All You Can Eat

The title of this memoir-in-essays, “All You Can Eat” reflects its thematic foundation. The word all can be used interchangeably to mean either restriction or indulgence, the former pertaining to most of my adolescence spent limiting my food intake or having it limited for me, and the latter considering my present-day healthier relationship with food and my trip to Sweden. These essays reflect on and deconstruct instances in my life where food posed a challenge, with each essay covering a specific point in my life where I faced relapses or recovery, attempted an unconventional diet, or encountered food rituals in a significant way. For instance, several essays touch on the period of my life spent in a wilderness therapy program in 2014, where I was forced to confront my eating disorder using extreme measures. These essays intend to help others understand the vital importance of making space in our lives for indulgence, to illuminate the complicated nature of eating disorders and diet culture, to encourage nourishment and self-love, and most importantly, to emphasize the tremendous impact food has in all our lives.