This is the question of the day! With both obesity and eating disorders on the rise, what is "normaI" eating? I have only run across one definition in the writings of Ellyn Satter from very early in my career and this author cites the very same. It still rings true for me. See what you think about it:
- Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.
- Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.
- It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.
- Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.
- Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life
To me, normal is messy and confusing, not so black and white and doesn't carry emotional reactivity or moral judgement.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/what-is-normal-eating/
