriction, not expansion.

This morning I was listening to a talk by David Wolfe, a health activist.  He talked about how important it is to connect with what makes us feel good.  Because if we feel good then we attract more things to feel good about.  If we eat with joy, then we will have more joy.  Like attracts like.  If we fuel out bodies with food that is healthy and stuff we love, than we will attract feeling more healthy and happy.  Great concept. I am sure he didn't mean eating bags full of Oreo's, but who knows.  Deprivation only creates more feelings of lack and suffering, and we know where that leads!

So this started me thinking about chocolate.  I love chocolate, but I usually forbid myself from having it (I say I'm allergic), but then I'll have some and I get hooked and just can't seem to stop eating it.  Which then makes me feel bad physically and mentally and then I go back on the wagon and quit eating it, and the cycle continues.  But, what if I said yes to chocolate and gave up the battle?  What if I could eat it and not feel guilty or remorseful?  Could I say "yes" to chocolate and not go insane? 

David Wolfe is a huge proponent of cacao beans - the base of all chocolate products.  In it's natural state it is loaded with good nutrition and all kinds of health benefits. He has even written a book about it called Naked Chocolate. They key here is NAKED - chocolate in it's most natural form.  He insists that eating cacao is good for you and you can eat all you want!  Just eliminate all the harmful sugars and chemicals. Interesting. 

I decided to say YES to chocolate and downloaded one of his recipes for a Cinnamon Chocolate Bar. This is a raw food recipe, with all heathy ingredients.  I'm going for it.  Since I have decided that I must be my own student of Body Belief, this is in alignment with my first lesson.  Release the diet mentality and open my mind to a new way of thinking about everything.  The old way sure didn't work.  If I can redesign my relationship with chocolate, than anything is possible!  I am off to the store to buy the ingredients and I am going to say YES to chocolate.  I am going to say YES to the great feeling I have when I eat chocolate.  It makes me happy.  (Love those endorphins!) And if I can make something that is good for me and makes me happy - then hurray for me!  It just takes looking at things in a different light and being open to the YES!

Let the experiment begin!