This Is What Going Out To Lunch Looks Like For Me.

My husband and daughter had the locally caught grouper sandwich with fries, and I had the…….Absorb Plus protein shake.

Situations like this used to depress me quite a bit. It can be so tough to sip while others chew. It’s can be especially hard while on vacation (as we are now), when everybody is indulging in treats here and there. 

Thankfully, I have been at this long enough to have gained perspective and acceptance. I can have the fish sandwich and fries and feel crappy, or I can have the shake and not feel crappy. It’s a pretty easy choice when you look at it that way.

Did I get to this point overnight? Absolutely not. I have cried many tears over food I am no longer eating. But my tears are about more than the food. What I miss most is being part of the shared experience of the meal. Comparing notes about the perfect texture of the bread, or the richness of the chocolate cake. Eating off each other’s plates.

When I’m feeling sad and disconnected because of my liquid diet, I focus on gratitude. I am truly grateful for the 20 pounds I have gained from my liquid diet, and I am beyond grateful my stomach no longer hurts all the time. I am also grateful any time I can sit around a table with my husband and daughter. When we are together, I try to be extremely present with the parts of the experience that don’t involve food – shared love and laughter, and our general enjoyment of being together.

Would I rather eat than sip? Absolutely. But I have far more to be grateful for than to be sad about, and that’s where I keep my focus.