Why Food is More Than ‘Just Fuel’

 

coco

I’m about to discuss a pretty taboo topic in the Eating Disorder community, and that is food. We are told time and time again that it’s not really about the food, but rather that the food is a vehicle to exert our control over our lives. This is true and pretty understandable.

Since moving home for the Summer, and with the availability of a kitchen over my mini fridge and microwave in my dorm, I have decided to cultivate a new relationship with food.

Rather than eating leftovers or frozen meals, I have decided to take the time to prepare my food to prove to myself that I matter, and so does the fuel that I put in my body. This means that I take the time to prepare something for myself that I know I will enjoy, so when I eat, I can appreciate the food that I am putting into my body rather than using food as a way to abuse my body.

Throughout the past month or so, I have even started to experiment with certain recipes and presentations of food so it looks beautiful and pleasing to the eye. Although this is still a journey for me, I am learning that food is so much more than what I ever thought it could be.

Food is color, taste, smell, texture, and food can be enjoyable and delicious if I choose to treat it as such.

Instead of fearing food and the power I thought it had over me, I took the power back and created something beautiful in something that I once feared.

Food does not have the power, I do.

Find a Registered Dietitian in Your Area 

Image Source: Weheartit
More from Rachel Onefater
The No. 1 Reason to Treat Yourself
Somehow food became entangled in discipline because people fear “letting themselves go”...
Read More
Join the Conversation

2 Comments

  1. says: Beth

    Our busy lives and and the abundance of quick, convenient food options make it easy to mindlessly consume without stopping to think if what we are eating (or not eating) actually serves our bodies.

    I agree that taking the time to actually prepare food for yourself that you truly enjoy is an expression of self love. This is when food becomes nourishment (for both body and soul) rather than simply sustenance. This realization has been an important foundation of my own recovery.

  2. says: Angharad

    This was such a powerful article. Not only was it about the touchy subject that is food, but it was so well written and a joy to read. It filled me with inspiration, thank you for sharing! X

Leave a comment
Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *