yeah it's tough to resist when billions of dollars are used to get you eating more, from marketing to the food itself. strict hedonism! sounds like the name of a substack haha
Haha, would subscribe! Yeah, I'm reading "Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us." It's craaaaaaaaazy how much money they spend on marketing! And crazy how well it works!
As someone who also grew up in high control religion, these connections are really interesting! I can’t comment on feeding kids because I do not have them but, as of a few years ago, I live alone, and this creates a new relationship to food that has piqued my curiosity about intuitive eating, mostly because I have the question “what can I trust myself to have in the house now that no one is watching me?”
I haven’t figured out how this works yet, but my understanding is that intuition is itself supposed to function as a limit or restraint. Like, what we *really* want in our bodies can function as a kind of limit on the stories from our brains: “you have to finish this because you started; you love this thing so you have to eat more of it than is comfortable; you’re going to deprive yourself in the future so you better have more than is comfortable now.” Wanting to be comfortable or a feeling of satiation in these cases functions as a limit, a genuine reason to stop. I do not know whether it really works this way in real life but I find the idea intriguing.
You make a really good point about intuition as a limit. I think, ideally, it would be like setting a self-boundary. Also good of you to point out all the other weird stories that we have about food--things like the "clean plate club."
Maybe a big distinction is external vs. internal controls? You've definitely got me thinking...
I appreciate the nuance of this! As someone who's tried a few different food restrictions as a way of trying to deal with some GI issues, I think about these things a lot. Adding kids in the mix adds a whole other set of questions and issues though, I have no doubt!
Health issues bring a whole other level, too. I recently learned I have a nut allergy but then I saw my favorite granola has almonds in it and just ate it and suffered
I always thought intuitive eating was great for people who are in ED recovery or just grew up in diet culture and have an effed up relationship with food (most adult women), but not that helpful of a practice for children who don't have that preexisting negative relationship. It works for adults because they have an understanding of themselves and often know what will make them feel sick later that kids haven't learned yet. Adults know some of the contors of their own behavior and bodily functions, they're familiar with what fullness is like and how hunger and bordem differ in a way kids aren't aware of yet and need some help with. (Also FWIW, this is an utterly unqualified opinion for me to give as a non-parent).
That's a really interesting point! I do think we parents tend to project our own issues onto our kids when they actually have completely different experiences/perspectives.
I have one kid who eats (or at least tries) everything, and one kid who avoids almost everything. They’re in their 20s now and I think I’ve mentally blocked how difficult it was feeding them when they were little. I do remember heating a LOT of green beans and broccoli, though, because those were the only green vegetables they both liked (sad trombone re my beloved zucchini).
I'm amazed they liked broccoli! At least that packs a lot of nutrition. Thanks for the solidarity, feeding my kids is either going to lead to me pulling out all my hair or achieving enlightenment 😂
We were not a household that had soda or juice or high fructose fruit snacks etc in stock at all times. I figured as long as we avoided all the nasty sugars they would probably be fine. I also *refused* to make “kid dinners” alongside my own meals. Who’s got time for that?!
yeah it's tough to resist when billions of dollars are used to get you eating more, from marketing to the food itself. strict hedonism! sounds like the name of a substack haha
Haha, would subscribe! Yeah, I'm reading "Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us." It's craaaaaaaaazy how much money they spend on marketing! And crazy how well it works!
As someone who also grew up in high control religion, these connections are really interesting! I can’t comment on feeding kids because I do not have them but, as of a few years ago, I live alone, and this creates a new relationship to food that has piqued my curiosity about intuitive eating, mostly because I have the question “what can I trust myself to have in the house now that no one is watching me?”
I haven’t figured out how this works yet, but my understanding is that intuition is itself supposed to function as a limit or restraint. Like, what we *really* want in our bodies can function as a kind of limit on the stories from our brains: “you have to finish this because you started; you love this thing so you have to eat more of it than is comfortable; you’re going to deprive yourself in the future so you better have more than is comfortable now.” Wanting to be comfortable or a feeling of satiation in these cases functions as a limit, a genuine reason to stop. I do not know whether it really works this way in real life but I find the idea intriguing.
Ugh, I am a life-long member of the “clean plate club” 🙋🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️ That habit is so hard to break!
Tell me about it!
You make a really good point about intuition as a limit. I think, ideally, it would be like setting a self-boundary. Also good of you to point out all the other weird stories that we have about food--things like the "clean plate club."
Maybe a big distinction is external vs. internal controls? You've definitely got me thinking...
Interesting to think about...you can have everything, and also not all at once. I do like the idea that Cheez-Its are a unique category.
They're a class-C snack food!
Follow up comment to say that our oldest is a real Cheez-It head and we have tried sooo many flavors and varieties here. Gouda is a recent favorite.
man I envy teen boys and their metabolisms!
"This was not going like the Burnt Toast episode I’d listened to" made me LOL. Great writing.
thanks, Charissa!
Right? As nothing ever is...
Yes!!
Perhaps cheezits need to belong to a special category 😜
WHAT KIND OF MAGIC IS IN THEM
I appreciate the nuance of this! As someone who's tried a few different food restrictions as a way of trying to deal with some GI issues, I think about these things a lot. Adding kids in the mix adds a whole other set of questions and issues though, I have no doubt!
Health issues bring a whole other level, too. I recently learned I have a nut allergy but then I saw my favorite granola has almonds in it and just ate it and suffered
For sure! And lol...
I always thought intuitive eating was great for people who are in ED recovery or just grew up in diet culture and have an effed up relationship with food (most adult women), but not that helpful of a practice for children who don't have that preexisting negative relationship. It works for adults because they have an understanding of themselves and often know what will make them feel sick later that kids haven't learned yet. Adults know some of the contors of their own behavior and bodily functions, they're familiar with what fullness is like and how hunger and bordem differ in a way kids aren't aware of yet and need some help with. (Also FWIW, this is an utterly unqualified opinion for me to give as a non-parent).
That's a really interesting point! I do think we parents tend to project our own issues onto our kids when they actually have completely different experiences/perspectives.
I have one kid who eats (or at least tries) everything, and one kid who avoids almost everything. They’re in their 20s now and I think I’ve mentally blocked how difficult it was feeding them when they were little. I do remember heating a LOT of green beans and broccoli, though, because those were the only green vegetables they both liked (sad trombone re my beloved zucchini).
I'm amazed they liked broccoli! At least that packs a lot of nutrition. Thanks for the solidarity, feeding my kids is either going to lead to me pulling out all my hair or achieving enlightenment 😂
Relatable 🙏🏽
We were not a household that had soda or juice or high fructose fruit snacks etc in stock at all times. I figured as long as we avoided all the nasty sugars they would probably be fine. I also *refused* to make “kid dinners” alongside my own meals. Who’s got time for that?!