WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR by DEEPAK CHOPRA

Copyrigh © 2013 by Depak Chopra All righs rsrvd. Publishd in h Unid Sas by Harmony Books, an imprin of h Crown Publishing Publishi ng Group, a division of Random Hous LLC, a Pnguin Random Hous Company, Nw York. www.crownpubli ww w.crownpublishi shing.com ng.com Harmony Books is a rgisrd radmark and h Ci rcl colophon colophon is a radmark of Random Hous LLC. Libraryy of Congrss Caaloging-in-Publicaion daa is availabl upon rqus. Librar ISBN 978-0-7704-3721-3 Book ISBN 978-0-7704-3 978-0 -7704-3722-0 722-0 Prind in h Unid Sas of Amrica Book dsign by Chris Wlch Jack phoograph by David Davi d Malan/Gt Mala n/Gt Imags 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Firs Ediion

Contents

OVERVIEW AWA RENES ENESS S A ND WEIG HT LO SS Why Tis Will Wor For You T Mind-Body Conncion

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PART ONE THE T HE C HO PR PRA A SO LUTIO N Chang Your Sory, Chang Your Body Puri, Enrgy, Enrgy, and Bala Balanc nc “Wha Should I Ea?” E a?” T Ayurvdc Wy

58

86 88

T Sx ats t Evry Ml Expndd Flvors

107

T Erlst Prvnton

119

94

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PA RT TWO PART RA IS ISING ING YO UR C O NS NSC C IO IOU USNES NESS S T Joy o Awarnss

125

Sl-Rgulaion: L Your Body a Car o You Emoional Wll-Bing: I’s a Choic Lighnss o Soul

151

180

203

PA RT THREE PART REC IPE IPES S FRO M THE C HO HOPRA PRA C ENT NTE ER KITC HEN Ligh Braas Appizrs Soups

245

247

250

Enrés and Sid Dishs Salads

261

272

Condimns, Dips, and Saucs Dssrs Bvrags

284 288

Acnowldgmns

291

278

Why Wh y Th This Will Wo Wo rk for You

A

 his momn hr’s a groundswll ha is changing popl’s livs. I can b snsd om h hadlins. A ormr prsidn, shocd by suring an arly har aac, announcs ha h has bcom a vgan. Ta’s an amazing samn, and o bac up his convrsion, Bill Clinon lls vryon how good h els—and loos. On anohr on, an xnsiv sudy in Spain nds ha  ha popl who who a a Mdirrana Mdirranan n di high in sh, nus, and a nd oliv oil can rduc h incidnc o har aacs by on-hird. Tis is h biggs diary nding in yars. Evryon who was waning hmslvs o rd ma is mdically vindicad. T groundswll is moving on many ohr ons. T oxins prsn in procssd and manuacurd ood ar lss and lss accpabl. Orgnc has bcom a mainsram word. Mor popl han vr ar bcoming vgarians, vgaria ns, a lisl whos bns hav ben nown or a long im. (In on poll, pol l, hal ha l o Briish womn dscribd hmslvs as basically vgarian.) In a susainabl world, hr’s no room or h polluing c o psicids and hrbicids. Popl ar waing up o a nw rali, and a complly nw way o aing has quicly mrgd. I go swp up in h groundswll abou v yars ago. I was

4

What Are You Hungry For?

