Ello? Is this thing on?
It is! It’s been a while since I’ve shown my mug around here, and I figured it was time to quit being a lurker on my own blog and make an appearance, so…
… hullo!
Sorry. I’m just a little excited. And no, it’s not because I found a new place to live while condo shopping this afternoon. I’m still waiting to be hit with that “omigosh this is it!” feeling when I walk through the front door, and so far… nada 🙁
BUT! I didn’t come home empty handed…
I came home with Essie! (in Sugar Daddy and Limo-Scene)
This may not seem like a big deal to those of you who live south of the border, but I haven’t been able to find this brand of nail polish anywhere up here in Canadaland, and when I saw it (in the grocery store, of all places…) I did a double take and immediately snatched up a couple. I needed some light pink polish anyways, so… yay 😀
But back to feeling excited. I have no idea why, but I’ve just been feeling so flippin’ happy lately. Always smiling. Always walking around with a little extra pep in my step. Often times bouncing off the walls. I feel like I’m on a constant high but I’m completely sober… unless, of course, someone’s been slipping me something without my knowing it, in which case… thank you?
😆 Nawwwww, can’t be that (I hope).
Maybe it’s all the sunshine that I’ve been taking in during the day…
… or falling asleep to the sound of rain hitting my window at night…
Maybe it’s all the time that I’ve spent lost in good books…
[I finished this today, and it completely blew me away. The message is so profound, yet it’s written in such a simple way. Beautiful contrast. I highly recommend picking it up.]
Or maybe it’s all the good food that I’ve been eating…
[Chocolate Vitamuffin with Greek yogurt and almond butter frosting]
[Sweet potato fries with an Amy’s Texas burger and almond butter]
[Fresh cherries]
[½ cup vanilla almond milk, 1 Tbsp. cocoa, 1 frozen banana, 1 Tbsp. almond butter, handful of ice]
[Sweet and savory oats with cottage cheese, hummus, and blueberry jam]
Mmmm. Yes. It’s definitely all the good food. Remember how off I felt just a little while back? Well, after two weeks of making a conscious effort to eat more, I feel like a completely different person. I’ve said it before, but I need to say it again:
Food has a HUGE impact on happiness.
… and that’s perfectly okay. It doesn’t mean that we’re eating emotionally; it means that we’re using food to thrive instead of simply survive. Sure I could get by on a lot less, but… why would I want to?
To smile less? To be tired more?
Uhm… sounds great 😯
Sounds like garbage, actually. And it feels like garbage, too. Trust me on that one. Been there. Done that. Wasn’t impressed.
What’s the point of dragging your feet through life? Where’s the fun in not having the energy/desire to smile and laugh like a crazy person? Where’s the pleasure in constantly telling yourself that you can’t have the things you want?
Answer: No fun. No pleasure. No point.
So don’t be afraid to eat, so that you have the energy to live your life to the fullest.
And don’t mind it when people give you strange looks when you walk around with a huge smile on your face… they’re just jealous 😉
. – . – . – .
Do you find that how much you eat really affects your mood?
Yes! Too little = 🙁 Enough or a little bit more = 😀 😀 😀 😀
Do you get all giddy and excited when you come across a new product in the store?
Do I ever! Canada was late in hopping on the Greek yogurt bandwagon, and the first time I saw a tub of it in the store, I squeaked out loud. No lies. I got some strange looks.
Hi Amanda, I love your blog so much, so thoughtful and beautiful food to look at. Right now I am really struggling with eating enough (I am eating enough to get by, but not enough to thrive). I know you have posted about how things got a lot better for you as you ate more, but I really am scared to eat more because I am scared my metabolism is super messed up. I can also really never tell when I am hungry (no matter how long I go without eating I never really feel hungry). Anyway, I was wondering if you could point me to any of your posts about how you started to eat more or what steps you took to get your metabolism working again. Thanks so much!
you are so right!!! More food makes us SO much happier than being undernourished 🙂 I think there is a huge benefit to it in recovery as well, mentally.
Hope today is an amazing day for you!
Scott
Hi Amanda,
This is out of the blue, and might sound foolish. But I’m completely overwhelmed by a 100 things right now and wonder if you’d mind if I emailed you sometime just to unload (I know thats not fair to you), u can email me to let me know if that’s ok, but just wondering…I don’t know why I ask/write this……weak moment I guess.
Food definitely impacts my happiness! I live to eat rather than eat to live 🙂
Hiii, pretty girl! I love seeing pictures of your pretty food, but I also love when you show pictures of yourself! Um and yes. Food absolutely impacts my happiness! 😀
Eating makes me happy 🙂
sometimes i like to heat up my “almond butter frosting” and eat it with superrrr cold fruit.. why does it taste so much better when one thing is really hot and the other is really cold? i’m weird.
I think food can definitely effect your mood. if I’m really hungry, I may get cranky. Or if I eat too much or overeat, I may feel gross. Like with anything you need balance 🙂
Allrighty you gorgeous woman : I LOVE YOU. Every lil’ piece of that beautiful and wise and stubborn soul of yours.
