Challenging Your Fear Foods

This week, I recorded a 24 hours eating vegan comfort and junk food video for my YouTube channel! And it made me reflect on how damn far I have come. And how I would have NEVER got to this place if it wasn't for one thing.

For quite some time in my recovery, I ate 'junk food' day in and day out, half-fearing that I would get addicted to this lifestyle and never be healthy again (and half-hoping this was a phase that would pass). Guess which one of these became my reality? 

The first one. 

Well, for a few months, anyway. In the initial stages of listening to my cravings, I had peanut butter every single day. I had sugar every single day. Multiple times per day. It was incredible and it was terrifying.

After this 'feast' period and all the random cravings (and pretty much a break-up with the 'healthy' foods I'd been forcing myself to have every day during the time of my eating disorder) I started noticing that my preferences were changing (and not in the direction of more 'junk food' still). In fact, these foods had lost the label of 'bad' (I was having them every day after all, and something that was making me feel so energized and healthy could impossibly be bad), and they were beginning to lose their irresistible appeal with it.

Surprise surprise: I had listened to my cravings (on repeat) only to find that the cravings were satisfied!

Facing my fear foods and having them daily chased out the fear and proved to me that I wouldn't gain loads and loads of weight forever and become addicted. Nowadays, I can have these foods whenever, wherever and however much I want (and without a side of judgement too).

I've faced my fear foods so often over the years that they have stopped holding any power over me. They have stopped feeling like the threats I used to consider them as. You see, by facing your fears repeatedly, you learn that the dreaded outcome is nowhere near the reality. You discover that you won't become addicted or gain weight indefinitly or become gravely ill as  result of your food choices.

Once you realise these truths through the practice of repeated exposure, your cognitions change. The fear dissipates. And the eating disorder slowly loses its stronghold.

In the end, food is just food. And living a fulfilling life is so much more rewarding. So I challenge you to challenge your fears too. This week, I'm facing the fear of white flour

So let me know: What are YOUR biggest fear foods and what are YOU doing to challenge them?  

🍌 CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA MUFFIN RECIPE: 

• 130 g oats or oat flour 
• 6 soaked dates 
• 2 large spotty bananas, mashed 
• 70g peanut butter 
• chocolate chips
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• pinch of salt + a ton of cinnamon 
• optional: protein powder. My favorite is Complement (use code HANNE for 10% off at https://lovecomplement.com?aff=172). If using, make sure to add slightly more liquid too (e.g. the date soaking liquid) 

Combine ingredients in a bowl & place in muffin tins. Bake at 170 for 15-20 mins and let cool completely before removing. Enjoy!