FORGETTING TO EAT IS NOT A METHOD OF WEIGHT MANAGEMENT...

When people brag about forgetting to eat, all I hear is "my life is so stressful and chaotic right now that I can't even focus on basic needs such as feeding myself." Truthfully, before becoming a fitness blogger, I had no reaction to the statement at all. Now all I want to do is cringe. I thought we were all on the same page that food is a non-negotiable?

It's not a badge of honor...

I try to put my finger on exactly why this braggart behavior appeals to people. I think that many people, especially in America wear a chaotic lifestyle like it's a badge of honor. We see all the time representation in movies of women who can do it all. The scene is always of them carrying two kids on their back, a disheveled briefcase in their hand, and a small muffin in their mouth as they drag themselves down the sidewalk in designer stilettos. That is supposed to be the image of a can-do woman, or a powerful I don't need anyone figure-head. Hey everyone, look at this woman handling business! It is a portrayal of women's independence to the extreme. Additionally, a chaotic life presents an outward appearance of someone pulled in many different directions. It's a perception of importance or value, and don't we all just want to be valued? Rarely do we see examples of women who have complete autonomy over their lives, who are successful AND who manage to maintain to sit down for a meal.

Weight management is about eating...

Here at Fit Gal Ri, I talk a lot about weight management, but I also talk about mental wellness because it is a pillar of overall fitness. If there was any mistaking it, there is no way you can maintain your physical health or your mental health for that matter, by forgetting to eat. Weight management is about EATING, and generally, people equate the absent-minded habit with some sort of natural method of weight maintenance or weight loss. However, it is quite the opposite. The inevitable results of the repeatedly starving yourself are short-term mental implications as well long-term physiological ones.

Imagine your body is a Honda Civic...

Here's what happens when you starve yourself even if on accident. Your body, without the nutrients it needs for energy, starts to burn your muscle mass because it's hardest to maintain. Now, bear with me for a second. Imagine that your body is a Honda Civic that gets decent gas mileage. You take your Civic for long journeys and can always rely on it to get you from point A to point B. One day you load a bunch of heavy stuff in the back in preparation for another long trip. However, you are so busy that you forget to fill up your gas tank. You get on the road anyways, and the heavy load in the back is causing your car to burn what little gas you have twice as quickly. The situation is dire, and you won't make it all the way on fumes, so you have to chuck the heavy load to make it to your destination. Regarding your body, that heavy load you have to chuck to conserve energy is your precious muscle.

When you lose muscle mass, your metabolism decreases over time thus your ability to control your weight suffers in the long term. Not only does your metabolism slow down, but your body actually hangs on to your body fat as a last ditch effort to keep a stash of emergency energy. You're actually encouraging everything you don't want to happen to your body by forgetting to eat.

Adrenaline is a hell of a hormone...

I understand that no one is doing this on purpose, at least I hope so. Otherwise, I have another post that needs writing. However, I digress, what happens when you get really busy is that your adrenaline gets pumping and adrenaline acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Therefore, when your life is crazy, your body simply won't tell you that you need to eat. That's why you have to remain vigilant.

In the short term, you can try sticking to a regular eating scheduling, locating healthier and quick food options on the go, or a weekly meal prep. However, forgetting to eat is a symptom of work-life balance or life-life balance issues that need addressing.

The moral of the story...

So the next time you get to the end of the day and realize you haven't so much as eaten a crumb, stop yourself from the obligatory social media post announcing it and think about the image it presents of your life and the image it perpetuates to those around you. Food is a non-negotiable.