Lost in the beauty of the knots in the picnic tabletop, I hear a rustling beneath my feet. Two crows quietly creep close, springing over the sand on string-thin legs, foraging for food. With their pointed, jet black beaks they pick up fallen, forgotten, florescent orange chips. With obvious experience and efficacy, they break each one up against the ground. Turning their heads, they dig the edge of each chip into the dirt. The pressure causes the chip to shatter. Then frantically, they scatter around, pecking at the pieces until each speck is gone.
The whole process appears unnatural. But I’ve seen them eat the strangest things: blue birthday streamers, chicken wings, silver scraps from a kite, moldy cigarette butts, and a bloody band aid from somebody’s cut. So I am not surprised to see them now, eating chips covered in sandy orange cheese dust from the ground. If tomorrow it rains, and no one goes to the beach, no one sits at that table to drop something they eat, then these crows would be lost, they would starve, go without, they have learned to rely on eating what is around…
People are not much different. When we are surrounded with less-healthy options, we tend eat them, often just because they are there. We eat what we put into our refrigerators, freezers, cupboards, and cabinets. When we personally do the grocery shopping for the household, we have the opportunity to make healthy eating a little easier. We can stock our kitchens with more things that we like and enjoy eating that also give us the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients our bodies need. So-called “empty-calorie” items can actually be beneficial in ways when eaten in moderation and within a balanced diet. Allowing ourselves these things on occasion prevents us from feeling deprived, which can increase cravings and the likelihood of binging. However, it is also important to remember that such things should not equate to a substantial percentage of our daily intake. Again, it is about balance.
Empty kitchens can lead to empty stomachs that shrivel and harden like petrified peach pits. Conversely, cabinets stocked full of cupcakes, cookies, and chips make it much more likely that these things will pass through our lips. Whether we are trying to eat more or less, to gain or lose weight, or to find for us what works best, if you surround yourself with the things you want and need to eat, the things that will give your body strength and energy, you are much more likely to eat what’s around, just like the crows I watched peck at the ground…
Regulating intake after having an eating disorder is a complicated, challenging undertaking. From Overeating or Over-exercising disorders to severe Anorexia or Bulimia Nervosa, the goal is getting what you need. A little preparation can make it a little easier. The staff at Rader Programs can help you find realistic, real-life ways to reach or retain recovery.