I need to get something off my chest... There's a lot of talk about body shaming. Ridiculing people for being what someone deems as "too fat." Another girl gets told to "eat a hamburger" because she's too thin. Seemingly no one is safe from bodyshaming, with each party staking their claim as the MOST RIGHT and refusing to view it from the other side's perspective. My views on the topic are quite lengthy and a subject for another day. Today I wanna vent to you about FOOD SHAMING. |
The above article from the Huffington Post was recently shared and showed up in my facebook newsfeed from a local group that shares information about different gyms in the Nashville area. They're great about telling you about different places you can go to work out, the classes they offer, and getting to know what sort of physical fitness opportunities are available in the city.
But they said something in their presentation of this article that just TICKS ME OFF.
But they said something in their presentation of this article that just TICKS ME OFF.
"Even if you are an elite athlete, why would you want to put this kind of food in your body when there are better choices?"
I'm sorry. But who are you to judge what is a better choice?
Does the donut pictured in this article have a lot of nutritional value? NOPE. Is it probably high in fats and sugars? YOU BETCHA. Is it delicious?
Does the donut pictured in this article have a lot of nutritional value? NOPE. Is it probably high in fats and sugars? YOU BETCHA. Is it delicious?
YOU'RE DAMNED RIGHT IT IS.
I get a lot (Seriously, A LOT) of crap from friends and colleagues about my food choices. How can a person who enjoys running and lifting as much as you do eat such "horrible" food?
I laugh and reply that I work out all the time so that I can continue to eat that "horrible" food, but the fact of the matter is that I LIKE THAT FOOD.
I have never had as much enjoyment from eating a salad as I get when I consume an entire pizza. Eating a granola bar with chia seeds does not bring me the same sense of satisfaction that I get from eating a package of cookies. A protein shake does not satisfy my desire to CHEW REAL FOOD.
Do I know I could eat "healthier?" YES. Is that the equivalent of eating BETTER? I vote no.
But that's my opinion. And what works for me does not work for everyone else. I love meat. I love carbs. But I do not try and force those choices on to my friends who are gluten-free and vegan. I don't judge their lifestyles and shake my head at their food choices.
I mean, yes, I don't understand it. Seriously, I think meat is tasty and bread is delicious. My internal monologue questions them, but do I call them out on it publicly and in front of others?
NO. BECAUSE THAT IS RUDE.
The same as you should never tell a "skinny girl" to eat a hamburger. Or tell a "fat girl" to lay off the sweets. The choices people make about their food are their own. I am fit. I am healthy. And I eat like crap. And yes, that probably will earn me some hate mail from people who cannot do those things. But there are days that I envy people with more will power and the desire to eat "healthier." Some days I wish I had the desire to because I know I could be in even better shape. But my desire to eat food that I ENJOY eating is still stronger than my desire to give up pizza rolls.
Maybe some day, I will change how I feel about this, but until then, please, just let me eat my donuts in peace. Besides, I won't be able to hear you over the sound of my chewing anyways.
NOM. NOM. NOM.
Alright, stepping down of my soapbox. Vent over. I can probably make it through the rest of the day without posting some snarky comment on that facebook post, now. I better go run off those potato chips I ate today...
#runlove, y'all!
I laugh and reply that I work out all the time so that I can continue to eat that "horrible" food, but the fact of the matter is that I LIKE THAT FOOD.
I have never had as much enjoyment from eating a salad as I get when I consume an entire pizza. Eating a granola bar with chia seeds does not bring me the same sense of satisfaction that I get from eating a package of cookies. A protein shake does not satisfy my desire to CHEW REAL FOOD.
Do I know I could eat "healthier?" YES. Is that the equivalent of eating BETTER? I vote no.
But that's my opinion. And what works for me does not work for everyone else. I love meat. I love carbs. But I do not try and force those choices on to my friends who are gluten-free and vegan. I don't judge their lifestyles and shake my head at their food choices.
I mean, yes, I don't understand it. Seriously, I think meat is tasty and bread is delicious. My internal monologue questions them, but do I call them out on it publicly and in front of others?
NO. BECAUSE THAT IS RUDE.
The same as you should never tell a "skinny girl" to eat a hamburger. Or tell a "fat girl" to lay off the sweets. The choices people make about their food are their own. I am fit. I am healthy. And I eat like crap. And yes, that probably will earn me some hate mail from people who cannot do those things. But there are days that I envy people with more will power and the desire to eat "healthier." Some days I wish I had the desire to because I know I could be in even better shape. But my desire to eat food that I ENJOY eating is still stronger than my desire to give up pizza rolls.
Maybe some day, I will change how I feel about this, but until then, please, just let me eat my donuts in peace. Besides, I won't be able to hear you over the sound of my chewing anyways.
NOM. NOM. NOM.
Alright, stepping down of my soapbox. Vent over. I can probably make it through the rest of the day without posting some snarky comment on that facebook post, now. I better go run off those potato chips I ate today...
#runlove, y'all!