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Food, Fuel and Summer Camp

Jul 18, 2018

 


 

Remember summer camp?

 

Day camp.  Sleep-away camp.  Family camp.

 

I did ‘em all.

 

It was such a break from my regular life. A separate, exciting world of friends and fun. My brain could relax, there was nothing to get done.

 

The setting perfected our utopia. Tucked into the hills, we enjoyed warm days, tree lined trails, swimming pools, arts and crafts and epic campfire sing-alongs.

 

Love those memories.

 

Now my kids go to camp.

 

My heart warms seeing them return with smiling faces, knowing they enjoyed an active day outdoors and off the computer. Good old fashioned kid-fun.

 

My son actually eats lunch at camp. At school it’s hit or miss, but at camp I can rest easy that lunch will be eaten. Why?

 

Because he’s hungry. Lunch is really needed to fuel the fun.

 

It’s not about the food, but the fun.

 

I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately--food as fuel.  Enjoyable fuel but really designed to be fuel. Fuel to power your extraordinary life.

 

When we’re doing things in our day that stimulate us—fun, interesting meaningful work and/or play—with people we love and admire, then food can take its rightful place.

 

As fuel.

 

Not as the only pleasure in a life of drudgery and obligation.

 

Yuck!

 

If that’s the case no wonder we over eat.

 

Food is not acting as fuel there, it’s comforting, pleasuring, numbing, stuffing.  Not what nature intended it to do.

 

Not only do you deserve more, but the world does too.

 

As Martha Graham so beautifully remarked,

“There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it.”

 

It is our duty as citizens of the world to allow that expression. And that expression comes through when we are doing what we love. Things that are meaningful to us.

 

In case we’re not sure if we’re doing what we’re meant to do, our bodies will show us. Often in the form of extra weight.

 

If food is used as fuel, we eat when we’re hungry and stop when we’re satisfied. When we use it as comfort or pleasure, we eat whenever we need a fix and we don’t stop until we are numb.

 

Sometimes the best way to lose weight is to change careers, improve relationships or finally write that novel.

 

If this is you, start small with a little break from your regular life—try a little camp time.

 

Spend time with friends. Spend time outdoors. Feel the joy there and listen for the next steps.

 

The world is waiting.