Last week saw two great posts in the blogworld focusing on being a women and eating.  Gena, from Choosing Raw, brought up the topic of women and food.  That as women we are allowed to enjoy food and want food but not to much or else that might not seem feminine.

I think there’s this stereotype that exists for women where if you LOVE food and LOVE to eat then your body must reflect that.  It is impossible to love food and love to eat AND still be in healthy shape.  What sent this message home to me was an encounter I had with guy at a party not so long ago.

I was chatting with some people explaining how I had friends in Dublin who own shops selling food and other things (Ava and Inggrie!).  The guy looked at me and asked how it was that I know so many people who own food establishments.  I told him that I was a foodie and I like making friends with people who make and enjoy food.

Actually I didn’t even get that full statement out of my mouth before I was stopped cold.  He looked at me up and down like he was surveying a piece of meat and his face clearly said, “You? A foodie?!  PLEASE.”

It was such a blatant and deliberate action that I stopped talking and started looking down at myself thinking I spilled something on my top or pants.  I asked him what was wrong.  I then looked myself over again because I thought for sure I had some stain or something glaring off my clothes drawing attention.

When I called him out on what he just did, demanding an answer, he looked at me and said, “What? I didn’t do anything?”  I explained that he was looking at me weird and I didn’t know why.  “Is there something wrong?”, I said.  At this point he starting making noises like I was touched in the head, backed away from me making the sign of the cross with his hands and started hissing at me.

And here I thought I was at a party with adults.  My bad.

Once I got over the shock and annoyance of what just happened, I realized what his issue was.  Here’s a young and fit woman wearing skinny jeans and black boots (rawr!) talking about being a foodie.  AS IF.  That was his expression.

Because clearly I cannot be a foodie and look the way I do.

He’s not the first.  He’s just the first who’s been a dick about it.  Because I’ve lost weight and I’ve lost a good bit of weight, there are people I have interactions with that I’m convinced think that I don’t eat.  They have not said anything to me, but you can see it on their faces.  Also trying not to roll your eyes at me when I’m talking about food is pretty much a dead giveaway.  Just putting that out there.

This is frustrating, annoying, but at the same time totally hilarious.  Hilarious because for those that have read this blog for any length of time, for those that read my Twitterings on occasion, and heck, for those that know me in real life, know that I love food.  LOVE IT.  And that I love to eat.

Not eating is not an option for me.  Restricting my food intake to ridiculously minimal levels is not an option for me.

I look the way I do because I workout, I eat healthy and clean, and I eat what makes my body feel good.

I eat real food.

Such a simple statement but it’s a strong one.

The second post last week, was by FF, talking about what real women do.  I’m copying it here so you can see how amazing it is:

I wanted to share with you some things that I’ve learned over the last year of being a blogger in the health/fitness/food world:

1.  Real women eat more than 1200 calories per day.

2.  Real women eat fat.

3.  Real women lift weights.

4.  Real women can walk and run for miles.

I especially love the first one.  I love that women who are strong and active fuel their bodies properly.

I also love the second one.  I am so glad that we are realizing that our ancestors had it right.

You are all such great role models.  I hope that you know that.

These are pretty powerful statements, yes?  I think that they are.  Not only are they powerful, but they are totally true.  The two I love are the first two.  Real women do eat more than 1200 calories per day.  Real women do eat fat.

The point being that real women EAT and real women LOVE FOOD.

Following in Gena’s footsteps, I will gladly yell:

My name is Andrea and I’m a real woman who loves to eat real food!