Define your own pattern of healthy eating

By Kelle Kampa     11/11/10 6:00pm

"Healthy" is a common buzzword these days. I can't count the number of times I've heard things like: "I shouldn't be eating this; it is so unhealthy," or "This frozen waffle is made with whole grains, so it must be healthy!" But what exactly is "healthy?" It seems like most of the time this word is thrown around arbitrarily without much thought as to what it actually means to live a healthy lifestyle. Too many people readily accept what others - friends, family, the media, the food industry - tell them is healthy, rather than figuring out what it means to be healthy for themselves. In my opinion, being healthy is a matter of lifestyle choices that, as a whole, suit you best and allow you to be the kind of person you want to be.

Take food, for example. Americans have a tortured relationship with food. We get all kinds of mixed messages about what we should be eating and how much and how often. Some diet plans say to eat five small meals a day; some say not to eat four hours before you go to sleep; some say raw foods are the best way to go. With so many "food rules" out there, some of which even contradict each other, it is impossible for any person to observe them all. And why should we? The very phrase "going on a diet" implies that one will soon be going off of that diet, so any gains (or losses) from the experience are likely to be temporary. What's more important is to figure out one's own food philosophy that satisfies his or her needs as an individual and stick with it for the long term.

And all too often, food and eating become associated with feelings of guilt. Often when I sit down for lunch or dinner at Rice, it seems someone will say something like, "This pasta has SO many calories," or "I'm such a fatty for eating this cinnamon roll." Statements like this serve no purpose at all. Feeling guilty or bad about yourself for what you're eating, or worse, making others feel bad about themselves for what they're eating is unproductive and ridiculous. If you are truly interested in eating "healthier" foods, you're entirely capable of changing how you eat to suit your needs. Instead of commenting on the unhealthiness of your meal and feeling the guilt associated with it, you could opt for a more nutritionally ?balanced meal.

---

---

However, it may not even be necessary to change how you eat, but rather to change your attitude toward eating. If you're eating something that satisfies your personal food needs at the moment, there is no need to proclaim how unhealthy it is because you chose it, and therefore you made the decision that this food was best for your overall health at that moment.

The truth is, no food is inherently unhealthy; it is the way one approaches food that is healthy or unhealthy. Starving yourself, binge eating and cutting out entire food groups are all examples of unhealthy approaches toward food. As long as you practice moderation and eat a balanced diet with many different types of food, there is nothing wrong with enjoying a decadent dessert every now and then. Some foods are just plain delicious, and it would be a shame to deprive yourself.

If you have feelings of guilt when eating certain foods, you should examine why you are feeling guilty and, if necessary, make positive lifestyle changes that will address your guilt and thereby benefit you in the long run. This could involve changing what you eat, but it could also involve getting more exercise, talking to a nutritionist about your concerns with food, or maybe even getting to know new people whose influence will improve your attitude toward eating. It is no fun to sit at a table where people judge you for what you're eating, and if someone says something like: "Wow, I can't believe you're eating that," there is absolutely no shame in speaking up about how comments like that are unnecessary and rude - you'd be doing the whole table a service.

Health science, the food industry, the media, your friends, your family and a myriad of other influences affect your lifestyle choices and your attitude toward food and eating. However, in the end, you are the one who decides what is "healthy" for yourself as a unique individual. Everyone has their own life philosophy and food philosophy, and what matters most is that you are satisfied and happy with your life as a whole.

Kelle Kampa is a Hanszen College junior.

---