Debunking the Food Myths

In preparation for weight loss surgery - one of the requirements is that the person considering the surgery have a psychiatric evaluation. They need to make certain that people have a healthy expectation of what the surgery will and will not do.

Back before my surgery, my counselor asked that I make a list of all the things that food was to me - and we explored what those losses would be - so that I would be somewhat prepared for the reality of not having food in my life. Most of the things on my list were actually myths - perhaps what I WANTED food to be for me - but I thought it might be beneficial to look at my list again, so I thought for the next several days, I would look at each of MY myths, one by one - and see where I am now.

MYTH #1 - FOOD IS MY B.F.F.

As I have stated before - I have done much of my eating in secret. Nobody ever knew about the things I ate when other people were not around. I've come to the conclusion that ANY realationship - whether it be with food, or drugs, or another person - that I cannot talk about, is at it's very core, unhealthy. Any relationship that I lie about - whether by not telling everything about it - or by deliberately stating a falsehood - is not healthy. And for much of my adult life that WAS my relationship with food. I didn't want to do any kind of food diary - because I didn't want to admit to all myself, or anybody else, exactly what I put into my mouth every day.

My first marriage was a tangle of infidelity, control, and abuse (his, not mine). He was extremely jealous of any time and and person that did not revolve around him. As the years went by, I spent more and more time alone, and it seemed that the only "friend" I had was food. Only, food really wasn't a friend at all. Besides the secrecy part - there was also the fact that the food I was eating was not good for me. A friend wants only the best for you - food - both the kind of food and the quantity of food - was not best for me in any way, shape or form.

Now, I KNOW that food is not my friend. Food is the vehicle by which I get nutrition. I do sometimes eat while I'm alone - but I no longer eat in SECRET. I would tell (and have told) anyone exactly what I eat in a day, without the slightest bit of shame or embarrassment.

God has blessed me with wonderful friends - people who care deeply about me. I don't NEED food to be a friend. Thank you, everyone - for loving me.