Meal by Meal: 365 Daily Meditations for Finding Balance Through Mindful Eating

by Donald Altman

Book Overview

Meal by Meal is a book of comfort, guidance, and insight for anyone with an unhealthy relationship with food. Its power is in its approach: each day is a self-contained journey of conscious eating to help people nurture new and sustainable attitudes and practices. Although bad habits cannot be changed overnight, the author, Buddhist devotee Donald Altman, shows how to find peace by focusing on food issues one meal at a time. He shares inspirational...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1930722303
• ISBN13: 9781930722309
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: New World Library
• Length: 388 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Elegant and readable daily joy

I was familiar with the work of Donald Altman from his earlier 'Art of the Inner Meal' and was impressed how his writing has found a fresh and densely pragmatic new form. 'Meal by Meal' is a fluid read of inspiring quotes coupled with practical insights by the author. This book is extremely handsome, a beautifully laid out composition making this both useful and pleasurable to read. If you have the discipline to read a page at a time, you will find this helpful day by day. I personally had trouble putting it down and would read a month at a time... but the suggestions are valid and useful on a second slower read. Worthwhile investment for someone wishing to calm their compulsive behavior for a more reflective perspective.

Meal by Meal Returns You to the Source of Food

I open this book up several times a day to get inspiration. It always gives me a big dose of compassion and acceptance for my food struggles. Best of all, it connects me to a deeper source of food that gives me strength for mind-body-spirit. Rarely have I read a book that improved and changed my life on a dialy basis, but this one does! Perhaps it can for you, which is why I highly recommend MEAL BY MEAL as one of the most caring and compassion-filled books that I have ever had the opportunity of reading! This book makes love part of your daily recipe for eating, and it removes the guilt of food! Forget dieting, because if you use this book each day you will apply your deeper awareness and soul to your food choices. This book is a real blessing, and I am thankful it is there for all who need it!

I Like This Book

I really like this book. It is a fitting companion to Altman's "Living Kindness". The daily quotes, the thoughtful vingnets, and the affermations all work well together. I like the Idea of having quotes from people from all walks of life. This is a book of meditations to be read a day at a time; though, I must admit, I have already scanned through the whole book. I like that it is spiritual without being religious, instructive without being preachy and serious without being dour. It informs our attitudes about food, but it is really about a mindfulness and living kondness. While it should be helpful for those with eating disorders, it should also prove useful to anyone seeking a little balance in his/her life. Besides, it is a lot of fun to read.

Making Every Day a Little Better

Among life's simple pleasures that can be enjoyed every day there is now the book, Meal by Meal. With pages designated by the days of the year rather than page numbers, you are expected to read one page each day; although I have to admit to reading ahead. I get caught up in the quotes and always need to read a few more.There's a lot of wisdom and guidance here, that's delivered with enough humor and warmth to make it a joy to read, rather than a scold about all of the habits associated with food that our culture has just gotten wrong. It's the spiritual key to thinking more rationally about the simple act of eating, which too often gets driven by emotions rather than the need for nourishment.Each page is a meditation, complete with a quote, a one-phrase directive and a few paragraphs. Some of these paragraphs are points of departure, prompting you to think and challenge yourself. Some are short parables from a number of different religions. Others are just good advice. None are preachy. It's a page-a-day means of feeling more centered and in control of your life, that can do more good for your health and diet than any one-a-day vitamin.

BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT!

Beauty is not just skin deep with MEAL BY MEAL. This is a gorgeous book by any standards, and usually I don't mention cover and interior layout design when reviewing a book. But this one stands out above the crowd. The content is awesome, especially because of the unusual format-- daily themes around food (7 of them) that repeat week after week for the entire year. Each daily theme begins with a quotation, and these are from such wide-ranging sources that they are a joy to read in and of themselves! From Gandhi and Jesus to Sophia Loren and Mark Twain, these quotes set the stage for Altman's insightful and memorable commentaries about how you can engage with your daily meal in a mindful and aware way. In particular, I like that Altman includes everyone-- singles, those with partners, and families--and all ways that food is experienced alone or with others. There is no judgement here of eating either--just more and more awareness of how to break free from unhealthy eating habits and how to use food for mind, body, and spirit. Altman even includes lots of little nutritional ideas and tips, such as using food as medicine by getting enough vitamin K and antioxidants in your food choices. I find myself jumping ahead from page to page just for the fun of it. This book is an eye-opening and mouth-opening experience that you won't want to miss, and personally, it has made food a more delightful and less stressful experience for me. Whether you're on a diet or just eating food because you love it, this book helps you experience and savor food more deeply in each of the book's food themes-- Entry, Choices, Preparation, Ritual, Eating, Community, and Departure. Great book to share with others, too.