It’s so important to eat, even if you don’t have access to the perfect meal.

How “far” do I take this?

The best example I can think of is eating a spicy fried chicken sandwich and fries from McDonalds at the airport early this year.

While I’m not a fast food person, I was hungry, it was the only option, and I actually thought it might be pretty good.

I love a spicy fried chicken situation — like those boneless Buffalo wings I used to get in high school.

It was ok the first half or so, around the crispy edges, and then it was no longer viable for me, physically.

Texture thing.

LOL.

The fries were fine, and I got what I needed. I got enough fuel for my body.

That was the most important thing at that moment, and I was proud of myself for just eating.

I used to have the opposite mentality: I was a quality freak, and I was excited about any opportunity to restrict.

A few years after largely recovering, I was still a quality freak, and probably still exhibiting some restrictive behavior, in retrospect.

Unless I was faint, I would not eat something I considered too low quality.

This would most often come up on travel days.

After barely eating and flying all day I would be so drained and emotional that I would need a full day to recover.

Now I just eat whenever I’m hungry.

In fact, I try to eat as much as I can everyday.

When you truly allow yourself to eat as much as you want and you’re no longer restricting your food choices in any way, it becomes very difficult to overeat.

Overeating is not what your body naturally wants to do, unless you’re sending signals that it might run out of food soon, by constantly dieting.

Consistent nourishment has changed my entire operating system.

Food impacts every part of me, from how safe I feel in my body to how focused I can be with my work.

While I don’t recommend forcing yourself to eat when you’re not hungry, I’m equally emphatic about eating when you are hungry, even if your first choice isn’t available.

There’s just too much at risk: The emotional impact of low blood sugar, your energy, your focus, and the sneaky restrictive behaviors that can be at play.

Food quality matters, but keeping yourself fueled on a basic level matters more.

Your body is incredibly smart — it knows what to do with a wide range of foods, especially if you have a nutritious baseline.

A lower quality meal here and there is not going to ruin your health — in fact, it might save it.

I know this is a long way of saying “just eat, duh,” but it’s SO much more complicated than that for those who are struggling, consciously or unconsciously.

If you know, you know… and please know that I’m in your corner, sending you so much love and support on your journey.

Hugs,
Lula