I Hate Food 2
You might remember an article I wrote quite a while back called I Hate Food, which was about my eating disorder, Selective Eating Disorder (SED).
I suggest you read that before reading this one, just so you know more about SED.
This article is about how I've been coping with it since then.
2011 really changed the way I thought about my ways of eating. From May - July 2011 I was training for a three-week expedition in August.
Whilst away on the training weekends I could only use a camping stove to cook my food on.
Can you imagine cooking turkey dinosaurs on a camping stove? It just wouldn't work. So to enable me to successfully carry out the expedition, I had to change.
On the first weekend away, I had to force myself to eat curry and rice, it was horrible. I couldn't believe that I had done it, I hated the stuff but I still ate it. The last training sessions lasted a week and I had to eat rice, pasta, chicken in weird sauces, raisins, sunflower seeds, 'yummy' oat bars, etc.
I was just making myself eat things that I genuinely didn't like the taste of and became ill. I decided that forcing me to eat things I didn't like wasn't a good idea.
The expedition: what the heck was I meant to eat for there weeks?! The ration packs (had to have 3,000 kcals) that were given to us had things like pasta, couscous, rice, porridge, raisins, pepperoni, cheese, etc. I didn't like anything in them whatsoever, so I had to make my own.
I don't know how I managed to get through the weeks of this but I lived off Pot Noodles (pre-sieved), naan bread, crackers, cereal bars, crisps, dark chocolate and hot chocolate. I also tried some Norwegian salmon and mackerel. During the last week I had a burger and oh my gosh, I have been missing out!
This experience has really changed my mindset and has made me realise that I should try to ignore the textures, smells, look, etc and just drink a glass of 'man the heck up and just eat it'.
This is going to sound silly, but crisps helped me to like spicy, hot flavours! I use to hate hot and spicy foods; everything just had to be plain. Then I started to eat hot crisps like paprika, Mexican BBQ, chilli, etc. Now, I love hot foods! Well, any meat that has hot spices...
This bit may surprise the people who know me... I now hate turkey dinosaurs and sieved Pot Noodles! I had a bad experience with one turkey dinosaur because the texture made me sick. As for Pot Noodles, eating them for three weeks straight is enough to put anyone off.
Believe it or not, I like sandwiches now. Every lunchtime I go to my local sandwich shop and I have a toasted chicken and ketchup sandwich, bit of an odd combination but it's a start.
Okay, this next bit may sound really odd to some of you and you may think "oh for god sake, this is just pathetic". But anyway, since the age of about six the only thing I ate from any fast food restaurant was a fruit bag. As I got older I found that they do goooood fries!
Hello 2012, jeopreddy is eating nuggets, hamburgers, chicken burgers, the lot! I know they are just meat and meat in a bun, but seriously, you don't realise how awesome I feel, knowing that I can actually order a regular meal.
Today I tried pizza; it's not nice but pepperoni tastes good! I also had ham, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and baked potato. Although I didn't like what I tried, I felt so good after it because I am trying foods, something that I couldn't do a couple of months ago.
I feel that I really am moving on, slowly...
If you want to know more about Selective Eating Disorder feel free to comment below and ask! :o)
www.fussy-eaters.com
Eating Disorders
Selective Eating Disorder Fact Sheet
2 Comments – Postiwch sylw
CLICryan
Rhoddwyd sylw 4 mis yn ôl - 23rd January 2012 - 14:15pm
Really chuffed for you J as you are entering a world of pleasure in discovering food! I'm a massive spicy food and hot sauce fan so if you need any mentoring in that department let me know - om nom!
steampunk13
Rhoddwyd sylw 4 mis yn ôl - 23rd January 2012 - 16:24pm
Your such a better eater than me. Selective Eating Disorder is one of those disorders people don't believe I have... they reckon I'm just fussy (even my family find it hard to believe it).
For me the worst foods possible are anything with sauce like beans, spagetti or curry. Eugh they are just nasty. I would have hated the expedition you went on - I don't know if I would have survived.
I laughed when you said about pot noodles. I can only eat the chicken and mushroom and even then it's just the noodles.I have to pick out all the herbs mushrooms and sweetcorn before I can eat it.
I'm glad your learning and developing your relationship with food. Perhaps one day I will get the confidence to try new food too. :) I can't wait to read your next article on SED, looking forward to see what new things you have tried.