Relationship with food?

[Grog]

I don't know, I have French roots, so don't blame me for that. But...

For me, food is WAAAAY more than health and nutrition. It brings a lot of pleasure, both in the preparation and in the consumption, and even in the planning (less so when I do the dishes... but even that I somewhat enjoy). Because of the food in itself, and also because of the circumstances in which it is eaten (together-time with husband, family, and/or friends). It's very seldom just about feeding myself.

Many times a carefully, lovingly prepared meal (with a glass of wine, please) will be a reward for hard work. I am definitely in the "bike to eat, eat to bike" category. I love that commuting to work on my bike and running a little, plus being just generally very active, allows me to eat a lot of pasta, because, well, I love pasta. It tastes good.

I usually have a few bites of the veggies I am chopping while I prepare the meal. I find that I am less hungry when I actually sit down to eat, eat more slowly. Like Biciclista, I hate that "stuffed" feeling if I've eaten too much. I always try to stop eating a few bites short of that. I'd rather have a snack later.

Most of the food I consume is made from scratch, most of the time by myself (or my husband). One of the things I abuse a little is cheese. But I only buy really good cheeses, and I wouldn't eat huge amounts of it anyway (it's expensive). I don't butter my toasts anymore, so I figure that I can have another bite of cheese now and then. It's a matter of choosing my sins.

Baking takes some time commitment that I don't often have, and I won't buy baked goods at the store. Sometimes I'll have pie. Guiltlessly. Even if I know how much butter there is in the crust.

Food is never taken away as a punishment. I can't imagine dieting. But then the most "overweight" I've ever been in my life is by about 10 pounds, at a time when I was eating more cheese and being less active (took transit to work instead of bus/walk). Conveniently enough, I was very, very sick for a few weeks and lost those 10 pounds. Then I also lost the boyfriend I had then and picked up a much more active lifestyle which turned out to be healthier.

Sorry for rambling. I love food. I think a huge part of the "food problem" in Western societies is the incredible amount of convenience food that we consume. I feel that by making food an integral part of my life, and not just a "plug in," I might be doing something right. But I'm not sure...

I hope this inspires you somewhat...