"Mel felt a quiet anticipation knowing Taylor would be joining her for dinner. The plans were set, the restaurant chosen with care-simple but somehow significant. It would be their first time alone, without the familiar comfort of friends to fill the pauses. She caught herself wondering what Taylor might reveal when there was space for silence, and what she herself might say when there was no one else to listen."
"As Mel sat down, an old tension settled in beside her-quiet but insistent. The familiar questions rose almost automatically: What should I order? How will it look? Will I seem careless or indulgent? She wished she could push them aside and simply enjoy the moment. When Taylor joined her, his easy smile made her want to match his openness, to meet him fully."
Guilt around what, when, and how one eats often stems from fear of being judged as overeating or gluttonous. Anxiety about how eating appears can lead to self-imposed rules designed to signal restraint. These rules categorize certain foods as forbidden or fattening, associating choices with moral judgment. On dates or social meals, the preoccupation with appearance and appetite distracts from interpersonal connection and presence. Individuals may ruminate on menu choices, worry about seeming careless or indulgent, and expend effort merely to appear at ease. The resulting distress can reinforce disordered eating patterns and hinder authentic social engagement.
Read at Psychology Today
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