Happy Thursday everyone!! Are we ready for another weekend (almost)?!
I hope you all had an amazing 4th of July, especially filled with lots of fun and lots of good food.
We still have leftovers! đ
Speaking of leftovers and good food, itâs time to talk about a topic that Iâm sure everyone has experienced at some point after a holiday.
Thatâs cause Thursdays are forâŚ.
Thinking out loud!
As always, thank you to Amanda of Running With Spoons for allowing me to share my random thoughts on this day!Â
 Ahhhhh summer. You make me so happy. Special occasions, holidays, partiesâŚ.itâs such a good time to relax, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy one anotherâs company. Also, delicious food and drinks sneak their way into those events, because duh! đ From the beginning of summer to Memorial Day to now, you could probably count how many of those parties and celebrations youâve been to.
Okay, now count how many times youâve felt guilt or food remorse after those parties end. I think you know what Iâm talking aboutâŚ
The deep feeling of regret one feels after eating a large quantity of food, eating something unhealthy, or just eating in general.
I shouldnât have eaten that second helping, I feel so fat now!
Ugh, that looks so good but I shouldnât. I had dessert last night too.
I definitely gained 1,000 pounds after tonight.
I ate SO CLEAN all week, I know I just ruined everything after that.
Sound familiar?? Yeah, thatâs how I USED to think after a holiday or indulging at a party. You eat a little more than you normally do and you feel so guilty. You feel like you âruined everything.â
Truth be told, your weight isnât determined by a few days of âover-indulgingâ. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day, every single day! Besides, NO ONE is perfect and thereâs NO SUCH THING as a âperfect body.â If we all looked perfect the world would be a pretty boring place.
So How Did This All Start?
The construct of our society and media is all about âthe perfect dietâ. How many times have you seen infomercials for Nutrisystem or South Beach Diet or waist trainers? Too many to count, right? Instead of promoting balance and occasional indulgences, the media has led us to believe that indulgence is a bad thing. Foods are either labeled âgoodâ or âbadâ. Weâve been trained to avoid the âbadâ foods and feel guilty when we do end up eating those foods. Thatâs where the, âI ate so bad today, I feel grossâ phrase comes from.
What To Do To About It
Food is your NOURISHMENT, not your NEMESIS â Thereâs a quote from the movie Ratatouille where Remyâs father tells him that, âfood is fuel.â Coming from a rat, heâs so right! If your body is telling you to eat something, then listen! Your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to give you energy for what you need to do, and hey, that might even mean a cookie or brownie every now and then. So what? Theyâre good for your soul! If you constantly avoid certain foods just because you know theyâre ânot healthyâ, youâre only going to end up hating yourself for denying that craving, and maybe even binging because of it. Just enjoy it while itâs there! đ
Stop the judgment â Humans eat because we have to SURVIVE, we donât eat to define who we are as people. Evelyn Tribole, co-author of Intuitive Eating, says, âYou are not good or bad based on what you eat. Your values and personhood donât take a dive just because you ate onion rings.â
Watch the movie âEat Pray Love.â
No seriously, just do it. Not only is the title of the film a positive mantra for developing a healthy relationship with food, but Julia Robertsâ character also acknowledges her own struggles with food remorse.
My favorite quoteâŚ
Iâm so tired of saying no, and waking up in the morning and recalling everything I ate the day before â counting every calorie I consumed so I know exactly how much self-loathing to take into the shower. Iâm going for it. I have no interest in being obese, Iâm just through with the guilt.
Just watch this scene and youâll know what I mean.
The next time you ever feel guilty for eating something, think about the things Iâve mentioned above. Remember, food is something meant to be ENJOYED. If you ever get to Europe one day, youâll notice how their food and eating habits are designed around food as PLEASURE and relaxation.
You are NOT defined by what you eat.
When was the last time you heard a friend say, âoh my gosh, I canât believe you ate THAT. Iâm not going to be friends with you anymore.â
Yeah, me either. đ So LET THEM EAT CAKE!
Now tell meâŚ
- When was the last time you felt food remorse?
- Whatâs your all-time favorite meal? (If you can narrow it down!)
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