What are you feeding people?

I have been on a diet since third grade. I have always understood that food has an affect on your body. Hello! I have seen the number on the scale move from 110 to 138 like a roller coaster time and time again. Eat too much and up the hill I go. Then, I’m on a diet and “Wheeeee!” I am on my way down the hill once more repeating the vicious cycle. This is my history or my “her story”. Therefore, I believed this was how “I am.” I thought, “I am one who has to diet.”

My mental models around food were and are deeply ingrained. Here are just a few of the beliefs I have held onto for over 40 years (Get your head wrapped around that. Yes, forty years!):

• Food is a treat.
• Food that tastes good is bad for you.
• Food that tastes bad is good for you.
• Food must be included in celebrations.
• Food that makes celebrations special are high in fat and sugar.
• Food that makes celebrations special are high in fat and sugar but that’s ok. We’re celebrating!
• Food is for comforting your emotions.
• Food is a substitute for love.
• Food is love.

But finally, clearly, I see these are lies.

 Especially, the last one.

 In 2014, I took an environmental science class that really rocked my belief system in a huge way. Most notably, I am seriously grieved about food. I learned about GMO’s (genetically modified organisms), how we raise most of our protein sources, and the realities of our soil’s loss of nutrients. Being a self-proclaimed foodie, I became painfully aware that my behavior has been that of a consumer not that of a connoisseur. Here I believed that my ideals about food were advanced, informed, and gourmet. I was wrong. My ego took a hit. My mind was reeling. And my soul was and is grieved. 

I am finally getting a clear and accurate understanding of the food and body connection. The quality of the food that goes in dictates the quality of my life. Period. If I eat food without knowing and acknowledging the truth, I am a consumer. The word, consume, actually means to destroy. That is exactly what we are doing, destroying our bodies and the environment. On the other hand, the word, connoisseur, means to be a discerning judge of the best in any field. And that is exactly what I want to be.

 This shift in me is going to be a challenge. My own behaviors are very ingrained but so are the cultural behaviors that surround me. After I finished my environmental science class, I began to do some habit work around how I shopped at the grocery store. I shifted my perspective on fruits and vegetables. And I chose to eat vegetarian at least three meals a week. As I sensitized my own life with the new knowledge that I gained, I began to accurately see and experience a change in my life. Obviously, as a life and leadership coach, I feel obligated and responsible to share what I have learned and I want to impact the behavior of those I coach. At first, my perspective was to share this with my one on one clients. However, as I continue to stay conscious, I see I have been given this knowledge to do even bigger work shifting how organizations feed their people.

I had a huge epiphany when I took on a collaborative coaching session for a client who was bringing together a group of over 100 women that are responsible for the operations of their offices. Don’t miss that. These women are responsible for the success and failure of the day to day operations of the company. These women are key stakeholders, serious contributors, and leaders. Their work and its quality effects the bottom line. I was slated to coach in the afternoon. My standard operating procedure is to always arrive early so I can get to know the individuals with whom I will be working. I arrived at lunch time to mix and mingle. The atmosphere was celebratory. The organization was demonstrating love for these women with awards, my coaching session and with the food. Or, so they thought. While I certainly think awards for performance are wonderful and coaching is essential, the food they were serving these women was detrimental. The menu consisted of a taco bar and a dessert bar. To top it all off a table with processed snacks overflowed in the meeting room. Here is a company trying to love their employees while they are actually providing them with food that consumes or destroys their energy, health, and (dare I say it?) their productivity! Ironically, before I began my coaching session, the wellness program was discussed. Notice, notice, notice… there was no connection between the food and the body…the bodies of these women who must be energized to work!

Sound familiar?

Yes, unfortunately this does sound familiar. Many of the events I speak and coach at are laden with food choices that fly in the face of the events core purpose which is undoubtedly to edify the lives of the attendees and the companies they serve. While this one company’s event woke me up to an accurate understanding of how we use bad food as a reward. I realize that I also feed people bad food as a reward. Again, Hello! Why do I…why do we do this? I have consistently thrown out my accurate understanding of food for this reckless idea that food is love and that if I give you bad food in the name of love it’s ok.

It’s not ok.

 So, again, I am working on my behavior. I want to be one who loves people by feeding them good food. If I really love you, I am going to take sacred care to put energizing and healthy food out on the table for you. I must be the connoisseur discerning the best food in the field that I can serve to you.  This is how I can really love you. 

Want to join me?

Do you want to move from consumer to connoisseur?

 Begin by feeding those you love with food that loves them back. I am doing just that!

I had my team over to the house for a luncheon to celebrate the year and to honor them. I served them smoothies upon arrival. At our morning break, we simply had grapes and pumpkin seeds. My marketing and internet coach, Lisa provided homemade vegan granola. For lunch, we had wild caught salmon from a fisherman who practices sustainability along with a spinach salad. No one went hungry. Everyone was grateful for the extra care that was demonstrated to provide the best lunch possible.

The Vibrant Coaching Lunch Menu:

Wild Caught Salmon from a Sustainability Certified Fishing Company

Spinach Salad

Assorted Veggies in a Rainbow of Colors

Assorted Fruits in a Rainbow of Colors

Tru Whip!

Modern Muffins

You could feel the love.

And taste the food.

Original Source: https://thevibrantcoach.com/what-are-you-feeding-people/

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