DATES FOR THE SUMMER 2012 ONLINE CLASS:
Orientation – starting June 1
10 Week Class – week of June 8 – week of August 10
Cost: $50 for faculty and staff (and family members) of the University of Missouri ($25 to be refunded with full participation)
$180 for members of the community
Registration form must be received by May 24 from UMKC, UMSL, and MS&T, and community members. Faculty and staff on the Columbia campus may drop by the Healthy for Life Office to register any time before June 1.
DATES FOR THE FALL 2012 ONLINE CLASS:
Orientation – starting September 14
10 Week Class – week of September 21 – week of December 7 (except Thanksgiving)
Cost: $50 for faculty/staff (and family members) of the University of Missouri ($25 to be refunded with full participation)
$180 for members of the community
Registration form must be received by September 6 from UMKC, UMSL, and MS&T, and community members. Faculty and staff on the Columbia campus may drop by the Healthy for Life Office to register any time before September 14.
DATES FOR THE FALL 2012 IN PERSON CLASS:
Orientation: Tuesday, September 11 from 12 – 1 p.m.
Class: Tuesdays, September 18 – November 27 (except over Thanksgiving)
Cost: $50 for faculty/staff (and family members) of the University of Missouri ($25 to be refunded with full participation)
$180 for members of the community
DATES FOR THE SPRING 2013 ONLINE CLASS:
Orientation – starting January 18
10 Week Class – week of January 25 – week of April 5 (except spring break)
Cost: $50 for faculty/staff (and family members) of the University of Missouri ($25 to be refunded with full participation)
$180 for members of the community
Registration form must be received by January 10 from UMKC, UMSL, and MS&T, and community members. Faculty and staff on the Columbia campus may drop by the Healthy for Life Office to register any time before January 18.
DATES FOR THE SPRING 2013 IN PERSON CLASS:
Orientation: Wednesday, January 16 from 12 – 1 p.m.
Class: Wednesdays, January 23 – April 10 (except Feb. 8 & March 27)
Cost: $50 for faculty /staff (and family members) of the University of Missouri ($25 to be refunded with full participation)
$180 for members of the community
Contact Lynn Rossy at RossyL@umsystem.edu for more information.
Read what participants have to say about the class:
“EFL has been a transformational experience…my relationship to food has changed dramatically. I actually think about food much less than before -- now it's rarely on my mind until I begin to experience hunger. And I am savoring my food infinitely more…EFL embodies an intuitive, gracious approach to living, and I am captivated by the gentleness and kindness inherent in the process.”
--Linda Dyer
“It is amazing that 10 weeks have gone past…I will use the "make peace with food" for a long time to come, that has been the most successful tip. I don't have forbidden food, or food that is "bad". I can have it just in the quantity that will satisfy…I thank you for the insight and the motivation. You have made this a successful experience that has changed my life.”
--Amy Hampton
What is Eat for Life?
Eat for Life is a 10 week program that uses “mindfulness” as the foundation for learning how to create a healthy relationship with your food, mind, and body. Using mind-body practices such as meditation and yoga you can learn how to listen to the wisdom of the body for better health and well-being. This is a “non-diet” approach to eating that advocates self and body acceptance as the first step in making changes. We use a non-judgmental and compassionate approach to re-learning how to use your internal physical cues to guide what and when you eat. This program teaches the BASICS of mindful eating, the principles of “Intuitive Eating” as outlined in the book “Intuitive Eating” by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, and relevant research, synthesized to make sense out of the multitude of messages that we get about what, when, and how to eat. Discover the pleasure of taking care of yourself in a way that nourishes and heals.
Details of the Eat for Life Program?
There are two versions of this program—(a) an in person class and (b) a class that can be taken at home over Blackboard as an online course.
- In Person Class
The program consists of a series of classes that meet for 1 or 1-1/2 hours each week. Classes include instruction in formal mindfulness practices (eating meditation, sitting meditations, body scan, and mindful yoga). Group discussions address the experiential component of the classes and didactic components emphasize the application of mindfulness, intuitive eating principles, and relevant research to facilitate in changing your relationship with food and your body. Weekly practice assignments to do at home help you develop mindfulness skills and apply them to the way that you eat and think about eating and how you relate to your body. Regular class attendance and a commitment of 15-30 minutes of practice per day for the entire duration of the course are required. CDs of the formal mindfulness practices and weekly handouts will be provided as learning aids. - Online Course
This is an exciting opportunity to take the same components of the in person class but in the comfort of your own home. Video and audio components teach you the foundational mindfulness practices (eating meditation, sitting meditations, body scan, and mindful yoga) and the BASICS of Mindful Eating. All you need is a computer and the commitment of time to take the class and complete the readings and practice exercises. Once you are signed up for a particular class, you will have a week to complete each section. There are practice exercises to complete each day. You are asked to participate with the other people in your class by emailing to a discussion board about your experiences with the exercises and readings.
Who should enroll in the program?
If you have a history of chronic dieting, have rigid “healthy” rules about eating, or find yourself eating more than you want when you’re stressed, bored, or unhappy, then this may be the program for you. If you want to enjoy eating every day and appreciate the miracle of your body, then this program may be for you. If you are under a doctor’s supervision for diabetes or on any kind of doctor prescribed diet you can still benefit from the principles you learn in this program for creating a healthier relationship with your body and your food.
What are the benefits I can expect?
Research in this area is still in its infancy and many results are not yet published. However, people who have engaged in programs that have used mindfulness as applied to eating behavior have reported a decrease in psychological symptoms as well as a decrease in binge eating.
What is the cost?
For faculty and staff of the University of Missouri, there is a $50 fee, payable at the orientation session by check made payable to Healthy for Life or cash. This fee includes CD, books, and manual. For the in person class, if you attend 9 of the 10 classes you will receive a $25 refund. For the online course, if you participate on blackboard for 9 of the 10 weeks you will receive a $25 refund.
For Community Members the cost is $180.00 with no refund.
FOR MU STUDENTS:
If you are interested in a Mindful Eating Class, please contact Terry Wilson at WilsonT@health.missouri.edu
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
- Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
- Breaking Free from Emotional Eating by Geneen Roth
- Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink, Ph.D.
- Mindful Eating by Jan Chozen Bays, MD