macro or not macro? that is the question...

[mayzee]

I have only been macro for 3 months and am getting very confused lately. Needless to say I have countless books etc on what I can and cannot eat...so I find it very confusing when I find a recipe here, or even in recommended cookbooks that list ingredients that I know are not allowed. I do realize that some people can have things that others can't but I am referring to the basics. Is it just me? xxoo

Okay so we can assume that nobody knows the answer?

Mayzee,

No assumptions, please.

But you are close to the answer, no answer. Have you read some of the other posts here on "newbie" questions - there is a general guideline to a non-existent person (I guess) and everyone's job is to play with it, hoping to find what works for them. For some who are lucky, or rich, they can find personal counselors to help guide them. For others, it's a lifelong search, whose answers are constantly changing as we are constantly changing.

If you compare your books, I'm sure you will find that there are many things that almost all of them agree upon, having variety, having grains, beans and vegetables, preferably fresh, preferably organic. From there on it's fine tuning, and you might pay attention to when the books were written to see what was acceptable in those years. The other differences you might pay attention by whom the book was written, as it may reflect their condition at the time of writing. The most important thing of course is how your body reacts as you play with the diet. What other people suggest isn't nearly as important.

I've had several mb teachers, and have learned most importantly how different they all are - though it may seem confusing to you, it opened up the possibilities to me, that there's more than one way to view mb - in fact, the more you read, the more you'll see that. I don't feel the goal is to get us to all agree on one Truth, but rather find what is best for you to have a great life.

There are other factors I believe all the books would agree upon: chewing is vital, having fun is vital, being grateful, being physical, being gentle with yourself and with others and being is accepting of all of life as you can be.

Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Klara

[WendyLouWho]

Nice post, Klara. I completely agree.

Mayzee, in your post you talk about foods that are "not allowed." In macrobioitics it's not about what's allowed and what isn't, it's about balance. So you have sugar once in a while (hopefully a milder sugar like barley malt or rice syrup) or maybe you have tabouli with tomatoes or a sweet potato...it's okay! I'm sure I eat more avocados than most macros, but I live in a very hot, practically tropical climate and I pay attention to what my body tells me.

If you see a recipe and an ingredient doesn't sound right to *you*, leave it out. A lot of macro recipes in my books use rice syrup in them (one or two tablespoons) I always leave it out because that's what speaks to me.

Enjoy the journey!

[mayzee]

I appreciate the replies....I hope this doesn't sound too crazy but I am finding myself getting obsessed with food. Up until now I was so enthusiastic and now I find myself not even wanting to eat at all because it just isn't enjoyable. And then I have people more focused on my weight loss rather than asking me if I feel better which aggravates me to no end because I don't really care right now how much I weigh.....I just want to feel good!! I apologize if my posts were a bit *itchy and I don't quite know how to put what I am feeling into words. I just hope that this is "normal".

[snoopybd7]

Hi mayzee,

I completely agree with what you said about getting obsessed with food. I think it is very common for people to be obsessed with food in macrobiotics. People start to think is a food too yin, too yang, is it in season, is it a night shade, am I using too much oil, to little oil, ect. I find that people new to macrobiotics start to think this way because they want clear guidelines on what to do. It wouldn't be good for macrobiotic teachers to teach newcomers that they can eat anything they want depending on their constitution. That might make people confused or they would think that they can eat anything they want. So in the beginning, teachers tell students what they should eat and what they should avoid. Eventually after you understand the basic concepts of the diet and philosophy, you should move away from a strict macro diet, unless you are healing from an illness. You should use the concepts of macrobiotics and apply it in a way that is best for your body. Some people need more oil than recommended, some eat less grain, some eat night shades, some eat more desserts.

When I started macrobiotics, I was very obsessed about food. I tried to make my meals balanced exactly like the book said. This started to drive me crazy and I was soo stressed out. Now I am more relaxed about food. I realize that if you are not enjoying the food or stressed out about it, it will hurt your health.

If you are overwhelmed, I would suggest slowing down. Don't try to incorporate everything at once. Start with the basics like cooking brown rice and a vegetable dish and just enjoy that. You don’t even have to eat it everyday. It should be at a pace that is enjoyable. Then little by little it will get easier and you might cook more things and you will learn more concepts. I would recommend the book Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter because she presents macrobiotics in a way that is relatable and not rigid and not overwhelming. It's also really funny.

What you are going through is normal. I experienced some of the things that you went through like becoming very skinny, feeling frustrated, and being obsessed with food. I am still experiencing some of these things now after practicing macrobiotics for a few years, but it is a lot less now. I realize macrobiotics requires constant adjustment till you find what works. Its like a journey.

Kevin