I think I need a serious intervention…
I’ve been eating bananas like it’s my job lately. Between tossing them in oats, enjoying them with almond butter, and munching on frozen chunks straight from the freezer, I probably average around 3 bananas a day – not bad for someone who used to be afraid of the happy yellow fruit…
It’s true. I went through a good handful of years where I eliminated bananas from my diet completely. Then, after re-introducing them, I was afraid to eat more than half a day. Why? Because of the sugar; because of the carbs; because of the condemnation they received from the diet industry. I’m sure you’ve all heard some of the gems that litter a banana’s rap sheet – high GI, weight gain, stored as fat – nasty phrases that terrified my impressionable, and at the time very disordered, mind.
So I avoided what is probably one of the most delicious and versatile fruits (imho), and stuck to the recommended berries and apples instead – fruits that are tasty and nutritious in their own right, but they’re still no bananas…
I can’t even tell you how many food rules I’ve fallen victim to over the years. Eat this, don’t eat that. Do this, don’t do that. Eat this, but not at that time. Oi. At some point, my life was so governed by rules, that I couldn’t even think about food without getting completely overwhelmed by anxiety – afraid that I would “slip up” somewhere and my whole world would fall apart as a result. Sad but true.
Thankfully, those times are a thing of the past. Recovery forced me to break all the rules and see with my own two eyes that nothing bad happened as a result. Quite the opposite, actually – the more rules I broke, the happier and healthier I became. I ate more carbs and felt more energetic. I ate before bed and was actually able to sleep. I stopped micromanaging my diet and my body [eventually] took over and did just fine. I broke all the rules and lived to tell the tale, which is probably why I can’t stand absolute statements when it comes to how I should eat…
You know the statements I’m talking about – the ones that take on the “if X, then Y” formula. If you eat fat, you will gain weight. If you eat carbs, you will gain weight. If you eat spicy food, you will lose weight. Basically, if X, then for damn sure Y.
No. Sorry. It doesn’t work that way – there are almost no absolute statements you can make when it comes to health and nutrition; no “if Xs, then Ys.” You can say that you may experience whatever Y happens to be, but it’s never a guarantee. Why? Because we’re all different, and what works for some won’t work for others. And because health is a big picture – a collection of habits performed over time. I find that we tend to get too caught up in individual events and minuscule details, giving too much weight to those and ignoring the bigger picture as a result. No one thing will break your health, just like no one thing will make it… there are just too many confounding factors to consider.
You can gain weight eating 100% clean, just like you can lose weight eating nothing but junk food. Believe me – I’ve done both. A cookie won’t go straight to your hips, nor will drinking green tea magically shed the poundage. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t pay any attention to how you eat, but try not to get too caught up in all the food rules and feel like you have to adhere to each one – they’re not written in stone and treating them like they are usually ends up being detrimental to your health. Create your own rules from your own experiences and follow those.
Now excuse me while I go munch on another banana 😉
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What’s a common food rule that you know doesn’t work for you?
What’s one of your food rules?
i often think… if we didn’t know ANYTHING about food or diet, would we be better off? What you don’t know won’t hurt you kind of thing, ya know? It’s more a mind thing that body thing.
OMG (can i say that on here & not feel like i am 18??!) so true. everyone wants a cure all & latches onto the newest foodie rule like its the gospel truth. nothing works for everyone- its all about individuals. but then, we all fall victim to this so, i must confess, my rule was carbs for awhile. i jumped on that bandwagon & held on, counting those suckers like it was going out of style! then i realized i need carbs & protein (everything!) in moderation 🙂 i do have a couple “rules” i adhere to: lean protein at each major meal with a good tasting carb, with coffe, fiber & chocolate every day!
Nice post on the topic. The only “food rules” I like are Michael Pollans and that is because of how general and not restrictive they are. “Eat mostly plants” or “Eat animals that have themselves eaten well.” or “Eat all the colors” and stuff like that. I don’t follow them like I am on a diet, since I noticed that restricting myself due to whatever rule there may be doesn’t work well, but I see them as a source of inspiration and sensible advice. He also doesn’t claim nanas to be bad 😉 stupid people…
I like his suggestions as well. Seems like a very sensible guy 🙂
I definitely had some food rules- mainly restriction, low fat. I never was carb-phobic, and always ate lots of fruit, but now I’m not the biggest fruit fan anymore. I do know that low carb doesn’t really do me any good anyhow. I don’t have any food rules anymore, although I do try to eat protein with every meal– because I like meat, and I don’t really feel satisfied without it. It’s not really a rule, but a preference.
