Hey Sarah! For those who may not have met you just yet, can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m Sarah Herman and I am the face and voice behind Starving to Strong, a health/wellness/food blog focused around living a healthy and balanced life free from rules, restrictions and reservations. The blog is actually my side hustle, but would love to turn it into a full time job some day. But until then, I also work part time in Oncology clinical research and am also a student int he Nutritional Therapy Association Program and will be a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner at the beginning of June. I grew up playing soccer for 18 years and absolutely love the sport, but truly just love being active outdoors in any way - some day I would love to live in Colorado where I have access to hiking trails all day every day! 

Take us through a day in the life for you! 

Every day looks a little different around here, but for the most part I work, blog, cook/bake and study all from home. My part time job allow me to work remote, which works out very well for my side hustle and studying! I typically wake up around 7-7:30 am and start my day with water and a large FROTHY coffee (my favorite simple joy). I then either get to work on my job, on the blog, or by doing homework assignments. Each day varies, but I ALWAYS make a point to get outside for a walk for at least 30 minutes - this allow me time to clear my head, get away from the computer for a little while and just relieve stress and anxiety. After work, my husband and I have been doing workouts together, courtesy of this quarantine life we are all living. But honestly, I have been loving having him as a workout partner and hope it continues post pandemic :) After that, we will cook dinner together, and sit down to relax, enjoy some netflix, before heading to bed and starting all over again the next day! 

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life? 

I have battled an eating disorder for almost 10 years now. I have recovered, and then relapsed, and it wasn’t until this second attempt t recovery that I truly discovered the idea and lifestyle of intuitive eating (and I couldn’t be more grateful). Since senior year of highschool, I had always prescribed to some kind of diet - low carb, low calorie, fat free, weight watchers, the list goes on - but it wasn’t until I started my revery journey in 2017 and read the book Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole that I realized the way we eat does not have to be dictated by a specific “diet” or by a certain amount of numbers. I realized that our bodies truly have the innate knowledge to determine what fuel we need and when we need it. It hasn’t been an easy journey learning this type of eating, but it has been well worth the fight. 

What is your definition of Food Freedom?

My definition of food freedom is letting go of food, the thoughts around it, the constant obsession with it, and the detailed organization of it. By that I mean, I want to be able to go about my day without thinking about what I’m going to eat, or what I just ate. Without adding up macros or calories to determine what I’m “allowed” to eat next or what exercise I have to do to ensure I can eat again. This is how I lived for so long, and it never led to happiness. Food freedom gives me the ability to explore other passions and interests because my mind isn’t so consumed with thoughts and anxiety around food. Food freedom, to me, is also allowing ourselves to enjoy food, whether its because we are hungry, or because we are stressed, or because we are at a birthday party - food can be so many things besides fuel, and realizing that there is no right or wrong time to eat is liberating! 

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their relationship with food/finding food freedom?

There are so many things I wish I could share with someone starting this journey. One thing I want to say is that it is WORTH it. If you are afraid to start the journey, or feel like you just aren’t succeeding, know that if you just keep fighting, you will one day reach a place of freedom you never thought possible and be so grateful you kept going! I would also say to them that the journey isn’t linear - for ANYONE! Each person is on their own journey, and each persons journey will look different, but no one is on a straight road up. You will fall, you will feel defeated sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you have failed, it just means you are HUMAN and that we all have tough times. But the key is how you respond to those harder times, and I urge each of you to get back up and start again, because the more you get back up, the stronger you become! 

What advice would you give to someone struggling with food during home quarantine right now? 

Give yourself grace! Nothing about the situation we are in is normal, and we are all adjusting the best we can. Know that if you are eating a little more, if you are eating different foods than you normally do, if you aren’t moving as much as you may usually, you are NOT wrong for that! And although we aren’t sure when this situation will end, I always want to remind people that this is TEMPORARY! So again, know that you are doing the best you can with the circumstances, and that no matter what may look or feel different, in no way is how you are reacting, eating, moving or expressing yourself WRONG! 

Can you share a favorite quote of yours and what it means to you? 

My favorite quote is “tie a knot and hold on”. This is something my grandma always said to my mom, and now my mom repeats it to me! I can attest to the fact that nothing about healing your relationship with food is easy, it takes work and determination and a huge amount of self love and compassion. So on those hard days, I always say to myself “tie a knot and hold on” - hold on as tight as you can, because the bad day or days will pass, and if you just hold on a little longer, everything will be okay! 

