ADHD Autism & Eating Habits

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Timestamps
intro 00:00-04:01
Picky vs. Particular 04:02-11:04
Mental vs. Physical hunger 11:05-15:27
My eating accommodations 15:28-23:44

[@BBWahoo]

Throughout my life I went from overeating junk food > eating keto > fasting

[@Hopie_T]

Same but then add > overdoing fasting and fainting > mainstream dieting > learning to listen to my body > settling into a very imperfect but comfortable relationship with food.

[@BBWahoo]

@@Hopie_T Mainstream dieting came before keto for me, and it took me so long to realize most overeating was stress related, being in a comfortable relationship is incredibly important! I eat the occassional processed crap every now and then, but it's very reduced

[@tsukai1]

@@Hopie_T This has been my journey as well.

[@moa8849]

Before I was diagnosed with autism I didn't know I could be picky or particular. When I was young I was forced to eat different things and "good" food was used as a reward so my relationship with food was and still is a mess. Now I'm more picky because I allow myself to be.

[@julietteferrars3097]

Perfect timing! I’ve been struggling to eat at all the past few days. 😅 I’m excited to hear your experience and knowledge on this topic. 💜

[@Jbaxter736]

ADHD medication helped me start eating properly again because I had the focus back to start cooking meals again for myself.

[@nashebagem]

Food is such a touchy topic. It’s apart of our everyday lives. People don’t talk about it enough. I am glad that I came across your channel and you’re able to express yourself with your relationship to food. ❤ 🥘 🍱 🍲

[@Hopie_T]

I think neurodivergent folks should be very careful with who they are consulting about diet. I used to go to a dietician, and even though the information she was giving me about how to take care of my body was technically correct and I can see it helping a lot of people, they way she was delivering things and the things she was focusing on... I wouldn't say gave me an eating disorder, but they led to very disordered eating and a very polluted state of mind that I sometimes still struggle with. I think it's because of hyper focus and literal thinking and other aspects of neurodiversity. I know it's a bit of a 'duh', but we don't work in the same way most people do. I've found whenever I ask for a service or help from a professional I have to do a lot of advocacy for myself and even then... there's no guarantee that this person will be able to help me. The vast majority of the time I'll just be met with "I guess we're not a good fit to work together".

[@felixgarciaflores]

the last part about finding suitable professionals is a real struggle ! makes me frustrated just thinking about it lol

[@christinelamb1167]

I can relate! Years ago (before I found out I am autistic) I was seeing a dietician to help me in ED recovery. While some of her suggestions were somewhat helpful, I ended up stopping working with her after a few months. Autistic people with ED's have different motivations behind their behavior, and a lot of the time she just didn't "get" me.

[@AstroBaby91]

Food is such a struggle even though I love cooking and baking lol

[@panikiczcock2891]

(AuDHD) Food is one of the things I struggle the most, there's very little foods that I tolerate sensory-wise. I think it's the thing that brought me the most shame in life as people can be really judgemental of adults who are labelled "picky". What sets me apart from the stereotype though is that I love flavorful things - give me spices!

[@panikiczcock2891]

I relate to what you talk in 14:59. For example, when I'm travelling alone and have to take care everything myself, I have to stick to foods I know I like because otherwise it feels like I'll go into shutdown.

[@julietteferrars3097]

I often wish I could survive on some sort of nutritional cube that has enough calories for the day stored all in one bite-sized piece.

[@Caatje-op3jy]

This video is so relatable! I literally ordered food instead of eating what I already have before I started watching this hahaha. I just wasn't craving that other thing

[@tashikathomas1093]

It's wild hearing you explain things .. nobody understands .. but you explained my relationship with food spot on.. food used to bring me the most joy I ever could feel and I would set up my meals in such a way (ritual) it was always a vibe .. now food randomly feels joyful.. and I often struggle with what to eat.. it's Like I don't really eat for what it is. I eat for how it makes me feel.. the right drink .. the right show.. the right sauces .. If I can't picture the setting.. I almost don't want to eat.. like it feels pointless. I Never really thought of food as a dopamine fix but this makes complete sense...