Oh man I LOVE bananas!! They fuel me SO good!! I actually have an odd food rule that I have been breaking lately..you will hate this one..I try not to eat more than one of a certain fruit/veggie in the day. I will eat a shat ton of fruit, but only one orange, apple, etc…BUTTT lately I have been eating TWO bananas a day!! YES!
AMEN to this post. Thankfully, I don’t know if there was ever a time in my eating disorder where I abolished fruit from my diet… However, I may have been so starving I don’t even remember which is sad but true. I cannot believe I lived by so many different rules throughout the years and would starve myself all day just to eat chocolate or something at night. I couldn’t understand why I was losing weight since I just ate junk food but when it’s the only thing you’re eating when running 6+ miles… Well, duh. Oy vey. And you’re completely right when you said to me it’s almost addicting to break the rules. Once I really started to let things go, I couldn’t wait to break more. I find myself stuck sometimes, but overall it’s onward and upward!
Love.you. That is all 🙂
Awesome post. I’m so tired of people commenting on my habits…saying bananas will make you fat, protein is the best, and all other sorts of silly things. It’s our bodies so we should feed them how we want. If I want a banana I’ll eat that banana, no commentary please.
I definitely know a life without fruits is not one for me! And carbs…I love my carbs.
Even though I used to have a big “fear” of those foods, I’m so thankful to be past that now!
Totally agree with you!! I’m not a fan of food rules. I also love me some bananas! I eat them frozen all the time! With a little peanut butter… so good!
Back when I was an avid calorie counter (and probably border line obsessive compulsive) i would never touch bananas! It seems so silly now!
I can’t get on board with the “fat makes you fat” rule. It irks me to hear people say that! A lot of young women that I have talked to do not realize that HEALTHY fats are essential for a functioning body! Don’t be afraid to eat it! One of my food rules, that I make for myself, is to eat a little something sweet at least once a day, but don’t go overboard. That way, I still get dessert, but I can still fit in my pants, too 😉
That’s definitely a rule I can stand behind! If I don’t get a little something sweet in every day, the craving builds up until I just want to go on a hardcore sugar rampage.
Love this post! So proud that were able to overcome all of these food rules! I’ve overcome a lot myself and can now happily say I am able to enjoy the healthy foods I love without any crazy rules! As I often tell my clients if there are no “food rules” to follow, there is no way to fall off the wagon!
Beautiful post lady! I love when you say there “are no absolute statements when it comes to nutrition and health”. I couldn’t agree more. What works for one person may not work for another and what works for you one day may not work for you the next. In general ruling out anything (unless it causes digestive upset) because it isn’t healthy enough, has too much sugar, too many calories etc.. will not lead to overall happiness–which is our ultimate goal right? Everything in moderation…except bananas (and peanut butter!), you can never get enough of those 😉
The rule that never worked for me was having any kind of rule at all – and I feel like I’ve tried them all at some point… But the illusion of control just messes with my head, as soon as I’d break whatever the current rule was I simply couldn’t function, it was like the whole day went off course and I just felt stressed and unable to concentrate on work, etc. Mental. My most enduring rule was not about any kind of food per se, but that I couldn’t have breakfast unless I’d exercised first. It was definitely the worst rule too, since I would sacrifice much-needed sleep in order to get a workout in every morning even when I was too busy with work and study. Not having any rules is the most liberating thing… it does mean that my eating pattern is all over the place (there have been instances of ice cream at 10am) and no two days really look the same, but who cares?
I’m absolutely with you on banana/fruit love. Yes, fruit has sugar, but it also has fibre, vitamins, and other healthy things – I refuse to believe that consuming something that grew in the ground or on a tree (that’s meant for consumption) can make someone fat or unhealthy. I’m eagerly awaiting the ripening of the bananas I just bought…I have a near-empty almond butter jar that requires some banana OIAJ.
I definitely lived and died by food rules back in the day – I was only ‘allowed’ one serving of grains a day, meals and snacks had to happen at a ‘precise’ time (eating by the clock no matter how hungry I was), no eating 3 hours before bed, no refined flour, desserts are only allowed for special occasions, etc. etc. I have managed to break those rules though – there are days when I eat grains like it’s my job, I eat when I’m hungry, something doesn’t feel right if I don’t have a nighttime snack, sometimes you just need white bread, and I eat dessert pretty much daily.
The food ‘rule’ that I see often that I know doesn’t work for me is the low-carb rule. Whenever I limit carbs, I end up feeling lethargic and weak, and I look 6 months pregnant, I get so bloated. So needless to say, that one doesn’t happen for me.
!! I always wondered if I was the only one who got super bloated if I didn’t eat enough carbs… I know the opposite seems to be true for a lot of people, but I need my carbs or I bloat and start breaking out like crazy.
Common food rules that don’t work for me:
Don’t eat after ___pm. I have a very weird schedule…some days I eat dinner at 4:30pm at work if that’s when my lunch break is…and when I finish at nearly 10pm and finally get home past 10:15, I’m starving for a snack!
No dairy (or at least limit it)…I know some people don’t digest dairy well, but I have no evidence that I don’t and I absolutely love it (yup, I’m an adult who loves drinking milk) so why skip out on one of my favorite beverages, Greek yogurt, ice cream ad CHEESE
My food rules:
Always eat breakfast (which probably doesn’t need to be a rule since I’m always starving in the morning)
No caffeinated drinks within 4 hours of bedtime
No trying to go to bed after a big meal. If I’m going out to a super nice restaurant with family or heading out with friends, I try to have that dinner a little earlier (say no later than 7:30 or so) or just plan to stay up later. I can’t sleep on a full stomach, and I hate feeling stuffed
Both sets of those rules work/don’t work for me as well 🙂 I think I ended up having dinner at 4:45 last night, which makes sense since I wake up around 12 hours earlier…
And this is why I love your blog 🙂 Thank you so much for writing this post! (And for the record, I love bananas too 🙂 )
Great post! I love bananas too and definitely have at least 1-3 a day woohoo! When I was losing weight, I did create food rules in order to achieve my goals. Now that I have achieved the healthy weight I am continuously breaking down these barriers and rules I have set myself previously. I’ll admit that it has not been easy but you are so right that it feels liberating!
I’m with ya. I cannot seem to get enough bananas! I love them with oats, almond butter, frozen for smoothies and overly ripened for breads. I even bought one of those YoNannas machines from Craigslist (it was only $15) 🙂 One of my food rules is no fast food. I very very rarely break this and if I have to, I try to choose a place like Chipotle or Panera for their lighter menu options. I, truthfully, just feel better when I don’t eat fast food. I don’t think I’ve eaten at McDonalds, Wendy’s or Taco Bell in years! It’s crazy how much your taste buds and cravings can transform to new healthy lifestyle habits. 😀
I have how people say “don’t have fruit after a certain hour” fruit never made anyone fat… also the whole not eating carbs after 3 annoys me… sometimes a girl just needs so pasta lol
I am jealous that you can eat bananas though… I loooooved them and they were always in season.. but yea going to the hospital for an allergic reaction due to bananas is kinda embarrassing 😉
!! Ack! I’ve never ended up in the hospital from it, but I randomly developed an allergy to pineapple a few years back when I never had a problem with it before. Crazy how that works…
I know exactly what you mean. I used to feel guilty about eating an entire banana because of the sugar as well but I gave up on worrying about it. I also used to count calories and gave that up because its just not worth the extra effort. Food is meant to be enjoyed and eaten in moderation. As long as you make healthy choices and stay active, I think you have a freedom to eat a whole dang banana if you want! Smothered in almond butter too! 😉
From a time long ago, one of my food rules was “avoid anything that cannot be measured.” I didn’t own a food scale, so I’d avoid eating cantaloupe, watermelon, and anything without a clear nutrition label since I couldn’t be sure that I was sticking to one serving. I also used to avoid pears because they were basically apples, but with 20 more calories.
Psychotic.
you couldn’t have worded this post better!
