It's the end of December, a month full of angst. This is a bit of a rant.
Food Guilt is what some people feel if they eat something that they think has too many calories in it. If they think they ate the wrong type of food. If they think they eat too often. And when they think they ate too much. Even after each meal.
It’s not that strange that people feel like this. There is a myth that eating less is better. Or that eating food with fewer calories is better.
A trip to the supermarket emphasizes this in every aisle. Notice all the “low words,” “reduced words,” or “free words.”
Low Fat Milk. Fat Free Milk. Gluten Free Bread. Low Carb Bread. Low Calorie Ice Cream. Wheat Free.
Sugar Free Sweetener. Low Sugar. Reduced Fat Peanut Butter. Fat Free Half and Half. Low Sugar Orange Juice. Low Fat Cheese. Fat Free Yogurt.
We’re conditioned to think that less is better. So much that people pay for low sugar orange juice with malic acid, citric acid, potassium citrate, natural flavor and ascorbic acid in it, instead of the regular kind that has, you guessed it, oranges in it.
A lot of people eat salad, not because it’s a great way to get iron, antioxidants and vitamins, but because it’s a low-calorie alternative to the thing they actually want to eat but are afraid to.
Our taste buds evolved so we would know what to eat, but many people secretly wish they didn’t like food.
You know the saying, “You can never be too rich or too thin.” Yeah.
Lately there are some new trend diets that people are on that remove whole food groups, such as carbohydrates, and replace it with high fat food instead, or protein. I sense that many feel very rebellious by the fact that they are free to eat a fatty cheese, something that was previously known as the worst food you could ever eat.
Remember when people told you to stay away from that yummy ripe, oozing slice of brie and eat an apple instead?
Not anymore. "Eat the brie, it is high in fat and protein, but for goodness sake don’t eat the apple, sugar will kill you!"
Is it any wonder that people go through the holidays full of food guilt, terrified that they might have gained a pound or two, or Lord Have Mercy, five!
I don’t believe that we should feel guilty for what we have and compare it to people around the world that can't afford, or have no access to food at all.
But I can’t help seeing the irony of food fear and food guilt when gaining a few pounds over the holidays is a wonderful blessing.
So my point with all this is this. Enjoy yourself. Eat with gusto and enjoy all the flavors tickling your tongue.
And for the record, if you get off the binging/dieting cycle and never give these extra holiday pounds a second thought they’ll disappear without you noticing. Really.
What if you do exactly the opposite from what you’ve been conditioned to do?
Add calories to every meal. Add almond butter to your oatmeal to add calories and protein.
I know, it’s scary isn’t it? Adding MORE calories to food?
Yes. See what happens.
You'll likely notice that you haven't thought of food once until your stomach reminds you with a rumble around lunch time. No more asking yourself why you’re hungry an hour after breakfast, surprised that you are since you just ate.
If you think of calories as a benefit, suddenly all the thoughts of guilt will disappear, food won’t be taboo anymore. Sometimes when you’re really busy you might even forget to eat. It happens when food isn’t constantly on our minds like forbidden fruit. If you forget, don’t worry, you’ll eat more later. It's all good.
Happy New Year.