I had long ago curbd obvious oxins li alcohol and obacco. I njoyd wha I a, and I a wha I njoyd. Bu as I lood around a h mdical liraur, nw ndings wr mrging vry day. All inds o lins wr bing mad ben sugar and obsi, alcohol and disurbd slep rhyhms, simpl carbohydras and diabs— and many o hs ndings acd bing ovrwigh. Evidnc was piling up ha poind in only on dircion. di rcion. I nedd o nd h idal di, bcaus hr was vry good rason o. Only habi and nglc wr eping m om maximizing h conncion ben ood, body, and mind. No o mnion ha I was carrying 20 xra pounds. Dspi my “good” aing, I had bcom a saisic, joining h o-hirds o Amricans who ar ihr ovrwigh or obs. I bcam a saisic dspi h ac ha I had mdical raining, moi vaion, rasonably good habis, no major oxins, and accss o any ood I wand. I also nw ha going on a di was uil—loo a h numrous sudis ha prov, ovr and ovr, ha h rbound c mas you rgain h  h wigh you los on your di, and a nd hn 5 or 10 pounds mor. T surplus pounds ar your body’s way o saying, “You rid o dpriv m. Don’ do i again.” My soluion was o adop h idal di, and I did i mor or lss ovrnigh. Tr was no rason no o, givn all h  h mdical vidnc vi dnc I nw. I liminad all al l procssd procssd oods. I a h purs oods, always naural, nau ral, as a s much organ organic ic as possibl. Alrady a nondrinr, I also liminad rmnd oods li ches. I gav up rnd whi sugar. I drasically cu bac on sal. I gav up rd ma, mosly aing chicn and sh bu moving in h dircion o bing a vgarian.

Why This Will Work for You

5

I dran pur war. I paid anion o ging gi ng propr slep. Bcaus vryhing is conncd, somhing li ging a good nigh’s slep was par o my nw way o aing. Lac L ac o slep hrows o h balanc ben o hormons (lpin and ghrlin) rsponsibl or maing you el hungry and ull. Popl who don’ slep wll ovra ovra asily whn hir hir body sops snding h righ hormonal mssags. Blly a disurbs h sam hormons. And wha you nd up wih is a sl-prpuaing cycl ha is no only unhalhy bu ponially dangrous. I didn’ worry ha I was bcoming a puri anaic. Nohing in my nw aing was imposd. I wasn’ moivad by worry or ar. T simpl ac is ha “normal” aing, Amrican sl, has gon o unhalhy un halhy xrms. T avrag Amrican consums 150 pounds o sugar a yar, a grosqu amoun o mp caloris ha wra havoc on insulin lvls and blood sugar. As or our addicion o procssd oods, which accoun or 70 prcn o wha Amricans a, a a loo a your local suprmar. Tr ar whol aisls dvod o coois, cracrs, ohr snac oods, soda pop, ozn pizza, and ic cram. Economics rul, and i hos oods didn’ sll in abundanc, hy wouldn’ g all ha shl spac. Wha’s not xrm is o a naurally, basd on h bs mdical nowldg availabl. Ta’s wha h groundswll has ha s ben all abou. Anion mus b paid, and or h longs im our soci hasn’ ben paying anion o h disord way w a. I was pursuing “awarnss aing.” All h sps I oo mad m el vry good. My body l lighr, vn bor bor I droppd 19 pounds, pound s, which cam ca m o orlssly or lssly.. I soppd doing unconscious u nconscious hings h ings li aing cll phon calls during a mal—why no ully njoy wha you’r you’ r aing? ai ng? I didn’ d idn’ dpriv mysl ihr. Evry mal ma l was saising bcaus my aing was now in un wih my body, and his in

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urn raisd my mood lvl. Alhough I’v always ben an nrgic prson, I had nrgy and buoyancy as nvr bor. Bu h mos graiing graii ng hing hi ng was ohr popl’s popl’s rspons. Whn I ald abou awarnss aing, hy noddd. Mos had alrady ben going along h sam pah ha I was on. T groundswll was ral and growing. Sanding bac, I saw ha a ipping poin had ben rachd. Collciv consciousnss had gon h mssag. Whn I sa down o wri his boo, I had condnc ha many mor popl wan o wal his nw pah. Ty didn’ ned o b coaxd ino nw blis, bcaus halhy aing is alrady hir goal. Y crain hings hold hm bac. Bad habis and old condiioning. Far o chang and amily prssur no o chang. A subborn bli ha h nx di will wor. Discouragmn abou bing ovrwigh. A hisory o no losing wigh. Hungr cravings, spcially or sal, swe, and at oods. im prssur, which mas i asy o rach or procssd oods and snacs, and o ma a quic sop a McDonald’s. McDonald’s. I’s a ormidabl lis. Ts ar hug obsacls in h livs o millions o popl. In ac, i’s amazing ha a nw way o aing has managd o bcom so popular—jus loo a lvision advrising, which uss buzzwords li nturl , lght , and nutrtous o sll almos nohing bu procssd ood, whil h advrising or sh uis and vgabls, whol grai grains, ns, and an d organic produc is nx o nil. o g pas h obsacls ha  ha hav ld o your wigh gain, whhr i’s a lil or a lo, I’m no going o rpa h sam advic abou halhy aing ha has xisd or dcads. T advic is all good. Wha’s missing is how o chang. Awarnss is h y, bcaus w hav all ben raind hrough massiv condiioning o damag our