[@ElNJ-p8f]

I’m in AN recovery , & have been for a few years. I because of my autism have poor interception so if I hadn’t developed AN I think I wouldn’t eat well. Because I’ve a meal plan & have had for a couple of years which has helped me to eat. Others help me to remember or I set a timer. I live in a supported home so I have staff that can remind me. I eat at set meal times & often the same amounts & also often the same foods as well as the same amount of meals per day. I also have nutrient drinks that I freeze & have when my appetite is low or for other reasons. I have felt almost guilty for living this way but It functions well for me, it gives a structure, routine & predictability. As well as I get enough nutrition each day. I didn’t fit the stereotypical AN picture at first but unfortunately the health care system made me developed similar symptoms as the stereotypical AN patients. But now I’m much better & have accommodations for my autism & have come far in my recovery. But I’m still trying to accept my situation with food but it’s hard. Sometimes I try to eat a different way & different food & it ends up not eating enough not because of wanting to be skinny but because of other reasons. Thank you for this video! Also for all of your content , my favorite creator. 💗

[@ElNJ-p8f]

Just want to add: the health care didn’t made me become sicker in the stereotypical way but rather the treatment somehow caused me to become sick in that way. It’s hard to explain therefore a bad formulation, and I don’t either want to blame anyone it’s just the treatments aren’t often so good for autistic individuals, sorry if someone reads this because it wasn’t written well.

[@christinelamb1167]

I understand what you're saying, because I have been in recovery from AN for quite a few years, and I have developed a way of eating that works for me. For anyone observing how I eat, they may think I still having ED behaviors, because I eat similar foods, similar serving sizes, and mostly the same meal times every day. But as you mentioned, it gives me structure, routine, and predictability, which I need to feel safe anfd stable in my life. I have this same type of structure and routine in all areas of my life, not just food, and for me it's a sustainable accomodation for my autism. In my early recovery, I never felt like I fit the usual AN steroeotypes for the REASONS why I had certain behaviors with food. I had trouble relating to how the "professionals" insisted I had to do things in order to recover. I am happy I was able to find my own way, and it sounds like you have found your own way too!

[@ElNJ-p8f]

I relate to what you’re describing very much! Yeah I guess I also have found a way that works for me too.

[@bloodysuperstar8]

i feel like you made this video specifically for me because i’ve been doing research on binging disorders because of low dopamine & forgetfulness and it’s link to obesity or being under weight.

[@srslyawkward3095]

This video distills the core issue my husband and I have. I am ADHD and he is undiagnosed as autistic, but he has a lot of the same struggles. Between his food sensitivities and what food he is currently hyperfocusing on, it’s really hard to shop for him. If we don’t have the right food on hand available right now, he will end up not eating, and will have blood sugar crashes later. I minimize this by keeping hyperfocus foods on hand and by keeping our foods to a few quick and easy meals. As much as I like trying new things, I know he doesn’t, and I get sick of eating the same thing. I keep the options simple (like two or three) to minimize executive function issues. If all else fails, we will do takeout without guilt. For my own meals, I work in anything he doesn’t want into my breakfasts or lunches. With a little bit of planning, we have reduced the amount of food we throw out.

[@shapeofsoup]

This video was a reminder to me that self-awareness is a journey. Thanks for that, Irene. I relate so much to how you describe your relationship with food.

