Published on NEDIC: Learning to 'love' food

I am again blessed to say that my work has been published - this time on NEDIC. The topic? Loving food. Well, at least, learning to 'accept' food as a normal part of everyday life. http://www.nedic.ca/blog/learning-love-food

As someone who has been VERY (very. very, very) sick with an eating disorder, I can tell you first hand how terrible food seems to be with ED. Food becomes something to be feared, something to be despised for fear of weight gain. The desire to remain thin overpowers all feelings of hunger and any possible enjoyment of food. It is not that I wasn't hungry. I was. But I couldn't eat.

Now, on the other side of the spectrum - as someone who is recovered - I can tell you that things are a lot different. But yet again, I have a tiny secret for you. I still do not LOVE food. I don't day dream about food, nor do I necessarily get excited when I am about to eat my favourite foods. But you know what? It doesn't matter whether or not I LOVE food. Because I like food. I understand that I need it to be healthy. I try my best to try new foods, to enjoy a variety of foods, etc. I can sit down and eat a meal and not think about the scale. I can see food in front of me and not get frightened. I am healthy. And that is all that matters.

So, please take a look at the NEDIC blog! I hope this message brings you some wisdom and hope: recovery from any illness is possible. I was SO ill, and here I am today, alive, healthy, and a published author, as well as with my blog. I am defying all odds that said that I wouldn't recover; that I would never live a healthy and happy life. 'Loving food' is not necessarily important now - as long as I can eat what I need to be healthy and well. Will it ever happen? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, I am recovered, healthy, and strong. And I am eating my meals, keeping my body in shape and well. That is true recovery. And I will never ever look back at my days of being ill and regret my decision to recovery. It was the hardest thing I ever did in my entire life. And it was definitely worth it.

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