We often have the food network on at our house. It never really bothered me before. I enjoy learning new things about cooking (not that I'm any good at it) and new meal or preparation ideas. I really do. But last night I was sitting in the living room with Pierre and I realized, WE ARE SO FIXATED ON FOOD! Holy crap. I mean, it's ridiculous!
We watch food shows on MULTIPLE networks, talk about places we'd want to go and EAT, and all we discuss about our weekend plans is WHERE we are going to eat, and how we are going to get our shopping done. When I put it on paper (online, type it out etc.) it seems even more lame than it seems in my head. I know it is good to be educated about food, but obsessed with it? I don't think so. I think we have crossed the border into unnatural territory, and frankly, I don't know how to stop it.
We all have priorities, right? How can I take the two of us, two food focused people and focus our energies in a different direction?
There are a few factors in this that I do not believe are our fault. We are Jews. We are predisposed to being overweight by parents/grandparents. We have "depression" food syndrome, like my Nanny did where you ate all of your plate and more, and you didn't waste, because times were hard. I used to think it was just like a human garbage disposal complex, of wanting to keep eating,but i know who i learned it from. I'm not trying to blame, really, just to understand.
Now that I started a weight loss/don't die young/hoping not to get diabetes program, I am thinking more and more about food- how to portion it, how much i've had, how much I can have . . .it's extremely frustrating. It's like to one extent, I can obsess about it, and to the other I have to obsess about it or I will never change my health or habits.
Sometimes I wonder, and afraid for, in fact our children.Will they be so food focused? Will they have to go through the taunting and teasing and struggling that I went through? I hope for their sake they get their grandma (my mom's) genes and have lots of energy, a good work ethic, and athletic ability.
Actually I'd settle for one out of the three.
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I can certainly relate to the frustration, the fear, and feeling, if you'll pardon the pun, consumed by food. As far as my own experience is concerned, I've learned that the best way to handle "food thought" is to replace it with "work-out thought". If your instinct is to eat something, tell yourself that it's okay, providing you work out somehow first. I transitioned from thinking about extra food (aka DESSERT) as a reward, to thinking of food in general as a reward. It's a total mindgame, but one worth trying.
ReplyDeletei'm completely obsessed with food as well. i agree that some of it's cultural. i second adam. excercize helps. it takes up time. the endorphins try to balance out some of the obsessive thoughts. you feel less guilty. you feel more fit. the food network is enjoyable. it's always on at my nail place.
ReplyDeleteps you looked really pretty and healthy last time i saw you.
ReplyDeletethank you all for your comments. ..it makes me feel a little less abnormal
ReplyDeleteHey, it's Katie, David H's girlfriend... I stumbled upon your new blog here through a series of clickings, and this one really stood out to me because I've totally been there. I don't know if you ever picked up on this with me or not, but when I graduated from college, I weighed 235 pounds (I'm just shy of 5'6" so that was technically a BMI of like 37). In June 2007, I had a few health scares so I joined Jenny Craig, and it took a little more than a year but I lost about 90 pounds.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the reason I got up so high was partially genetic -- my dad is well over 300 pounds and my mom is kinda hefty too; my brother and sister also struggle with their weight -- but mostly, it was because I was an emotional eater. I was the classic "eat my feelings" girl. When things went wrong, I binged -- like, a whole pizza and bag of Oreos went into my tummy. And I didn't even realize really that I was doing this until I started the Jenny Craig thing and then something in my life upset me, and I went "Oh... I really want to go eat something... but I'm on this program now and I don't know what to do to make myself feel happy again! Oh no!"
Anyway, I don't really know why I shared that story with you except for I guess I wanted to say I empathize with everything you're going through, and if you ever need any advice/someone to obsess about food with, send me an e-mail or something. Good luck :)