I was SO excited to interview Gracie of @hungry.blonde for this week’s Food Freedom Q+A. She has a deep wealth of wisdom when it comes to food peace and how to manage during quarantine right now. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this up!

Hey Gracie! For those who may not have met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m a food + lifestyle blogger based in Brooklyn, New York. I love sharing simple recipes, product reviews, beauty tips, and life inspiration with my community. I’m passionate about sharing my #RealLifeWellness approach - encouraging women that it’s possible to embrace a healthy lifestyle without restrictions. There’s plenty of room for vegetables and grain-free treats but also cheeseburgers and wine :) Aiming for wellness should only *add* to our most fulfilling lives, not take away.

Something that might surprise people about me is that I have a very creative side. I love music, writing, art and poetry!

Take us through a day in the life for you!

I usually wake up around 6:30am, make coffee, and sit in bed for about 45 minutes of quiet time. I pray, journal, read and meditate.

Most mornings I try to get some movement in, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Right now I’m loving the Melissa Wood Health workouts. Otherwise I lift weights in my apartment gym or have a slow treadmill walk while listening to a podcast.

I typically work from home for the first half of the day, usually creating recipes. Then in the afternoon I head to a cafe or workspace to do my computer work - emails, writing blog posts/copy, sending proposals, etc.

For evenings, about half of the week I stay home and make myself dinner while watching whatever my guilty pleasure TV show of the moment is (right now I can’t get enough of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!).

The other half of the week I plan dinners or social occasions with my friends in the evening. All about that balance ;)

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life?

I actually remember the exact moment I decided to embrace an Intuitive Eating lifestyle. I was lying in a bubble bath, disappointed in myself for “failing” at yet another diet. And then out of nowhere, it was if I almost audibly heard what I believe is the voice of God telling me to never diet again. I had no idea what Intuitive Eating was or what it would look like in my life, but I what I heard was the one of the most sure things I’ve ever known in my life.

While eating intuitively has become second nature to me in many ways, I’m still always aware of how easily diet culture can sneak into my mind, so I make it a point to remain aware and choose this lifestyle on a daily basis. Practically speaking, I genuinely choose to eat exactly what my body wants at any given day/time, and I give in to cravings as soon as possible (ironically enough, once I removed foods from being off-limits, I don’t have cravings all that much anymore). I also make it a point to focus what my real priorities in life are - my relationships, living out my purpose, being free - and remember that I never want to go back to feeling in bondage to a diet again

What is your definition of Food Freedom?

To me, Food Freedom can be summed up as having a healthy mental + emotional relationship with food that never gets in the way of other areas of life.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their relationship with food/finding food freedom?

I’d suggest reading the book Intuitive Eating, deleting any apps related to counting/tracking, finding someone you can talk to about it, and begin adding foods back into your life that might have been forbidden before - maybe even eating at least one of them a day.

What would be your advice for those that are struggling with food, over eating and emotional eating during home quarantine? 

Instead of trying to fight the current situation, I think it's important to accept and almost press into quarantine as an opportunity to grow and strengthen those Food Freedom muscles. It's the time where life throws you off your normal routine that you can learn the biggest lessons about yourself. Have grace on yourself and continually remind yourself that you're not "bad" or less worthy if you feel the desire to eat emotionally - this is an emotional time!

__

For more FOOD FREEDOM resources, you can download my free food freedom guide to help break your food rules!

Getting to know Lex has been such an immense pleasure after following her for some time on Instagram. She is such a ray of light and you can feel her radiating warmth and her kind soul that comes through with each of her posts. She is opening up on her story, her food freedom journey and raising (almost) two littles to make their own choices with food (hello future intuitive eaters!). I know you are going to enjoy this week’s Q&A with Lex as much as I did!

Hey Lex, so for those who haven’t met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

Hi, I’m Lex! I live in Richmond, VA with my husband, almost 2 year old boy and I’m pregnant with our 2nd boy. I’m the one behind the IG @restoring_radiance and I’ve actually been doing it for almost 7 years now! I started my account as a private account back in the day when I was struggling with a binge eating disorder! It was more of a personal/ food and exercise journal. It’s changed a lot through the years, but through my healing and recovery I’ve become passionate about sharing that light with others. To encourage others struggling that they aren’t alone in their struggle. That life can come after an eating disorder, and that if I can be healed I believe anyone can. I hope to inspire others to have a healthy relationship with food and to not let it control their life, because this life is so much more than the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and our bodies.

