tallgirl's daily check-in

tallgirl · Post by **tallgirl** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:20 pm

So here we go...

I am tempted to use this space, this daily check-in, as an outlet for the expression of some of my pent-up food-related anxiety, as well as a place to keep track of my degrees of success at No S. A food blog, if you will. I've struggled with weight all my life and find that the people closest to me are not necessarily people with whom I can really talk openly about these issues, given their personal investment in me... It's complicated.

And that's the thing: it's far more complicated than it needs to be. I've been assessed by professionals and "diagnosed," not with an eating disorder, but with disordered eating - that is, my relationship with food and nutrition is somewhat dysfunctional. It is wrought with anxiety and guilt and fear, and it has become far more psychological than physical, social, or cultural. Disordered eating in and of itself is not particularly uncommon; I suppose the only unusual thing about my situation is that I've been sufficiently bothered by its effects on my life to talk to a therapist about it. Obsessing over food and weight takes up far too much of my energy and time.

I grew up in the midwestern United States, and have lived in Italy and Brazil, and now find myself in Canada. My experience has led me to believe that North America is fairly uniformly confused about how to eat, and when, and why; Italians and Brazilians, on the other hand, generally enjoy what Reinhard (and his sources) have suggested are longstanding cultural food traditions that allow them to engage with the phenomenon of cuisine in a way that is more healthful, as well as more pleasurable - and I suppose it's no great surprise that their food traditions bear some significant resemblance to No S, varying according to local produce. This, perhaps more than anything else, is what has drawn me to this forum: I see it as an opportunity to shape my own healthful and pleasurable food tradition, within this confused culture that has not provided me with one from birth. It's a format within which I might more successfully reshape my paradigm.

So, here I am - so here we go. I hope it's all right for me to use this space as a blog, to vent and to reflect, as well as to track progress. If it's inappropriate I'm sure someone will tell me!

All of that being said...

This morning my breakfast was flax toast with fresh-ground peanut butter, a banana mashed up with oat flakes (a Brazilian breakfast staple, minus the honey), and black coffee. It's about 11:00 and I'm beginning to feel hungry here at my desk in the library, but I'm sure I can make it to...

Lunch: Minestrone soup (heavy on the garbanzo beans), whole-wheat crackers, a pear, and a cup of yogurt. (Does yogurt count as a sweet?)

I'm not sure about No S's position on exercise, but I do go to the gym - plan to do so this evening, on my way home from work, before...

Supper: grilled turkey patty with a side of roasted eggplant and sweet potato. (I certainly hope sweet potato doesn't count as a sweet!)

Francois Tremblay · Post by **Francois Tremblay** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:31 pm

I would definitely say that yogurt and sweet potatoes are not sweets.

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:22 pm

Hi TG

Yogurt is borderline..
I wouldn't worry much.. Just don't go having three cups of it a day as a snack... As part of your meal it will satisfy your taste for sweet, but not really be an S.. It would become an S if you have it as snacks, and often..

Peace and Love,
Deb

mstevens · Post by **mstevens** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:35 pm

I've been allowing slightly sweet stuff to myself as long as I count it as part of a meal. It's a habit I'm dubious about - mostly sugary drinks and so on.

I think it's perfectly fine to waffle away here. I tend to babble a little on my topic

although I usually don't have time.

Good luck!