Your Body Is Not a Trashcan
Your body is not a trashcan…Are you treating it like one?
Let’s get some examples going of treating your body like a trashcan:
1️⃣ Forcing yourself to eat food you don’t like. Healthy doesn't mean bland or lacking taste. If there's a food out there that you don't like, regardless of how you prepare it, don't eat it. Personally, I won't touch spinach or kale with a ten foot pole. Actually, that's not true. I'll touch it at the grocery store if it's blocking my arugula.
2️⃣ Eating food that doesn’t taste good because you paid for it. How many times have you ordered a dish at a restaurant, taken a couple of bites and realized you truly didn't like how it tasted, but ate it anyway because you paid for it? No one is benefiting from you eating food you don't enjoy, not the children in an underserved nation and certainly not your body.
3️⃣ Eating food that’s gone bad because you paid for it. Your food isn't supposed to be fuzzy. If it's growing mold, toss it. Don't cut the mold off of your cheese (I see you!); throw it out. Or what about that spring mix you bought two weeks ago? Half a bottle of dressing to mask the slimey texture and bad taste will only make you sick. Is it really worth it to force down spoiled food? Make your peace and toss it. (And please don't give it to your dog or leave it on the community table in your lunchroom. As much as you don't like Karen at work, she doesn't deserve a sick day because you didn't want to throw out your expired food.)
4️⃣ Forcing yourself to eat food you don't want to eat at someone's dinner party so that you don't make THEM feel bad. I grew up in a culture where if you didn't eat the food that someone made, you were a bad person. I'm not sure how morality plays a valid role here, but that's just the way it was. You are responsible for yourself, and there is nothing wrong with saying "no thank you" when it comes to food you don't want to eat.
5️⃣ Eating when you’re full. If you're physically full, why are you still eating? Enjoy the leftovers tomorrow or share the food with someone else. Is it better to leave uneaten food or make yourself uncomfortably full (you know, the level of fullness that requires a complete wardrobe change into your finest stretchy pants).
6️⃣ Eating primarily ultra processed food. Unless you're working on your vocabulary and chemistry skills, I'm not sure ultra processed food has a benefit. And before your start telling me how convenient it is to buy those chips and frozen meals, ask yourself what's convenient about disregarding your health?
If you treat your body like a trashcan, can you honestly say that you’re respecting your body?
Eating as if you’re a trashcan is taking a toll on both your mental and physical health. Don't let Oscar the Grouch tell you different.
So ask yourself, is it time to change how you feed yourself?