A fun fact about me: I lived in Barcelona, Spain for 2 months after college and almost moved there. If it wasn’t for my now husband that started pursuing me back home at the time, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have left! 

Take us through a day in the life for you! 

A day in my life these days looks a lot different than it used to with a toddler and a baby in my belly. I used to wake up at 5am and take on the day. I go to bed early though haha! Now, I’ve been needing more sleep in this pregnancy so I typically wake up around 6am. I drink a big glass of water and have my coffee while I read my Bible and pray. Then, if I can I’ll do a little movement of some sort (so either an at home workout video, a walk outside, or Pure Barre if I have time which I haven’t recently. I typically do house chores like unload the dishwasher, start the laundry, make the bed, and get breakfast ready for my son. If I can squeeze it in, I’ll do an email check in or IG check in to answer some comments and messages! 

My son gets up around 7:30am and we have breakfast! I try to reserve my time with him off screens if possible. So in the morning, we play, sometimes run errands or go outside, do other fun things. My husband works from home too so if I’m able to squeeze in lie 20-30 minutes of IG and prepping my content for the day, working on a blog, or answering emails, etc then I’ll do that!

We have lunch around 11:30/12pm and then my son goes down for a nap. It’s usually 2-2.5 hours! This is when I literally get all my work done. Content planning/ shooting, recipe creation in the kitchen, cleaning, emails, DM’s, comments, catching up on social, etc. It’s usually a crazy race to try to get done as much as I can before he wakes up!

He’ll wake around 2:30/3pm and I try to do something outside in the afternoon if it’s nice. We usually have a snack and then go play. Again, I try to be off my phone as much as possible when I’m with him! Then, we start making dinner and usually eat around 5:30/6pm. We play, clean the kitchen, start the dishwasher, prep the coffee for the next day, pick up the toys, then give T a bath, do our bedtime routine, get T down. 

Once he’s down, I try to do a quick 10-20 min check in with anything I didn’t get done for the day. Then, I wash my face, get ready for bed, and my husband and I usually hang together. We talk or read (trying not to watch TV right now) and hangout until we go to bed. Usually around 9:30pm and then we go to sleep and do it all over again. It’s a lot of the same thing everyday. Of me trying to balance mom/ work life which can be so hard. Everyday doesn’t look the exact same but that’s our general day! It’s not always exciting, but I wouldn’t change it for the world! Of course that’s our day-to-day now, but once we have baby number 2 within the next month, I’m sure everything will change and we’ll find a new day-to-day! 

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life? 

I ended up discovering intuitive eating about 3 years ago! I think I learned more about it from Robyn at @thereallife_rd. She was so free from food rules, but yet a dietitian and it intrigued me. I was mostly recovered from my eating disorder, but still didn’t have a very healthy relationship with food overall. The more I learned from her, the more curious I became, and ended up reading the original Intuitive Eating book! It was so helpful for me and I found the more freedom I gave myself, the less crazy I felt around food. I started to really enjoy it and had a completely different perspective around it. It was amazing and so freeing! I practice it daily still, and I don’t always get it perfect. We aren’t supposed to! I’m able to actually listen to my body and what it needs and recognize that rather than give it what the world tells me it needs. I’ve found it’s helped my digestion and mind so much!

What is your
definition of Food Freedom?

Food freedom to me is being able to enjoy food without stressing about it. To eat with a grateful heart rather than stress or restriction. It’s being able to enjoy a family pizza night with no regrets and just beautiful memories with my family. It’s eating all the foods my son eats too without him wondering why mommy never eats what I eat. It’s enjoyment, it’s fellowship, it’s community, it’s joy. It’s not always getting it right, but instead enjoying the journey and having a good relationship with food again.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their
relationship with food/finding food freedom?

Everyone’s journey is going to look different and that’s normal. No one will have the exact same experience and your healing journey usually depends a lot of your current relationship with food. That being said, something that really helped me with finding a more balanced life with food was being around other people that had a pretty normal relationship with food. Being with people that didn’t constantly talk about diets, or good/ bad foods, their body, etc. Not that we can’t still love those people, we’re all allowed to have our own opinions, etc, but more just because it was really triggering during that time for me. So that’s one thing, another is to seek help or read some books/ blogs about it. I love all the content from @thereallife_rd, @simibotic, & @nourishingmindsnutrition. I truly talk about those three all the time, but they have been incredibly helpful on my journey! Their blogs have a ton of free information and they all offer coaching as well. I think having someone help guide you through it whether 1 on 1 or through their blog advice is really helpful. I remember I couldn’t get enough of the info they shared. Also, to find food freedom, you really truly have to let go of food rules. Not just kind of, but you really do. It’s hard but practice everyday. Every time you have a negative thought with food or your body, shift your mindset and turn it positive. You won’t always have to do this because eventually it’ll be more second nature but changing your perspective is a huge starting point!