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Eaing unconsciously, no caring wha’s in our ood. Losing conrol ovr our appi. Oping or biggr and biggr porions. Using ood or moional rasons, .g., o son h srss o daily li. Raching or h ass ood ha will sais our cravings. All o hs obsacls bgin in on plac: h mind. T body is a physical rfcion o h choics you ma ovr a liim. Knowldg is imporan, bu adding mor good advic isn’ h soluion o halhy aing. T soluion is o ransorm your awarnss. I dcidd o show popl how ransormaiv awarnss wors, how hy can achiv i, and why. Ohrwis, h bs advic, vn whn i lads o improvd aing, will sill sil l lav lav us nclosd nclosd in lim limid id noions o our bodis. Bing a rigidly “good” ar who ollows a s o ruls and nvr dvias isn’ a happy siuaion, ihr. Bu wih ransormd awarnss, all o your ingraind, sl-dsruciv bhaviors can b changd asily. You can’ conrol wha you arn’ awar o. I you had a roc in your sho, you’d rmov i immdialy. T signals o pain ll you insanly ha somhing is wrong. Eaing poorly isn’ li ha. Mor on han no, i snds no pain signals, and h harmul cs on happn invisibly, gradually, and ou o sigh. You You mus gain gai n a nw lvl o awarnss in ordr o noic wha’s wha’s going wrong insid you. Only hn can you proced o chang i. So, i you’r you’r ovrwigh or eling sluggish, sluggish , or i your nrgy lvls ar low or you ar unhappy abou your body imag, rmmbring how much br you lood and l whn you wr youngr, his boo is or you. I will bring many surpriss and discovris—chi among hm is ha idal wigh is h mos naural sa you can b in. Your body can bcom your ally in nding a br way o liv, raching byond wigh loss. Awarnss rvals many unxpcd soluions, wha I call applid wisdom.

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groundswll wih ral nhusiasm, nowing how much br you willl loo and el. wil

Eating, Weight, and Hunger I you wan o rurn ru rn o your idal i dal wigh, o choics ac you. You You can go on a di or do somhing ls. Tis boo is abou ha somhing ls. Diing involvs h wrong ind o moivaion, which is why i rarly lads o h dsird goal. You ar a aing ing h rou o sl-dnial and doing wihou. Evry day on a di involvs sruggling agains your hungr and ghing or sl-conrol. Is hr a mor unsaising way o liv? Wigh loss neds o b saising sais ing in i n ordr o succed—his is h  h “somhing ls” ha wors ar diing has aild. I you bring h body’s hungr signals bac ino balanc, bala nc, your impuls impul s o a bcoms bcoms your ally al ly insad o your nmy nmy.. I you rus your body o now wha you ned, i wil willl a car o you insad o ghing bac. I’ I’ss al alll abou ging h mssags sraigh ha connc mind and body. Mdically Mdical ly,, I was raind o analyz ana lyz hungr in rms o h ris and all o crain hormons. Hungr is on o h mos powrul chmical mssags sn by h body o h brain. I shouldn’ happn ha a prson can el hungry righ ar aing a mal or ha having a snac in h arnoon should lad o a scond snac or a hird. Bu I’v xprincd hs hings—as hav millions o popl—which hungr r can xis vn whn h ned or mans ha h xprnc o hung ood dosn’ dosn’. . I’s his xprinc o hungr ha you ned o chang whn you nd yoursl yoursl  ovraing. ovraing. Cravings Cravi ngs and als hungr arn’ h sam as giving your body h ul i neds. Your body isn’ li a gas-guzzling car. I’s h physical xprssion o housands o mssags ha ar bing sn o and om h brain. In h ac o aing, your sl-imag


