Think back to your childhood, or maybe last month, or even last week, to a time something really great happened in your life. Or something not so great. Did someone bring you food or offer to cook you something to make you feel better? Moms are especially good at that, aren’t they?
They love us with food.
It’s their way of taking care of us, or so they believe. It’s their job, since the day we were born. They fed us to nourish our bodies because we needed to grow. And grow we did.
Really, though, when was the last time you were crying over some horrible life event and someone asked, “Can I make you a nice big salad?” No? Yeah, me either. Usually they want to feed us the bad stuff and sadly, that’s just what me might be craving. Comfort food. Comfort for the soul maybe, but not for the heart or arteries.
Basically, this kind of love is going to killing us. It’s not healthy and really, it’s not love. Now, don’t get your feathers all ruffled. I know in our hearts we love each other, but a shift in thinking needs to take place or we are setting up our children to seek comfort from food, which will lead to them to being overweight or even obese, if they aren’t already.
Now, I’ll confess. I love my kids and my husband with food, too. I do that by taking a recipe and finding ways to improve it’s health factor without sacrificing flavor because I prefer to love them healthy and alive. That may sound harsh, but it’s the simple truth. I challenge you to look around the next time you are in public and try to not find a person that’s overweight. I have been doing this consciously lately and it shocks me to look around and see how many of us are fat and more than likely not healthy and certainly not really loving ourselves very much.
So the next time someone needs your love and support, whether it’s a personal emotional struggle or a commitment to healthy eating and weight loss, don’t offer them junk food. Offer them your time in the form of an ear to listen, or a shoulder to lean on, or a nice long walk to combine the two together.
Stop "Loving" Each Other with Food
June 29, 2010 · by · 4 Comments
Great post! I have thought a lot about this topic, and it's SO hard to actually act on even though I totally agree with you. I have "loved" a friend with a quinoa and vegetable salad, though, when she was having a rough day, and it made her life easier and didn't make either one of us feel guilty! So if you can't totally let go of loving with food, at least make it healthy food. 🙂
Love it, girl! I can hear "AMEN" all the way through the internet. 🙂
Great post! I totally agree with you, but it will be hard to change society's relationship with food. Habits like loving with food are hard to break, but it is critical that we do so!
You are so right! I made brownies yesterday for a cookout at a friend's and because there was so much food I had to bring some home (along with deviled eggs). I am trying to stay away from them but it is very difficult being as it is chocolate!! I plan on bringing them to work tomorrow. (What is left of them anyway!) I should have brought a tossed salad or veggie platter!!!