Julia Cameron thinks that it can. Her latest book, The Writing Diet–Write Yourself the Right-Size, touts the idea that when you are creative and you focus your efforts on “counting words not calories” that you can also lose weight in the process.
I’m a sucker for:
- books on writing
- books on creativity
- any combination of the above that might result in a skinnier Crystal
Granted, up until now there has never been a #3, but those of you who know me, know that I am a little bit of a health freak in that I am working toward being as healthy as possible through diet and exercise. My father’s six-way bypass this summer, coupled with a bad family history on both sides and a high CRP level have made me a bit obsessive about making sure I’m working toward being as healthy as possible. Weight has become a secondary focus, mostly because it carries so many expectations, potential failures and the stigma of society that ends up distracting me from what is actually important–overall health. If I can look at the big picture, I figure, weight loss is a given.
I find myself both intrigued and annoyed by the premise set forth by Cameron. Her books are mostly a regurgitation of the first book she did–the Artist’s Way, which is a brilliant piece of work that any person who wants to be creative should pick up and follow (including those damn Morning Pages…I can attest that they change your life). I find myself admiring her success (because I too want to find that same path as a teacher of creativity) and then again, I am always frustrated that overall, there seems to be so little innovation in the majority of her books. It’s always the same thing in a new package.
This book, however, takes an oddly unexpected path for Cameron. Or does it? Essentially it incorporates the two main things she has advocated in the ten or so books that stem from the Artist’s Way–morning pages, developing a walking habit and artist’s dates, which, in this case, are “culinary” artist’s dates.
I haven’t read the book yet, but I’m prepared to be a little underwhelmed, and at the same time, intrigued enough that I might be convinced to try again.
Try again?
Not the Writing Diet again, but her formula in general. When I was studying for my Masters, I had the choice of following her 12 week Artist’s Way program as one of my projects in my core Creativity class. I was blown away by what I discovered when I got up at 5AM and spilled out my guts onto three pages of a big artist’s notebook. I filled four of them during those twelve weeks. I also became much more positive about my life in general, more social, more productive at work and I came up with and executed on the idea of the Plum Ruby Review. I often find myself wishing I could manage that again (and I know, if I just set my mind to it, I could) but ohhhh my sleep seems so precious these days.
Realistically, I would need to get up at 5 AM to write, go to the gym at 6AM and then return and get myself going by 7AM. That means hitting the hay every night at 9:30-10, which is tough for me. My husband’s schedule is a later one and especially on cold nights it is hard to yank myself up before 7AM lately. Especially when Project Runway starts at 10PM.
Excuses, excuses!!!! These days I seem full of excuses (oh the humanity!). Perhaps re-reading the typical Cameron formula will motivate me once more. After all, this time the book does marry my writing life with that of my other goal–becoming healthy.
Synchronicity (which I often talk about on this blog) is coming full circle. I’ve been driving myself toward reworking Cena Apicius. I have a creativity article due on March 1. This weekend includes an all day write-in at one of my favorite places, Grub Street. And next weekend I’m teaching a Grub workshop on creativity for novelists in progress. (If you are in Boston, check it out!) Everything is coming full circle again when it comes to my writing and my creative goals. My hiatus is rapidly moving toward a close, which makes me feel energized. Creativity always begets creativity and I’m excited to jump back into things.
And well, if writing can also help me lose a few pounds, I’m willing to give Cameron a try.
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Totally off the subject…I hope you had a chance to check out the lunar eclipse tonight. Nothing like Nature knocking us over the head and showing us how incredible she is!
I came across your blog somehow tonight by clicking on tags. The idea of losing weight by a writing diet seems a little hard to believe for me. I’m NOT saying it’s stupid or hating on the idea. I just find it a little difficult to understand how a person can lose weight by writing. I love writing and I do it to reduce stress and cuz I love it. But I didn’t think it could ever make one lose weight. You said you’re willing to give the diet a try, and I was just wondering out of curiousity if you think it’ll work & have decent results?
Writing ALWAYS makes me gain weight! Often enough when I am stuck for an idea, I find myself munching. Ok, I dont munch on too many unhealthy things. But writing and routine just dont seem to go together, so I gain weight by eating at the wrong times and sitting on my ass all day sometimes. This looks like an intriguing concept. No, where do I find that book?
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@ladyrachel: I think that Cameron’s technique can potentially work but it’s not really “writing” as in writing novels or poetry or the like. There is really nothing new in this book at all. Her formula is a combination of Morning Pages (3 pages of freewriting first thing in the AM), journaling every time you eat (what you feel, what you ate), walking and discovering new foods/recipes. As I mentioned, it’s mostly a regurgitation of her other Artist’s Way books, but this time with a slant on how the exact same technique can help you lose weight.
It’s a bit of a stretch to call it a “diet” and I think that people using this technique specifically to lose weight may find it unorthodox. I do think it works in the sense that when you are fixing other things about your thinking, you often pull yourself out of a funk that may have you snacking and overeating. When I did the Artist’s Way before, I actually DID lose weight but it was because through my morning pages I found that part of my overall frustration was my lack of motivation in general…not just toward my writing, but also toward eating well and getting back into the gym. Once I unblocked that and found my motivation, I was able to get back in the gym and get moving. It was a byproduct of discovering pieces of myself that had disappeared previously.
That said, the Morning Pages did completely change me when I had the discipline to do them (getting up early to write 3 pages is 100% key). They jumpstarted my writing life and helped me be motivated to treat myself better overall. I HIGHLY recommend them but when it comes to making fat disappear, I think that shouldn’t be the primary objective.
I see what you’re saying. Thanks for replying and helping me understand it better.