[@melissaskinner2199]

I'm so intrigued by your food habits changing after going on ADHD medication. I'm AuDHD and currently not taking any medication for my ADHD because I feel like most of the time my autistic side is more dominant. However, I have ALWAYS struggled with overeating...exactly like you described not knowing you were full until you were miserable. When I first got my diagnosis, I started wondering if food was a stim for me. I still think that it is in some ways, but now I'm questioning if it's also partly my ADHD side coming through. 🤔

[@thethoughtspot222]

I definitely think food can be a stim! Esp if you’ve found your favorites

[@melissaskinner2199]

@@thethoughtspot222 the problem is that my favorites are all junk food. 😂

[@fadedandfrustrated]

*watching while i bake an entire cake from scratch for breakfast because i havent eaten well in days and homemade cakes are my safety food/special interest this week* Thank you for making this! ♡

[@jojorose648]

Eating can sometimes be sensory overload even if I do not have sensory aversion to the taste after getting bunt out eating itself can be exhausted. I do wander if some people who are considered anorexic have sensory issues with food that stops them from eating as much and we just don't know the number it is also considered a part of BPD which leads to autistics sometimes getting misdiagnosed with BPD. As a younger child I didn't eat except four different products and Mint ice cream and fizzy drinks tasted like acid in my mouth. I ate that one particular type of Bens rice most week nights until my Mum got sick of buying it and the smell. Though it took getting a cook book to expand my general eating habits. I think another part was dissociation from my own senses due to sensory overload. Turns out when I had a psychotic break it came back like a freight train and now I can't eat some foods I could before or somethings I could before. I still do not like mint all through my life even if I could drink Cola. It lead to me not brushing my teeth for a month when my Mum decided to change brands it was the first time I went to buy something using my bank account when two of my teeth broke.

[@felixgarciaflores]

thank you for this video. currently watching it as i'm cooking the same kinda meal for more than a month now, unless i eat out in arguably unhealthy fast food chains. yeah the topic made me a bit sad so lemme pour out some of my sadness here i both care a lot about food and can't be bothered with it at the same time, just as you mentioned with the adhd & autism sides. think i grew up malnourished because of my pickiness (vegetaran culture wasn't really a thing in my childhood environment), and always felt weak because of it. arguably i still am, although i'm trying to invest in my health the best i can. but the other issue is that this whole thing is paired with some deeply ingrained shame about why i at 33 still can't seem to properly manage this very basic thing, while others don't seem to have half as much fuss about it. i feel ashamed when i think about how much i spend on food, safe foods (not even necessarily unhealthy stuff) because i can't figure out what to make or what i want or the logistics behind the dreaded grocery shopping etc. it all sounds so silly, yet this is challenge for me to this day if i'm in a social setting, i can now eat a lot of stuff without problem and even appreciate it, yet when i'm alone i tend to fall back to the same old stuff, and just not think about it until i suddenly get bored with it after half a year and then i just don't wanna eat that stuff for like the next 2 years or so it's ironic because over the years i think i gained some good cooking skills and what i make usually turns out quite good, even if i make something new. but usually i just can't be bothered with trying i also don't really feel hunger normally until i become utterly depressed / my blood sugar drops, and only then i realize the issue but by then it's an emergency 😅 so undereating-overeating is also quite a regular thing it's just so stupid really, even talking about it. and it's not like i haven't learned to manage it better over time, but it takes a significant amount of attention from me and i have none left for like real non routine tasks? if that makes sense i know these long comments get lost in the void, but honestly this is bringing up so many emotions and i felt like sharing it in some form, at last

[@toothsometofu]

“You only need to think about food when you need it and your body is hungry.” 🤯 While I can eat all kinds of foods, my brain is always planning about what I will eat and prepare in advance for my next meal/drink (packed lunch for work, be sure I never run out of the foods I like to cook so that the option is there, always have snacks on me in case I get hungry, always have tea leaves with me in case I want to drink tea) I never realized it wasn’t normal to spend so much time organizing and thinking about what I consume. I can’t count on being able to make decisions when I’m hungry bc I won’t feel hungry until I haven’t eaten for 10 hours and I’m suddenly consumed with a ravenous rage.

