Food is...

When you're attempting to live a healthier life and lose weight, you tend to hear quite a bit about what food is.  The problem is that no one really ever seems to come to a consensus on what food is and how we should treat it.  Some claim that food is fuel and should be used in much the same way that we use gas in our cars. "Eat to live, don't live to Eat."  For others, food is a drug, it can harm us or it can help us, and we should consider what each bite we take will do. "Sugar is evil, buy your food from a FARMacy."   And then there's the "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" camp who insinuate that some foods are big time no-nos. 

But, there's another group.  One that has been dubbed IFIMM (If it fits my macros).  I think this is where I tend to fall.  Yes, I want to have a strong and healthy body.  Yes, I want to shop the Misses section.  Yes, I want to feel proud of myself.  And yes, I want to eat chocolate!  I enjoy chocolate (perhaps a little too much at times).  My goal is to eat 80/20.  80 percent of the stuff I eat, I strive to keep it healthy and as close to whole as possible and 20 percent is whatever I want to eat.  (Now, I'm far from perfect and recently this has become more a 50/50 ratio...ouch!) 

I understand the sentiments of the above groups.  Many of them who follow those ways of thinking are very healthy and active individuals and  I do strive to be more like them.  When you're working to change your body, your relationships also change, including your relationship with food.  Perhaps one day I'll have a healthier approach to eating.  Perhaps soon I won't stress over every bite that goes into my mouth or I will stop just shoving everything in to try to fill my voids.  It's a process and there are a lot of twists and turns along the way. 

There's another factor in this equation that I constantly think about.  What are my eating habits and dieting habits telling my 2 daughters?  What are they internalizing?  Are my issues screwing them up?  Well, that last one...yeah, they're getting screwed up.  We all do.  But, am I teaching them healthy eating?  Or am I showing them the feast or famine way of living that I was taught? 

It is my hope that I am teaching them that food is fuel and a drug and to be enjoyed.  It's how we're designed.  I hope they understand that chocolate is ok, but that veggies are more important to have in your life.  I hope that they learn that food is something you eat to stave off hunger, but that it will do little to cure stress or a broken heart.  I hope that they learn now all of the lessons that I am just starting to breach. 

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