Having a middle eastern background, growing up we were always taught to finish our plates especially at family gatherings. That if we didn't finish it was 'haram' as there were less fortunate people in the world and we were taking our food for granted (sounds dramatic right).
Our servings weren't of the ordinary size, they were over-flowing with food and not only did we finish what we were given we would always go for seconds. It didn't just stop at seconds, the desserts and fruit then came out and we taught ourselves to force these treats down as it was too delicious to pass by.
Portion control? What portion control.. It was devour as much as you could until you couldn't breath and felt the need to lie down to help aide digestion. I talk like this is the past middle eastern behaviour but truth is it still happens, I still attend family gatherings and get overwhelmed by the amount of food.
If your origins aren't from an ethnic background you probably find this hard to comprehend. The biggest struggle I had "eating well" was the feeling that I was continually missing out. Every time I visited friends or relatives I was greeted with a treat, chocolate, nuts or whatever it may be and perceived as unsocial if I didn't consume it.
Embarking on a healthy lifestyle where I manage my portion controls and say 'no' once in a while was the most liberating choice I have made. Taking a step back and building a routine of fuelling my body and eating to train rather than dieting and exercising has really allowed me to enjoy these family moments where I'm not forever bloated and filled with guilt. Do I still indulge? Hell yea, I'd never give up such precious family time.
If your origins aren't from an ethnic background you probably find this hard to comprehend. The biggest struggle I had "eating well" was the feeling that I was continually missing out. Every time I visited friends or relatives I was greeted with a treat, chocolate, nuts or whatever it may be and perceived as unsocial if I didn't consume it.
Embarking on a healthy lifestyle where I manage my portion controls and say 'no' once in a while was the most liberating choice I have made. Taking a step back and building a routine of fuelling my body and eating to train rather than dieting and exercising has really allowed me to enjoy these family moments where I'm not forever bloated and filled with guilt. Do I still indulge? Hell yea, I'd never give up such precious family time.
Fill my plate please! I don't diet.. I'm fuelling my body for that epic workout that's about to happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment