Ulog # 17: A Light Relationship With Food

Hello, Steemians! I hope you’re having a restful Sunday.

whispers in a low voice I think it’s about time I tell you guys my secret: looks around in a secretive manner and clears throat I have a superpower and a terrible secret. My superpower is that I need very little food to survive, and my terrible secret is that I have wasted a significant amount of food in my short lifetime. 😔

I ate half then threw half of it away

Okay so that’s too dramatic. 😂 Though something that most non-spicy lovers react to almost like it’s a superpower is that I have a high tolerance for spicy food and almost always eat meals with a spicy sawsawan containing about 10+ pieces of sili because spicy food is life!

Okay, okay, back on track. The thing is, I stand at only 5’0 feet, weighing about 45 kilos. The heaviest I ever got was around 48 kilos and never over that. This is primarily because, as most people say it, “I eat like a bird”. Since most meals are set at regular servings, I just eat about half and the rest goes to waste (I’m so sorry, Mother Nature).

This became more and more pronounced as I entered the corporate world. Older people would look at my plate and then back at me with a disbeliving expression then say something along the lines of:

1. YOU’RE DONE EATING?!?
2. You’re already full? But you barely ate.
3. Is that all you’re gonna eat?
4. But that, that’s too little, no wonder you’re so thin/sexy (ahem, clears throat, I’m not lying they really say that sometimes😂).

Repeated moments of hearing a variation of the above comments kinda numbed me to it. Now I’d just laugh and nod agreeably. My propensity for limited consumption are mostly due to the following reasons:

1. I have GERD. It’s a Gastroesophageal
   Reflux Disease so eating too much makes the food rise up with acids and it’s definitely not a pleasant experience.
2. I get full easily. I have this stop signal in my brain that tells me I’m full, after which I stop eating already. I guess I just really got used to heeding its advice. 😂
3. I’m a picky eater. I grew up in the province where food is simple. Viands are salty, desserts are sweet. Imagine my shock when I came to the city and met lots of other varieties (sweet and spicy, sweet and sour, sweet and every other sensation). I don’t like sweet viands which is sometimes how people here in the city prepare their food.
4. And lastly (though this seems like a vain reason), I dislike having pronounced belly fats because it feels uncomfortable when I’m sitting. It folds up and I don’t like the feeling. So yeah. 😅

Those who know my eating habits even joke that I’m lugi at buffets because I don’t really get my money’s worth. And they’re right, much as I’d like to dispute them. 😂 We recently went to a buffet at Abreeza Mall and I only wanted to eat shrimp and fries.

This does not in any way entail that I dislike eating. I love eating, I love food. I eat often, just not a lot. Recently I even made an effort to gain more weight to be eligible for blood donation. When I mention that to my workmates they would say something along the lines of “You’re planning to donate? Your blood is just enough for you.” 😂

Sadly, I didn’t gain weight, just belly fats but I didn’t get heavier. 😔 The date of the blood donation arrived and I still haven’t gained enough so I guess I’ll try again next time.

When I got into a relationship, my girlfriend would joke about my cheeks (or lack thereof). As much as I want to have cheeks, they seem to be the hardest part for fats to reach. To be able to have chubby cheeks, I’d need to reach the 48+ kilos category. Given my small stature, I’d be like walking drum. 😂😂😂 This is not in any way discriminatory to those who weigh that and are small in stature, I only apply this principle to me.

The elder women at the office would sometimes say “Don’t worry, it’ll change when you get married and have children.” And I’m like “You do know I have a girlfriend right? And that we can’t get married here?” (I mean yeah we could get married in another country and avail other ways of conceiving but also, I just wanted to point it out to them in case they didn’t know. 😂)

The thing though, is that I like my body how it is now. I’m comfortable in it and it functions relatively well. If things (my weight) does change in the future then that’s okay too, I’ll be a different person by then. For now, I’ll be perfectly at ease and at peace with it. Also, I try to order lesser if that option is available to contribute less to the food wastage. 😅

Bonus old pic, to prove that I do love food. me looking fondly at food

All photos are mine taken with an Iphone SE, except the last one which was taken by my cousin from a celebration lst year

‘Till next #ulog!

This is the 17th one, each one is as fun as the one before it. So, I’d like to express my gratitude to @surpassinggoogle for the gift of ULOGs. And to @mrblu who introduced me to Steemit. And to the entire community for being awesome! 🎉