I was going to write about something else today, but then I saw Bill Maher’s New Rule from his show on Friday, about the so-called Quarantine 15, and I wanted to respond to it. 

You may have heard that some people are gaining weight while we’re in lockdown, and unfortunately, those carrying extra weight seem to be at high risk for becoming severely ill and dying if they get COVID-19. I’m not going to argue with the study showing that connection, although I do wonder how much obesity itself...

Last week, I mentioned that I used to think I didn’t like oatmeal. Now, though, it’s one of my favorite breakfast foods and something I have several times a week.

Why the change? It takes a little explanation, but I thought it might be worth sharing because what we tell ourselves we like and don’t like isn’t always true. And finding out the real answer is part of mindful eating.

Foods You Don’t Like

Do you have any foods you don’t like? If so, can you remember when you tried it and what you dislik...

When I was growing up, one of my brother’s friends had a security blanket that he took everywhere. He was like Linus in the Charlie Brown comics – he just had to have his blanket with him.

I don’t think I ever had a security blanket, but I’ve certainly had security foods.

Sugar was a big one for me when I was younger. I wasn’t too picky about what form the sugar came in, but candy was a favorite. Snickers, Charleston Chews, Twizzlers, M&M’s, Three Musketeers, Milky Ways, and more. If not candy, a...

Last week, I had to bring my car to the shop to get checked out, and due to the pandemic, I didn’t want to hang out in the waiting room. I also didn’t want to take the bus back home, or even get a Lyft, which is what I sometimes do. The good news is, the car shop is only a mile and a half from my house, so I ended up walking home after dropping off the car.

A mile and a half isn’t too bad for me, and even though that road isn’t the most pleasant place to walk, I was able to tune out most of the...

Lately, I’ve been feeling stuck in the doldrums.

I first learned about the doldrums when I read The Phantom Tollbooth, which is still one of my favorite children’s books. In the book, the Doldrums is an actual place where the character Milo ends up, and the Lethargians who live there do nothing all day. They don't even think or laugh. 

Milo asked what they could do without laughing or thinking, and they had quite a few answers. The list included daydreaming, dawdling, lingering, napping...

Do you want to change your relationship to food but can’t even imagine what that would be like? 

Do you have a hard time thinking you could ever get to a point where you don’t automatically reach for food when you’re looking for comfort?

Does it feel impossible to think about food not taking up a lot of your thoughts?

If so, you’re not alone. These are all things I used to struggle with, too. I wanted things to be different, but how could I achieve something that seemed so far away, something I co...

We’re having something of a heatwave here in Maine, with multiple days of temperatures over 85 degrees. It’s a little cooler inside, and the dehumidifier helps a lot, but both the cats and I are laying low.

On the plus side, at least I have an option the cats don’t – wearing a tank top.

I pulled one out for the first time yesterday, and I was immediately more comfortable. I couldn’t help remembering, though, that for a long, long time I wouldn’t have been caught dead in a tank top, no matter how...

Like many people, I’ve been spending a lot of time at home lately, and I’m feeling the urge to eat more often.

A few things contribute to this:

1. With no clear distinction between work and personal time, I’m looking for things to break up the day

2. Food is even more accessible than it usually is

3. Hunger can be an uncomfortable feeling, especially in times of stress

Once I realized I was eating at the merest whiff of hunger, I decided something needed to change. Mainly, I had to conscio...

Like many, I’ve been thinking a lot about racial injustice and wondering what I can do to help, and particularly wondering if I should write anything about it here. I don’t have a big platform or lots of influence, but it still feels important to acknowledge what’s happening.

Then I realized that I could write about one of the things that unites instead of divides us – food.

This isn’t to say that people don’t argue about food or have different tastes. But no matter what color skin you have, you...

Last week, I attended a virtual “trailhead” with a local organization called Renewal in the Wilderness. These trailheads are designed to “make space for us to connect as a community and to share a weekly intention meant to deepen our day-to-day encounters with the elements.”

For the one I attended last Tuesday, the intent was around focusing on the edges and boundaries in our lives, and the leader shared an interesting mindfulness approach to doing this. I want to use it while out in the wildern...