I had this Red Mango parfait on Saturday. Can you tell that the Red Mango man made it all wrong?
There is a certain system to making the mixed berry parfait which I learned years ago from the Red Mango people!
On the bottom: strawberries
Then frozen yogurt
In the middle: strawberries, blueberries, pumpkin flax granola, chocolate chips
Then frozen yogurt
On top: granola and chocolate chips
I used to be NUTS about this. My Red Mango parfait always needed to be made correctly with the right toppings placed in the right spots.
I would hover over the new employees to ensure they got my parfait right and if they messed up, I would insist they remake it.
Over the weekend though, when the Red Mango man made my parfait all wrong, I didn’t even care.
I barely pay attention anymore when they make my parfait and if they miss an ingredient in the middle layer or load the top with chocolate chips rather than split it evenly with granola, I smile, say thank you and just eat.
I’ve noticed my lack of care about food in other ways lately too.
I absolutely hate food shopping. It’s an inconvenience in my life but it has to be done so I try to only go once a week and pray I get everything I need in that one trip.
I hardly cook or at least it seems that way. We eat out a whole lot more often and I just don’t care. Out for dinner on a Monday night? Fine by me.
I can’t battle my son every single day to figure out what he will find acceptable from our kitchen and have zero patience for conjuring up new dinner recipes.
Emergency snacks don’t exist in my bag. That’s right. I leave the house without a snack in my purse. If I get hungry, the world won’t end and I will find something to eat wherever I am.
I don’t care if I have dessert on my long run days. It used to be routine for me to ensure I had a super special dessert every Saturday night after a long run. Now, that dessert may happen on a Monday, Thursday or Friday night. And really, sometimes those desserts happen a few nights a week plus Saturday OR not at all. It doesn’t really matter to me.
The important thing to realize here is that letting go of caring about what you eat next won’t cause you to suddenly gain weight or lose complete control of your life. I haven’t stepped on a scale in years but my clothes still fit and if I am allowed to be really honest here, I think I look as good as ever.
I run strong, I am never injured, my clothes fit and I get my period. In my book, that means I am doing something right without having to care or focus on what I am eating.
I still intuitively choose nutrient dense foods most of the time and eat my chocolate cake when I crave it. But overall, what I eat is not something I really give time to thinking about.
Basically, if I am hungry, I just find something to eat. It’s really that simple.
I’m hoping my lack of care can help someone who is caring too much right now. WAY too much focus is put on food these days and I think social media is driving it. While there’s a healthy and balanced way to care about what you eat, unfortunately I keep watching people go over the top with caring about calories, ingredients, macros and nutrients.
Our bodies know what to do without us micromanaging every morsel. Please remember that. If you over-focus on what you eat, not only are you wasting energy and time, you may end up UNDEREATING which will eventually backfire on you.
Posts of Interest:
Quirky Eating Habits or Disordered Eating?
Do You Really Need To Lose 5 Pounds?
Achieving A Balanced Attitude Towards Your Weight
[bctt tweet=”Letting go of caring so much about food #redmango #pafarit #food #healtyeating” username=”cookiechrunicle”]
How often do you find yourself in the grocery store? Do you enjoy food shopping?
Do you think you care too much sometimes or over-focus on what you eat for every meal?
The Cookie ChRUNicles 
It definitely takes too much energy to worry about food all the time. A few years ago I put so much time into meal prep and eating well, but I just don’t have the time or energy for it anymore. However, I know for me its more stressful if I get home from work and don’t know what Im eating, or don’t have a lunch packed for a busy day at the office. So its more about balancing it all- doing enough to stay organized but not overdoing it to the point where it because more stressful than what its worth.
I did “my time” in this department. It is over and done with!!! I drove myself into exhaustion trying to make everything and have it be the best on all levels. Have not thrown my love of food to the wind or my love of good food, but I eat out all the time and make healthful choices for ME and what my body needs. I no longer focus on what’s healthy by the book, but what works for me. Someone I know had severe kidney stones and then a stroke in one eye–doctor put him on an old fashion diet which includes absolutely NO greens!! Oh this generation they think greens are the answer to the fountain of youth as they oxalate away their insides. I will be thinking of you as I eat my yogurt parfait.
i recently heard that greens can cause kidney stones! interesting. I like how you say you did your time in this department. I think a lot of us have and a lot of people continue to put the time in when it really can become a waste of energy and focus.
I like to cook, and onr thing I have improved on is not caring as much about the meal being exciting or a new recipe. Half the meals I cook now involve just roasting everything up in a pan! I spend way less time cooking now, even though we still eat at home, and I am okay with that.
