What’s on Your Plate?
What’s on your plate? I bet it tells a lot about what’s going on in your life right now. Our eating parallels our life in many ways. I was reminded of this while reading Geneen Roth’s latest book ‘Women, Food and God’. Think about your relationship with food. Does it correlate with your relationship with people?
Several years ago, I recall hearing psychologist, Craig Johnston speak at a conference about the different personality traits of individuals with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating/compulsive overeating and how these traits were reflected in their relationship to food. Those on the restrictive end of the spectrum tend to be isolative, witholding and strive to live without (i.e. food, affection, people). They do not want to need anything and take in too little. Alternately, individuals who binge or compulsively overeat take in too much, not respecting their own boundaries. Those with bulimia often take on too much, become overwhelmed and in response, retreat and or purge (food, relationships, etc).
Our relationship with food reveals so much about our life and working on this relationship can shine a light on potential areas of personal growth. I’ve seen this in my work with eating disorders and also in looking at my own eating. For example, right now I’m aware of not always getting enough. My life is full and although there is plenty of food and nourishment available, I have to work to find time to feed myself. This is certainly reflected in my plate; although I fill it up, I never seem to get the chance to finish it! I realize though, how important it is as a mom to care for myself; to refill the source that feeds me and my child.
Take some time to think about what’s going on with your eating right now and see what it reveals. Are you taking in too much or too little? Are you needing more nourishment? If so, where can you get it?
