Food: Fuel or Pleasure?
#289691 - 11/10/06 07:12 PM
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Lisa Marie
Reged: 07/17/06
Posts: 1566
Loc: Lakewood, CO
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Do all of you out there look at food simply as fuel for your body, or do you look at it as something that brings you pleasure?
I love food, and I guess that's why I feel so cursed with IBS. Lately, eating more than a small amount at a time (one cup or less) makes me feel full, uncomfortable, and just plain fat. But that "one cup" that I can eat comfortably isn't usually enough to satisfy my desire to EAT! This is something I'm really struggling with lately. I take a few, small portions to work with me every day, so I'm pretty restricted as far as what I can eat. Thus, I feel great all day. Then when I get home, I'm suddenly surrounded by all this "safe" food, so I eat way too much and spend my evening feeling like a beached whale. Do any of you have this problem? How do I train myself to say "No" to my food cravings when I KNOW that eating will just make me feel worse? And my weight is certainly not an issue; I'm in no way even close to being overweight. But I can't help but just feel "fat" sometimes. It's that "brick in my gut" feeling that Shandy has mentioned before.
Today's a perfect example. I had a small breakfast and lunch, a small morning snack, and a small afternoon snack. Felt great all day, slightly hungry, but my gut feels better when it's a little empty. Then when I got home, I had a bunch of honey glazed snack mix followed by a large bowl of cream of rice. Now I feel awful. I ate too much, and I knew I was eating too much WHILE I was eating! Ugh!
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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This is a great question. I've often wondered if us IBS-blessed folks have a slightly different relationship to food from the rest of the world. I've often joked that I must have been starved in my past-life - if there's food available, I want it ALL. Not just my share... MORE than my share!
In fact, I almost feel that IBS was God's answer to my food obsession. Now that I can't eat much of anything, it has changed my relationship to food for the better in some ways. I no longer begrudge others their share of the office birthday cake or watch the family's pizza jealousy to make sure no one gets more than I do. I can easily avoid non-safe food and never (ever) eat junk. I'm now thin without much effort,where before, I was always "just 15 pounds" over my ideal weight.
I, too, struggle with binging on "safe" foods, which of course, makes them unsafe. I can eat three bowls of oatmeal and want more... five pieces of rice bread and still have to force myself to Step Away from the Kitchen.
Anyway, I would also like to hear y'all's perception of your relationship to food... more specifically, is there ANYONE out there in IBS-world who doesn't really "care" about food other than as a necessary fuel? Who sees food as a means of gaining energy, but doesn't derive a high level of pleasure from it?
Shandy
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Jennifer
42 years old
Neither D nor C - just sluggish
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Food is a pleasure when stable. It is just fuel when unstable 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
FODMAP Chart & Cheatsheet
The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Both, actually. 
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Check multiple sources and make the best-informed decision possible!
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I'm with GaiaSong - it's both. I enjoy food and eating and I love to cook, but I also try to eat in a healthy and sensible manner. I'm pretty new to IBS, and one of the things I work hard to maintin is a positive attitude towards food and eating. I make an effort to not be afraid of trying new foods or of eating at restaurants (while sticking to the EFI diet, of course). And I very much view the fact that IBS has forced me to explore baking and to incorporate more seafood into my diet as unexpected positives. I'll be damned if I'm going to let IBS take away one of the pleasures of life. 
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-Carol
IBS-A
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When I'm at home: both, mainly pleasure. I love cooking when I have the time, and I love IBS-safe chocolate deserts.
When I'm at a restaurant: neither, I go into survival mode, the less I eat the better, and I don't enjoy it at all. That said, I do love going out for sushi, one of the only types of restaurants I feel I can enjoy.
As for daily habits, I eat way more during the day and less at night. I find if I eat too much at night I have bad gas and bloating. Since during the day I'm walking around more, I tend to be able to fill up without any symptoms. I also try to eat lots of protein during the day to keep my energy up.
I totally understand the getting home and being able to eat a lot though. After going away for a weekend or even just overnight, I come home and feel safe and start eating to make up for the previous day.
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Kat
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