What advice can you give on raising kids as intuitive eaters? What has been difficult in this process?

One of my biggest hopes with my son was trying to let him lead the way and be an intuitive eater. It’s actually been so interesting to watch and honestly such a joy. To see his food preferences, what he likes and doesn’t like, how he eats and how much. His days all look different, some days he’ll eat a huge breakfast and some days he won’t eat that much. I don’t stress about it, because I know it’ll all even out. Some days he’ll devour vegetables and others he won’t eat one. That’s part of the beauty of it all, because no one meal or day makes your overall health. Also, our bodies are incredibly smart and that has proven true with kids! When T is sick, he typically barely eats or literally just wants fruit and he’s typically a pretty big eater. This is always so interesting to me because it’s his body truly knowing what it needs!

As far as letting him be an intuitive eater, I really try to let him guide most of the way. If he’s all done and barely eats it could be because so many factors: he hasn’t gone to the bathroom yet, he’s distracted from what’s going on, he’s just not hungry, he doesn’t like what’s being served, etc. I don’t ever not give him more if he asks for more. He’s so smart and always stops when he’s full. I don’t worry about that even if it’s more than I eat sometimes haha. He’s super active and needs fuel and his body knows that!

I think one of the more difficult things has been when he’s hungrier for a bigger snack and doesn’t want to eat dinner with us. I do try to always sit down and eat a family dinner each night so it’s hard if he had a bigger or later snack and isn’t hungry at that time. I try not to stress, but I also don’t like spoiling his appetite for meals. So my biggest challenge is letting him have snacks but not overdoing it so that he won’t eat his meal! 

---

The word I immediately think of to describe Sammi is REFRESHING. As a Registered Dietician Nutritionist who believes that all food fit, she offers such an easy and approachable view of food and nutrition. She believes in listening to your cravings (eat the chocolate when you are craving it!) and also that eating and cooking food should be enjoyable, easy and not complicated.

I couldn’t think of a better person to interview to kick off my Food Freedom Q&A Series which I will be featuring every Wednesday on my blog this Spring. Hooray!

Hey Sammi! For those who haven’t met you just yet can you tell us what it is that you do and one thing about yourself that may surprise people?

I’m a Registered Dietitian with a private practice in NYC. I meet with clients individually for nutrition counseling and work with food brands as a spokesperson. Most people are surprised to find out that my job is split pretty much 50/50 between the two!

Take us through a day in the life for you!

On any given day, I could be doing a few different things: meeting with clients; creating recipes, shooting photos and editing them; researching and writing blog posts; working on my online program, All Foods Fit; or working on a number of other projects. It’s what I love the most about my job – no two days are the same. I love working for myself, but it also means that there’s always work to do! I typically try to be at my desk to start work between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. I usually catch up on emails and computer work first until about 9:00 AM, and then the day always changes from there.

How did you discover Intuitive Eating and how do you practice it in your daily life?

Like many people, I struggled with my relationship with food and my body for a while, especially as a teenager. When I finally saw a dietitian for myself in college, I learned that we need to eat all foods in order to be healthy and that healthy eating should be easy. It started me on a journey of understanding that all foods truly can fit into a healthy lifestyle. Over the years, the more comfortable I became with myself and my body, the easier it became to let go of food rules that were – consciously or not – controlling many of my eating decisions. Right now, the way I eat is second nature. I know that I naturally crave nutrient-dense foods like veggies and whole grains. At the same time, I also love chocolate and dessert and make sure to eat some every day. I don’t think too hard about what I eat (unless I need to make the plate pretty to share on Instagram!) and don’t stress about it either. I love eating out and pretty much never cook on the weekends. There are truly days where I don’t eat one vegetable at all. None of this makes me unhealthy, and I know that it’s my diet overall that matters most. It’s a really freeing feeling that I try to teach to all my clients.

What is your
definition of Food Freedom?

Like I mentioned above, food freedom involves not only allowing yourself to eat all foods, but also being able to enjoy them without guilt or thinking twice about it. It’s when you can easily figure out if you’re craving a salad or pasta when out to dinner – and feel satisfied and content with either choice. There’s no black and white or good and bad – it’s when everything easily fits into your diet.