Oh boy….I really needed to hear this today. I am guilty of caring too much about meeting my macros and it’s driving me crazy. I am tired of planning my meals and making sure I hit my numbers that eating is not longer pleasurable, but nerve wracking and i’m so tired of it. I want to be able to eat whatever and whenever I feel like it and not watch the clock for my next meal. Thank you for posting this today.
I am so glad I posted this then today if it helped you in any way! It’s so hard to find the balance between eating “right” and not letting it take over, you know? Over time, I think it’s something we can all let go of and learn how to eat more intuitively rather than let it consume us. If you ever have any questions, I can always try to be of help somehow, just let me know! 🙂
I’m not a foodie, I don’t like grocery shopping, I’d way rather spend time and money on something other than going out to eat, and I’m pretty much a buzzkill to be around. Ha ha! Although now that I think about it, I often need something to look forward to after a difficult run and it’s usually some sort of treat like beer or coffee or a cheeseburger.
I like a good treat too 🙂 And you are not a buzzkill! lol
I love food shopping and food prepping! Knowing that I’ve got good food ready to go makes me feel so much more confident and relaxed going into the week. That said, I think this is partially because I have some dietary restrictions; I struggle with an inflammatory bowel disorder, and follow the FODMAPS diet; so no gluten, not too much dairy, and I take it easy on a few other fruits and veggies that can upset my system. It can be hard for me to grab something while I’m out, so I’ve gotten to enjoy cooking and prepping and bringing all my food along with me.
It’s great that you have a system down for food prepping and enjoy it! I think that’s the key – doing what works for you and that you enjoy it
I care way too much about what I eat, although certainly not from a calorie, macro perspective. More from a I can’t wait for my next snack or meal and oooh, what’s it’s going to be…maybe I can make X, Y or Z or perhaps I’ll pick up A,B, or C.
I love food. I’m pretty sure I always will and while I post a ton of food pictures on social media, I like to think I’m not doing any harm since I usually post just as much decadent things as healthy things. Also I never make mention of the calories or things like that.
Great post and great food for thought; pun intended. 🙂
you aren’t doing any harm, at least not according to me! There’s a love of food and there’s unhealthy obsessions about food and calories and all of that kind of stuff. I love food too, especially my desserts 🙂
Love this post!! I am the same way. I used to worry so much about eating healthy all the time, but I just go with the flow now. The flexibility allows me to enjoy life much more, and I’m still healthy I dislike grocery shopping too, so I’ve started using grocery pick up and it’s amazing! The only downside is that Trader Joe’s doesn’t offer it…
I wish Trader Joe’s offered that service! I would definitely sign up and I bet a lot of other people would too
This is so great. I watch my little sister eat, she eats when she is hungry, stops when she is full. It is so simple. Why do we grow up and stop listening to our bodies?
That’s such a great feeling – good for you!
I have to say, I love going grocery shopping. I shop almost daily for our food, buying little bits at a time because I walk there. It’s therapeutic for me, like cooking is.
I used to love going and used to go a few times a week. I don’t know, now I just don’t want to do it! lol
Hi- love your blog!
Never comment- but this post totally hit home 🙂
I’m at this stage too and honestly think it’s such helathy place to be. I will say caring about the ethical & environmental implications of what we eat is awesome (but heck that is a privileged position to be in!) But in general- food is wonderful- yet really just meant to fuel our passions and not stress us out.
Love your attitude!
Keep spreading the word 🙂
Hi! I am so glad you love the blog! And I agree, I do care about the ethical and environmental stuff too. I do my best to get organic/hormone free chicken and meat for my son (I don’t eat that stuff) but it’s hard to ensure it’s what he is eating all of the time. And organic everything can be really expensive! We can only do so much – it’s not worth obsessing about or causing stress.
Amen amen amen amen!!! And amen again! On a lighter note we do have a shared birthday coming up!!!! Let’s have chocolate cake with chocolate icing and a chocolate fork just for grins!
ha, yes we do! And I would LOVE to share a chocolate fudge cake! How fun would that be?! If you ever come to New York, let’s do it!
I do love to shop for food, but I’m definitely with you in that I don’t care as much about food formulas or food being done a certain way like I used to. I probably still care too much in certain situations, but I’m thankful that the obsession over food and always thinking about food is so much less than it used to be. It’s such incredible freedom!
There is a balance in the thoughtfulness we put around food for sure. I am seeing that as a strong theme in so many blogs. I am so happy people are starting to get real!