[@spudmadethis]

This makes so much sense to how I’ve struggled with food. I had the complication of my parent has an lifelong ED (and I’m pretty sure undiagnosed ND too, for both parents) so speaking about my problems weren’t allowed til very recently and trying to find help with arfid like issues (that’s the closest thing I can find to explain my issues but it’s not quite that) is impossible where I am. I’ve been in full crisis just weeping asking nutritionists for help with knowing what a portion should actually be, how to know when I’m full and how much I require a week and they think that’s being restricted or disordered when it’s just so I know I’ve hit my minimum and when to stop because that’s not innate for me.

[@stephanieeaves479]

You are a QUEEN!!!! You have thoroughly explained all my eating issues it’s so so important to hear this from someone else. 😭😭😭😭😭

[@MaciekRabizo]

I use my EDs to get shredded 😂

[@serenediipity]

i'm on the cusp of being underweight not because i've ever pursued a specific body type but simply because my brain doesn't tell me when to eat until i'm shaky and feel faint. i didn't grow up in a home with that many home-cooked meals (we were taught to be self sufficient and just grab whatever was in the pantry) and now that i'm an adult i don't want to live off of small snacks anymore but i haven't yet learned what meals to replace those snacks with. i brought it up to my doctor recently and she recommended scheduling when to eat but that can be difficult even while on adhd meds. i'm still figuring out what kinds of meal prep options are feasible for me and finding out what foods will adequately sustain my energy for a set period of time

[@_Lord_of_Misrule_]

Hello from the likely AuDHD person, who is currently on their second week of eating pasta salad (vegan, healthy, easy and delicious though!!).

[@emilyrasputin]

I'm still trying to figure out my issues with food at 28. Thank you for talking about these specific topics. I tend to be really hard on myself for being a certain way, and ignore the context of my disability and the other people who struggle with very similar things. These help me feel less alone 💚

[@greatesteva7343]

I came into this video expecting advice or similar experiences to my daughters and how they eat food. One will try anything but only likes some foods, she’s a toddler. My oldest who has ADHD and is being assessed for Autism, like you described, likes one food one week and then doesn’t want it the next. But instead I finally found something that describes my relationship with food. I suspect I have ADHD but having a hard time finding someone who will listen to me. Thank you for putting into words my obsession with food and my lack of wanting to eat despite being hungry.

[@wronghandlane9665]

Also, I love variety! I will eat mamy mamy things, but om a day to day in my routines i don't want to make choices. I am too exhausted barely staying alive at a full time job as a chronically ill and chronically in pain person

[@fadedandfrustrated]

Curious how many others have looked into ARFID (I tell my providers about it but I'm usually educating them on it instead of vice versa)?

[@mardasman428]

I'm likely autistic (probably with no ADHD) and I hate eating, I hate cooking and I often forget to eat as a result. But at the same time, I can't stop myself eating sweets until the entire packet of sweets is completely gone, which has led to very unhealthy behaviors (I'm fructose intolerant!). Now that I know that I'm fructose intolerant, I stopped eating sweets almost completely. I feel quite healthy and controlled now, but I still struggle with forgetting to eat or being hungry at night or just hating the process of cooking so much that people always notice. This always comes up with dating: Most other people love cooking and eating, even want to do it as a dating activity, but I just hate doing it, full stop! I also dislike eating out because I hate making decisions, I am quite poor, it is stressful and I work from home, so it doesn't usually come up as a choice.

[@macondiano503]

Ty Irene for this video - food for me has always been such a difficult and complicated part of my own experience, too. I never really grew up eating consistent meals during a lot of my childhood as my parent also had a very disordered relationship with food and as a result it has been incredibly difficult to course correct. Thankfully with trial and error I have been able to find things that work for me but still struggle as, like you said, what you can afford economically has a huge impact on how much you can accommodate yourself. Personally, I have also always tended to struggle with nausea with food - another reason why forcing yourself is not good advice. Sometimes I can eat a food fine for months and then out of the blue I am throwing it up every time and if I'm not careful, it will start to effect me the same way with other foods too. Thank you again for sharing this topic - it is so frustrating !!