What advice would you give someone on where to start with healing their
relationship with food/finding food freedom?

Start by getting rid of judgement – both on yourself and of food. This is where I start with a lot of my clients too. Knowingly or not, a lot of us classify food as “good” or “bad.” We say things like “I should get the salad,” or “I’m so bad for eating that!” Instead, start to notice when you label foods and behaviors as good or bad and try to slowly stop yourself from doing it. By removing these labels, you’ll start to allow yourself to eat what you want – and not what you “should” have – and also remove some of that guilt associated with eating the “bad” food. No food is good or bad – food is food.

In your practice, where do your clients struggle most with intuitive eating?

A lot of my clients struggle with letting go of control. It’s a common fear that we’ll automatically start to gain weight when we listen to our bodies instead of our food rules. And I get it – when you’ve followed rules most of your life to try to control your body, it’s super scary to think about letting go. I work with clients to slowly let go of some of those rules and control. I can confidently say that pretty much all of my clients feel amazing when they’re able to do that. So many of us have food rules that we don’t even realize we have. Letting go of those rules frees up space to focus on so many other things in life. Our bodies are smart. When we listen to them and eat in a way that feels good both physically and mentally, they’ll go where they’re naturally and healthfully meant to be.

For more resources check out the following:

Sammi’s Ebook: 7 Days to Make All Foods Fit (without guilt)
Sammi’s Cookbook: The Essential Vegetable Cookbook

Four Steps to Food Freedom
8 Steps to Mindful Eating

---

Yesterday I was in line at the grocery store. The line cued right next to the freezer section of ice creams, enticing customers for that “guilty pleasure” to drop into their cart last minute. Two police officers were discussing Halo Top ice cream and what their favorite flavors were. The male cop citing Birthday Cake while the female cop laughed about how she could literally eat half a pint without feeling guilty about it. The guy behind them in line, and in front of me, chimed in and added “but have you tried Bi-Rite Creamery’s ice cream?”

Without knowing it, the man in front of me diverted a conversation about “guilt-free” ice cream to a better suggestion of just eating REAL ice cream - with only full fat milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks. Because it tastes better. And maybe, just maybe, ice cream can be eaten without feeling like it has to be only 280 calories per pint because it is guilt free.

If you were to compare Bi-Rite’s Ice Cream Ingredients, or even Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla to Halo Top’s Ingredients, this paints a different picture of what you are actually eating with added ingredients such as gums and sugar alcohols to lower the calorie count.

Ice cream is supposed to be a treat. Enjoyed on occasion without guilt. Eat the real thing, instead of replacing with a low-calorie version that has been marketing to you “without the guilt.”

Because here is the fact of the matter, when companies market desserts or foods as “guilt-free” this can cause shame when you just want to enjoy the real thing. Shame around food takes the enjoyment out of eating. It places a morality on food - labeling ice cream as either “good” or “bad.” Food should never be moral. Eating food and enjoying dessert when you want it isn’t a moral choice. It’s a personal choice, and one that you should never feel bad about making!

I have seen articles written by the medical community on how to practice guilt free eating and cheat sheets listing foods to eat instead of the dessert you are actually craving. For example, craving ice cream? Blend frozen bananas and eat this instead! Honestly, if you want ice cream, my advice is to actually just have the ice cream. The more banana “nice cream” you eat, the more you may actually wish it was ice cream. The more we deprive, or restrict ourselves from eating sweets that we want, the more we obsess and focus on this food. And then when we inevitably eat real ice cream, we binge on it because we have deprived ourselves of it, which causes feelings of shame. And then feelings of shame are then tied to ice cream, making us feel bad about wanting it whenever we crave it. And the cycle of guilt continues.

This is why “guilt-free” desserts are full of shame. Because banana “nice cream” and Halo Top diet ice cream are marketed to convince us that we can eat “bad” foods without feeling bad about it. When you think about it, this is very twisted marketing. We should have never believed that ice cream, or any dessert, is “bad” in the first place or that banana nice cream is the “good” choice.”

No food should ever be morally better than the other. Because when we label foods this way, we feel guilty or shameful when we eat the “bad” ones.

A reminder that all foods fit.

Need more help finding balance with food and breaking your food rules? Download my Four Steps to Food Freedom guide.

