Anyone else don't enjoy food & everything to do with food? Anyone else keep eating the same things?

AutumLeaf

So food has always been a battle with me, even since I was little. My mother always said I was a fussy eater. Then as a teenager I started developing awful symptoms which turned out to be IBS & food intolerance. I've never enjoyed food & in fact see it as a burden. I don't enjoy cooking & hate food shopping. I'll keep procrastinating until i literally have nothing left. I have phases where I just my will buy a bag of frozen chips/ fries & bread, & just eat those. It's funny because my brother is a complete opposite & is a trained cook & loves food. Neither of you parents can cook, & what they did cook was just bland veg & meat. If we didn't eat our food, even if we hated it our mother told us that we either eat what we are given or starve.

I want to enjoy food but I don't see how. I tend to eat the same things, a lot of it is because my of digestive issues. I have no motivation to try new recipes. im sick of eating the same foods but I don't know how to change this.

Anyone else like this? Anyone who's been like this manage to change?

gallicinvasion

That sounds very tough! Are you able to work with a professional (doctor, dietitian, etc) to find out a definitive list of types of foods/spices don’t bother your digestive system? Once you know what you can and can’t eat comfortably, it will be easier to whittle down what kind of recipes you can try.

AutumLeaf

@gallicinvasion I've asked to see a dietician many times but I'm always told no, that I should just do the low fodmap diet by myself. But i need guidance because I have such a bad relationship with food that I'm too overwhelmed by it. The food I know i can't eat, it's so hard to find recipes but that don't have something I can't eat.

missmince

I don't really have anything helpful to say, but I definitely know that feeling.

I wish I didn't have to deal with food, too. I've had abdominal pain and nausea, on and off, for most of my life. And I have to eat some food with a medication I need, whether I want it or not. I've been taking anti-nausea pills I've been prescribed for many years almost daily, and have gotten to the point where I'm eating only a few things. If I want enough calories for the day, I need to eat all of them, pretty much the same things every day. I prefer a boring diet to pain, though.

I wish I had brilliant advice instead of sympathy and understanding, but it's just an ongoing battle with food and eating. There used to be things I enjoyed, and could cook and eat in moderation, but it's applesauce and packaged toddler meals nowadays. This is a new low for me, and I hope that you also aren't always as discouraged as you sound right now.

Trying a new gastroenterologist might be beneficial, since another doctor could have more ideas for treatment. Also, they might be able to refer you to a nutritionist or dietician with experience helping people with your health issues.

Good luck!

missmince

I see that your doctor won't refer you to a dietician, but a specialist might. A dietician may know how to get insurance to pay, or get a doctor's referral, so it would be worthwhile to call one directly and ask.

PKM0515

I'm not sure where you live, but a couple of the Shop Rite grocery stores near me offer free appointments with their registered dietician. I went and was pleased. There may be something near you that offers the same.

mstheglitch

I feel your pain. Not quite the same problems but I do have food allergies that include pretty much all seasonings (oregano, rosemary, sage, etc) and you would not believe how the food world revolves around these seasonings. They even season little deli meats for gosh sake. So I find that I don't enjoy food the way that other people do. I have a definite sweet tooth though and I could eat cupcakes for days.