Hey guys! How’s your week starting off? Or your month for that matter? Just like that, it’s October; and I kicked mine off in the best possible way – with a delicious breakfast…
Granted, it was hardly Fall-like, what with the strawberries and cold yogurt and all…
Plain Greek yogurt – banana – strawberries – Kashi Cinnamon Harvest – Puffins – roasted almond butter
… but it was still delicious and did exactly what it was supposed to do – put a smile on my face and a pep in my step.
I don’t know about you guys, but food has a huge influence on my mood. I’m not saying that a bad meal can ruin my entire day (thankfully those days are long gone,) but a good meal can work wonders when it comes to dragging me out of a funk or adding a little bit of extra happiness to my day. Take this afternoon’s instant-smile-inducer:
Cinnamon Bun from Cob’s Bread
Was I hungry? Ehhh, not really; but it was a cold, dreary day, and after having a rather rough morning, I just wanted a little extra something, you know? Something to make me smile, for no other reason than… just because.
Is that such a bad thing?
Some would argue yes. They’d slap on that dreaded “emotional eating” label and go on about the fact that “FOOD IS FUEL,” and shouldn’t be used for any other purpose. Sure, food is fuel, but it’s so much more than that as well…
Food is pleasure; a chance to unleash creativity and passion; an opportunity to bond with those around us. Food is good, damn it! It’s a source of happiness, and that’s perfectly okay.
There was a time when I was absolutely terrified of attaching any sort of emotional value to food; I wanted to see it strictly as a source of fuel, and I would never, ever eat if I wasn’t absolutely, 100% sure that I was legitimately hungry. If my food wasn’t going to benefit my body in some way, I wouldn’t eat it. If I thought that I was eating it solely for enjoyment, I couldn’t justify having it. Ice cream? Are you kidding me? Empty calories… I’ll have some Greek yogurt instead. Chocolate? It better be dark, and even then, one square max…
Does that look satisfying to you? Trust me, it wasn’t. Did I want more? Of course I did; what person in their right mind wouldn’t? Did I allow myself to have another piece? Absolutely not. To my disordered mind, there was no point.
But there is a point, as I [thankfully] went on to discover. As long as you’re not going overboard, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with seeking extra comfort or happiness from food – it doesn’t make you an emotional eater, it just makes you human… and probably a happier/healthier human at that. I remember being absolutely miserable and bitter as I watched those around me freely enjoy the foods they loved while I tried to [unsuccessfully] convince myself that I was satisfied with my carrot sticks…
Not that there’s anything wrong with carrot sticks (I absolutely love them), but they’re definitely not cookies…
Even if they’re better for our bodies, they don’t have the same benefit for our minds. That’s not to say that you should gorge yourself on candy in the name of mental health, but neither should you beat yourself up for enjoying an “unnecessary” treat. It’s all about balance, and if it makes you smile, then where’s the harm in that?
Food, after all, is a marvelous thing 😀
. – . – . – .
What do you think about emotional eating and seeing food as a source of comfort/happiness? Do you ever eat when you’re not hungry, just because? I’d love to hear your thoughts/experiences! 😀
God intended food and eating to be nourishing on ALL levels and that includes emotional and he made delicious foodz and gave us tastebuds!!
PS- surprisingly, your brekkie does liook Fall-ish to me…the colors remind me of leaves on the round and the lighting and whatnot.
Absolutely agree! Food is a beautiful experience, nourishing both body and soul. Those colors in the breakfast pic are indeed so Fall-like and inviting! Makes me want to savor every bite. 🍂😋
I couldn’t agree with you more! Yes, food IS fuel, but it’s also human natural to attach some emotional bond to food…I mean, why else do we go out to eat to celebrate special occasions, have BIRTHDAY cake, and spend all day in the kitchen slaving over a turkey on Thanksgiving? Because food is love!
I have most definitely looked to food for a bit of a mood boost when I needed it. It’s amazing what a big bowl of ice cream can do for a tired mind and body after a hellacious day at work. 😀
PS, you’ve GOT to quit taunting me with those gorgeous cereal bowls! Cinnamon Harvest AND Puffins?! You’re killing me!
Being the emotional eater that I am, it’s kind of surprising how stable my weight actually is. I used to think that a meal should come somewhere between the moment when my hands start shaking and a total blackout and anything out of this frame would lead to a tremendous weight gain. Well, I gained a few pounds after systematically stuffing myself with biscuits when I finally allowed myself to eat them at all but as long as everything is done in moderation, it is perfectly normal and doesn’t take us anywhere near the end of the world.
Will you pass a cinnamon bun, please?
Well said! People seem to fall on extreme ends of the spectrum – emotional eating or robot eating (i.e. eating without giving it much thought). But there is a balance and you can have a bit of both in life! I have no problem using food and baking/cooking to cheer me up on a gloomy day. Like you said, there’s no harm if it puts a smile on your face. What it comes down to is a healthy relationship with food – establish one and everything else will fall into place.
