Live To Eat Or Eat To Live?

[kayo]

I was thinking the other day about how prior to discovering my food intolerances I was definitely a "Live to Eat" kind of gal. I used to think about food constantly. I watched the food network and PBS cooking shows religiously. I was always thinking about the next meal, my next recipe, my next experiment. I used to eat out a lot and loved to try new restaurants and cuisines. My love for food seemed to be cerebral as much as it was biological (hunger, cravings). I never met a food or cuisine I wouldn't try. I'd be hard pressed to come up with a list of foods I didn't like and wouldn't eat (caraway and kiwi are my absolute no's).

Since cutting out dairy, soy and gluten, particularly the latter two I noticed I changed from a "Live to Eat" to an "Eat to Live" kind of person. I no longer thought about food so much, cravings were mostly gone, no dreaming of owning my own restaurant or catering business (I was always mentally working on the menu!). I would even forget to eat, only reminded by a rumble in my tummy. Previous to the diet I was constantly hungry and snacking. Miss a meal? No way!

So I started to poll friends and family and found that those of us with food intolerances, allergies and GI issues tended to fall into the "Live to Eat" camp and those with no dietary issues or restrictions fell into the "Eat to Live" camp. I began to wonder if this was an indication of food allergies/intolerances. Do we crave the very things that make us sick? Do we crave variety to satiate some sort of bioligical or cerebral need?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

edited to add the poll which didn't post the first time

[Ahorsesoul]

I had a doctor tell me that the food we crave the most is probably the one we should not be eating.

[sunnybabi1986]

For the past couple of years (before going gluten free), I kind of grew to hate food, as it apparently hated me.

I have always LOVED food, but when it started making me sick, I started eating just to survive. I enjoyed food a bit, but I always felt worse after I ate, and as a result, I would go without eating for a day sometimes and I would feel SO MUCH BETTER! So I ate a little bit, but just enough to get by, and when I didn't eat for several hours, I always felt better. Bummer I didn't know it was actually gluten making me sick. That's why I felt better after fasting for 24 hours. I hadn't eaten any gluten.

Anyway, I'm learning to love food again and to "live to eat" (like I used to!), as I've discovered so many yummy foods I can now eat without getting sick!

[glutenfreeinminnesota]

I used to eat anything and everything, not a picky bone in my body. I loved trying new beers and restaurants. I always felt like crap no matter what I ate, so I thought that's just the way I was. I never even paid attention to labels. Now, with my new forced diet, I have focused all my time on the labels and whats in EVERYTHING. It's kind of fun researching new restaurants that are gluten free friendly, and I am discovering even more foods! I still Live to eat....but I don't eat nearly as much or have as many cravings. Thanks for polling, interesting to see.

[lbv6684]

Funny thing for me is this: My physical cravings have diminished, but I still have this strong inner drive to create good food. I think for me its more that I LOVE to feed people, and I love the feeling I get when they enjoy it. When my family sits down to a meal that I have made and I can tell they love it I am oddly satisfied with myself. Today I am the "special chef" for a Fish Fry at our church, I can't wait to see the looks on peoples face as they eat the food I made (glute free and most won't even know!). I don't even care if I can't eat it, in fact when I am cooking for others I tend to not eat as much!

I am amazed at the "power" food has. It certainly has become the center of modern mans every day activity hasn't it!?

[lynnelise]

Like the above poster I was sick all the time anyhow so I ate anything and everything. I loved to eat and was always trying a new cuisine or restaurant. Now honestly not much has changed. I have less restaurants to choose from and I cook more often but I'm always looking at recipes or menus and thinking about what I'll eat later. I love to have friends over and cook a big meal. I will say I don't crave things as badly now. Since each meal requires logistics I never just run out and grab things.

[luvs2eat]

I was absolutely one who LIVED TO EAT... even after going gluten free. I'd wake up and think about all the yummy things I could eat and what yummy thing I might make for supper.

Of course, I was eating all the WRONG things and am/was a good 30 lbs. overweight.

I've cut most carbs from my diet in the last few months... I'll have brown rice or bread at ONE meal a day and lots of veggies/fruits and lean meat. I'm down 15 lbs... 15 to go... and I've quit waking up to think about all the yummy things I can eat. I know it'll be brown rice and veggies.

So, now I'm absolutely an EAT TO LIVE person. Hope I can stay that way!!

I still dream of mac and cheese tho... ha.

[i-geek]

I need an "other" option. I love food, but it didn't break my heart to give up gluten foods. If anything, it's given me creative license to try all sorts of new things, and we're eating a healthier, more balanced diet than ever. Cooking is one of my hobbies, and it's often how I relax at night after a long work day or on a weekend. Since going gluten-free I've started making homemade chicken stock from chickens I've roasted myself, I've eaten all sorts of roasted and sauteed veggies, I've made homemade corn tortillas, tried (and enjoyed) quinoa, and learned to work with some really cool new baking ingredients. My husband the homebrewer is playing around with sprouting and roasting gluten-free grains since he can't just walk into a brewing store and buy them by the pound, and he's having a lot of fun with the experimentation process. In some ways I'm grateful because I'm a lot more mindful of my food now, and appreciate it more. I can't just dump a $1 box of pasta in a pot or zip through a drive-thru when I'm tired, and I find that now that I'm gluten-free I actually have the energy to cook these good things.

I guess I still lean a bit to the side of "live to eat", simply because I enjoy making and eating good food for myself and others.

[annemarie246]

I've only been gluten-free for about 20 days, but I can definitely tell a difference in the lack of food cravings and don't seem as hungry as I used to. Still want something sweet after lunch, but have been eating a lot less at lunch and dinner and losing weight!

For me, at least now, some of the joy has gone out of eating because I'm still not sure about all the hidden gluten ingredients and it makes me nervous. Hopefully, once I've gotten used to this life style, I'll feel more comfortable and enjoy cooking again.

[tarnalberry]

I'm also in the "other" camp.

I love eating tasty foods, but I don't live for it. I'm happy to eat just what I need to live, too.

[momxyz]

I'm another "Other"! Although I voted "Eat to Live" I do appreciate good food, and go through periods where I really enjoy experimenting in the kitchen. Basically for me it boils down to time - when I am very busy and don't have time, or, I want to use my free time for outdoor activities, I don't focus on food very much at all, and like another poster said, sometimes forget/don't bother to stop to eat. (Not good I know)

Adopting the gluten free lifestyle sent me back into the kitchen! First it was learning to make a few basic staples (like crackers from brown rice flour) and then it was to begin to convert some of my recipes to gluten-free. This past winter I did quite a bit of experimenting... and put on about 4 pounds!

[lizard00]

I love to cook and create. Being gluten-free has made me experiment with foods, and has now become my creative outlet, since I find with two kids, I don't have time to pursue my other interests. I don't eat to live, but I do certainly love good food and love to cook it. Before gluten-free, like everyone else, I felt like crap no matter what I ate. I really had gotten to the point of truly eating to live. I often ate just because I knew I should.

[Mskedi]

I would say I eat to live for breakfast and lunch, but I live to eat for dinner. I've got to have some variety and I enjoy getting creative, but one creative meal a day is enough for me. Occasionally I'll make a creative weekend breakfast.

That has remained the same for me all my life -- it was that way before I went vegetarian 14+ years ago and before I went gluten-free almost a year ago, and it remains that way still.