Food is nourishment

Would you believe me if I told you that I haven't turned on a television in my home for three years...well, it's truth.  I learned that the average person views anywhere from 3,000 to 4, 000 advertised message a day!!  Now, don't get me wrong, there's a need for some advertising...how else would we learn of products and services we need to help live a quality life...but in my opinion there's overkill on the advertising...and advertising that unjustly uses shame and fear and pursuit of happiness as motivators.

I remember when I was opening eyes to awareness during my journey back to a healthy body size.  I gorged myself on television.  I could sing jingles (even some of them from childhood are still embossed in memory) of those seen frequently.  But, one day, I became aware of something...the impact of these seemingly harmless messages...particularly with food advertising.  One day, as I viewed  a restaurant commercial...as I watched people smiling and laughing as they ate this food on a table before them; I said, out loud, "Boy, they're having fun with that food".  As I heard those words roll over the threshold of my lips, I was shocked at the twisted logic....food was not fun...how did I ever get that notion; fun and happiness, for me,  comes from engaging relationships and having life enhancing experiences...not from eating.  Food is nourishment...plain and simple for me...it is fuel for my livelihood when I choose purposely...when I choose nutrient rich food.

From that point on, I decided to back away from television.  I watch it occasionally when working out at the gym or at family or friends homes...but not in my home and sparingly. I saw subconscious reasoning that added logs to the burning flame of compulsive eating in my life...I had been influenced to accept the faulty belief that food would add joy and happiness into my life...but it was the exact opposite...the more food I ate trying to get emotional needs met, the more miserable I became...thankful for freedom from the fallacy today...

How does the media influence your eating patterns? Is it time for a television fast.....

P.S. There's a reason why you see extreme close ups of steaming foods, etc...it enhances the appetite...there's a reason why certain colors like red and yellow are used in food advertising...I encourage you to search it out "influence of food advertising on eating patterns" on the Internet....