Junk Food

Debbiejean
on 10/10/12 12:37 pm - Shelbyville, MI

Junk food -- let's give this some thought

Posted: 09 Oct 2012 02:53 AM PDT

I was just reading the comments section of a post and the commenter asserted:

If you label it junk food, should you even be calling it food?

Much of what I've been reading lately (Food Rules, The Cure for Everything, some other blog posts) has been talking about what is food and what is not. Michael Pollan talks about "products" versus food. I can see his logic in that division. Chips (baked, fried, or encrusted with cheese....or more accurately cheeze dust that contains no actual dairy derived cheese) are definitely a product. Twinkies -- product (you know this because they last forever under the car seat and they never go bad). Soda ? Well it's a drink so we don't usually think of liquids as food but still -- product...no getting around that!

Hot dogs? Product.

Apples? Food.

Cake? Hmmmmmm.....this is where it gets sticky.

According to Dictionary.com, the definitions of food are:

any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk, or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth, etc.
more or less solid nourishment, as distinguished from liquids.
a particular kind of solid nourishment: a breakfast food; dog food.
whatever supplies nourishment to organisms: plant food.
anything serving for consumption or use: food for thought.

So, okay -- cake. It does provide calories we can live off of (not that most of us really need those calories). But maybe nourishment is just as much about sustaining the soul as it is about sustaining the body. From that definition, cake can nourish. So -- food. Then the next question would be:
How much cake do you need to nourish your soul? (Answer? probably a lot less than you are ever served! It can probably be measured in bites -- not pieces.)
But that bag of chips you automatically pick up with your lunch sandwich -- we're already established it as a product but is it nourishing you? It gives you calories, yes. (which, again, you really don't need) The nutrient level is almost nil -- so it's not nourishing your body. Does it nourish your soul? I bet not. I bet NOT EVER.
Who among you has ever been transported to a better place from a potato chip? My guess is no one. (correct me if I'm wrong -- click the comment button and share the experience!)
People, what are we doing? We're eating food we label as JUNK. Why? We're intelligent. We want to be healthy. We value our appearance to one degree or another. What are we thinking???
My guess: We're not. We are willingly being blind to our drives, our needs, and the return on the investment of our calories.
Here's a trick:
Next time you pick up a food product to put into your mouth, try to imagine something that would taste better than whatever is about to go in. If you can come up with anything that would taste better, put the food product DOWN! Don't eat it. You don't want it. It won't nourish your body (because it's junk) and it won't nourish your soul (because you don't even want it).
No JUNK FOOD -- you deserve better. Eat real food. Nourish your body. Nourish your soul.

Connie D.
on 10/10/12 4:05 pm, edited 10/10/12 4:05 pm

RNY on 08/29/07

Debbie.....I am really going to consciously give this a try!!

I really have been trying harder. Of course now that I am sick I don't have a huge appetite anyway. That helps!! I don't want to gorge on things!! Hopefully this will get me back where I need to be!

Thanks....love and hugs.....connie d

Debbiejean
on 10/11/12 8:26 am - Shelbyville, MI

Revision on 04/12/07

Just keep trying Connie, change comes slow, mindful eating is a process and we just keep learning and being more aware of our bites and putting down food when they stop tasting fantastic in our mouths.

Debbie A.
on 10/11/12 2:22 am - Discovery Bay, CA

RNY on 08/15/12

Love this!

I feel I use junk foods to punish myself! I'm just starting to feel that I deserve better for myself. I've caught myself getting mad at Steve and making bad choices. Things have turned around so much at my house. I'm truly blessed with my family they are so supportive. Steve usually has a ****tail every night but since the surgery he only has a few on the weekend. So he has lost weight also. Krissy has dropped 4 lbs and not eating as much junk at school. Please keep posting these Debbie they help so much.

Big hugs, Debbie

"Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'M POSSIBLE!!!"

"No one said it was going to be easy, but it will definitely be worth it"

Debbiejean
on 10/11/12 8:36 am - Shelbyville, MI

Revision on 04/12/07

Glad those post help you Debbie.
Emotional eating is something I do too. How do I stop it? Well sometimes I can and sometimes I just can't. So then when I can't I try to make better food choices for myself or make myself go for a walk. It's never going to go away for me this emotional eating. Just like an alcoholic I have to be aware of putting food in my mouth and how much. I don't dump any more so keeping this weight off is all me.

My hubby is gone this week 4 wheeling and it's just me and my doggies and my outside cats at home. It's very easy for me to just go and get crap to eat if I want it but so far I'm good.

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