Foodover

This post was from 6/25/2013 and was on my previous blog, may it rest in pieces. 

You know the feeling.  The knot in your stomach, the overwhelming nausea mixed with heat flashes, the realization that you aren't as young as you used to be, and the promise to never do it again.  Of course, you don't realize it while it's happening; it feels so good to indulge.  But you pay for it later. 

What is this horror I speak of?  None other than the dreaded "foodover".  

That's right.  We've all heard of hangovers (that is, unless we've been hiding under rocks), perhaps we've even been on the unfortunate end of one.  A foodover is fairly similar. However instead of alcoholic concoctions being the cause of your pain and suffering, food is to blame.

I experienced one of these tragedies recently and it was horrible.  I was at a brunch buffet, and as anyone who knows me well can tell you, I think breakfast food is pretty much the best food ever because it can be eaten any time of the day (or night).  

So you can probably see how this story plays out.  One plate leads to another, which leads to another... and all far too fast. (Sounds just like the makings of a hangover, doesn't it?)  Then out of nowhere it hit me.  A stabbing pain in my gut followed by all the symptoms I mentioned at the beginning. 

So Erin (you're now probably asking yourself), you were a gluttonous fool. What's your point? 

“Food is fuel.  It’s not a reward, it’s not therapy” (thanks to my fabulous coach, Meredith, for that gem!).  Though as clear and intelligent as that little quote sounds, sometimes treating food as fuel can be difficult.  It's easy to go overboard when you're surrounded by friends and loved ones, especially during special occasions.  Heck, it's easy to go overboard for several reasons: your favorite foods, Mom's cooking, eating too fast, "clean plate" syndrome, the urge to try a little bit of everything (guilty as charged)... the list goes on and on. 

Now, I’m not telling you that you aren’t allowed to indulge every now again.  I’ve said it a million times, moderation is the key.  (After all, what good is a six-pack if you have no one to share it with?)  But it's important to check-in with your body and realize results of how you feel after what you’ve been eating.  As for me, if I’m exhausted, I’m probably not drinking enough water.  If I feel shaky, too much sugar is always the culprit.  Pay attention to how your body feels when you feed it good food verses when you feed it junk food.

So what next?  Pay attention to how you are fueling your body over the next couple of days and how you feel as a result.  I'm committed to doing my best to treat food as fuel and at the same time share my tips, tricks, and advice with you.