[@wronghandlane9665]

I have an ED, no longer severely restricting, been i guess "recovered" a couple years but growing up my entire family ate poorly, many circumstances went into it. Everyone had a very disordered relationship with food. I was body shamed or scrutinized heavily no matter if i was large or small. I was forced to finish food etc and bribed to eat more. Sucked. Nowadays i'll try to eat balanced without restrictimg entire food groups. This for me looks like finding a couple main meals/mini meals I eat every single day 99% of the time and having one variety mesl with him. I love the meals i make every day, i love not having to make choices and be even more stressed. Having consistently the same balanced meals reasaures me. But i experience massive anxiety and stress if i eat additi9nal things or unplanned things too often. i foudn my tism foods that are just perfect to me every single time. But when i do have variety or somethinn else outside the norm, I then want to balance it back out when it comes to the meal we have together. IE if i have x amount of y type of food already, then i don't want y type of food again at dinner. He doesn't always get that, but I have to decide if the added anxiety is worth the extra bread or whatever on a given night or not.

[@macondiano503]

The part about making sure you're eating first and foremost is so important. Don't let anyone shame you otherwise! Especially when you're a woman, there is a particular shaming around "not being the perfect house wife" so to speak. Who ever said you wanted to be anyway?? Do what works for you - again eating is always a necessity before anything else.

[@flyygurl18]

All so relatable: the particular-ness and enjoying it A lot! 🙂

[@brynnejewell1275]

I've struggled with food and my eating habits my entire adult life. People have called me "picky," but I've always claimed I'm not picky. I'm just selective. I actually like a wide variety of foods. I'm just particular about what foods go together and my eating times. I don't see how that's being picky.

[@paulinejulien9191]

Awesome video. I’m autistic and my partner is autistic + ADHD (unmedicated) and your relationship to food reminds me a lot of his. For a while before we knew we were neurodivergent we definitely thought he had an eating disorder because they say you’re not supposed to think about food more than x% of your time etc and he definitely exceeded that. Now looking back I definitely think it was his neurodivergence. I’ve also had an interesting relationship with food my whole life, mostly because of low interoception. I’ve never been able to tell I need to eat until I’m shaking, and as a kid I’d mostly eat in the evenings and not really the rest of the day, which meant I was very skinny because I was very active. It felt natural to me and I felt amazing but it definitely worried a few adults. Lately I’ve been in burnout and I’ve had to really be strategic about the things I spend my energy on during the day. I know that if I cook something, I won’t have the energy to go for a walk, for example. So a lot of the time I’m relying on takeout or ready/frozen meals. No, they’re not the healthiest option, but at least I’m staying fed and it doesn’t use up what few spoons I have for the day…

[@EmperorOfFresno]

Hi I'm Damian from California and I have autism myself, awesome videos, its rare to see an asian person with autism I'm 25% Japanese myself but mostly Irish background

[@melonmelody18oz]

Love the new background! It suites your aura and tone of voice ( :

[@impepenane]

eating peas with lemon juice every day for 2 months and going strong

[@thethoughtspot222]

Interesting combo! What do you like about it?

[@skywerk548]

Rapid eating is a stim for me. Food has to be sweet, bitter, sour, spicy, salty, etc to stimulate my taste buds. While and after eating I find the muscle in my legs and feet are always tensing up. I also chew the inside of my cheeks and have bruxism. I mainly eat low carb/keto with a cheat day window now to keep my weight and mental health in check. I do repeat a lot of the same foods.

