Last week, I spent a wonderful Thanksgiving week on a cruise ship in the Bahamas. This was the first time I had taken a cruise in many years.

I knew there would be food everywhere but THERE WAS FOOD EVERYWHERE!!!

Am I yelling loud enough?

Sorry!

Even though I remember lots of food in the past – it was nothing like this. I think it’s reflective of our society’s change in this area.

• Bigger is better.
• More is better.
• Let food take care of things.

One of the reasons a place like an all-inclusive vacation resort or a cruise ship is especially tricky is that it combines two types of eating:

• Environmental
• Entertainment

Yes, you’re stuck in an environment where everyone is eating too much AND eating is set up as a way to entertain you. Food/drink is also attached with many of the activities like:

• Bingo
• Trivia games
• Gambling
• Sunbathing
• Theatrical shows

Do you get the theme of these “activities”? Not a one of them involve ACTIVITY!!

One day, I saw a very young couple going from trivia to bingo to the casino, ordering big martinis and bowls of salty nuts at every stop. They were on their honeymoon. I wanted so much to be happy for them, but they were very, very overweight and I felt an incredible sadness whenever I saw them.

Signs of Food as Entertainment:

• Does your socializing center around eating?

• Do you eat out several times a week?

• Do you decide weeks in advance to try the newest restaurant in town without regard for whether you’ll feel hungry for that type of food when that day comes?

Eating as entertainment is a sign of an incredibly abundant society. It’s also a sign of a foodcentric and food focused society.

But it’s also a trigger for sadness – empty feelings never soothed by food, pain that doubles with every bite, and a desire for real connection filled by food instead of people we love.

My philosophy: If you are overweight, it’s not a sign there is something “wrong” with you but you are engaging in behaviors that are having a negative impact on your health and life. Learn more about the biggest reasons why we eat too much and change that behavior with Win the Food Fight!