Woman v. Food
Travel Channel stole my idea for “Man v. Food“. I came up with the idea of pitting myself against food over thirty years ago. Okay, I’ll admit I’m not a man (NEWS FLASH!) and my battle with food isn’t compelling television but nonetheless I’ve been living Adam Richman’s, the host of the show, life for over three decades.
Since the age of thirteen, I’ve wrestled food to the ground until it gives. I’ve eaten a bowl of Cream of Wheat with raisins and brown sugar as my only meal for years. I’ve counted calories, read cookbooks like they were novels, and watched those around me enjoy food while I gnawed hungrily on carrots.
Growing up in chaos, food (and ultimately my weight) was the only thing I thought I could control. I’m ignoring you tacos with sour cream and guacomole. I don’t see you carrot cake with real cream cheese frosting. You mean nothing to me sourdough bread with butter. When the chaos of puberty kicked in, hormones roared and warred, my control over food went into overdrive.
My battle isn’t unique. Many women have a hate-hate relationship with food. And it’s not surprising I’m a registered dietitian since research shows the majority of dietitians have disordered eating. We are no different than therapists who sort out their childhoods while counseling others. We are no different than dentists with bad teeth or heart surgeons who smoke.
Over the years, I’ve tried to become more Zen in my attitude and approach when it comes to food. I have tried to appreciate food for the energy and health it provides. I have tried to sit silently (that means no TV or distractions) with my small portions of Greek yogurt, cup of blueberries, sprinkle of granola and thank the universe for my sustanance. I have tried to become more French (French Women Don’t Get Fat) in my appreciation for food. Oui! Oui!
While I have come a long way, baby, from counting every single calorie and eating a bowl of porridge for the day, I will never, ever, ever appreciate the show that is “Man v. Food.” The gluttony, the decadence, the volume of food Adam Richman devours is nauseating. I’m glad I’m not the only person to feel this way. David, who has a love-love relationship with food, finds the show hard to watch as well.
I may not ever be Buddha in my food sensibilities, but I won’t be Adam Richman either.
How do you feel about food? “Man v. Food?”
I was just having a conversation with a group of women about this notion of addiction and obesity. I know it’s complicated, especially because your body needs food. But it isn’t a leap to see that we use food to numb our feelings and dull pain. I’m going to check out, “Women, God, and Food.” Thanks for the recommendation.
Michelle-
My best friend is currently working on her dissertation the thesis of which is the correlation between addiction and obesity (it’s more complicated than that, but that’s the general idea). I was visiting her one day as she was working on her paper and picked up a book. Before I knew it I had read 20 pages and had tears in my eyes.
The book was Women, God, and Food by Geneen Roth. It offers many excellent explanations of why we do what we do with food, it offers solutions, and it offers hope.
Holly, my friend, body and food issues suck! But I do think the older we get, the more at peace we are with food and our body (and our world). So keep on keeping on. Go with whatever works for you in the moment and makes you feel the best whether that be vegetarianism or the chocolate and wine diet…I wish. Enjoy!
Hey Michelle, couldn’t agree more with Man verse food but, my reason in responding is more about your battle with food. I’ve been thinking of a similar blog entry that describes my constant battle with figuring out my own best health. I’ve gone from low fat to low carb to saying forget all of that and just give me real whole food to my current stance of being a vegetarian. I really believe in what I’m doing now but wonder if by the time I’m 80 how many times will I have changed my stance on what I believe. At least I care I guess but the cycle makes me crazy at times. Keep on keepin’ on, huh?
Always love your stories!!!!
Yep. Girl v Food. Teen v Food. Woman v Food. Maybe one of the reasons that I feel so much more sane, grounded, and healthy in France, where food is just one of the many healthy pleasures to be enjoyed – and not a source of warfare or drama.
I’m with you, Michelle. Any episode I’ve seen, I’m just waiting for him to keel over with a heart attack. I mean, doesn’t he care about his health at all? I think maybe it’s like watching a horror show now, how much can he eat, really?
Americans and food? And we wonder why the rest of world hates us… this sort of wastage ought to be illegal. It already is, morally. Call me Pollyanna, don’t care. 20% of the world consumes 80 % of the world’s output. Bingo…hues where we are…