I hate to admit it, but I really see eating as largely a chore. All my life I was told to eat this or that because it was 'good for me'. I learned to eat things for this reason, based upon whatever was the current idea about nutrition. I always felt rather envious, and sometimes rather upset at people who ate whatever they liked. Its not necessarily a good thing.

But how does one integrate joy, pleasure with health? A lot of people I know are on 'diets' largely to loose weight, a few for health as well. But it always like 'groan...'because they can't eat that or this other thing. Funny, someone just walked by talking about the guilt of eating something he wasn't supposed to eat.

I frequently find myself eating simply because its time, or finishing a bowl of something because thats the serving. At the moment I am on break at work, and I am NOT eating anything, but I usually do. I realized that I'm not really hungry, why would I eat anything? It makes me feel a little uncomfortable, this feeling of not eating when I am 'supposed to'.

As good as raw foods maybe, it tends to reinforce this type of thinking in me. The what is good and what is not, type of thinking. What do you do, or not do to integrate health, happiness, and pleasure of eating. I believe that most people emphasize health or pleasure in eating, but few do both naturally.

Chewing can feel like a chore sometimes... that's why I often use a blender to do most of the work for me... but then I still chew my smoothie to incorporate salivary enzymes because I'm a dork.

A dork? Thats a bit harsh. I think I know what you mean. I used to use a food processor on food, and I was really suprised that it still required some chewing and mixing. I thought it would be like eating applesauce, but its not.

if I had the option NOT to eat..I would certainly take it

today I ate grapes after yoga -> a long morning bike ride, and then another 2lbs or so at lunch time (my job is also quite physical). After work I was far too blissed out to think much about eating. It certainly beats worrying about 'what to do' eating or otherwise

personally I don't think the process of eating/chewing is a chore..usually I find it quite enjoyable, but would definitely prefer to get my joy elsewhere..and not feel compelled to eat