Sunday, November 16, 2008

Feast Day Gluttony

Just found this quote from an article I wrote last year. It's from the book, "Beyond the Shadow of a diet" by Matz and Frankel.
"...a healthy relationship with food means eating in response to physical hunger most of the time. However, normal eating can also include experiences such as eating occasionally because something looks good, eating past fullness at a special meal, eating in response to an emotion once in a while or choosing foods based on nutritional content because this feels care-taking. Attuned eating means that eating for satisfaction is predominant, and experiencing deprivation is virtually non-existent. Attuned eating is a natural skill. It can be relearned by people who have lost touch with their hunger and can be reinforced and nurtured in children so that they maintain this healthy relationship with food throughout their lives."

So, how does Thanksgiving fit into this model? It's okay to eat a lot when something looks good or to eat past fullness at a special meal. So it's okay to look forward to stuffing myself on Thanksgiving? It's not perverted to plan for a gluttonous day? I can feel safe eating thousands of calories at one meal just this one day? Candied yams, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce...oh, and let's not forget the turkey. Lots of butter and cream in the mashed potatoes and maybe even in the gravy. Dessert? No decision yet but whatever it is, it will be calorific!

Should we include a veggie to be "care-taking"? Something of good nutritional content?

I'll think about it. But not obsessively.

3 comments:

Joanna said...

this is a great quote. i look at food like this- i want to feed my body what it needs and not deprive it at the same time. when i do indulge, i enjoy the moment to its fullest!

Hallie Fae said...

Wow. You're right about just about everything. I love your site and you speak the truth. America is addicted to food, sizes, appearance, and to a lot of people this is what matters to them the most. How can you live counting calories? How can you live meal to meal. Everything in moderation is my idea of eating right. Eat what you love when you want it, and when you don't, don't.

Sharon Salomon, M.S., R.D. said...

Thanks for your comments. I like "Eat what you love when you want it, when you don't, don't." That's a good one.