LOVE this post! I used to avoid bananas as well–and mangoes–and watermelon–and any other fruit that you couldn’t eat the skin because “that’s where all the fiber is and therefore if you don’t (or can’t) eat it then your insulin will spike and blah blah blah blah blah”…those were sad days. One food rule that doesn’t sit right with me is the “recommended amount of protein”…I find that I feel sluggish when I eat the “recommended” amount, but if I up it to a little more than I’m “supposed” to be eating, I have a lot more energy. So, I tend to eat a high-protein diet, kidney failure be damned.
I love these reminders from you. You always seem to post one when i need to hear it too. I know one of the things that doesn’t work for me is a ton of veggies every week. After a few days, if a salad (even as monstrous as i can make them haha) is all I have for lunch, I’m left feeling bloated and gross. So as much as i enjoy them, i have to space them better and make sure i have carbs enough to balance them out. I’m working on breaking fat free/low fat versions of stuff from my diet, too. I don’t necessarily think I’m going to eliminate them entirely, but i still use them as a crutch at times, and I want to break that.
Love bananas! That whole no eating after 7 (or whatever time it is) thing at night can just go away. I always have a nighttime snack, if I go to bed hungry I can’t fall asleep and wake up constantly throughout the night. I try to eat somewhat healthy items late at night but sometimes it’s ice cream. I mean a bowl of pistachio ice cream is always a good idea 🙂
Oh yes, I feel you on this. I definitely think everone meeds to figure out their ‘own rules’.
Maybe I am an exception here, but eating before bed does not work for me at all – my stomach gets so upset and in the morning I feel like I just had dinner……no go. And one big rule is to have chocolate every day! 🙂
That’s definitely a good rule to follow 😉
One of my favorite healthy sayings is “One unhealthy meal is not going to ruin your health, just like one healthy meal isn’t going to fix your health”. For me I love this saying because I do feel guilty for eating certain “bad” foods sometimes. But really I shouldn’t…moderation and balance is a key to a happy life.
So true! What’s with the absolutes? I think people just feel better when they’re following “rules” – gray areas make us uneasy. I keep having to remind my dad that yes, certain veggies still have carbs, and yes, they are okay to eat. Sigh… haha
YES! I’ve unfortunately lived by many food rules that restricted me from fueling myself properly. I used to avoid all red meat, not eat before I went to bed (I actually recently made a post addressing late night eating, which I now MUST do!), avoid pasta and rice…etc. Now that I live without food rules, I feel happier, and not just because it’s all tasty. I feel happier because my body is energized and no longer restricted. Thanks for this post!
And I can easily go through 2-3 bananas a day. It is an amazing fruit for sure!
Have you ever tried eating them frozen? Gah! They seriously become so creamy and delicious…
Yay bananas! FYI- before I left Brisbane for vacation, I froze 3 bags of sliced bananas for enjoyment upon my return (as per your past recommendations)!!!
You bet I have! That’s one of the best ways to have ’em. Better yet–blended into banana soft serve (with some peanut butter of course). Wait, there are some coconut flakes staring back at me right at this moment….and I think they want to be blended with the bananas too. Ideas!
Enjoy those bananas! Bananas are actually the one fruit that I don’t like. I know, weird! I don’t have any food rules, although I try to not eat anything after dinner, but sometimes a dessert sneaks in there. 😉
The “not eating before bed” – most of the time I have to have a pre-bedtime snack or else I won’t be able to fall asleep or will wake up in the middle of the night starving. I’ve stopped being so reliant on those food rules and have started to just eat for me! My own food rules include staying away from dairy (I’m becoming more and more lactose sensitive) and I am also trying to be more clean and eat less ‘bread’ carbs, only because it will help me focus on fruits, veggies and lean proteins!
Yes, I can COMPLETELY relate to you about bananas! Only fairly recently, have I started incorporating a banana into my diet each day. Now it’s something I look forward to, because really, nothing compares to a sweet, satisfying banana!
Definitely eating no carbs and not eating after a certain time. Fair enough I don’t eat that many carbs but I still eat wholegrain, brown carbs. The are so good for you and have great nutritional values.
Great! I don’t really have any food “rules”. I try not to eat after 9 unless I’m hungry, but that’s only because for some reason when I eat too close to bed, I end up ravenous the whole next day.