[@tulsalien]

I can relate 10:19 right here, especially if I don’t cook it or prepare it then it’s hard for me to get interested in eating it

[@FierceEars]

I found your channel randomly a few months ago and have watched a lot of your videos just out curiosity because I'm not diagnosed with anything. But basically every video ever of yours explains me to a tee and I'm not sure if it's just my personality, do you think I should get tested? I don't particularly believe I 'struggle' more than any other person in life, but then again, it wouldn't hurt, right? Can I get your opinion on this? Just this food video is me in a nutshell. When I wake up, I think about what foods I want to eat that day 😅

[@yundorphin]

... um, is it not normal to plan your days around your meals and how to ensure you get the food you want? >< I didn't think that was strange. If you wait to think about food until you're hungry, isn't that too late? Genuinely asking btw.

[@papermelonworking]

It is to me, i never feel hungry. I also prepare all my food before hand too and use timers so i dont forget

[@yundorphin]

@papermelonworking I get like that when I'm really busy or stuck in hyperfixation on a task... but food is often a daily focus for me.

[@auberotte1794]

I am unfortunatly overspending on food, its not like i eat take out every day, but there are certain foods i know i can eat w/o problems but they are not necessarily the cheapest ones (I currently don't have employment unfortunatly). I always try to cut some cost but i am just not able to really deviate when i have my set of good foods. Thinking about taking or eating smth else makes me so anxious and overwhelms me so hard. Sometimes i tried to plan to integrate smth else but i just couldn't do it. And when everything else in life is so poop then it's just impossible for me to be more flexible even though my bank account is always like blank and i have to ask my parents for money regulary. This whole situation is just so fked, i don't really know how other peeps can even live with less money. Just seems impossible to ever beeing able to live comfortably and not being reliant. Hopefully i find some employment i can do w/o burning down after 1y.

[@aaronsammons3359]

Thank you for this! I am discovering my autism alongside living on my own for the first time, and eating has been the largest struggle. Looking at food I’ve purchased rot while I can’t summon up the energy to cook it or the caring to eat it. It’s easy to feel negative towards yourself, I needed to hear you put it so positively and so well

[@eclair555]

i know this isnt related to the video which was super well done and helpful! but just extra comment i really love ur braces im getting mine soon and you looking so pretty with them on gave me some confidence!!

[@springskyllark]

I agree they look super pretty on Irene 😊 you’re gonna look great both with them and after!

[@podpoe]

10:00 YES YES YES

[@thephamilybusiness9485]

I’m so far in to my two special interests that I’ve basically stopped eating completely because I have no appetite and no hunger cues. I’m in hell. My body is suffering. But nothing I do is helping.

[@thethoughtspot222]

Give yourself more time to transition out of those activities! Even if it means halting it for an hour or so. Take a transitional break to unweave yourself from the activity and weave yourself back to your body

[@SunnyDallasRealtor]

Wow 😯 💡this is why you don’t attempt diagnose yourself with an eating disorder *talking to myself I relate to all of this and would have NEVER attributed it to my brain. Thank you

[@arobinreads]

Thank you for sharing ❤ Food is so hard, have been struggling with it quite a bit. Thank you for normalizing that it's hard What I have is a body that constantly acts like it wants food (always stomach pain that does feel like hunger) but I'm almost never mentally prepared to eat. It really sucks. How I deal with this is schedule when I eat. So I eat around every 3 hours. 3 big meals and 2 snack times

[@christinelamb1167]

I have also found it's best for me to schedule my meals at regular intervals. Some people might think I'm rigid (hello autism!), but having predictability and stability with my food helps me so much! I don't get "normal" hunger/fullness cues from my body, so I rely on certain foods, in certain proportions, at certain times of the day, to make sure I am eating enough/not too much. It works for me!

[@arobinreads]

@@christinelamb1167 Nice, seems like a good plan! (And some people can just shut up haha)

[@binesart]

We need neurodivergent cooking KZbin channels! Who knows any? Write below. I know in German, Kind of comedy: kupferfuchs und Philip. Really great for motivating, funny and relatable.