9

is involvd, along wih your habis, condiioning, and mmoris. T mind is h y o losing wigh, and whn h mind is saisd, h body quis craving oo much ood. A mind-body approach will wor or you bcaus i ass you or only on hing: Fnd your ulfllmnt. o b ullld is somhing ha ood alon a lon can’ do. You You mus nourish: nou rish: • • • •

h body wih halhy ood h har wih joy joy,, compassion, compassion, and lov h mind wih nowldg h spiri wih quan quanimi imi and sl-awarnss

Wih awarnss, all o hs hings bcom possibl. Bu i you nglc hm, hy mov urhr and urhr ou o rach. I sounds li a paradox, bu o los wigh, you ned o ll yoursl. I you ll yoursl wih ohr inds o saisacion, ood will no longr b a problm. I was was nvr man o b. Eaing is a naural nau ral way o el happy. happy. Ovraing isn’ isn’. . For cnuris li has ha s ben clbrad a ass, and som o hs clbraions, such as wdding banqus and rirmn dinnrs, can b h highligh o a prson’s li. Wha child dosn’ brighn up whn h birhday ca appars? Bu h dligh ha ood brings mas ovraing a pculiar and uniqu problm. Feling happy, which is good or you, morphs ino somhing hi ng ha’s bad or you. A his momn you all somwhr on h sliding scal ha conncs ood wih happinss: Norml tng

Ovrtng Ovr tng

Crvngs

Food Addcton

Eating normally els good. Overeating els good in h momn bu lads o bad rsuls in h long run.

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Giving in to cravings dosn’ dosn’ el good a all—rmors, guil, and a nd usraion s in almos immdialy. Being addicted to food brings suring, dclining halh, and a nd oal lac o sl-sem.

T slippry slop o bcoming ovrwigh sars wih somhing ha’s acually posiiv: h naural goodnss o ood. (You can’ say h sam abou drugs and alcohol, which can b oxic subsancs vn whn a prson isn’ addicd o hm.) Food nourishs us, and whn aing gos wrong, w ar orn ben shor shor-rm -rm plasur (such as a dlicious bi o chocola ic cram) and long-rm pain (h many drawbacs o bing ovrwigh ovr wigh or yars a a im i m). ). So why dos normal aing sar o slid ino ovraing? T simpl answr: lac o ulllmn. You sar ovraing o ma up or a lac somwhr ls. Looing bac on my mdical rsidncy, whn I was sill in my nis, I can se s e now how how bad aing habis insinua insinu a hmslvs. I’d I’d com hom hom om a gruling gruli ng shi a h hospial eling srssd ou. My mind was sill lld wih a dozn cass. Som pains wr sill in jopardy. Wha awaid m a hom was a loving wi and a hom-cood mal. In rms o ging nough caloris, siing down o dinnr m all h rquirmns. You had o loo a h human siuaion o se h hiddn problms. I had hi h coe machin and grabbd snacs on h run a wor. From lac o slep I didn’ rally noic wha I was ain aing. g. T minu m inu I wald wa ld in h door I usua usually lly had a drin, and hr was a hal-mp pac o cigars lying around somwhr. In h svnis I was a normal woring mal ollowing h sam habis as vry ohr young docor I nw. I cound mysl xrmly oruna o hav such such a loving wi and a nd o bauiul babis a hom. Bu h ravnous way I dug ino a nourishing hom-cood dinnr, combind wih all h ohr signs o srssd aing, was s-


