Monday, September 28, 2009

I'm a nutrition freak.

This doesn't mean I'm a health freak. But I have read tons and tons of books and articles on nutrition. I've been obsessed with nutrition since I was a pre-teen in Junior High.
I have suffered from eating disorders plural- anorexia and bulimia- since I was 12 years old. I've been hospitalized for it twice. Both times were life changing. And I learned A LOT about nutrition from nutritionists in the hospital. One of the things I wanted to be when I grew up was a nutritionist. But I hated school and still do to this day.
I'm more for the unconventional approach to learning. Learning through living.
Even though I knew the right things to eat I was listening to what fashion magazines told me instead- to be skinny.
Being pregnant with Violet really changed my eating habits completely.
I now didn't eat to look a certain way- but to survive and have Violet thrive.
I have tried every "diet" out there and have learned not to diet ever again, but to only eat what I love.
One of the books I read that really changed my perspective about food was "Eat Fat". The book talks about the history of fat and explains that by actually eating what you like- when you like- you might even lose weight. Sounds insane right? But guess what- it's true. It's a brilliant book and I highly suggest it to any friend having problems with their weight and a history of eating disorders.
Another book that is changing my perspective about what I eat is a book I'm in the middle of reading now- "Real Food" by Nina Planck.
I'm loving this book and I want to read her second book about baby's first foods.
I highly recommend this book to anyone.
We live in a culture afraid of fat. Deathly afraid of it. Afraid of cholesterol, fat and calories. Afraid of eating, basically, and living too.
Eating is a pleasure- we don't eat purely to survive but to enjoy, to feel, to experience. And why not enjoy what you're eating- to love the food and feel good about eating it afterwards. No guilt attached to eating.
Eating has been called a guilty pleasure, which is ridiculous. Guilty and pleasure shouldn't be in the same sentence. Especially when it comes to eating.
I love wholefoods and the farmer's markets.
And I am broke- poor as fuck. But Wholefoods has their own brand of products and it's relatively cheap. I know doesn't sound believable but it's true.
Their meat and fish is often on sale as is their produce. I know the food is quality not just quantity. Which is important for poor folks like me feeding a big family of seven people.
Poor people, my people, are mostly fat. Why? Because we think we cannot afford the quality good foods that rich people eat freely. We buy very processed foods because they last- and they feed a lot of people for a low cost.
I've done it- bought crap just so my family could have food on the table. Being poor is a trap- believe me. But I'll get more into that at another time.
Fat or thin- I believe both can be healthy. Fat doesn't equal poor health. Nor does poor health equal fat.
I think it's long overdue that people change their perspectives about fat people.
First of all the word fat- shouldn't be considered bad or offensive. That needs to stop. When someone is offended by the word fat- it's probably because they are fat and they're ashamed of it.
I'm fat- and it's taken me a long time to be okay with that and not be looking to change that fact.
I've been extremely thin ( under 80 lbs.) and also fat ( 200 lbs.) in my lifetime thus far. And I can tell you- even though you get to fit into all the "cool" clothes-it doesn't make you happy. Especially when you're afraid of everything you put into your mouth.
I prefer eating full fat meals- bacon, steak, chicken with the skin on, and all deep fried foods. The thing is the meat is antibiotic free and grass-fed. The baked goods my family and I eat are made by me- I know what goes into it.
My cholesterol is excellent, sugar level- all of things the doctors test for is good.
Because of the foods I eat. If I lose weight or gain weight- that's not my concern. My concern is am I healthy?
My point is cool clothes can be made-and tailored to fit, quality food can be bought and feed a big family on a low budget, and guilt over food is unnecessary. You are beautiful no matter what size, 100 or 500 lbs. Be happy with yourself inside and out and see if that doesn't change your life completely.

This topic I will be talking way more about- but right now I have to get to playing with my children.

Thanks for listening I hope this helps you.

TTFN! ta ta for now, as tigger would say.

No comments:

Post a Comment