This post has so much greatness to it and it expresses a mind who has finally realized the truth : food is not only our key to survival, it is also important for our mood. A strong body and a strong mind needs proper nourishment, it is fundamental for being in this world as the person we want to be. Not the sleepy, cranky one, who feels tired of life, but the passionate, determined one full of dreams and lust for life.
Since starting to eat more my mood has done a 360 and it lights up my heart when people
tell me they feel I’m coming back to my true self.
I am a bit lost for words today, after all that has happened in Norway – but I want you to know that I’m incredibly proud of you <3
Awwww I missed your unbelievably gorgeous face 🙂
You know when I was starving myself back in the day I was miserable. Not just because I hated myself and was hungry, but because I seriously missed the taste of food. And now? Things like peanut butter, chocolate, and cheesecake can make anyday better, and I’m no longer missing the taste of them, because I can have them whenever I want 🙂
I’m 100% guilty for lurking your blog! Many a times I’ve wanted to comment, but didn’t. Today, I just had to. Maybe it’s because I completely relate to this post (then again, I feel as though I relate to so many of your posts!). But knowing that I’m coming to a place, albeit slowly, where my relationship with food has become a positive one (food fuels me and makes me happy!) and that has enabled me to find happiness in all the other aspects of life that diminished from my disorder, I’m happy. I get happy from the little things in life again. Like pretty nail polish 🙂 I totally get that one. I also just found a new apartment for me and the bf, who is finally coming home from a year long deployment next month.
“So don’t be afraid to eat, so that you have the energy to live your life to the fullest.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Would it be totally creepy to say I have a gargantuan blog crush on you? 😛
Just really wanted to say thanks for being a great inspiration.
Thank you so much for your comment, Jinny! I really appreciate you taking the time to write such kind words. And it’s great to hear that you’re experiencing the same happy, food-induced effects 😀
it has taken me years to realise how much a lack of food affected me and yes it makes me so miserable. I feel so much more happier and content and able to handle life when I am eating well.
You’re so cute!!! I love the toenail polish.
Oh my gosh I’m such a dork when it comes to new products. I Found this new spice thing at trader joes and I was telling the check out guy how excited I was to play with it. Who says that?! He pretended like he didn’t think I was crazy… but I could see it in his eyes 😉
Ah you’re so gorgeous! :] Reading how happy you are actually made me happy 😀 I hadn’t realized how much food affects my mood until very recently. I used to be very moody, sad, and irritable when I wasn’t getting enough. When I started eating more I definitely saw big changes! I think I can still do a little bit better but I cannot imagine ever going back to my old unhappy days. I’m a happy person now and I love it!! I love my food too haha. Oh and I love the nail polish colors! Essie’s the best. I need to pick some of them up.
So true! I get completely crabby when I don’t eat enough- its hard to be around me
You know, I used to buy Essie nail polish way back when it first hit shelves here… when I was still in high school. It was a lot cheaper then. 😉
As for new products, I only get excited when it’s something I can actually HAVE. Otherwise, it’s just a tease.
<3 <3
I couldn’t agree more. When I under-eat I get so groggy/out of it. Add in some more delicious snacks/bigger meals, and I am a happy camper!
Great snap shots btw, you should appear more on your blog! 🙂
Ew, the feeling of having no energy is thee worst. When I get hungry I can feel my energy level seriously drop so I immediately eat something. I can’t imagine feeling that way for longer than even 5 minutes. Love that part about thriving instead of just surviving 🙂 And is it just me or does the name totally make the nail polish. I just got a pedicure and although I really like this one color, “Thrill of Brazil” is just way more fun than “OPI Red.”
Ah! I love that nail color! I totally go crazy when I find something that I previously only heard about or couldn’t find…I then proceed to snatch up what I can like it will disappear next time I am there. The Alchemist is such an inspiring story, I am glad you enjoyed it.
Is it weird to say I’m jealous of your toes? Mine look GROSS from all the running. Not kidding at all either, but I’ll leave the details out.
Eating definitely has a huge impact on our happiness. I get SUPER grumpy when I’m hungry. You know those Snickers commercials where they turn all diva when they’re hungry? That’s totally me.
Love Essie!
I have trouble telling when I am hungry so unless I am really depriving myself I don’t feel a difference. Except food does tend to taste better when I haven’t eaten for awhile, and that makes me happy 🙂
Cute pictures! Nice to see you 🙂 .
If I fall asleep at 9 and get up 10 hours later with a headache and a crappy mood, then something is definitely wrong. Of course, I refuse to admit that it has something to do with food even though at 10 am I am already dreaming of lunch. It is still not food when my headache gets worse and I can’t concentrate on anything. The fact that I am thinking about food all day doesn’t mean I am hungry. Is it even possible to be hungry after eating so much? Well, it turns out to be possible. After I finally got over the crazy estimated calorie count of my daily intake I went to the supermarket and bought the only thing I craved. Needless to say, I don’t have a headache anymore and I don’t feel like crying without any apparent reason. I promised myself to skip breakfast tomorrow to make up for this but I don’t think it is going to happen.
