For the Love of Cake

For the love of...doughnuts, hotdogs, fried chicken, french fries, bread, cake, pie, ice cream. [ Insert any fear food here ]. Want to hear a secret? I think its perfectly okay to eat ALL foods. (Gasp!) Why? Because all foods are made of of different nutritional profiles to nurture, satisfy, or enjoy. And thats what eating is all about. The perfect balance between health and enjoyment. Yes, foods are all different and have different qualities, but it is all about how, when, and why you eat those foods.

So what is a fear food? To me, fear food is any food that causes anxiety around eating, any food you feel out of control with, or any food that causes shame or guilt after consumption. It is unrealistic to abstain from these fear foods. We will eventually eat food on our 'bad' list which causes shame and guilt, so then we try to avoid those foods, and before you know it you have entered the vicious cycle of binging and restricting.

How do you get over this? You learn to enjoy these fear foods. Scary right? Slowly, but surely it is important to teach yourself that these foods are not forbidden. Eating these foods does not make you a failure. This is not a moral dilemma or a reflection on you as a person. These foods are simply a combination of carbohydrates, dietary fats, and protein. If pizza was what causes weight gain we would ban pizza and call it a day. It is more about the how, when, and why you are eating ANY food. Are you eating pizza until the point of being uncomfortable or are you honoring your fullness and stopping when you are satisfied? There is such a big difference.

Through the process of eliminating fear foods and making all foods legal you can then begin to examine the underlying emotions and influencers on these food choices. This is when balance and moderation can start to take place. Ah, breathe a sigh of relief. There is room for these foods in you life!!