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the FEAR of not enough food

Jackie
Multiplepetmom

on 3/26/11 11:13 pm
I do so much better when the fridge and the cupboard are full and I have lots and lots and lots of food. I can relax knowing it's all there.

same thing when I am not at home and I have lots of food in my lunch. last Friday afternoon I was looking in my lunch bag and feeling enormous satisfaction and happiness that it still had lots in it. look at all that food! what a great feeling. didn't eat it all, just liked knowing it was there.

now, I can always go to the store but that isn't the same. I want to know the food is right there.

it's not like I was deprived as a kid, where did this fear of running out of food come from? all I can think of is humans are hard wired that way, because of famine, and then we mess ourselves up with diets.

once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.

PM me if you are interested in either of these.

 size 8, life is great
 

Lee ~
on 3/27/11 12:58 am - CA
Golly, I can relate to this.  I'm looking at this issue this morning.  I always pack a lunch for work, but there's a good lunch spot with an excellent hot/cold food bar right across the street from the office, so if I forget something, no problem. 

Today I'm going to a Yoga Retreat from 9:30 to 4.  Lunch is brown bag with a nature walk during lunch.  It's way up in the hills with nothing around so it's me and my lunchpail.  It was funny watching myself figure out what to pack.  Calcium/vitamins,  4 oz Lime Shrimp from Costco,  1 Bodytech protein pudding with 1 T toasted almonds to sprinkle on it.  Emergency (gotta cover that base) 1 Peanut Butter Pure Protein bar.  I don't generally eat bars but since they're going to have snacky stuff this morning before it starts. I'll eat protein before I go so I don't need to eat their breakfast snack stuff which is most likely all carbs.  Good thing is that I'm doing it with 4 WLS sisters because I would have packed the fridge, then dumped it all after eating my cup of food anyways.   I feel the same way (well I used to anyways) when getting on a long airplane flight.  I'm getting much better at knowing that I can drink water or eat a protein bar when in a jam and I'll be just fine.  It's the old "not enough" mentality that I watch with amazement.  I'm really sorry I got raised with that fear of "not enough", but maybe it's really about "me not being enough" and food always filled that empty hole.

HW: 249   SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011

Jackie
Multiplepetmom

on 3/27/11 1:35 am
the empty hole, that's deep! 

no, but it's true and I have found myself trying to fill it with other things - shopping!!!  but food is always my filler of choice.

I am always glad when I go to the trouble of figuring out what to take for the day and then making sure I have it with me. the "I can buy something" idea does not work out so well.  bring lots of food and relax!! that should be my motto.

just relax in general: there is enough, there is always enough.

once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.

PM me if you are interested in either of these.

 size 8, life is great
 

Still Fawn
on 3/27/11 1:10 am, edited 3/27/11 9:23 am - SIERRA MADRE, CA
Hmm.. I am the same way Jackie. I want a European kitchen- want to shop daily for fresh foods to cook. But then I get all weird about empty cupboards and freezers and go do a huge shopping order again. I WAS deprived as a kid.. We were basically homeless for awhile, and then we had an apartment. No furniture, no food really, but an apartment. I think I spent over six months as a kid eating nothing but generic cereal, dry, twice a day.. I have always attributed it to that, but maybe we ARE just hardwired...

ETA: my ipad sucks for catching mistakes!

 I am still loving life with my sleeve! Been maintaining at or below goal for over 4 years!
"People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within."   - Ramona L. Anderson

Jackie
Multiplepetmom

on 3/27/11 1:32 am
nothing but cereal? that's horrible!  and no wonder!

I think it's both - hardwired and it can be made worse. your sitution wasn't self imposed like mine (diets = restrict! restrict!) but I think they are both bad for us.

I love the idea of shopping more often a la Europe but for me that would mean twice a week in stead of once every two weeks. it's a good idea since the more healthy food is the shorter the shelf life as a general rule.

once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.

PM me if you are interested in either of these.

 size 8, life is great
 

Lee ~
on 3/27/11 1:43 am - CA
That sux about the cereal.

I like shopping often and smaller.  I live half way between Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and a weekly Farmer's market and can easily walk to any of them.  Darn work gets in the way.  I don't really stock up that much but I do like opening the fridge and knowing that there's something in there to eat.

Living in California, I keep nuts in the freezer (only 2 pounds) in case of Earthquake.  I figure 2 pounds will keep me for many days if the food supply is cut off.

HW: 249   SW: 229 GW: 149 Age: 63 - Body by Sauceda - 12/2011

Jackie
Multiplepetmom

on 3/27/11 2:45 am
 I live half way between Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and a weekly Farmer's market and can easily walk to any of them


oh!!  I so want to move to civilization! I'd have to drive 4 hours each way for that kind of shopping, what a pity. I have organic food envy!


once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.

PM me if you are interested in either of these.

 size 8, life is great
 

Still Fawn
on 3/27/11 9:25 am - SIERRA MADRE, CA
Thats exactly it- if it stays good forever, how good for you can it be?  LOL. I think with the Spring coming (soon, right.. I mean really already!) I am gonna try again to do this again.. wish me luck!

 I am still loving life with my sleeve! Been maintaining at or below goal for over 4 years!
"People spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people, hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within."   - Ramona L. Anderson

moparmemaw
on 3/27/11 2:43 am - IA
I've never really thought about this, but my pantry and 2 refrigerators, plus a chest and and upright freezer in the garage (and the freezers in the 2 fridges) are stocked FULL!!!  It's ridiculous!  I go through spells and says we are NOT buying anything at the grocery store except milk and bread and fresh fruits/veggies.  . 

We just purchased a butchered hog to split between our 2 kids.  We have at least a half hog still in our freezer.  Anyway, we had to throw out a bunch of stuff out of the freezer that had 2004 dates on it.  Craziness!

Wanda
Some people might not support my WLS decision. 
Those people remind me of slinkys. Not good for much but it would would bring a smile to my face if someone pushed them down the stairs.
       

                                           

Ticker includes Pre-op weight loss 24 lb. 

                            
 
diane S.
on 3/27/11 4:21 am
Yep, I do this too. Feel like I have to keep a good stock of my healthy things around so I can have a good bunch of choices for what I want. I find myself going to the store more often for smaller amounts of goods such as fresh veggies and skim milk rather than doing the giant load up every week or so. And my costco reward points are down this year so I know I am not buying as much there and it was mostly food items I used to get. I live in fear of running out of almonds or peanut butter so keep a big stash. and found i had two packages of my favorite smoked goat cheese which I had forgotten I had purchased.

So I guess we all have this deeply ingrained hunter-gatherer instinct which I think is the root of the shopping addiction of some people. And we don't get over it just because most of our stomachs are gone.

Maybe its just the satisfaction of knowing that this shopping chore is done and things are well provided for. I have to think of my husband too though I just don't buy any junk food anymore and if he wants any he has to go get it himself. I won't even go down those aisles anymore.

Diane

      
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