Hello my beauties! I hope you are all well!
So for today's post I have decided to construct for you all a sort of "how to" guide about enjoying food. I wanted to do this because these are some of the things I've found helpful during my journey.
Throughout my eating disorder, I would tend to just put food in my mouth without even thinking about what it was, or where it came from or what nutrients it had in it or even how it tasted! (to be honest I didn't even taste the food I ate, I just put it in my mouth and chewed. Eating was more of a chore than a pleasure). I'd eat the most boring, bland food possible just because it had the lowest calorific value. I forgot that food is meant to be ENJOYED!
Below is my makeshift guide; now I'm not saying it will work for everyone and I'm not saying its a miracle cure, as anyone recovering will know, it's a painstaking process and things require time and effort. But hopefully some of my "steps" will provide an alternative perspective!
So without further a-do, here it is:
1) Accept that food is your FRIEND!
Food cannot physically or mentally harm you. Its not going to punch you in the face or call you names. The only thing food can do is NOURISH you!
The way I like to think of it is that all food has a purpose for needing to be eaten, even junk food. Each type of food gives something different: Fruit provides fiber to maintain your digestive system; Vegetables provide vitamins which are good for your skin, hair and bones; nuts, seeds, meat and fish (just to name a few!) give you protein which repairs your body's cells and builds muscles; bread, pasta and potatoes provide carbohydrates which give you slow release energy (which is good if you're into cardio or running like me!). And then we get to the good bit, chocolate!! which provides sugar for a quick energy boost!
You see everything is eaten for a reason! Even complete meals have an underlying reason to be eaten. For example you may reach for your favorite stodgy comfort food when your feeling low, be that mince and dumplings or toad in the hole or jam roly poly, who knows it could be anything! if it makes you feel good, then it has served its purpose.
The point I think I'm trying to make here is NEVER feel guilty about eating anything! There is reason behind everything whether it be our body that needs that particular form of nourishment or our minds and souls. ALL food is necessary and ALL FOOD IS GOOD!
2) BANISH calorie counting!
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| Image from: http://www.fredduncan.com/2015/09/10/bust-through-your-diet-plateau/ |
Just STOP!! Nuh-uh calorie counting is never a good thing, it just leads to stress and misery! I know some of you wont believe me now but there IS a life beyond calculating every little last calorie. I've been there, spending hours of my day relentlessly adding up, recalculating every time I ate something new. If one of my friends offered me a polo mint? Yep even that would be calculated! It's no way to spend your life! Imagine all the other tings you could be doing with that time?? Chatting with friends, reading a book, shopping!! Life is short so enjoy it, live! Don't be a slave to the calorie!
Food should only be analysed for the nutrient content not the calorie content. Linking into point number (1) above, prioritise making sure you are getting enough of each food group, enough vitamins and minerals NOT ensuring you have a certain amount of calories.
Our bodies are very clever things, if your body is telling you it's hungry it's because you need food so EAT! If you're craving chocolate, you need energy so go get the damn chocolate! Being in tune to our bodies requirements this way is sooooo much healthier than sticking to a recommended daily calorie intake. 2000 cals is the recommended allowance for the average woman, now I don't think that's very much at all, and for someone who is active it's just plain not enough! Some days when I'm out running I'll easily burn 2000 calories just in one 2 hour run! Every body is different, everyone does different activities, plays different sports, has different jobs, therefore we can't generalise and say everyone needs the same thing because it's not true. Just the same way you are unique as a person, you also have unique needs and food is one of them.
So LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! It knows what it needs better than who ever made up that recommended daily allowance malarkey!
3) Have lunch Al-fresco NOT lunch Al-Desko!
3) Have lunch Al-fresco NOT lunch Al-Desko!
By this I mean make time for meal times. Don't eat a meal in a rush, don't eat on the go and don't eat while you're working. Now by no means am I saying that its an excuse to skip a meal just because you are too busy at work or collage to eat lunch; for example, you have a deadline and need to get something finished ASAP. In situations like that its much much better to eat while you work than not to eat at all.
But where possible, set aside half an hour on a morning, half an hour on an afternoon and half an hour on an evening where you just take a break from everything that's going on and sit down somewhere nice and peaceful to eat your meals. I say this because you will get MUCH more enjoyment out of your food if it is your sole focus. It's so easy to sit browsing facebook or instagram while your eating or to eat in front of the TV, paying more attention to the TV show than your food! I'm guessing most of you do it? Next time you eat that way, notice how you end up just mindlessly chewing your food and not noticing how it tastes. This is because it doesn't have your full attention, you're distracted so you're not getting the full experience of your meal. Trust me, You'll get a LOT more enjoyment and fulfillment from your food if you give it your full attention.
