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It’s Not What You Eat…But How That Matters

It’s Not What You Eat…But How That Matters

Last updated on: December 19, 2023 at 10:33 pm by Mark J. Platten

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It’s Not What You Eat…But How That Matters 2023-12-19T22:33:12-07:00 Mark J. Platten

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Hey there, fellow soul traveler! If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself in the tangled web of diets, supplements, and the relentless pursuit of the perfect body. But what if I told you that the key to a healthy, vibrant life isn’t just in what you eat, but in how you approach your relationship with your body?

The Vicious Cycle of Diets

Let’s face it – traditional diets often leave us feeling defeated and broken. The statistics don’t lie – a staggering 95 percent of people abandon diets. Yet, we blame ourselves, questioning our willpower and subjecting ourselves to self-criticism that we’d never inflict on another. What if, instead of being broken, our bodies are simply responding to millennia-old programming?

Consider this: our bodies might be doing precisely what they’ve been designed to do over thousands of years. Perhaps the diets are failing us, and the entire approach has been wrong. Are fad diets and supplement companies merely exploiting our self-loathing and our desire to conform to the media’s narrow vision of what we should look like? What if that’s all wrong?

Embracing a Spiritual Shift

In this “Beyond the Ordinary” post, I invite you to consider a radical shift – approaching your journey from a spiritual context supported by science. From a spiritual viewpoint, our bodies are sacred vessels. Could it be that fad diets and supplements exploit our self-loathing, and is perpetuated by societal ideals? What are the odds of finding peace with our bodies when we approach them with hate, disgust, and anger? It’s almost impossible for our bodies to respond positively when we feed them negativity.

Yet, that is the recipe we feed ourselves. Go on the newest diet, hoping it will be the one that finally works for. After some early success, we lose interest, willpower, or the restrictions the diet places on us and we gain the weight back…usually ending up heavier than where we started.

Examples of Spiritual Practices:

Meditation: Take time each day to meditate, creating a bit of separation between your spiritual self and your physical body.
Mindful Eating: When consuming a meal, focus on the flavors, textures, and the nourishment your body receives. Listen to your body’s cues.
Body Scan Meditation: Conduct a body scan meditation to identify areas of tension or discomfort.
Ask Your Body: Take a moment to ask your body what it needs. This subtle difference from what your subconscious wants can foster a deeper connection.

Rooted in Fear

The decades-long cycle of diets and supplements being fed to us in the media is fear-driven. We believe that only when we reach an arbitrary weight, or conform to media standards, will we find self-love. But if we hit that goal, then a new level of fear kicks in. What if we put that weight back on? We think that the fear will go away once we achieve some arbitrary number, but it doesn’t and may even intensify.

What if, instead, we learned to love our bodies and what we put in them irrespective of the scale? Imagine a world where your self-worth isn’t tied to a number on the scale. Interestingly, when your focus is on liking and loving your body and what you put into it, your body will naturally find its ideal weight range.

Rewriting False Programming

Yes, it may seem daunting to rewrite decades of false programming. But fear not! Your brain is a remarkable, malleable organ. By creating new neural pathways through practices like meditation, you can establish new habits and witness transformative results.

Neuroplasticity Exercise:

Affirmations: Develop positive affirmations that reinforce your love for your body. Repeat these daily to rewire your brain for self-love.

Beyond the Scale

Picture a life where you love your food and body, where weight becomes secondary to overall well-being. When you’re in tune with your body, the “what” takes care of itself. Say goodbye to calorie counting, weight obsessions, and supplements – welcome peace.

Embrace Your True Purpose:

Passion Pursuit: Identify activities that bring you joy and purpose. Shift your focus from external validation to internal fulfillment.
Contribution: Redirect energy spent on diets towards contributing to others. The joy derived from helping others can far surpass the temporary satisfaction of a diet success.

For more information, consider downloading a free eBook

If this resonates with you, delve deeper into the spiritual premises backed by science in my FREE eBook, The Body-Positive Breakthrough: 7 Life-Altering Secrets You Must Know. It’s time to embark on a journey beyond the scale – where love for your body and food transcends fear.

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About Mark J. Platten

Mark J. Platten is the founder of Integral Human Initiative where he helps people find their passion, purpose, and path by integrates brain science, indigenous wisdom, rites/rituals/ceremonies, connection with nature, and current research to help others become the best version of themselves so they can give their gifts to the world. Mark's Amazon bestseller, "The Art of Connecting With Nature," is an anthology exploring how the contributors connect to nature through various rites, rituals, ceremonies, and practices. He is also a contributing author on four other Amazon #1 bestselling books, has presented three times at the Parliament of the Worlds Religions, is ordained in two traditions, and a high priest in a pagan tradition. On the academic/professional side, Mark has an MBA in Organizational Management, served seven years as an Air Force officer, worked internationally for 15 years, and since 2008 has been faculty at Colorado State University where he's received over 30 state and 20 national awards for his programs. You can read more about the author here.

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