Remember last week I threatened to blog about fascinating stuff? Well, unluckily for the blogosphere, I remembered, so you are going to have to sit through one of my brain spasms.
There is another myth that I want to address, oh yes, the world is full of them. This one pertains to me and it pisses me right off.
You see, I am somewhat slight of build and of reasonably slim weight. However I have a huge appetite. It is off the charts. I used to have a rampant metabolism back in South Africa due to a combination of climbing, gymnastics and general running around, and in fact I was not able to eat enough to keep up with my body.
Sadly this has changed since I have come to the cold and hibernating place, and my metabolism has become more slug like, and stuffing my face with chocolate digestives does not help. But still I am fairly small.
At work I usually go with some of my lab mates for lunch and we have a full on cooked extravaganza. I am not used to this at all because for me lunch = sandwiches. So it took me time to adjust but now I eat exactly the same as them, and often more.
There may have been one or two occasions when I was sick or really full when I had soup or a slightly smaller portion. But on the whole I stuff my face every lunch. But because of those one or two times...
"Oh Po doesn't eat very much"
"Po has a small appetite"
"Po needs to have a good steak"
This kind of thing gets said every single day. Arrrrrgh! It is so blatantly not true. I don't eat very much? I eat exactly the same as them every DAY!
I bet a gazillion bucks that if I were naturally fairly chubby, and ate exactly the same way that I eat now, this myth would not exist. They would say I had a good appetite and could "manage" and stuff like that. While secretly making eyes at each other about what a pig I am. What do you reckon?
People are mad. I get quizzed frequently on what exactly I eat at home, as if they are somehow checking up on me. If I ever deign to refuse a piece of cake on cake day, there are whispers and mutterings about "birdlike" and "not eating very much" and blah. Cake time is like Nazi time. Sometimes I don't feel like cake in the mornings, the sugar rush leaves me faint for the rest of the day. But I HAVE to have a piece of frikking cake no matter what, or the cake Nazis will have a field day.
Leave me alone, nutters.
The funny thing is, I have put on quite a bit of weight recently, but it makes no difference, the myth is here to stay. If only I had never had soup that one time...
12 comments:
I hear you. Because of my now long-gone eating disorder, my mother is ALWAYS checking up on my food habits, telling me I don't eat enough etc... despite the fact that she's the skinniest person I know and eats less than I do!
Tamara: I think it is the cake thing that gets me the most. I reserve the right to HAVE NO CAKE if I so wish. But I am force fed cake. Man it makes me see red.
I'm so with you. I don't eat wheat or dairy, and for the most part I'm cool with that decision; don't feel deprived or anything. But some friends drive me nuts when we eat out, because they're constantly trying to persuade me to "eat just a little bit" of whatever dish that is not part of my menu. A good friend even bought me a birthday cake, and everyone waited for me to cut the first piece and eat it. Surely cheating just this once won't hurt, they say. It was my birthday afterall. Ja, it was my birthday, and I wished I didn't have to choose between hurting friends because I refused to eat my own birthday cake, and hurting myself by eating something I knew was not good for me.
Damn thin expats need feeding up.
Damaria: oooh that is more complicated. Most people (me probably included) don't even consider that kind of thing :( we are terrible. I have become more considerate since the BFG became vegetarian. I know what you mean, eating is for pleasure, not guilt and other stuff!
6000: I think I do a good job of feeding myself up, I eat like a freaking horse. I think they are blinded by the MYTH. I guess it does have a good side, maybe if I get really fat they will still think I am thin :)
See I'm on the other end of the spectrum from you. My metabolism is slooooow and I'm naturally a fat ass but eat hardly anything - but I know people still reckon I pig out.
Oh well ;)
they're just jealous. Ignore them. you don't have to eat cake if you don't want to! Besides, you're saving room for the lovely South African junk food!
Tara: these myths are a plague are they not? IT really annoys me that people say I don't eat much because I am actually proud that I have a good appetite and am not one of those girlies who wants to eat but pretends to be all modest because... who knows? I used to be an anorexic-too-embarrassed-to-eat in front of anybody person type of person, so I am proud of how far I have come!
Helen: you have such a good point! I can use that as a weapon at tomorrow's cake day. Or maybe I should just play with their minds, and announce I am on a diet, or go suspiciously to the bathroom after... no that is too cruel. Actually tomorrow I want cake! I don't object to cake at all most of the time!
Poski, i think you need to eat a giant toblarone choccie. :)
Ches: I think you are right. Am gonna go hunt one right now!
People are often jealous of smallish women, in particular! Doesn't seem fair that some people can eat lots and still remain thin!
I've suffered like you - and as I'm vegetarian I'm obviously someone with a birdlike appetite who just doesn't get enough nutrition!
I get called anorexic and the amount of food I put down counted my extended family. The last time I smiled and told them yes, I was anorexic but now find more contentment in bulimia cos its the best of both:P they didn't tease me any more for that day :)
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