Hello folks, hope you're doing well…It’s time for another post for us to ponder.
I gotta get your brain thinking, those wheels turnin', or your stove a -cookin'. Whatever you call it, I had the urge to write, so let’s get started.
Why do you eat what you eat? Ask yourself that 5 times…
Is it because of tastes, smells, out of guilt, pleasure, fear, diet rules, or what else makes you decide chicken over fish? Beef over turkey? Rice over Potatoes? More than likely taste is the winner here, but food also stems from more than our taste buds.
We’re all different in the way we eat and why eat what we eat. Thank God because personally, I would certainly get tired of chicken nuggets and french fries (sorry happy meals, you DON’T always make me happy!)
Anywho, I say that to say this…
For years, I had no clue how to eat. I would count out my carrot sticks, measure my hummus with a plastic red tablespoon and chomp mindlessly whether I was hungry or not.
I thought I had to eat egg whites instead of whole eggs because Heaven forbid, the yolk had cholesterol.
I felt carbs were the devil, forbidden at all costs, except during my secret binges.
I believed sugar free would set me free!
Man, oh man, I was so lost in terms of how to eat, what to eat, when to eat. If you asked me why I ate 10 years ago, it was because of merely survival. And sometimes I was far from survival getting only 500 calories a day on a good day.
This was some of my experiences and misinterpretations with food.
But I didn’t start out that way! I didn't start in the womb scared to eat.
You see, we are all born intuitive eaters. Does your baby say, “no mom feed me at 12:00, 3:30, and 6:00?” Or does he/she eat when they want, without setting an alarm? My guess is they already have that alarm inside without setting it. They have it internally without even worrying about their next meal, the calories, fat, secretive eating, emotional eating, or whatever else we pick up along our way towards adulthood.
I am NOT shaming you, but I want you to think. Really stop and think…Are ya thinking yet?!
Where the heck did all this crap come from?
Where did we stop being intuitive and pick up certain traits and good and others as bad?
This could come from various places. Our parents, friends, diets, books, television…You name it, we’re surrounded by food faux pas or misleading information wracking our brains.
I want you to remember the last time you had a piece of pizza WITHOUT thinking you shouldn’t, couldn’t, or wouldn’t.
I want you to visualize when you ate the whole gallon of ice cream because you felt alone, scared, or depressed.
These thoughts, fears, etc...we tell ourselves are doing you more harm than good.
The false promises (aka: “Food Police”) tell us lies over and over and are keeping you living your life in food freedom. Ya with me?
If you are stuck, it's time to recognize the root cause. It's time to not settle for less because you are not alone. It's time to learn new ways of thinking and new ways eating.
Life is too short to not learn how to eat intuitively. That way next time I ask you why you eat what you eat, you'll be like...Because I actually like broccoli and cheese, or whatever!
Bye for now,
Kayla