"The way of dieting is not healthy for your body, mind or soul," writes Linda R. Harper, a clinical psychologist specializing in eating disorders who has a private practice in Chicago. "Physically, it leads to an unhealthy cycle of losing and regaining weight. Mentally, it sets you up to fail. Soulfully, it focuses your energy on weight loss rather than more important things, such as your true self, your relationship with others, and the quality of your life experiences."
Harper's ideas on achieving a diet-free lifestyle are based on the peaceful integration of food into our everyday lives. Taking a cue from the Tao Te Ching, she suggests listening to our inner voice rather than relying on weight-loss-focused rules and restrictions. Her five-step program — goal-replacing, undieting, informing, deciding, experiencing — emphasizes a natural approach to eating. She includes a barrage of practical suggestions for those who are brave enough to break out of the diet-junkie regimen that presently enslaves 67 million Americans.
Harper names the hummingbird the mascot of soulful eating, linking it to the challenges of authenticity, acceptance, and appreciation. Along with this image, the reader will find many personal exercises, worksheets, and self-affirmations. As Thomas Moore concludes in his introduction to this paperback: "I invite you to enjoy and learn from this book. It could transform the way to imagine food, the way you eat, and the way you live."