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ing a parn ha  ha was dspraly wrong. Ironically Ironical ly,, vn bac hn I considrd mysl prt awar. Wha urnd h cornr was bcoming much mor awar—h soluion I’m proposing in his boo. No mar how much i gs abusd, h body can rsor balanc. T rs rul is o sop inrring wih naur. In is naural sa, h brain conrols hungr auomaically. Whn your blood sugar alls blow a crain lvl, mssags ar sn o an almond-sizd rgion o h brain nown as h hypohalamus, hypohal amus, which wh ich is rsponsibl rsponsibl or rgulaing hungr. Whn i rcivs mssags o dcrasd blood sugar, your hypohalamus scrs hormons o ma you el hungry, and whn you’v an nough, h hormons rvrs, maing you no longr hungry. Tis edbac loop ben ben blood and brain brai n opras on is is own, as a s i has or millions mill ions o yars. Any anima an imall wih a spinal cord (vrbra (vrbra) has a hypohalamus, which mas sns, bcaus hungr is so basic. Bu in humans, hungr can g inrrd wih qui asily. T way w el moionally can ma us ravnous or unabl o a a all. W can b disracd and org o a, or w can b obsssd and hin abou ood all day. Howvr, w ar always in sarch o saisacion. Tr ar los o hings you can ll up on bsids ood. Dsir coms om neds, saring wih h mos basic ons: Evryon neds o el sa and scur. Evryon neds o el nururd. Evryon neds o el lovd and a nd apprciad. Evryon neds o el ha hir li is rlvan and maningul. I you hav lld hs neds, ood will b jus on dligh ou o many. Bu counlss popl urn o ovraing o subsiu or wha hy rally wan. I bcoms a gam o swich-up, and on hy don’ vn se wha’s happning. Is ha h siuaion you nd yoursl in? Hr ar som common indicaors.

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You don’ el scur unlss you ar dulld by aing oo much. Dullnss Dull nss brings a ind o calm cal m ha lass a shor whil. You don’ el nururd xcp whn your as buds ar ovrsimulad wih sugar, sal, and a. You don’ don’ el lovd and a nd apprciad, so you urn u rn aing ai ng ino “giving mysl som lov.” Your li lacs maning, bu a las whn you a, h mpinss insid can b ignord or a lil whil. I you sop ocusing so hard on di and caloris, you can se ha h sory o ovrwigh in Amrica is h sory o missd ulllmn. W hav h bs oods in h world a our disposal, bu w gorg on h wors. W W hav blssd opporuniis opporu niis o grow and a nd volv, bu insad w el mp. My goal is o bring you o a sa o ulllmn. Onc ha bgins o happn, you will sop aing or h wrong rasons. T soluion is simpl bu proound: o los wigh, vry vr y sp o h way mus b saising. You don’ hav o psychoanalyz yoursl; you can sop obsssing abou your body and dwlling in disappoinmn and usraion. Tr is only on principl ha applis: L i bout ulfllmnt. I your li li  isn’ isn’ ul u llld, lld, your you r somach somach can nvr supply wha’s wha’s missing.

“What Am I Hungry For?” Evryon’s li sory is complicad, and h bs innions go asray Evryon’s bcaus popl nd i hard ha rd o chang. Bad habis, li li  bad mmoris, mmoris, sic around aroun d subbornly subbornl y whn w wish hy’d go away. away. Bu you hav a


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gra moivaion woring woring or you, which wh ich is your dsir or happinss. I dn happinss as h sa o ulllmn, and vryon wans o b ullld. I you ep your y on his, your mos basic moivaion, hn h choics you ma com down o a singl qusion: “Wha am I hungry or?” Your ru dsir will lad you in h righ dircion. Fals dsirs lad in h wrong dircion. You can a a simpl s o prov prov his o yoursl: T nx im i m you go o h rigraor or somhing o a, sop or a scond. Wha’ Wha’ss maing ma ing you rach or ood? Tr ar only o answrs: 1. You’ You’r r hungry hung ry and ned o a. 2. You’r rying o ll a hol, and ood has bcom h quics way o do ha. Modrn mdicin has qui a lo o nowldg abou h “riggrs” ha s o h impuls o a. Your body scrs hormons and nzyms conncing h hungr cnr in your brain wih h somach and digsiv rac. Whn you wr a baby, his was h only ind o riggr you rspondd o. You crid bcaus you wr hungry. Now h rvrs migh b ru: Whn you el li crying, you g hungry. Ovr a liim, w cra nw riggrs ha a baby could nvr anicipa. Dprssion is a wll-nown riggr or ovraing. So ar srss, suddn loss, gri, rprssd angr—and hr ar many ohrs. Which ons ar you mos vulnrabl o? You probably hav only a vagu ida. Mos popl ar unawar un awar whn hir aing bhavior is bing riggrd, rig grd, bcaus riggrs rig grs ar on unconscious—ha’s wha mas hm so powru powrul.l. You rspond auomaically wihou hining.

