A colleague of mine was recently confronted with the following question by a person she met on a plane.
“Which type of person are you? An “eat to live” or a “live
to eat” person?”
This person held the theory that all people fall into one of
two categories: those who only eat because they have to in order to survive,
but who get no joy out of eating, and those who get great joy out of eating and
would do it whether or not their survival depended on it. Ah, how simplified! I guess I get where this person is coming
from, but I disagree that all people can be shoved into one category or the
other based solely on the fact that I believe I can’t wholly be placed on
either side. It's a good thing I didn't bump into this person because my answer would probably be way more info than they wanted! Case in point: as a sports
dietitian I’m very interested in how to properly fuel the body, particularly
during exercise. I guess that would fall
into the “eat to live” category since it’s all about science and performance
and not enjoyment. However, I really
like food (well good food). My Denver Restaurant Week experience at ChoLon
Bistro was amazing! There is a foodie side of me that loves to explore new
restaurants and try the occasional indulgent meal. That would be my “live to eat” side. Depending on the day or specific situation I might
be more on one side than the other, but overall I think I’m pretty much in the
middle. Both sides are there, as equally
balanced as can be. I guess you could
say I’m a “live to eat to live” person!
Enjoying a decadent meal at ChoLon Bistro |
I’m also not sure it’s healthy to only consider yourself one
or the other. Where’s the balance? It’s okay to enjoy eating, but it’s also
okay to think about health and fueling your body with productive foods. Amazing indulgent meals lose their appeal if
they’re eaten every night after all. But
eating based off numbers all the time is a rigid way to live. The human relationship with food is complex. We use it in all sorts of social situations,
from work lunches to weddings. We use to
celebrate, to comfort ourselves, and to connect with others.
So let’s not divide ourselves into two categories. It’s okay if you fall more on one side than
the other, but we are all people, and we all need to eat, and deserve to enjoy
it!
Bon appétit!
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