But where possible, set aside half an hour on a morning, half an hour on an afternoon and half an hour on an evening where you just take a break from everything that's going on and sit down somewhere nice and peaceful to eat your meals. I say this because you will get MUCH more enjoyment out of your food if it is your sole focus. It's so easy to sit browsing facebook or instagram while your eating or to eat in front of the TV, paying more attention to the TV show than your food! I'm guessing most of you do it? Next time you eat that way, notice how you end up just mindlessly chewing your food and not noticing how it tastes. This is because it doesn't have your full attention, you're distracted so you're not getting the full experience of your meal. Trust me, You'll get a LOT more enjoyment and fulfillment from your food if you give it your full attention.
Another reason why you should set aside time each day for your meals is SELF CARE! Think about it, the basic human needs are to eat, to drink and to sleep. So one of the fundamental parts of a good self care regime is to take some time out of your day that's just for you, make time to nourish your body. Honestly, lunch time is an ideal opportunity to have some me time and de-stress a little. That way you can tackle the afternoon with a fresh mindset. I like to take time away from the office at lunch time so I have zero distractions, and at the moment, since the weather is still nice and warm, its a good chance to take the opportunity to venture outside and get some fresh air. Recently I've been lunching by the lake in the park near where I work (as you can see above!). For me this is ideal as I love being outside, obviously everyone is different so its just finding what works for you and sticking with it!
So whether it be visiting the local park, eating lunch at your fave cafe or even just sitting in the canteen/ cafeteria at your work place or school; make sure you make time in your schedule, because you DESERVE to fulfill your basic human needs!
4) Get INTIMATE with your food!!
And by this I mean MINDFUL EATING (not any weird cucumber business!!).
I'm Guessing some of you will have heard of this technique? I found this to be one of the most helpful and valuable things I learned in recovery! It really does help you appreciate what you are eating, and for me it took away all the feelings of guilt I'd get after eating. But as I say everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another, its just a case of trying things out and seeing how they make you feel. This is just one persons experience.
Anyways, mindful eating; how is it done?
So I was taught to do this with a segment of an orange, but you can use anything!
Start off by pretending you are an alien from another planet and you've never ever seen any "earth food" before.
Pick up your orange segment or whatever you have chosen, notice how it feels in your hand. Is it cold? is it smooth? is it squishy? Take the time to notice EVERYTHING about how it feels before moving on.
Next, take a good look at your segment, notice the patterns in it, the veins. Can you see any pips inside it? Are there any air bubbles? What shade of orange is it? Are there any bits of that white stuff on it from the peel (no idea what that stuff is called!! haha).
Moving on, place the segment near to your lips, How does it feel against your skin? What does it smell like?
Next, place it in your mouth but don't chew yet, just hold it on your tongue for a bit. What do you notice about that? What initial flavors can you taste?
Then Slowly bite into the orange, what do you notice about that? Can you feel its juices in your mouth? Has the flavor changed? Notice the texture of the segment and how the tastes and sensations change as you chew.
Once the orange is sufficiently chewed, slowly swallow it. Notice it going down your throat and down your esophagus. How does that feel? What are the textures and sensations?
Finally take time to notice how that exercise made YOU feel! Did you notice new things that you hadn't before? Did it make you feel satisfied?
And then when you're ready move on to the next bite!
So just a little disclaimer, the above technique shouldn't be used as a way to avoid eating, like "oh if I cant eat mindfully I'll just not eat", nope that's not the purpose of it! Just eat mindfully when you can, if you can't then its OK, you can still enjoy your food!
5. VARIETY is the spice of life!
My final tip for enjoying eating is pretty basic but I still think it's an important one! Don't just stick to the same thing day in day out. Having the same thing for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks every single day can be pretty boring and soon enough it'll become a chore and you'll stop enjoying eating it!
Now I'm not necessarily saying have a drastic change, a subtle change has the same effect, less is more as they say!
For example, I tend to stick to the same kinda breakfast and lunch routine on weekdays because its easy to prepare and take with me to work. I have oats for breakfast and usually salad for lunch, but I like to experiment with the ingredients. One day i might make my oats with peanut butter and banana, the next day I'll make them with berries and vanilla extract! My salad one day may be chicken, the next day may be tuna, also this week's salads have featured AVOCADO, (which I looovvvee!) so that has got me really excited about lunch time at the moment !
As you can see, a simple ingredient swap keeps your meal times fresh and exciting so they don't become mundane and tedious and so you don't get bored.