[@ap548]

omg after watching your last video and thinking to request for this topic. u read my mind lol

[@ashmac87]

Wow, we have so much in common. Except that my adhd isn't treated. I'm taking a med for it, but I don't know if it really does anything. I want to try something else, but I'm terrified of the stimulants because I don't want to have a bad reaction. Regardless, I'm changing the way I think about food. Food is medicine and fuel. I try to get enjoyment from doing something creative instead of from food. Everything is still really hard though because I'm still pretty burnt out.

[@BrittanySimon]

The way you described "picky vs particular" in relation to food also reminds me of dating 😅 I'm not picky, but I am particular.

[@rebeccaburnell9319]

I'm an autistic foodie. (one more edit of this novel before I promise I'll stop writing, lol... DISCLAIMER, none of what I say here indicates I'm making ANY judgements of other people's choices or needs. Each of us can only make decisions and choices that are available for us to make, and the limitations on our decisions and choices can come externally, from the systems we're forced to live in, or from within, for sensory etc reasons. No judgement being passed on anyone in my comment, AT ALL, I swear). 30 years ago (29 years before I realized I was autistic), another special interest of mine - climate change - got rolled into my foodie-ism; I learned that agriculture, and specifically raising cattle, was a serious contributor to emissions. I went vegetarian for a few years; I eventually abandoned that after my partner abandoned it. Also, this was before climate activism was common (at least, where I lived) - very few people ever mentioned climate change and no one included the potential of climate impacts in their daily lives or conversation. Back then, without support around me, I came to feel it was futile and that since I wasn't going to have an impact, it was unreasonable to continue to inconvenience my family & friends with my vegetarian diet. Fast forward to about 12 years ago I was already on Disability ("depression" that was really provoked/continued by autistic burnout) and I was coming out of the worst of it, for which I'd been hospitalized and prescribed "heavy" meds including mood stabilizers that, to keep me safe, had severely "muted" my personality & experience of the world for a couple of years. I was looking for ways to make my life meaningful, because I knew I couldn't continue the way I had been going (ie, the burnout had been precipitated by increasingly ratcheting up what I now know was my mask, and I had no sense of self left). I stumbled into the existence of the climate justice movement, and that was the start of me being able to piece myself together again. As I acquainted myself with the climate research that had been done in the years since I last had been aware of the science, I found LOTS about agriculture. How *all* of industrial agriculture contributes to emissions, and how it contributes to the biodiversity crash... and that we can change that. By 10 years ago, I was starting to make significant changes in my decisions about food in the direction of local/seasonal eating. 7 years ago it accelerated to the point of being involved in community-scale garden/orchard projects. And then 4 years ago, I left the city, now have an ever-expanding veggie garden/a small flock of laying hens/6 pre-existing apple trees, and a large chunk of what I eat in a year is either grown in my yard or is from the weekly CSA box (veggies & meat) from the agro-ecological, organic farm 2kms up the road from me. My garden produces food you can't buy from any store for any price; varieties of vegetables that don't suit the kinds of cultivation, harvest, storage, and shipping food is subjected to in the industrial ag model. For that matter, I can't even afford to eat the kinds of meals I enjoy via the regular grocery store versions of these items; I'm still on Disability, I can't afford the grocery bill. I do have food issues, especially with textures, but it's easy enough to accommodate that because I eat such a wide variety of other things. It's still difficult when they crop up though, especially in the company of other people (I'm only recently self-dx'd, so I have 50 years of having to deal with other people's reactions to and judgements of my food sensitivities). ... but yeah, I get structuring your entire life around food, lol. In my case I think it's good - not only do I eat WAY healthier than I otherwise would, but I also get a ridiculous amount of exercise too, and since I'm on Disability apparently for life, it's not like it negatively impacts other parts of my life like I imagine it can for other people in other contexts. And I'm being a good ancestor in my food choices; a large portion of the food I eat is produced with the health of the hyper-local ecosystem in mind. It means everything to me. edit: oh, lol, this was a novel but I *didn't* mention - eating this way also means I spend a whole lot of time thinking about what to do with the harvest (ie, creative meal planning), and since I'm often cooking from scratch, a bunch of time spent on food prep. So even when I'm not in the garden, or feeding the chickens, my brain is working on food thoughts a LOT of the day. I realize not everyone's life can be spent this way, but since I'm largely "free" to spend my spoons in whatever way I want, this is the way I want to live my life. I no longer see individual actions as futile, either. My projects are visible to anyone who goes by my house (& were even when I lived in the city); people take interest, and I know of many people I've influenced to make changes (in a positive, engaged way, not a "hair shirt" way). There will be others I don't know about who've been influenced, too. And no matter how microscopic a difference I've made; no matter how little I've changed the outcome of the climate change impacts we're experiencing & will experience for generation after generation after generation... I can look myself in the mirror. I was never going to be the one who saved the planet, but I can save my soul. And apparently I can help others realize that they can save theirs, too. (I'm not religious, but idk how else to express that feeling).

