Bloom, I Love Food Too Much To Eat That
January 15, 2015
I have been thinking about some chats I have had with friends recently. All were congratulating me on sticking with my diet changes and asked how I avoid food temptations. Like how have I not eaten pasta in 8 months or how do I avoid popcorn at the movies theater and so forth? Well there are a lot of reasons but it mostly came down to two things. First, I do not want to be sick anymore. Second, I like food too much. See, in case you do not already know this about me ;-) I am a food snob. Do not get me wrong, I LOVE food but I love good food, real food, well made food. Some old popcorn with oil and powdered butter does not tempt me. Well honestly, it temps me when I walk in the movie theater but I know when I get it in my mouth I will not be happy.
That is it! When I have a treat, I want it to be worth it. I want to savor it. When I am running around and am tempted to just pick up anything to eat, I stop and think. "Do I really want this to be my treat?" Because I only get a few a week. If it was more than that, it would not be a treat but a lifestyle. And if I am going to have a food lifestyle it is not going to be on cheetos, grocery store doughnuts and coke! No it will be salads freshly picked from the garden, perfect pastured bacon and artisan cheeses. Well those foods take time and thought.
When you have time and thought, you can really think about what you want to eat and what you should eat. It gives you time to decide how much you want those doughnuts. For me the question is also, how good are those doughnuts? I will love them? Are they worth ruining the 3 miles I walked? How much will they set me back? Nine times out of ten the answer time ends up being no and that keeps me on track. It also frees me up to really enjoy my splurges. Which by the way you will never hear me say cheat. This is another post I will write soon but I do not talk bad about food anymore. Well real food, I do not talk bad about real food. So I do not cheat, I spurge and when I do, I do it with a full heart. I stop, enjoy every morsel and feel no guilt.
Do you struggle with saying no to food that makes you sick? Are you feeling pulled all over the place like a small child by foods that is unhealthy for you? Do you not know how to say no? Well first you need to unhook yourself from those foods. Which I will not lie, it is not easy. I suggest not eating them for 4 week. Yes a month! You need to curb your cravings. You need time to heal your gut. (By the way did you know that 80 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system? Keep getting sick? It might have to do with what you eat and how it affects your gut.) I also found when I stopped eating certain foods I did not want them anymore. Take pasta for example, I did not eat it for 8 months and when I did it tasted weird to me. I do not miss it.
Mostly what I wanted to say in this long post is to pull out your food snob. When you are tempted, when you body is screaming for something you should not eat, when you feel lazy, stop and think. Ask yourself if it is really worth it? Do I want to sabotage my goals, my health for that? Now the answer to that ding-dong might be yes but then SAVOR it. Plan for it, make it your treat, not a last-minute-give-in. Love what you eat. Love it unabashedly. I have a saying (ask all my friends) “What if I die and this is my last meal?” Do I want to have died after eating a micky d’s burger? Heck no! I love food too much to eat that. More importantly I love myself too much!
I can relate to your food-snob attitude. It is serving you well. Your salad looks gorgeous. I salute your skill and dedication.
My doughnut of choice is Boston creme. My husband buys one for me about once a year and I cut it in half and savor it for two breakfasts.
Erma Bombeck said, 'Just think of all those women on the Titanic who said, "No thank you, " to dessert that night. And for what?' She's funny but she probably would have agreed with your post, too.
The elimination diet is very very difficult but healing. My husband has had EOE all his life and didn't know it until a few years ago. I am so glad the medical world is learning more about esophagus health.
Posted by: karen andreola | January 18, 2015 at 10:45 AM
Hi Clarice!
Kudos to you for bringing up this subject. I have made a major change in the way I eat since my "episode" back in July. People keep asking me how I did it and much like you I simply tell them I want every bite to count! Never would I think I would be eating Black bean brownies AND LOVING them but I do!!! I think it is a matter of state of mind and perhaps a bit more work learning and figuring out new ways to enjoy food. I'm up to the challenge and enjoying almost every minute!
My grandson has recently been put on a elimination diet after being diagnosed with EOE. He, is not taking it well, (no more peanut butter:( but my daughter is trying the best she can and the family is working together. The kids are learning to read labels and new recipes are being "invented" every day. Lots a work but in the long run, well worth it.
You are an inspiration to us all, Clarice and I thank YOU!!! Thank you so much for sharing, keep up the good work!!!
Posted by: Louise | January 17, 2015 at 04:47 PM
I wholeheartedly agree with you, Clarice! Hubby and I have been working at eating good, real food, and we feel so much better. Sometimes for a splurge, I eat a piece of good, dark chocolate. I hope you'll share some of your splurges with us sometime.
Posted by: Jody | January 17, 2015 at 04:01 PM
I am reminded that life is too short to drink cheap wine, or to knit with cheap yarn!
Posted by: Tracy A. | January 16, 2015 at 06:16 PM
Amen, Clarice- Excellent advice! Great post.
Posted by: Angie | January 15, 2015 at 09:36 PM