Also (if your as sad as I am), you don't have to stop at the actual food! I like making my meals look nicely presented. If any of you follow my instagram, you'll probably know I bought some mason jars at the weekend, which I am now FULLY obsessed with! But just this simple change of container has got me so excited about meal times this week!
It seems simple, but incorporating things you love into your meal times really does help!
So that's it guys, my 5 steps to always enjoying meal times! As I said they may not work for all of you, but they've certainly worked for me, and who knows, hopefully some of you will find them helpful too!! But whatever the outcome, I wish any of you in recovery the best of luck! You are all so strong and amazing so NEVER give up, because YOU GOT THIS!
Stay fabulous my beauties!
Becky XOXO
So whether it be visiting the local park, eating lunch at your fave cafe or even just sitting in the canteen/ cafeteria at your work place or school; make sure you make time in your schedule, because you DESERVE to fulfill your basic human needs!
4) Get INTIMATE with your food!!
And by this I mean MINDFUL EATING (not any weird cucumber business!!).
I'm Guessing some of you will have heard of this technique? I found this to be one of the most helpful and valuable things I learned in recovery! It really does help you appreciate what you are eating, and for me it took away all the feelings of guilt I'd get after eating. But as I say everyone is different and what works for one may not work for another, its just a case of trying things out and seeing how they make you feel. This is just one persons experience.
Anyways, mindful eating; how is it done?
So I was taught to do this with a segment of an orange, but you can use anything!
Start off by pretending you are an alien from another planet and you've never ever seen any "earth food" before.
Pick up your orange segment or whatever you have chosen, notice how it feels in your hand. Is it cold? is it smooth? is it squishy? Take the time to notice EVERYTHING about how it feels before moving on.
Next, take a good look at your segment, notice the patterns in it, the veins. Can you see any pips inside it? Are there any air bubbles? What shade of orange is it? Are there any bits of that white stuff on it from the peel (no idea what that stuff is called!! haha).
Moving on, place the segment near to your lips, How does it feel against your skin? What does it smell like?
Next, place it in your mouth but don't chew yet, just hold it on your tongue for a bit. What do you notice about that? What initial flavors can you taste?
Then Slowly bite into the orange, what do you notice about that? Can you feel its juices in your mouth? Has the flavor changed? Notice the texture of the segment and how the tastes and sensations change as you chew.
Once the orange is sufficiently chewed, slowly swallow it. Notice it going down your throat and down your esophagus. How does that feel? What are the textures and sensations?
Finally take time to notice how that exercise made YOU feel! Did you notice new things that you hadn't before? Did it make you feel satisfied?
And then when you're ready move on to the next bite!
So just a little disclaimer, the above technique shouldn't be used as a way to avoid eating, like "oh if I cant eat mindfully I'll just not eat", nope that's not the purpose of it! Just eat mindfully when you can, if you can't then its OK, you can still enjoy your food!
5. VARIETY is the spice of life!
My final tip for enjoying eating is pretty basic but I still think it's an important one! Don't just stick to the same thing day in day out. Having the same thing for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks every single day can be pretty boring and soon enough it'll become a chore and you'll stop enjoying eating it!
Now I'm not necessarily saying have a drastic change, a subtle change has the same effect, less is more as they say!
For example, I tend to stick to the same kinda breakfast and lunch routine on weekdays because its easy to prepare and take with me to work. I have oats for breakfast and usually salad for lunch, but I like to experiment with the ingredients. One day i might make my oats with peanut butter and banana, the next day I'll make them with berries and vanilla extract! My salad one day may be chicken, the next day may be tuna, also this week's salads have featured AVOCADO, (which I looovvvee!) so that has got me really excited about lunch time at the moment !
As you can see, a simple ingredient swap keeps your meal times fresh and exciting so they don't become mundane and tedious and so you don't get bored.
Also (if your as sad as I am), you don't have to stop at the actual food! I like making my meals look nicely presented. If any of you follow my instagram, you'll probably know I bought some mason jars at the weekend, which I am now FULLY obsessed with! But just this simple change of container has got me so excited about meal times this week!
It seems simple, but incorporating things you love into your meal times really does help!
So that's it guys, my 5 steps to always enjoying meal times! As I said they may not work for all of you, but they've certainly worked for me, and who knows, hopefully some of you will find them helpful too!! But whatever the outcome, I wish any of you in recovery the best of luck! You are all so strong and amazing so NEVER give up, because YOU GOT THIS!
Stay fabulous my beauties!
Becky XOXO
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