Hello there Amanda! It’s lovely to ‘meet you’ via your blog! I popped over from Missy’s! I really like this post- yes yes yes we should celebrate food, totally agree! I understand the emotional thing- exactly as you said, as long as you don’t go overboard, why not enjoy it! I wondered about that first picture- what is a chocolately looking substance- I didn’t know Greek yoghurt could be brown!
Thanks for stopping by to say hi, Kezzie! The brown stuff in the first picture isn’t Greek yogurt, it’s almond butter… the yogurt is buried underneath 🙂 I’m pretty sure that yogurt shouldn’t be brown, and if it is, we shouldn’t be eating it lol.
What about caramel Greek yogurt? 😛
Great post! I don’t think anyone can really view food as fuel. Because we all have some sort of emotional attachment to food, whether we want to admit that or not. I mean basically all social activities involve food in some way so I believe its also meant for pleasure as well. Not too much and not too little. Its hard to find a good balance, but you seem to have it figured out nicely:)
Emotional/stress/boredom eating is probably my *biggest* issue when it comes to food. I don’t think I could ever give up taking comfort in food, but I do think it is too much to rely on food for comfort. I often do this, which leads to overeating and inevitable guilt.
There is definitely a balance between viewing food as fuel and as a source of enjoyment. My personal challenge is to learn to savor and enjoy my fuel, so I dont depend on extra treats and such to be happy.
Amen to food being fuel but also being enjoyable. What a seriously great post and I’m glad you touched up on this. If we ate bland perfectly balanced meals all the time..well where would be the fun in that.
I think you are so right! And that cinnamon roll looks amazing and just the thing to put a smile one someone’s face. Food is so much more than fuel, it is how we socialize in today’s society, it makes us happy. Something that is greatly overlooked when food becomes all about the nutrition and the control and the calories… Sometimes there is just more to it than that. And sometimes there isn’t, and we because we want it and we want it now. Hunger just doesn’t always play a role. If it did I would probably never enjoy ice cream after dinner!
Oh Amanda, I still can’t get over how much I missed your posts like these <3 I think everyone has pretty much covered everything I want to say! Obviously coming from an ED background, at that time, everything I ate had a 'purpose' and I rarely ate anything I actually REALLY enjoyed. Then throughout recovery it was more about eating more of the foods that my body needed in terms of nutrients but also learning that it was OKAY to have treats and actually start enjoying food again. Now I just eat what I want, when I want and it is the most freeing feeling ever. And if I'm not hungry but someone offers me something yummy or I pop to Starbucks for a coffee and there's a snack just LOOKING at me, well life is too short to say no personally 🙂 It hasn't done me any harm and I'm much happier so I think this will continue 😉
Really interesting post! I agree with you that sometimes it is okay to have some enjoyment from food but it is certainly a balance and one that is not always easy to come by! Great post!
I do think its a fine balance – but at the end of the day food is such an enormous source of pleasure – I can’t imagine a life that doesn’t take pleasure in eating! I do think its just a case of getting that balance right as an individual and I am aware that for some people (me included) that can be a struggle some times. Thankfully I’m getting much better at it!
Love this post! Personally I could never view foods as just fuel – what fun would that be!? Food is meant to be eaten for pleasure too! I kind of lost sight of that for a few years, but thankfully my foodie family helped me rediscover how to eat for pleasure.
i really needed to hear this today. i’ve been having quite the emotional week and definitely finding comfort and joy in food. and my brain can either go to the guilty place from my past or the place where i am okay with it because i only ate 1 normal slice of cake (not the entire thing) and that is perfectly…normal. and it made me happy. so i’m ok, right?
You’re definitely okay, Sara 🙂 There’s nothing wrong with eating a slice of cake… “normal” people do it all the time so don’t beat yourself up about it.
Can you come back to Cali and cut my sweet potatoes in a heart shape too :)?
Hehe I didn’t actually try to do that on purpose, it just kind of ended up that way 🙂 But I’ll definitely be going back to Cali someday!
your cereal is so pretty! and that cinnamon roll. omg. i want 😛 i definitely eat when i’m not hungry. sometimes it’s out of boredom and most other times its just because i feel like eating it. gotta enjoy life, yeah?
I think it really depends on your personality and which side of the ED spectrum you come from. I know ‘legitimizing’ foods often helps binge and compulsive overeaters like me, but on the other hand there are many (like myself) for whom any emotional episode will turn into bingeing on thousands of calories at once – there is no such thing as treating onself to these foods (or any food…) because food in this situation is not about personal nourishment or self-care. It is about punishment, plain and simple. I know it may be hard to believe, but I for one would eat, say, ten cinnamon rolls (then go looking for other food) because I believe I’m worthless, that I do not deserve happiness, to control and manage anxiety, to cope, in the same way as someone with a restrictive history would deny themselves the food for similar reasons. For me NOT eating the ‘treat’ would be a victory and the more pragmatic, ‘fuel’-orientated approach to eating would be something I would strive to adopt. If I could ever think of food as just ‘fuel’ and get on with my day, I would cry tears of happiness for the rest of my life.
