LIFTING THE CURTAIN:
HOW CLEANING UP YOUR FOOD CAN CLEAR UP YOUR LIFE

By Rayhane Sanders

For almost ten years now, life/food coach Susan Marque has inspired so many men and women to lose weight through her seminars and cooking classes. She believes that many people use food as an obstacle so they don’t get what they really want. “Food is so basic; we can all relate. I start with food, but what I teach is the secret,” she says. You’ve probably heard of the secret by now””that everything we want is attainable if we can clearly identify and intend it into being.

Marque has learned through her own personal journey how immediate the body’s response to whole foods is, and how connected food is to people’s internal lives. “As people begin cleaning up their , they’re faced with the real issues of their lives. Stripping away the mask of food is lifting a curtain”¦You can’t divorce the food from the emotions, and you can’t divorce the emotions from the food.” So Marque tries to tackle them together. Interested in the origins of problem-eating, she takes a psychological approach with her clients.

In addition to keeping a food log, Marque’s clients also write out a list of things they desire, as well as the things that block them from having what they desire. The goal is to “get clear” and release the obstacles (often food) that we carry around with us”¦ obstacles that quite literally weigh our bodies down.

Though client customization is key to Marque’s work, she shares her tips for slimming down for the summer. Marque recommends to stop eating 3-4 hours before going to bed. The body works hard to digest food and if you eat late, you won’t be able to sleep restfully. You’ll feel tired the next day and “if you’re tired, you’re gonna go looking for food all day long as a pick-me-up.”

She also says to eat whole foods instead of refined foods and to chew more. You’ll have more energy if you can save your digestive system from doing so much work.

Try to stick to 3 meals a day. If you need a snack, make it a vegetable snack. And last but not least, eat Daikon radish””it’s more than just a pretty garnish at a Japanese restaurant and it helps emulsify fat in the body. Use it raw or cooked (cooking it makes it sweet). “Anything you can do with a carrot, you can do with daikon.”

Marque will be teaching a Weight Loss Spring Cooking Class on April 22nd at L.A. Foodworks. In the meantime, check out her weekly radio show on www.KarmaAir.com, or visit her website at www.susanmarque.com to learn more.