It took me a long time to be able to say this out loud. Every time I would sit down to a lunch, a dinner or go to a happy hour I would get the same questions.  How come you are not drinking? Why do you always have to make your order so confusing? Well, aren’t you a picky eater?! Why won’t you just eat what we are all eating? Maybe this all sounds familiar…

At first, the people pleaser in me always wanted to provide an answer. To make them feel more comfortable about my food choices. I would get asked a lot by my old work colleagues if I was pregnant when I didn’t drink at events. (Totally inappropriate to be asked of a woman by her male colleagues, by the way.) Sometimes I would secretly ask the bartender to put my seltzer water in a cocktail glass with a lime so I could appear to fit in and to steer clear of the inevitable questions or side comments.

Food was a whole different issue. My ex-husband would always apologize on my behalf to the waiter or waitress at restaurants when I would ask for dishes to be prepared a certain way (yup, really. Emphasis on the EX). For catered lunches at work I would bring my own food to large meetings, which would lead to comments like “are you too good for the food we ordered?”  On most occasions, I felt like I had to just eat the dang sandwiches that were full of processed ingredients, and maybe feeling shitty for the rest of the day was worth it to dodge bullets from colleagues.

With friends, it was even more difficult. I switched to eating whole foods free of processed ingredients and cut back on my drinking big time at the age of 24 after suffering major health trauma. I was living a lifestyle of binge drinking, late night Frito Pies and microwave burritos. At one point, I was even convinced that I wanted to be a party promoter. So, imagine telling your party and booze loving friends that you aren’t drinking as much anymore and prefer to now make your burritos from scratch with brown rice and veggies on a sprouted wheat wrap. I got a lot of blank stares and went through a period of total isolation.

What I wish I would have said to many people from my past, and what I practice now, is that how I choose to eat is really none of your business.

And I don’t mean that literally. I am obviously making everything that I eat your business because I post about it almost daily on Instagram. What I do mean, is why I make the decision to eat the way I do is not your business. I don’t need to provide an explanation for why I choose to base my diet on whole and real food. I don’t need to justify why I don’t eat certain ingredients or why I ask so many questions about what’s on the menu when I go out to eat.

Let’s face it.  FOOD IS PERSONAL.  There is no getting around it.

Vegan. Vegetarian. Gluten-Free. Soy-Free. Dairy-Free. Paleo. Low-Carb. Keto. Clean Eating. Plant-based. We have spent decades placing labels on certain diets. And as more and more people develop food allergies, intolerances and digestive disorders we have to continually adjust the way we eat, cook and order at restaurants.  Recent studies point to the rise of C-section birth, use of antibiotics and overly sterile environments – all of which negatively affect our microbiome and our body’s defenses.

Then there are those like me who also eat for good health. Eating whole foods and real ingredients makes me feel alive, gives me more energy, balances my hormones and, more for purposes of vanity, has provided clear skin and a weight that has never fluctuated over a few pounds in the past 10 years.

Putting a label on the way that you eat inevitably leads to stress, anxiety, guilt and shame from being put in a box and feeling like you cannot step outside of it. It can also make you less accepting of others who choose to eat differently than you.  We forget that just as we made a choice to eat a certain way, so have others, and we should mutually respect that. Vegans attacking those that choose to eat animal products. People who label themselves “clean” eaters, therefore creating a certain stigma that eating any other way is “dirty.” We have all been guilty at one point of being judgmental of others food choices, while also feeling judged by others.

As young females, you are considered “cool” if you can eat a whole box of donuts, take down an entire pizza or drink a six pack of beer while still maintaining a thin waistline. It has become celebrated how shitty we can eat while still fitting the mold of magazine cover models.  I call bullshit on this. 

As a child of the 80s I had access to packaged and processed food out of convenience for my parents who both worked full-time jobs.  They did their very best to provide me with healthy lunches, but as a young kid it pained me to see my friends eating pizza at school while I ate my homemade sandwich and carrot sticks. Growing up, food was even a way of fitting in. It was everyone’s business at lunch hour to know exactly what was in your lunch box.

I have clients of mine who struggle every single day with making healthy choices that work for them.  Or even wanting to eat a pizza or cookies without fear of judgement. Not because they are unsure of a healthy lifestyle, but because they are unsure of reactions from others. How to balance eating what is right for them versus a fear of what other people may think of them.

So how do we move away from food and diet stigmas? Away from labels and judgements? To be able to eat what we want that works for our body, and for that to be celebrated and supported by others. In my opinion, the further we move away from and stop using food labels, the sooner we can all accept each other’s choices. Because really, how we eat and why we choose to eat the way we do is no one’s business but our own.