Joy, how do you deal with food ennui? I'm still pretty new to the whole restricted diet thing, and it doesn't help that I hate cooking, but after 6 months of this I'm really just kinda getting bored (and then occasionally going off plan, and making myself sick again 🙄). Any tips?
Learning to harbor a positive attitude toward food can be really difficult for some people, but it’s also super important, regardless of whether someone has restrictions or not. I’m afraid it’s a whole lot easier if you enjoy cooking and are able to expend mental/physical energy reserves on experimenting with your safe foods, cause that way you can maybe find some way to enjoy them in new ways that help keep you from getting bored, but failing that, finding new ways to make the ritual of eating food enjoyable is what really helps me deal with my restrictions. The importance of finding ways to “spark joy” can really not be over emphasized enough when dealing with this kind of thing, and finding ways to accommodate your restrictions and finding ways to turn it into a Good Event rather than “repetitive misery triathlon necessary to my survival” are really vital in this process.
So things like drinking your beverage out of the fancy glasses you’re only “supposed” to use for important celebrations, or investing in some really cool dishes or cutlery can really help perk you up mentally.
I also practice mindfulness while eating at the recommendation of my therapist and my dietician, cause a whole lot of my dislike for certain things is from the mental and emotional fatigue of dealing with my condition, so learning not to associate those feelings with the food that is helping to nourish and sustain me is important. Difficult, but important. So sure it might be bland, but it’s also doing so much good for me! It’s helping me live and thrive and to get better! Good job food! (It takes quite a few tries to stop feeling silly while doing this) I also do this for foods I really enjoy, so things I know I like become Special, even if I eat them every day.
Which is also not to say that I deny my feelings of frustrations and anger when they occur, I allow myself to feel those things when I need to, I allow myself to grieve and hurt, and that’s healthy. But I have also learned the importance of managing those feelings in a healthier way, and learning how to intervene and treat myself with the kindness I need, which, also means finding ways to make cooking easier for myself, which you may find beneficial as well, especially if you don’t particularly enjoy it.
I do enjoy cooking, but the act of doing it uses up so much of my precious energy resources that I try to make sure I have a supply of the foods readily available that I can eat, or things that can easily be thrown in the freezer and then reheated in the oven or microwave when needed, that way I can just sort of mindlessly prepare the thing without having to burn myself up having to make it from scratch every day, but still get to enjoy it.
Meal plans might also be a good idea for you, and that way you can come up with a couple of meals you really like, and keep them in rotation so you’re not always eating the exact same thing every day, which can become extremely dull and repetitive very quickly.
I’d really like to be able to give an easier and less complex answer than “change your entire mindset” lol, but please know you’re not alone with this. So many people struggle with their diet restrictions, and so many of us get frustrated and slip up from time to time. That’s normal, and the progress towards getting into a healthier place can often be slow and frustrating, but you’ll get there. One step at a time if necessary. But you’ll get there.
