Food is life, which reminds me of “football is life” if you watch Ted Lasso.
Honestly, I enjoy food for so many reasons beyond the fact that my body needs food to survive. And it’s okay for you to do the same!
We often see food stripped down to calories, points, macros, and shoulds and should nots. It leaves very little room for enjoyment.
But how so?
Do you ever smell something cooking and it instantly brings you back to your childhood. One of the strongest memory associations we have to food is through smell and taste.
When I worked as a dietitian in nursing homes, this association used to happen all of the time. I would go in early when the kitchen staff was cooking breakfast for our patients and the smell of eggs and toast reminded me of early mornings at my grandparents when they used to cook me and my sibling’s breakfast.
“We should enjoy food and have fun. It is one of the simplest and nicest pleasures in life.” – Julia Child
Your personal emotions and memories associated with certain foods can be a reason why you choose the foods you do. These connections make eating inherently emotional, which is not a bad thing.
We all emotionally eat, and thank goodness we do. How boring would it be to not enjoy fun, delicious foods at holidays, birthdays, or events?
And just to note, there’s a difference between eating emotionally (like we’re talking about) and using food as a coping mechanism when emotions pop up. But, we’ll save that for another post.
Humans eat emotionally, it’s… naturally human. Food is not meant to be feared. Food is not meant to come with a side of guilt.
Food is more than fuel. Food is culture, tradition, celebration, connection, and so much more. It can provide you with pleasure, satisfaction, and comfort and that’s a beautiful thing! If this is something you struggle with, it is POSSIBLE to look at food as more than just fuel 💚 It just takes time, intention, and work.
share
click to LEAVE A COMMENT