What does "Normal Eating" mean for me?

{Photo published on web here}

(I was inspired to write this post after read Margarita Tartakovsky's definition of healthy eating.)

So, what does “normal eating” mean for me?  And what does “normal eating” not mean for me?

For me, normal eating means recognizing my hunger cues and eating to satisfy my hunger.

Normal eating is not feeling guilty for eating certain foods.

Also, normal eating means being excited to go out to eat with friends at my favorite restaurant.

Normal eating is not denying yourself food because you want to lose weight.

Normal eating is eating two, three, four, or five meals a day with possible snacking in between.

It is not being ashamed to get second helpings even though it is social unacceptable.

Normal eating means sometimes eating popcorn (with butter and salt!) while watching a movie.

Normal eating is not weighing yourself on the scale everyday to see if any of the food you ate caused you to gain weight.

Normal eating, in my opinion, means enjoying ice cream with my husband after a softball game even if we already had dinner and we’re not necessarily hungry.

Normal eating is not gagging down some kind of food just because it is good for you even thought you hate the taste.

Normal eating is sometimes eating too much and feeling stuffed.

Normal eating is not beating yourself up or punishing yourself with exercise after a meal.

Normal eating is sometimes eating too little and feeling unsatisfied.

Normal eating is not only eating certain foods because they are low-fat, low-calorie, or low-whatever.

Yet, normal eating is trusting your body to balance out over time no matter the past, present, or future.

It is not treating your body as an object to be conquered and testing your will-power to not eat.

Normal eating is craving chocolate and deciding to make a cake.

It is not only taking three bites to trick your taste buds.

Normal eating is eating two pieces of cake because it tastes so good, but also leaving some on the plate because you know you can have some tomorrow.

Normal eating is not spending half your pay check on “healthy” foods.

However, it can be growing your own vegetables because it is fun and home grown veggies are delicious.

Normal eating is not what magazines, media, or celebrities tell you.

Normal eating is baking cookies to give to your neighbors.

It is not avoiding people, places, or events because you know there will be food there.

Click here to read Weightless's definition of Normal Eating.

What does “normal eating” mean for you?  What doesn’t it mean for you?