My name is Sam, and I’m a porn addict.

It’s just not fair. The incredible lighting. Attention to detail. And don’t even get me STARTED on those close-ups… It’s hot. It’s luscious. It’s steamy. You can almost taste it.

Okay, get your minds out of the gutter. I’m talking about food.

Studies have been floating around for YEARS about the addictiveness of food, and it is one of the “go-to” culprits for the obesity epidemic. With the rise of the internet, and more specifically, the prevalence of social media, food has gone from something we’re addicting to eating, to something we’re addicting to staring at.

Yup, we’re dirty, promiscuous, voyeuristic, food peeping-toms.

I’m just as guilty as anyone. This blog is LITTERED with photographs of my latest creation, often trying to capture the flavor in every pixel.

I happened to pick up Women’s Health Magazine at the store the other day; a substitute impulse buy in a weak moment that normally would have resulted in ice cream or a candy bar. Babysteps.

Anyway, smack dab center there is an article about food porn and its effect on our brains… and our waistlines.

Food photography is nothing new. To capture food well is an art. We’ve all seen those bowls of fruit.

But from magazines to blogs and now to social media, pictures of food are EVERYWHERE; and it’s neurologically screwing with us.

Looking at pictures of food porn releases endorphins in the brain, but because the brain associates looking at food with being fed, a disconnect starts to form and our bodies become confused… and hungry. So later, even if you’re eating something relatively healthy, your body is going to want MORE of it.

Not to mention the extreme feelings of guilt most of us pile on when we look at pictures of desserts and dishes swimming in creamy sauces or covered in cheese. What’s that there? Your exercise motivation board has 151 pins, but your food board has 300? Something isn’t right here…

Addictions come in all shapes and sizes. I mean, I’m sure you go through your day listening to people talk about how they’re “addicted to pinterest.” While this comment is likely hyperbolic, that person may be in deeper than he or she thinks.

Not a pinterest fan? Maybe you’re glued to instagram and twitter instead… which isn’t any better…

Holy crap, people! Why can’t we just sit and eat food? What is it we find so gratifying about taking pictures of and tweeting about everything that passes through our lips? No really, I’m asking; as one of these offenders, I can’t honestly give you an answer about why I’m so compelled to photograph my food. Gratification? Validation? Who knows. All I know is that I post a lot. And then I OGGLE a lot.

Unfortunately, I can only guess that a lot of people are like me and assume they are helping themselves by just “looking.” But when it really comes down to it, you’re giving yourself food blueballs. By constantly barraging your brain with images of things you want but ultimately denying yourself of them, you’re going to crack. Like, carpal tunnel, wrist in a sling crack. Too graphic? Meh.

What does it come down to? We’re human. We like pleasurable things. More specifically, we like to EXPERIENCE pleasurable things. So even though you think you’re keeping your diet in check, you could be doing more harm than good.

Am I going to stop posting pictures with my recipes? HELL to the NO! But I will be more selective, and perhaps even be less stagey (unless it’s a beautiful masterpiece).

And I have cut back CONSIDERABLY on my pinterest dessert stalking. You know what? It makes a HUGE difference. Instead of lusting after the foods I “can’t” have, I’ve spent my time thinking about what I can do with all the delicious things I CAN eat. It’s empowering.

Long Time No Blog

Argh! I’ve been away forever, I know. My apologies. I’ve been busy with work and honestly just haven’t been feelin’ it.

So I’ve started enlisting the help of some guest bloggers to provide some fun food and fitness posts for everyone while I refocus my thoughts and figure out good things to write about!

Until then I wanted to share with you this awesome ED article I found over at HealthyGirl 🙂

 

read.love.live.

 

4 Ideas For The Morning After a Binge

January 26, 2012

Each day is a new one. Leave binges where they are: in the past!

Jenn is a 23 year-old recent college grad from Canada who is a recovering bulimic, but still struggles with binge eating. Today she’s here to tell us about how she deals with what to do the day after a binge. xo…Sunny

“I am so bloated from my head down to my feet.”
“I am so full. Why did I just do that?”
“It will all be okay if I subsist on only protein and veggies today and burn 2000 calories working out.”

I am embarrassed to admit that all of the above thoughts are things that I have thought after a binge and even into the next day. Anyone who is a binge eater knows that the next day you wake up feeling like you have the worst hangover possible. The physical repercussions are not what makes the day after a binge hell, the mental battle with yourself is challenging because you feel like there is no point to what you are trying to do because you’re bound to fail. A cloud of negativity follows you around all day and constantly berates you, making you feel like you are less than. I have found a few tricks that help me feel better about myself I hope will help you repair your self esteem and will help you get back to normal.

1) First and foremost, you must forgive yourself. This is so much easier said than done and I am sure you are looking at your computer saying “Easy for you to say, buddy.” Well friend, why would you not want to forgive yourself? A few times, I have tried to list all of the reasons why I deserve to live in agony because I had a binge, but I was left staring at an empty paper. The first step in this process for me is telling myself that I am forgiven, then displaying it to myself in my actions.

2) Forget the restrictive diets and the cleanses. These regimens are unhealthy and deny our bodies of valuable nutrients. It is imperative that we don’t restrict ourselves because by forcing ourselves to follow a restrictive diet, or we will set ourselves up for another binge; when you “can’t” have something, it is all you think about. I went through a period this past summer where I was experimenting with a popular,  low carb diet and when I finally did give in to my cravings I binged. I am working on finding a middle ground with my wellness regimen and have to constantly remind myself that wanting a cookie or a piece of fruit is okay. It’s also been important to find some form of exercise that I enjoy and that manages your stress. I like Crossfit because it helps me feel strong and like I’m able to do anything I set my mind to.

3) Find meaning in the binge. None of us binge because we like food or because we are particularly hungry. This is obviously really tough to do because it hurts to acknowledge your weaknesses. When I was 19,  I had my first official boyfriend and my first real physical relationship. When he broke up with me in the middle of my exams, and gave me no reason why he had to break my heart, I was devastated. I felt like there had to be something wrong with me as a person because if only I was prettier, skinnier, or a better girlfriend maybe he would not have broken up with me. I am 23 now and since then I have sought out relationships with four men not looking for anything but a physical relationship (they were all single! I didn’t go down that road just to make it clear). After having my heart broken royally this last year, it finally dawned on me that I sought out companionship from men that wouldn’t give me what I wanted because I believed that I deserved to be rejected. Obviously this is completely untrue, but it is something that I know has had a dramatic effect on my self esteem. It’s helped to look at my life and see if there are any patterns that I am repeating. If you can bring positive intention to your future actions and awareness to your weaknesses you can help figure out ways to fight a binge or to distract yourself. When I find myself feeling anxious, I get out of my house and go to the library or to the bookstore and look at novels I would like to read. I have a handful of friends I can talk to that I feel comfortable venting to.

4) Last, but certainly not least, go out of your way to feel beautiful. When I take an extra 10 minutes in the morning to apply eyeliner, put on lipgloss, put on my pretty earrings and my long blue scarf, I feel like a princess. I am not my eating disorder, I am a girl who has struggled but has made the decision to triumph and not let anything get me down.