Living in Japan makes grocery shopping quite an adventure. I am ready to jump to the ceiling every time I see something familiar. “Yay, dal!”, “Yay, REAL rye bread!”, “Yay, chickpeas that I can buy without selling a kidney!”, “Yay, German chocolate!”. Who cares that a plate of sushi is cheaper than a tiny container of cottage cheese? Keep your sushi and give me the cheese! 😀
You. Are. Freaking. Gorgeous.
Just sayin’ 😯
moving on…
How much I eat and what I eat definitely affects my mood. If I eat too little, I think about food constantly and think about my stomach constantly (how it feels, when I’ll be hungry again, if it’s too full, etc.). However, I DO think there is such a thing as negative “emotional eating”. I do agree that many forms of perfectly OK eating can be touted as such, but what I’m talking about is when I am sad, stressed, or anxious (whether food was the cause of it or life), I will consciously and knowingly eat more than is physically comfortable (and I don’t enjoy it either, I just shovel so I can’t think about it). I have notice that, for myself, food has an affect on my mood but what I feed myself in other ways (communication, and outlook for instance) affects my eating. Unfortunately I still have a mood connect with my stomach– when it is too full, empty, hurts (if I eat too much sugar for instance– it messes up my stomach. like. crazy.) I find myself in an anxious flighty mood.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that they feed into one another– that food and mood both affect one another for me.
Huge congrats on finding a condo! Sometimes it takes a while for the realisation to hit and for you to get excited but it will come 🙂 Loving those nail polishes! I completely agree that food affects our mood in a HUGE way. When I was eating far to less and avoiding carbs I was a complete bitch, and even now I know that I need food when I start to feel crabby. I’ve really found that eating healthy food in the right amounts makes me feel awesome 🙂
Haha I was the same way when I first saw Greek yogurt in Canada. Especially when all the flavoured ones came out starting last summer! I also got sooo excited when I visited a grocery store in Toronto that sells Oikos and Chobani. I think I scared a few nearby customers with my excitement. 😛
And yes! Eating more definitely = more happiness. Back in the ED days I actually had to go on antidepressants because the lack of fats actually caused chemical imbalances in my brain. I finally got to go off them this summer and it feels awesome!
This post is so true for me! When I don’t eat enough, I turn into a sleep-deprived, sluggish piece of angry mess. It’s not pretty, not pretty AT ALL. Food in mah belly = energetic crazy Alexandra, I like her a lot more than no-food Alexandra haha
And HECK YES! I go crazy for new products in stores, I’ll sit there and gawk for like 10 minutes at the item, look around at others in disbelief, and then promptly chuck it in my cart 😉
Ahh yes I went through a phase of feeling “off” and then when I started to eat more I was OFF THE FREAKIN’ WALLS with energy! It’s an amazing feeling!
Yes, here in NZ we don’t tend to get brands from overseas either! But when I see things and I get (overly) excited, people just don’t understand why. WHY DON’T THEY UNDERSTAND?!?!
You’re gorgeous 🙂
xxx
HELLO gorgeous Amanda!! You have a very beautiful face 🙂
I MISSED YOU and I love all your last posts! Well, I love all your posts so thats not saying much 😉
I LOVE FOOD and eating what I want seriously makes me SO happy!!! Right now you have made me CRAVE sweet tater fries so I’m hoping I have some to make these RIGHT NOW!! Who cares that it’s 10.30 am? 😛
LOVE YOU <3
Aw wow! its so lovely to hear how happy you are!
I have to say, since eating more (and properly) I have felt amazing, people comment on how happy i am and how bright my eyes are. And I feel so much more in tune with how my body feels when its hungry.
I now hate the feeling of being hungry because that feeling reminds me of when I use to deprive myself from food. When I did this I would be grumpy, light headed, dizzy and just didnt want to talk to anyone.
So eating effects my mood ALOT. I can absolutely see a difference in myself after eating a meal or even just a snack.
Also its nice to see your pretty face in this post 🙂
Well, hellloooooo gorgeous! 🙂
It is SO lovely to hear how happy you are!! I can 100% relate actually. Despite struggling a little with body image, it doesn’t override my genuine happy feeling inside because I’m actually eating well and it feels amazing doesn’t it?! Back in my ED days I was NOT a pleasant girl to be around. I was always depressed, I lost my sense of humor, I didn’t want to socialise and everything seemed like the end of the world. Now, everyone, especially my parents, that I’ve come back to ‘life’. I’m chatty, happy, funny and want do things, go places and it feels like nothing is stopping me and that is all down to food! I love it! 🙂
And eee I’m such a sucker for new nail varnish, I literally have every color of the rainbow…I think I get most excited at new foods though 😛
Oh my gosh I couldnt agree more!
When I was under-eating, I was SUCH a grouch!! I was forever fighting with my parents, and I was a major party pooper ALL the time… now I’m usually in a great mood! 😀
I get so excited too when I find new things in the store! Love that pink colour 🙂
haha you are too cute, and is it weird to say your painted TOES are so cute!? i have really ugly feet… haha
and food DEFINITELY makes me happy – it’s both an emotional and a very chemical thing as well – food helps to release serotonin in the brain, which has a calming + happy effect on people – that’s why when i’m hungry i get really irritable, haha