Nutrition in Recovery

I know that recovery is "more than just the food" but we do indeed have to eat to not only survive, but be bursting with energy, vitality, have a clear head, stablise moods etc. Of course, looking at eating plans, nutrients etc can come at a later stage when we are more happy with our progress in the psychological part of recovery- don't ever worry if you don't feel ready about putting more attention on food right now.

I went to my (put off for a while!) nutrition appointment yesterday. What I learned in the session was definately not what I expected to be told.

I assumed that I would be told by the nutritionist that I would have to eat less. I dreaded having to pick at measly salads for the rest of my life. After all, I currently eat alot more than all the celebrity diets out there.

How wrong was I!! I was shocked to discover that I am actually eating TOO LITTLE and therefore my body is going into famine mode- hence holding onto all the "insulation" it can in case my body experiences a "famine" again.

In the Western world we are brainwashed by dieting companies into thinking that hunger is an uncomfortable sensation and that we must eat less to lose weight. BULL****! The fault with diets is that in the short term, indeed we can lose weight (but more muscle and water!).. but it's human nature to hate being deprived of essential nutrients and getting enough fuel to function properly. So then we beat ourselves up for not sticking to this super strict diet and feel angry at our bodies for feeling hungry.

If I told you to put one leg off the ground, you would be easily able to do so. If I asked you to put the other leg in the air, while keeping the other leg off the ground, you would laugh at me saying that that was impossible. Would you beat yourself up about not being able to lift both legs off the ground at the same time? No, because it clearly is impossible- it defies the natural laws of gravity. That's how ridiculous diets are- they are impossible to sustain in the long-term, so do not beat yourself for being unable to achieve the impossible. We have only been brainwashed to believe that diets work.

Hunger is our body saying "More fuel please!". Hunger doesn't mean that you are bad, lazy or more/less attractive. It's just a natural bodily function. How do you think wild animals know when to eat? They don't read magazines, follow diets etc... They eat when they are hungry!

Think of the actresses, athletes, singers etc who are the faces of these diet articles/celebrity fitness DVDs... It is the reality that to reach certain career goals they may have to starve themselves down to a dangerous weight. What happens when they retire or even before they retire? They can balloon- their poor body and mind can't get enough of what they have been deprived of.

My body shape WILL change during recovery. I have to accept that. BUT my body will eventually settle at it's natural weight set-point. I just need to be patient and let Mother Nature do her work. I am focusing now on being HEALTHY. All is well.

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Take care,

Carol

(Article influenced by Allen Carr's book "Easyweigh" which talks about the incredible brainwashing from the media and advertising about what we eat)