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Quiz: Whatt Trigg Wha igge e rs Yo u to to O ver vere ea t?

T mos common riggrs or ovraing appar in h ollowing chcliss. Som ar asir o ovrcom ovrcom han ha n ohrs. Loo a h liss and chc h mos common causs ha ma you a vn whn you’’r not hungry you hungry . Mar as many ims as you el apply o you. Group A: I tnd to ovrt  ___ I’m busy or disracd a wor. ___ I’m rushd and on h go. ___ I’m ird. I havn’ had nough slep. ___ I’m wih ohr popl p opl who ar a r aing a ing.. ___ I’m ou a a rsauran. ___ I’m in on o h V or compur and ned somhing o do wih my hands. hands . ___ I hav a pla o ood in on o m, and I el I mus clan my pla. Group B: I tnd to ovrt  ___ I’m dprssd. ___ I’m lonly. ___ I’m eling unaraciv. ___ I’m eling anxious or worrid. ___ I’m having ngaiv houghs abou my body. ___ I’m undr srss. ___ I wan o b comord. Rtng Yoursl I all al l or mos o h ims you chcd com com om Group A, your you r riggrs ar h asis o ovrcom. You ned o pay mor anion o your aing ai ng habis, bu ha should b rlaivly asy as y. You You can ca n cach


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yoursl aing whn you’r you’r no hungr hu ngryy bcaus your main problm is disracion. Onc you ocus on on hing a a im—h mal in on o you—you will bring inaniv aing undr conrol. I all or mos o h ims you chcd com om Group B, you ar hungry or somhing ls bsids ood, and paying anion o hos hings will b your bs way o los wigh. On imporan hing hi ng is no going goin g on a di. d i. Your Your pahway isn’ i sn’ dprivaion; i’s o nd saisacion in hings ohr han aing. A c ti tio o n St Step ep:: Noti No tic c e Yo ur Trigg igge e r Befo eforre Yo u Eat.

Now ha you now your riggrs, you can monior hm. You don’ hav o gh agains your hungr, jus giv your brain nough im o ma a choic. Insad o roboical roboically ly raching or ood, which wh ich is a racion ha coms auomaically, l yoursl nd a way o choos wha you ral rally ly wan. A rs, his involvs a simpl momn momn o mindulnss, mind ulnss, or sl-a sl-awarns warnss, s, as a s ollows: Any im you ar abou o a ousid malim, go hrough h ollowing simpl sps: 1. Paus and a a dep brah. 2. As yoursl i your hungr is bing riggrd by a amiliar parn, such as eling bord, rslss, or sad, or waning a disracion. You now now som o your mos common riggrs, so se i any o hm ar involvd. 3. Onc you’v idnid a riggr, as yoursl i you rally ned o a. Mayb you can nd an alrnaiv acivi, on ha simply pospons racing o your riggr, such as: Doing a houshold chor. Calling Calli ng a ind.

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Chcing your -mails and answring som savd ons. Rading a boo. Drining a glass o war. Any harmlss divrsion will do. Your goal is o insr a paus bor you auomaically rac o a riggr. I you sill el hungry, go ahad and a. Bu g in h habi o noicing your riggrs his way—i’ way—i ’ss a basic sp oward ovrcoming hm and a nd givin g ivingg yoursl you rsl mor edom o choos. I promisd mysl on hing hi ng bor addrssing h problm o ovrovraing: T soluion should wor hr nd now . A gra aul in diing is ha you ma yoursl unhappy u nhappy oday on h promis ha you willl b happir omorrow. wil omorrow. Bu dsir dosn’ wor ha way way.. “Wha “W ha am I hungry hung ry or?” xiss in i n h prsn momn. momn. T impuls you el can b simplid ino a w basic cagoris: You’ ou’r r hungry hungr y or ood. You wnt to fll n motonl hol. You wnt to fll  hol n your mnd (such as low sl-sem, bad body imag, or a sns o ailur and usraion). wn t o hs I would add a ourh impuls, impu ls, which is spiriual. spiriua l. You wnt to fll  hol n your soul.

Ts ar srong moivaions, uld by dsir. Onc you urn dsir in h righ dircion, ral ransormaion can a plac. W all ollow h pah o dsir vry day. T impuls o g mor ou o li is naural and dep-sad. In his boo w’ll nd ou xacly wha you’ you’r r hungr hungryy or. Onc you now  now,, you wil willl hav a clar pah ha mas oal sns in rms o mind, mind , body, and spiri. Hr’s Hr’s how you’ll b ransormd: You will a only whn you ar hungry or ood.


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You won’ won’ a whn wha you’r you’r hungry hung ry or is moional, moional , in rms o comor, scuri scu ri,, lov, bonding bondi ng wih ohrs, or a eling elin g o joy. joy. You won’ a whn wha you ar hungry or is a li ha is rlvan and maningul, maning ul, whr you hav hav a purpos and can me your your goals. Ts ar neds o h mind. You won’ a whn wha you’r hungry or is spiriual, such as lighnss o bing or a highr vision o h soul.

Dieting: A False Escape Som radrs will say o hmslvs, “Tis all sounds wll and good, bu anly, I jus wan o now wha o a and wha no o a.” I now xacly how ha gos. Crash dis or h ulima mpaion, a quic x. Bu loo a wha rally happns: Karn is an araciv middl-agd woman who sands in on o hr mirror, owning owni ng a wha sh ses. Sh wans o los 10 10 pounds pound s bor hr daughr’s wdding, which wh ich is o wes away, bu Karn isn’ discouragd. Whn sh was n, sh could los 5 pounds ovr h wend we nd by going going on a juic as. I i word word hn, i wil willl wor wor now. now. And i dos, almos. a lmos. On hr daughr’s daughr’s wdding day d ay Karn has los 7 pounds. pounds . Sh narly sarvd sar vd o g hr, bu now sh sh can clbra. Wha sh dosn’ dosn’ raliz rali z is ha sh’s sh’s alln al ln ino a rap. Hr old aing habis will rurn ru rn soon, and so will wi ll h xra pounds. pou nds. You You can se hr sanding a h idg h nx day, as h ollowing lgrams arriv a h mind-body conncion: Tan goodnss h wdding’s ovr. I can rlax. I word hard. I dsrv o ra mysl.

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Loo a all h lovrs. I can’ sarv sar v mysl orvr. I can’ l his good ood oo d go o was. Tr is lil chanc, wih hs mssags urging hr on, ha Karn will wi ll hold bac om a nic big chun o lovr lovr wdding ca. ca . Excuss com o mind vry im you dcid o ovra. T ac ha Karn los wigh in a o-we sprin o h nish lin mans lil compard o a liim o aing habis ha ep adding xra pounds. Amrica is crazd ovr diing. W’d all li o nd a magic bull ha will solv yars o bad habis. Tis has ld o a bipolar condiion in his counry. A on xrm, McDonald’s is h piom o at, calori-ladn as ood, wih 11 prcn o all mals bing an a chain rsaurans, whil a h ohr xrm mos o h counry is ihr on a di or chaing chaing on on. Crash diing dii ng involvs a volunary volunar y orm o amnsia. You org wha didn’ wor ysrday o plung ino h nx gimmick ad. Whn you sand bac, i’s qui srang ha popl do xacly h opposi o wha hy now is good or hm. Bu you can se i happning all around. Somon migh say, “I’m rying o los n pounds,” bu hn an hour lar hy rach or brad and bur in a rsauran as soon as hy si down and hn nd h mal wih a warm browni à la mod “jus his onc.” onc.” A rpor om h Cnrs Cnrs or Disas Conrol in 2013 ound a small smal l cubac in caloris among a mong schoolchildrn—ben 4 and a nd 7 prcn—bu no wigh loss, which was xplaind xplai nd by a dcras dcras in physical acivi. acivi. Alhough Amrican consumpion o as ood ll by abou 2 prcn in h pas dcad, h popl who wr wr rand as obs acually acua lly gaind gai nd wigh ovr ovr h sam priod. On larg onlin suppor group or popl who hav los a larg amoun a moun o wigh as h sam “mony on your bac” approach approac h as Alcoholics Anonymous. Ovraing is a disordr di sordr ha al-