Loving everything about this post! I agree 100% that yes food should be fuel, but it should be fun and enjoyable @ the same time. I don’t believe in restricting myself from a craving. I know for me if I restrict myself, i’ll just crave it 10x more next time.. and i’d probably indulge a bit to much then.
I completely agree, I mean what’s the point of eating if you can’t enjoy it sometimes? Yes, I still eat veggies but I do love them, just like I love chocolate. I still struggle with eating things outside my realm of healthiness, like I’m okay with eating desserts as long as they’re made by me or only have a few healthy ingredients but I know that having actual treats here and there isn’t bad either. I think it’s all about finding that balance and breaking down the perceptions of what’s healthy and what’s been called unhealthy.
I think you know that I agree with everything written here. 😀 I am so grateful that I’ve finally come to peace with the fact that I LOVE food. I love that it nourishes my body–sure, but what I love most about it is that it nourishes my soul. Food is very emotional for me, and always has been. Even during the depths of my ED, I’d actually “indulge” (big parentheses there) in little bites of the foods I loved, just so that I could experience a sliver–as tiny as it was–of that bliss. I’m really happy that that sliver is now a piece–or two. 😉
Great point girlie! Yes, I do think that God made food for us to be able to enjoy it and have SOME sort of comfort of joy from eating it! 🙂 After all, in many many cultures food is a big deal because eating time is when everyone comes together and has one commonality going on. It’s where everyone can smile, enjoy, laugh, etc. I think there’s somewhat of a line when it comes to eating for comfort. There’s nothing wrong with having lots of self control while having a pastry or ice cream here and there without obsessing! I guess I’ll call it the “sometimes diet”? haha.
I tend to be SUCH an emotional eater. If I’m having a bad day, I turn to basically any & all carbs because that’s my comfort food. If I’m having a good day, I’m more likely to eat healthy foods and go to the gym and stay active.
AMEN! Love this post!!!
mind over matter all the way. Or actually MIND over carrots. Yes!
I think I say this every time, but I love this post!! I agree, food should be fun and not merely fuel. I mean, when I was first recovering, I think the fuel mindset helped me transition into healthier thoughts, but now my views are different. I’m loving re-discovering the deliciousness, flavors and joy good food can bring! 🙂 Imagine what a blan sad world it would be for our tastebuds if food was just fuel!
Great point, girl! I think recovery definitely happens in stages, and if it helps to see it as fuel in the beginning, then there’s nothing wrong with that. I know that’s how it was for me as well, but time changed a lot 🙂
Another stellar post Amanda! I continue to put way too much emotion into food… like you said here that food was only for fuel- that was me back in the day, but then when I started to get better, more emotions went into the consumption of food. It continued to be something I feared while recovering, but also something that felt I “had” to enjoy to start getting better. Either way, I have always put too much focus on the food (something I talked about today actually) and it’s simply bad news bears. Food is a substance, you need it for survival, it’s something to be enjoyed, take pleasure in and all of that, but not too much more! So much more to life after all 🙂
Definitely. I think the years of restriction and deprivation leads us to put food on a pedestal, when we should really take a “crave, eat, and move on” approach. It does get better with time, but like you said, it helps not to over think things.
Although i was never an emotional eater I have in the past repeatedly denied myself of “treats” . Thankfully that is a thing of the past and now have a much healthier relationship with food. I came to realize that life is way too short – food should be enjoyed!!
Swooning over that cinnamon roll right now.
Such a great post once again!
I unfortunately have mixed experiences with emotional eating. As a child, I would eat way too many sweets to feel happier, less lonely and accordingly gained lots of weight. I don’t want to take up too much space here and tell my whole story.
These days, though, I definitely treat myself to seemingly “unnecessary” foods (hello, chocolate and extra spoonful of nut butter). It’s one part of my ED I’ve been able to let loose(r) on but I’m not perfect yet. I still can’t justify spontaneously having something like the delish-looking cinnamon bun you posted. Sigh …
You’ll be able to do it one day, it just takes a little time 🙂 It was still something I struggled with at this time last year, but it gets easier so don’t give up hope!
Love this! I certainly agree that food is more than just fuel, because there are so many wonderful flavors and colors and textures to be enjoyed! If it was just there to sustain us, we could eat grey, flavorless food and never feel unhappy. I think the scary part is how our world has managed to take great food and corrupt it into processed garbage, and then say that THAT is the thing we should indulge in. I love experimenting with with as many natural, whole, sweet and flavory indulgences as I can find!
You are amazing! I am SO SO happy you joined in this week! I hope you know that means a lot to me <3
I like to enjoy food, I was never a emotional eater or had a really bad relationship with food. I just never ate enough to fuel my body for how many calories I would burn, stupid me! I of course kicked the high intense crap out now, eating more, and thank heaven back to ok now.
When I do decide to do high intense exercise again, I will know to eat way more than I was!
<3
Great post! I think food is fuel BUT it is meant to enjoy as well!
Love this post Amanda! A lot of great points – while food does fuel our bodies, it’s meant to be enjoyed! As long as you don’t go overboard, there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating just for the pleasure of it.
I do have a minor baby carrot obsession, but they are definitely not cookies. :-p