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes

[@binesart]

I feel awful not having the money for foods I crave. It could be worse, there are people who have even less choice… and are starving 😢

[@isthataturtle848]

It so true i cook good food and then i don't eat it because right now all i want is jack in the box tacos its been like that for a month and then its pretty much trash because once anything becomes leftovers its very hard for me to eat leftovers.

[@toothsometofu]

Anyone else use sugar when you run out of spoons and need energy or for dopamine needs?

[@Krista-388]

I eat baby food pouches to get fruits at least. the occasional veggie i will allow lol. Its not a whole lot but better than literally nothing. because I really struggle with fruits and veg. I do like fruit and some veg, but its all these other issues that get in the way.

[@sittingaloneinvip]

whats on ur lips it looks so properly moisturized!

[@katejackson658]

Chick-fil-A has been my comfort food for months and months, I felt so seen when you mentioned it! I have noticed going through phases of obsessing over a specific food to the point where I overeat it and am henceforth and forever disgusted by that food. I have ruined so many fast food places for myself and am scared Chick-fil-A will be unsafe soon

[@checkurselfb4ureck]

Recently found out that I have a vitamin d deficiency makes sense why I experienced depression alongside anxiety. I have such a hard time being hungry and recognizing my hunger cues

[@checkurselfb4ureck]

It's like I'm not hungry until 1:00 p.m. when my body is physically shaking and I'm feeling light headed. I could pack a lunch for work and avoid eating it because it's just not what I have a taste for. it sucks because you know you have to eat but when you don't have something available in that moment that seems appetizing to you, you would rather starve😢

[@ingridc0ld]

Ngl I hate most mac and cheese. My brain will not let me eat it unless it's made from sharp white cheese from scratch. Like I will literally retch and gag. I'm so particular about cheese.

[@catholicactionbibleonlyist1813]

i proobems with eating fruits and vegetables i find Chick-fil-A middle of the road fast food restaurant

[@Jbaxter736]

Hi, have you got any advice for somebody? Has ADHD and autism stopped picking and biting skin and nails and pulling hair? That is nearly 40 years old.

[@thethoughtspot222]

I think a good starting point is to figure out whether it’s a stim for you or a nervous habit rooted in some form of anxiety. But I’m also not a professional in BFRB

[@Jbaxter736]

@@thethoughtspot222 Hi, your videos are useful for people like me. was diagnosed there at 35 with autism and four years earlier with ADHD. Keep up the good work and the great videos.

[@SunnyDallasRealtor]

Flashback to when your boyfriend ate your leftovers 😅

[@flyygurl18]

😂 yeah

[@thethoughtspot222]

it never happened again 😂😅

[@christinelamb1167]

I remember that! Oh my gosh, that would've absolutely sent me into a meltdown! 😝

[@flyygurl18]

@@christinelamb1167 🤣

[@joyhappiness]

rizzy gyatt

[@zarradsana5888]

🤍

[@karenc4106]

Smashed or blended bananas are sticky and vile. 🤢

[@jigsaw4253]

Dino-nuggies 👍🏻