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ways hrans o rurn. ru rn. Onc you now ha you ar a r an ovra ovrar, r, you ar rsignd o o living livi ng wih cravings and mus ep consan consan vigilanc o avoid succumbing. succumbing. Tus vry vr y calori mus b cound vry day, and rlapss ar omns o impnding loss o conrol. I am no judging his approach, bu my innion is o nd an alrnaiv o h “mony on your bac.” Wha has word or m is sady ocus: I p my y on wha I rally wand. Firs and ormos, I wand o g bac o normal, halhy aing—nd nvr slp gn . W all now ha h scond par is h ral issu. Docors call i noncomplianc. T pain is old h righ hing o do—a a balancd di wih los o uis and vgabls, cu cu bac bac on rd ma, ma, xrcis rgula rgularly rly,, giv up smoing and xcssiv alcohol—bu ar a w days, wes, or monhs, old habis ar bac in h saddl. sadd l. Good advic abou wigh loss is vryvr y whr, y 70 70 prcn o h adul populaion is ihr ovrwigh or obs. Popl arn’ dlibraly sl-dsruciv. W don’ ollow good advic bcaus, anly, ovraing mas us el br han dpriving ourslvs or ngaging in srnuous acivi. A buc o burd popcorn riggrs powrul, primiiv brain mchanisms; h prospc o jogging hre mils mi ls dosn’. dosn’. Sharing Shari ng dssr wih your inds a a cozy rsauran els convivial and comoring; running on a radmill by yoursl a h gym dosn’. Dtrs kep dong mor o wht nvr workd n th frst plc. plc.

T slogan “Dis don’ wor” has ben wih us or dcads, and i’ss absoluly ru. Evry long-rm sudy i’ s udy has shown ha h a lss han 2 prcn o dirs manag o los a signican amoun o wigh (20 pounds or mor) mor) and an d ep i o or o yars. ya rs. W arn’ arn’ a naion ha oally lacs willpowr. Failur is buil ino h whol di schm. Wha is a pical dir’s rs impuls? o dpriv hmslvs. Ty

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drasically cu hir calori ina. Ty gh agains hir cravings and vow o subsis on somhing li whagrass juic or a we. Bu all ha dprivaion cras anohr hol. Insad o eling sad or lonly or unlovd, you el sad, lonly, unlovd nd strvng t th sm tm . I ully ul ly undrsand undrsan d why popl popl dpriv hmslvs. A physical problm mus rquir a physical soluion. T xra pounds ar visibl vry im you loo in h mirror. T invisibl hols arn’. Also, i ovraing sands or lac o sl-conrol, dprivi dpriving ng yoursl is a burs bu rs o supr sl-conrol. “I ha aing broccoli wih lmon juic, bu I’m orcing mysl o.” Bu addd misry only compounds h problm. Kep in mind h classic momn in h movi T Producrs whn Zro Mosl can’ calm down a gasping, panick Gn Wildr. “I’m hysrical! Onc his sars I can’ sop!” Wildr cris. No nowing wha o do, Mosl hrows a glass o war in his ac. Wildr ezs in plac. “I’m “I’ m hysrical! And A nd now I’m w!” h shris. Sill no nowing wha o do, Mosl slaps him in h ac. Wildr wails, “I’m in pain! I’m w! And I’m sill hysrical!” A good rmindr ha maing yoursl el wors nvr wors. So pursu h nx ad di i you wan o—you can vn pursu pur su i whil you rad his boo, bcaus onc you se ha ulllmn is br han dpriving yoursl, crash diing will no longr b a mpaion. T ac ha wigh loss can b conncd wih incrasing happinss is h scr o why my approac approach h wors.

WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR by DEEPAK CHOPRA

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