Hi, I'm Paige, and I eat fat.

(sorry my blog format is off. I can't fix the double spaced.)

Something that's been swirling around my mind lately is scared of fat we are.

And I would say "America" but it goes way past this country.

It's our world culture where thin is in and anything but abs is not just out, but shameful.

When I was at my heaviest I remedied the situation by switching to diet foods.

You know, rice puffs, tasteless cereals, diet sodas, fake peanut butter, low cal cheese, individual sized frozen meals, spray butter, zero cal chips...

Now, I'm not anti-diet food per se. Or anti-diet.

Or anti-doing-what-you-need-to-do-to-stay-healthy.

(Key word: healthy)

What I see is that food is no longer nutrients and fuel for our beautiful bodies.

It no longer is a time of celebration around a table, but has been dissected into calorie counting and portioned out into plastic baggies and taking off the buns for -100 calories.

And it makes sense why. Look at the obesity rate. We are obsessed with food. We like free soda refills and all-you-can-eat and Cheesecake Factory portions to make our money's worth. We have to be full to the max.

I wish we could all see food as our friend, rather than our enemy.

I wish the words "Butter" and "Sugar" didn't freak the crap out of people.

That we could learn to use moderation, to not stuff or faces and sneak chocolate chips.

Then food wouldn't be so freaky. Such an enemy.

So today I bought butter. Actual fatty, yummy butter.

And I'm using it sparingly so I don't die of a heart attack at 21.

But I'm using it.

(By the way, butter is like $4!?)

(By the way, it’s delicious)

I wish we could love our bodies. Work with what we've got.

Get them to their maximum potentials in healthy manners.

Yes, exercise regularly. Yes, eat a million veggies and fruits and proteins.

And not make an excuse for a dang COOKIE that was made with the ridiculously expensive butter.

Just to eat it, enjoy it, and move on.

I wish we could see our bodies as an awesome gift, to take care of and nurture.

And when we looked in the mirror we smiled.

I think one of the first steps to getting our minds healthy is to look at the people around us differently.

To compliment on them on things that don't involve their waist size, such as, "You look great. So healthy and happy."

My friend Elli is the queen at good compliments. If you need one, ask her.

Then, maybe then, we will start seeing ourselves in this same way.

Eating healthy, actual food and being happy.

____

What have been your experiences with diet foods and self-image?

What have been healthy habits you have developed to not be obsessed with just being thin?