Never eat alone...

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candistyx
candistyx Posts: 547 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Someone said to me that food is supposed to be a bonding experience, and that you should never eat by yourself, and that food is made to be shared, that if I cook something just for me, it's selfish, but if I cook something for me and others then I am a good person who helps others (by sustaining them).
I thought it sounded good but I am not sure how I can make it work, I spend so much time alone. Some days I am alone all day, many days I am alone except in the evening.

But maybe I should think of it like, FIND people to socialise with for meals. Maybe the point is not just to compartmentalise food to social situations, but to increase my socialising and spend more time with others.

Eating less and socialising more... might be good for me.

Replies

  • yeahfatty
    yeahfatty Posts: 228 Member
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    if that's true .. the only time i get to eat is for lunch at work & whenever people happen to be around for dinner .. pretty sure i'd starve. :(
  • heather1945
    heather1945 Posts: 117 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with eating alone....If you feel comfortable eating alone, carry on. Good luck with your weight loss..:-}
  • kelika71
    kelika71 Posts: 778 Member
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    Five of my six meals are spent alone, 6 days a week...unless my four dogs count?

    Yeah, it would be nice to have company but then, most wouldn't like how I eat. I've strayed away from "food pairing" (i.e. meat and potatoes, salad and dressing, etc.). I go on the numbers and that can make for some strange meals. No complaints from me, obviously. lol I guess for me, it works better alone because no one influences my choices, then.
  • candistyx
    candistyx Posts: 547 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with eating alone....If you feel comfortable eating alone, carry one. Good luck with your weight loss..:-}
    I wouldn't call it wrong in a guilt way.

    But you have to admit, for most of human history, for the majority of people, food has been eminently social. And social isolation is a serious problem for modern people.
  • Kohadre
    Kohadre Posts: 316
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    I always eat alone, then again I prefer it that way as I am able to plow through preparing & cooking a meal, chow down, and move on to other much more important things I have to take care of.

    Spending an hour to an hour and a half (or more) eating...just not my thing :s
  • GreatSetOfBrains
    GreatSetOfBrains Posts: 675 Member
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    Five of my six meals are spent alone, 6 days a week...unless my four dogs count?

    Dogs = Portion control. Just go pee and your food magically disappears!
  • vaderq84
    vaderq84 Posts: 20 Member
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    that's a great idea. i gotta try it sometime
  • kelika71
    kelika71 Posts: 778 Member
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    Five of my six meals are spent alone, 6 days a week...unless my four dogs count?

    Dogs = Portion control. Just go pee and your food magically disappears!

    LOL!! Yeah, I've learned my lesson on that one!! Since my food is all measured, I want every last bit! I make sure there's no access for them anymore. I've learned their tricks. They are tricky little sh*ts!!!
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
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    I eat alone ALL the time! I get home from work or night class and my parents are already asleep. Or, I get up to workout and they're gone. Nothing wrong with it! :)
  • halobender
    halobender Posts: 780 Member
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    I'm not particularly a fan of cooking just for myself. I'm far more likely to follow through preparing a meal if it's for me and someone else. So I'm definitely a fan of socialization in meals ... That said, you can't always have someone there, I should imagine. I guess it's a good excuse to partner up, hm?
  • Scoobies87
    Scoobies87 Posts: 379
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    For diet purposes I prefer eating alone.I am more likely to ruin it if I eat with others and I am more likely to chew my food quicker, thus eating more when not really hungry.

    I know what you mean though, eating meals out (or cooked in) with family and friends is my fave past time,it brings people together. :)
  • candistyx
    candistyx Posts: 547 Member
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    For diet purposes I prefer eating alone.I am more likely to ruin it if I eat with others and I am more likely to chew my food quicker, thus eating more when not really hungry.

    I dunno, for me I think if I can't sustain it with others, I won't be able to sustain it long term anyway, not unless I get a whole new set of friends and family, which ain't gonna happen cuz I love the ones I've got.
  • sunkisses
    sunkisses Posts: 2,365 Member
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    I find life's easier when I'm not living by other people's ideologies. Mine are just as good. I actually do enjoy cooking for others, but I see nothing selfish about cooking a decadent meal for myself only. Obviously, if you want to have more people around, then yes - invite some over for a meal sometime. Don't do it because someone made you feel like you should, though. People can and should be able to sustain themselves.
  • ninjakitty419
    ninjakitty419 Posts: 349 Member
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    I love and hate eating alone for the same reason. I love it because I can eat whatever I want and not feel like I am being judged. But I hate it because then I end up eating junk because there is no one there to make me feel accountable. I am so much better when there are people around. I have not yet gotten to the point of my relationship with myself to be able to make healthy choices for my own sake, so i have to make them so that others won't think badly of me.
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
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    I always eat alone.
  • kelika71
    kelika71 Posts: 778 Member
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    I was thinking about this thread after I choked during my lunch. Normally, I'm ok and quite used to it. It happens due to the MS, so I just deal with it. Today was different, though. For nearly 5 min., I guess, I was trying to cough up the broccoli lodged and all I kept thinking was, it would be nice to have someone here to do the Heimlich or so I wouldn't die alone! lol
  • stc74
    stc74 Posts: 297 Member
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    I really don't like eating alone. I am most likely to overeat when i am alone late at night, most likely to skip meals during the day when I have to eat them alone. So being alone probably isn't good for me.

    Some people like to be alone, which is fine. I choose to be alone before being with toxic people, but i like human interaction and talking to humans over 5ft tall once in a while.
  • mandeiko
    mandeiko Posts: 1,657 Member
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    I always eat more with friends... Dumb munchies. :(
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    I gained alllll this weight through social eating, first with coworkers and then with my BF. Now I am having to learn to eat with them but not eat EVERYTHING with them. I agree you need to do it to sustain your loss, but I also think you need to have days where you go out with friends and you say "this is the day when we are all going to share an appetizer and dessert!"

    I have started watching skinny people eat - which I do almost entirely at restaurants. For the most part they don't sit there and pick at a side of broccoli and 4 ounces of fish. So I know that for the most part even thin people (by the way ULTRA thin people DO pick at a side of broccoli, but I mean healthy-thin) eat more socially - its just that unlike the rest of us they have lean days too. And I suspect lean days/meals tend to occur more when they are alone than when they are eating with friends.

    Just something to think about.

    the one thing I do hate is I don't like to eat alone AND have nothing to do - I have to have something to read, watch, play, etc

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