“All I want right now is shakes and fruit”. I still remember hearing this statement a few years ago while I was sitting in a coffee shop on a hot summer day from the table next to me. Our appetite and the foods we crave change all the time. One of the things that tends to frequently change the foods we crave are the seasons. This makes sense right? Typically, in the cold fall and winter months we want warmer, heavier, foods. In the summer, we want lighter, cooler, foods.
While this certainly isn’t set in stone, it is typical description of how our tastes tend to change throughout the year. So, what was going on with the interaction I heard in the coffee shop? This is a good example of the needless emphasis and even blame we put on our food choices. This person was feeling quite a bit of guilt for listening to what her body was craving, which was cold, “lighter”, foods during the hot months of summer!
I’m willing to also bet she was not “just” eating shakes and fruit. One thing many people who struggle with food have a tendency to do is exaggerate/over emphasize the things they are eating they feel are unhealthy or they are eating too much of. That said, most of us do experience food cravings and go through phases with food. Listening to our bodies and allowing ourselves to eat these foods is incredibly important. So maybe shakes and fruit really are all we want to eat for a period of time? If we allow ourselves to eat those things when we want them, before we know it those foods will sounds less appealing. It’s called habituation and it’s especially important for those of us with an eating disorder history or history of dieting. It may feel like that’s all your eating and it will never end but it does get better I promise!
Questions About Cravings Or Anything Else Food/Body Image Related? Feel Free To Get In Touch!