I’ve tossed all rules except to be true to myself and try to pick foods that make me feel good but are delicious. I also force myself to eat before and after runs, even if I’m not hungry.
I’ve said this before but I was a huge victim of the fat makes you fat nonsense… also the you only need 1200 calories a day thing that has been drilled in people’s heads since I can remember.
The 1200 calorie thing gives me the sads 🙁 I honestly can’t even imagine going back to eating that little ever again…
This is the rule that I was going to mention! The range of ‘calories for an average sized person rule’ is one that I think I might have tried for about a week in my life. I was starving! There are so many factors that go into the calculation of what a healthy amount of food looks like for an individual.
Your body = YOUR rules! You know I love this post and couldn’t agree more. Like you I definitely spent plenty of time thinking that bananas caused weight gain. I actually attribute that to one of my WW leaders back in the day who told me my unexpected gain was because I ate too many bananas- gah I wish I could go back and knock some sense into her. Although plenty of people tout the absence of carbs in their diet as the “formula” to stay trim, my body fortunately works better when I eat carbs! That stupid “7-pm rule” needs to be banned too…I eat 30 minutes before bed many nights and sleep like a baby! Oh the list is endless and I can only imagine what other nonsense gets put out there!
I feel like we all have food rules. For me timing was always the big one and I’ve been working hard at breaking it all summer. There were never foods I made totally off limits, my ED was slightly different, but I definitely avoided some rules. I think what’s important is that the rules should never interfere with life. We can abide by guidelines (like trying to avoid eating nothing but ice cream for 3 meals a day… Although once in awhile is okay) but they shouldn’t dictate out lives. Food is just that. Food. And letting it become more important than other more important things in life like family and relationships is where the problems begin.
Great comment Sarah!! Couldn’t have said it better!
I find you and your posts to be truly inspirational. You are such a wonderful example and you share things that are so valuable. I glean so much from the things you share and just seeing how far you have come in your recovery process and your entire state of mind truly gives me hope that I can get to that point some day. It’s a process, as I’m learning, and I have come SO very far from where I was…yet I know that I can still make a lot more progress. What is more, I know that it IS possible. One of my biggest food rules was/is about starting to eat too early in the day. I usually don’t follow my hunger in the morning, but follow the clock to tell me when it’s okay to eat. If I eat very early in the morning, that will equate to me eating more throughout the day, and that’s still a hard one for me to work with. But, in time. I’ve made progress already in that area, so I know I can keep pushing forward and make further progress.
That was a really hard rule for me to break as well, and for exactly the same reason… but if you actually go for it, you’ll find that your hunger -will- adjust accordingly. There’s nothing worse than sitting around hungry and just watching the clock to see when you can eat. Ever since I started waking up so early, I’ve had to adjust my meal times and eat earlier. It definitely made me a little anxious at first, but I’ve found that if I satisfy my hunger early in the day, my appetite decreases as the day goes on. If I don’t, then I just end up super snacky in the evening.
People give me shit about eating bananas, too. ‘Dont you know they’re mucous-forming?!’/”PURE SUGAR!!!” Of all the foods in the world to be concerned about… Hahaha
Combining starches & protein doesn’t work for me – (meat + potato/squash). Even if I take digestive enzymes. But, it’s possible that I’m actually just more sensitive to that type of starch rather than the combo.
I also “love” the, “you shouldn’t eat fruit in the morning because it’s hard on your pancreas” rule. It just seems so first world problems, ya know?!
See, and here I was thinking that fruit should -only- be eaten in the morning so that you have a better chance to burn off all that sugar! 😉
I feel like this post deserves a round of applause!! i love this. the dont eat carbs rule- nope, doesnt work for me. the dont eat sugar or dairy rule- nope, doesnt work for me. the dont snack rule- nope, doesnt work for me 🙂 im happier, healthier, and thinner when i incorporate all of the above into my diet (i know from experience). the one rule that does work for me is no eating at night- but thats because im simply not hungry at night. (it could have something to do with all the food i eat all day long… 🙂 )
My appetite decreases as the day goes on as well. If I get enough food in me in the earlier part of the day, I definitely find myself a lot less snacky when the evening rolls around.