As many of you will be aware I, alongside many of you reading this blog, have had challenges with eating disorders in the past and a battle to keep my weight where I’d like it be be. Luckily, most of my struggles with food have gone but my curiousity was piqued by a new book hailed by Oprah – a well documented yo-yo dieter – as the ‘bible’ for anyone with issues around eating.

Geneen  Roth has bought understanding and acceptance to tens of thousands of women from all over the world about why they have such great emotional attachments to what they put (or don’t put) into their mouths. Her simple techniques and practical advice help resolve the conflicts and put an end to the powerful anguish that only someone with these issues can understand. As a fellow sufferer, she can put herself in our shoes and so she is totally believable. 

Yesterday I read her latest book, the one which Oprah so loved, called ‘Women, Food and God’.  It was brilliant. It’s about ending the struggle of dieting, forcing, depriving and continually trying to fix ourselves. Through a process called inquiry, Geneen teaches how to actually feel our feelings instead of numbing them with food. Included are exercises to help us drop below the continual chatter of our busy minds to a direct experience of presence and clarity. Instead of repeatedly struggling for the next thing that will surely, finally make us happy, we can realise that all we want – all we ever wanted – is right here, right now.

What a HUGE relief.

If you would prefer to listen to her, rather than read, Geneen has a fabulously rich website full of CD’s, downloads and US tour dates for you to sample.

http://www.geneenroth.com/women_food_and_god.php