The Worry of Eating: 5 Minute Freewrite Prompt Pasta
She sat staring at her plate. She was hunched down so far in her chair that her face was almost level with her plate. Her mother gave her a worried look.
"Sara, you are going to eat that, aren't you? It's your favorite."
Sara just sunk lower in her chair, staring at the pasta as though she could make it go away.
Her dad scratched his belly while he shoved food in his face with his free hand, "Just eat your fucking food, Sara. I'm sick to death of you worrying your mother over this every damn day. Just EAT THE FOOD!" He slurped another noodle off his fork and then took a swig of his cheap beer.
"Frank, don't yell at the table.." her mother started, but her dad silenced her with just a look. Like he always did.
Sara did her best to disappear and escape their notice. There was tomato sauce on the pasta today. That meant extra carbs. Extra calories. Couldn't her mother ever take calories into consideration? And the serving size was probably hundreds of calories JUST for the pasta. She lifted her fork and moved the pasta around on the plate, cutting the soft noodles with the side of her fork and dividing it into four equal parts. Scraping as much sauce off as she could.
Maybe if she just ate 1/4th. That would be okay. It would get her parents off her back, keep her dad from yelling at her mom... and then she could workout in her room before bed. Maybe an extra hour of high intensity cardio would do it. Maybe. She was thinking she could set her alarm early and workout in the morning too, but she'd been so tired lately. She was having trouble even getting out of bed.
She leaned over her plate, trying to disguise the fact that she wasn't actually eating. Maybe 1/8th. 1/8th would be good. She could eat just that and workout just tonight. The extra sleep would help so maybe she wouldn't fall asleep in school again tomorrow. One more time and they were going to call her mom. The last thing she wanted to do was cause her mom more worry.
Her mom tried not to notice that she wasn't eating. It didn't matter how much she tried to pretend. She was always worried about Sara.
Prompt: pasta
Set your timer for 5 minutes
Start writing
Use the hashtag #freewrite
Publish your piece and then leave your link in the comments on @mariannewest original pompt post
That was very good!!! Pasta is high in calories! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment! i appreciate it.
Oh @byn, that is almost too close to home for me. I have worked with teenagers off and on for years, and I have seen this in them and also in family members. I just read @simgirl's scary story, but for me this one is even more scary. It is also very well written, I could almost feel the pain that was driving that poor child into a mental dissorder.
Thank you for your comment. It is a hard thing to deal with, whether it's your own struggle or you're trying to help someone else through theirs. Such a scary issue to deal with. Thank you for your support, as always. It really means a lot!
Anorexia is a such a hard affliction. I ate this way for many years, never labeling myself as such, but this is the signs of a true anorexic. The relationship of her parents is typical to the condition. Your freewrite is very good!
Hugs to you!!! We learn so much about each other through this freewrites........
They are very telling... the brain tells you what you have store. I'm really glad that you started this project. I know how much work and effort you put into it.
Thank you!!
<3 You are welcome
I am so sorry. I struggled with it myself all through high school and it was just covering up larger issues that I then had to confront in adulthood. It is such a horribly difficult thing to admit to (even to yourself) and can be so hard to break out of it. I hope you are doing well now.
I agree...I was in my 30s before I recognized what I was trapped in. I'm glad you're doing better. I was able to change when I was able to see it and then I left my abuser. Life is much better.
I'm glad you were able to recognize it AND get away from your abuser. For me, it was leaving my home state with my husband and children. Getting out of the environment with generations of dysfunction and abuse and breaking the cycle is still my greatest achievement! Plus, I managed to raise three girls who don't have the body issues or confidence issues.
That is a wonderful victory and I'm so glad to hear you were able to stop the cycle! <3
Thank you <3
<3
Arghh. Eating disorders are so terrible. I had friends whose daughters dealt with that and have seen people just skin and bones. So sad!! And it shows the power of the mind since they still see themselves as fat.....
https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-41-5-minute-freewrite-prompt-the-goat-ate-my
So true. I still struggle with body imagine, although FINALLY at 46, this year I am somehow overcoming my own worst inner critics! Thank you for this challenge. It has really helped me so much to just write without worrying about what I am saying... I'm working through some things AND enjoying writing for the first time in a while!
I am so happy to hear that!! And body image is such a tough thing. I go back and forth. But most of the time, when I look back at pictures taken at a time when I felt really fat, I see that I looked fine. Something to remember. Doing yoga helps me. If I feel strong in my body, I feel good about the shape too :)
Agreed. Getting strong definitely helps me as well! I have quite the home workout stations around my house, thanks to collecting stuff for a while. I think body imagine struggles are something that will never be "gone" for me, but I've definitely gotten healthier about it.
old patterns are hard to get rid off. It is like an onion - layer upon layer. But by keep peeling those layers off, the onion gets smaller :)
That is so true! What a great visual... I needed that!
Thank you for bringing attention to the problem of anorexia with your writing. So many adolescents, expecially girls, thrive with alimentar disorders!
It is sad, but true. I wish it were easier to cure!