7 Reasons Eating Feels Like A Chore And How To Fix It
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When going through life, eating feels like a chore when we aren’t actively trying to make it as easy as possible!
Whether you feel too anxious or depressed to eat, these tips have been so helpful for me to eat enough food so I can properly go about my day. When you don’t eat, your symptoms of depression or anxiety can get worse!
Learning how to get extra fuel into your body will help you be more productive and more fulfilling.
This post is all about Eating Feels Like A Chore!
7 Reasons Eating Feels Like A Chore And My Recommendations
1. You Are Too Anxious To Eat
A lot of times, with anxiety, I have found that I forget to eat because my mind is too busy! When we don’t eat enough with anxiety, it can cause a similar anxious feeling in our bellies and chests and make us feel even more stressed and anxious.
When our cortisol levels rise from increased stress, we suffer a multitude of different symptoms, such as weight gain, sleeping problems, heart disease, and decreased immune functions! These can all cause even more anxiety and stress, so we must take care of our bodies and find a way to eat some more!
My Recommendations:
- Try getting calories in with drinks like smoothies and juices. The one I have linked here is from Target and it is the Bolthouse Smoothie and it is so delicious! There are some great options at places like Aldi and Trader Joe’s for inexpensive! Add protein powder to your smoothies so you don’t lack essential nutrients.
- Find little snacks that are easy to snack on. These Nugo protein bars are absolutely delicious and I am OBSESSED WITH THEM! This could be chips and hummus, protein bars, or berries.
- Keep easy foods on hand that you are never grossed out by so that you always have easy calories.
- My storefront is filled with easy smoothie drinks that you can keep in your pantry to get some extra calories in by drinking something tasty and healthy!
2. Nutrition Has Become Moralized
We hear that food has become a moral issue, whether it is feeding babies formula, eating organic or vegan, or not consuming palm oil; this can cause us to get too overwhelmed even to eat!
Some foods that don’t fit the moral hierarchy may make us feel wrong for eating them. Becoming overwhelmed with all these foods can make us want to not eat at all, in fear that it will make us ‘bad.’
My Recommendations
- Try describing food as fun and fuel. Maybe Oreos are fun, and vegetables are fuel! Instead of moralizing them as good or bad for you, remember that they have their place in your diet.
- Keep various foods on hand to mix and match food for fun and fuel.
3. You’re Exhausted (probably from not eating)
When we are tired, it is hard to find energy to eat. But you know what gives us energy? FOOD!
If we don’t eat, we will feel even more tired, and it will be a huge cycle that is hard to break!
Food is so vital to our lives that we can get headaches, nausea, and stomach pains when we don’t eat. Which all make you feel sick, and you won’t want to eat at all. So we must work extra hard when we are exhausted to get enough food and keep the energy up!
My Recommendations:
- Buy frozen chicken breasts and thighs (preseasoned and ideally pre-cooked) that are easy to microwave or air fry so you get some protein in. There are tons of them at Walmart, but my favorites are all from Sam’s Club.
- If you know you are going to have a hard week, set aside some money so you can order food delivery to give you energy!
- Walmart plus is a great option if you are willing to spend a little extra cash to get your groceries and more delivered to you. Here is a Tik Tok I have made all about it!
4. Living In An Ingredient Household
If you don’t know what an ingredient household is, here is my description: a house where snacks and prepackaged foods are not readily available. Think lots of ingredients and nothing ready to eat!
Living in an ingredient household can make it hard to find foods that are easy to eat and quick! So you have to put more effort into your eating, and it makes eating feel like a chore!
My Recommendations:
- You’re going to have to get creative with the snacks you make.
- Premake snacks and keep them in snack baggies!
- Here is an excellent article about snacks for ingredient households that will help you think of ideas with what you have on hand!
5. Food Is Expensive
Eating food can make us feel guilty when we are struggling for money. It feels like you are wasting your money and time when you are low on cash and food is so expensive!
To prevent eating from feeling like a chore, you have to find a way to cut expenses in other ways to save up some money for yourself and your food!
My Recommendations:
- Start cooking your favorite snacks at home. Find recipes for your favorite snacks and learn how to make meals at home.
- Places like ALDI and Winco are great for cheap foods and snacks.
- Shop sales! Try to start buying bulk when you shop the sales, and eventually, you will never have to pay the total food price (you will build a small stockpile over time for the essentials)!
6. Life Is Too Hectic To Have The Time To Eat
It can be hard to find the time that you need to eat enough calories and get enough food! Whether you are working too much, taking care of friends and family, its the holidays, or you live far away from food options, these are all reasons that you don’t have time to eat!
My Recommendations:
- Order your groceries with Walmart Plus (you get Paramount plus for free and you qualify for Walmart cash!)
- Find high protein bars to get your essential amino acids!
7. You Want To Lose Weight (or you have an eating disorder)
We often must be careful when thinking that less food will mean less weight. This can lead to some harmful thinking and can cause you to fall into an eating disorder.
It is expected to assume that when you eat less food and restrict yourself, you will automatically lose weight and see immediate results. This might happen, but your body and mind will deteriorate.
My Recommendations:
- Have low-calorie and high-volume foods on hand! Things like fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, and rice are all great options to get in volume but not a ton of calories!
- Talk to a nutritionist about your weight and how to be healthier.
- Talk to a therapist if you think you have an eating disorder. You must be careful talking to doctors because that is not their expertise… So talk to a mental health professional!
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This Post Was All About Eating Feels Like A Chore!
I know that life can feel so hectic that eating will feel like a chore, and these tips and tricks can help you get some more calories in when you feel like you can’t do it!
Whether you have depression, anxiety, ADHD, autism, or all four, I understand why eating feels like a chore, and these are indeed the best ways to improve your relationship with eating and food!
