4. Eating what makes you feel good mentally and physically | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Relationships

Here Are 8 Practices Of Healthy Eating, And 8 Things Healthy Eating ISN'T

Healthy eating looks different for everyone, but there are a few general misconceptions across the board.

513
Here Are 8 Practices Of Healthy Eating, And 8 Things Healthy Eating ISN'T
Julias Torten

I've had quite a journey to finding what healthy eating looks like for me. It took years of fighting through an eating disorder and trial and error to reach a point where I feel confident about intuitively choosing what to eat every day. And to be honest, it's still a journey, but I'd like to think that I have a pretty good hold on what is good for my body and mind and what isn't.

In our society, we've been socialized to have a really strict idea of what is and isn't "healthy." There's a widespread implicit bias that labels foods like salads and fruits as healthy and candy bars and cookies as detrimental to our health. However, this isn't accurate on the basis of nutritional, mental or emotional health. Like most things, it's a lot more complex than that.

But if what we've learned since birth isn't true, then what exactly is healthy eating? While there isn't a clear definition that applies across the board, here are some practices that are involved in healthy eating:

1. Eating nutrient-dense foods

Giphy

While foods aren't inherently healthy or unhealthy, there are foods that have more of certain nutrients than others. Healthy eating looks like eating protein-dense foods like eggs and almonds when your body needs it, or lots of carbohydrates like bananas and whole grains before working out.

2. Eating foods without regards to nutrients

Giphy

But! Healthy eating is also eating the foods you crave like pizza, ice cream and chocolate! No matter what the front of different magazines tell you, eating a variety of foods, including "junk" foods, is healthy.

3. Separating food from moral value

Giphy

Food has absolutely no moral value. You aren't 'bad' or 'good' for eating or not eating certain foods. Period. Food is simply food.

4. Eating what makes you feel good mentally and physically

Giphy

Of course, not everyone can eat everything and that's okay! Some people are lactose intolerant, have celiac disease or just don't agree with certain foods. Healthy eating means working around this and eating things that you enjoy and make your body feel good.

5. Meal prepping or taking a long time to prepare foods to ensure that you'll be nourished and satisfied

Giphy

Cooking is fun and it can allow us to really be conscious and mindful about what we eat!

6. ...while still being flexible enough to be able to spontaneously go out to eat!

Giphy

Sometimes you just have to save that meal prep for another day if you just ~really~ want pizza or get invited out by friends! Honor your cravings and your social life, not fake rules around food.

7. Eating while on-the-go to fuel yourself to move on to the next thing

Giphy

Yes, mindful eating is wonderful. But our lives are busy and we still need fuel! Sometimes we simply don't have the time to sit down to a full meal. So yes, it's okay to take that food to go and fuel your body for the next task.

8. Enjoying food and using it for celebration!

Usher Raymond Birthday GIF by USHER - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphy

Birthday cake? Yes! Celebrating that new job with ice cream? Of course! Pizza because it's your fav? Go for it! Food isn't always just for fuel—it's cultural and social too!

Healthy eating encompasses a lot, right? But there definitely are still things to look out for that aren't included in a healthy diet. Here are eight things that aren't healthy eating:

1. Spending a considerable amount of your time and energy focusing on food and your body 

Giphy

Our lives are so much more than what food we eat and the way our bodies look. If those things are taking up most of your mental energy, it's not healthy.

2. Eating based on other people's needs or rules rather than your own 

Giphy

There are some interesting trends out there where people will go gluten free or adopt other food rules without any real personal need. This isn't healthy either—in fact, it's just a lot of extra unnecessary work.

3. Following a fad diet

Giphy

Similarly, fad-diets aren't nutritionally sound or helpful in any way. They're simply a tactic to induce self-consciousness and make money for big companies. Not to mention, diets are the single greatest predictor of developing an eating disorder.

4. Ignoring your hunger

Giphy

Big no no. If your body is hungry, you need food!

5. Associating food with self-worth

Giphy

Eating specific things doesn't make you any better or worse of a person! It bears repeating over and over again. Ingrain it into your head and your life will become a million times better, I promise.

6. Refraining from attending social events because of the food

Giphy

Staying home from events because "there will be too much temptation" is a really unhealthy way of viewing food. If you're feeding your body healthily—honoring your hunger, cravings and wants—"temptation" around food shouldn't be an issue.

7. Labeling food as 'good' or 'bad' or placing any other rules around food

Giphy

The only bad food is food that is rotten and that's the tea

8. Eating in a way that doesn't make you feel good

Giphy

Any food that doesn't make you feel good mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually or in any way at all shouldn't be eaten!


Like I said, healthy eating is really complex and this barely scratches the surface—I'm not a nutritionist. But this lays a basic groundwork for what healthy eating really is. If you're worried your eating habits might be unhealthy, the National Eating Disorders Association has wonderful resources to check out.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
how to adult
Twitter

It is the time of our lives that we are beginning to enter the adult world and most of us, if not all of us, have no idea what we are doing. It's like starting a video game, but skipping the tutorial. We're all just running around aimlessly hoping we accidentally do something right that moves us along the right path. Now that graduation has just happened, or is right around the corner for some of us, it's time to start thinking about how we are going to take care of ourselves once we are on our own.

Keep Reading...Show less
people  in library
Photo by redcharlie on Unsplash

College involves a whirlwind of emotions, whether it’s from the stress of an assignment (or twenty), or from fighting with your roommate. It can be overwhelming at times and it’s important to take a step a back and calmly think things over. Maybe gain some perspective. The following aren’t foolproof tips and may not apply to you, but I was able to find success with them (hope you do too!)

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

How The Holidays Have Changed

It all started when we learned the truth about Santa.

3233
best wishes for Christmas
Pinterest

It is no secret that many American traditions have changed over time. As we grow older we change in so many ways that it only makes sense that we also change the way we celebrate special occasions. Of course when it comes to the holidays there are some family traditions that many of us still excitedly look forward to, whether it is eating your favorite dish or seeing favorite cousin. However, we all know that the holidays have overall changed a little from what they used to be.

Keep Reading...Show less
theatre cast

Everyone who has done musicals knows that once you go there you can never go back. It's like a virus. It never leaves and you find yourself attracted to all types of theater things. You're drawn to it like a moth to a flame. There are certain things you know to be true, whether you did a musical once or have done them your entire life.

Keep Reading...Show less
couple winter
Pexels

When you come home over Christmas break, it's hard to find fun in your hometown. During the winter, it's hard to find the motivation to go out and find things to do. However, there are plenty of fun things to do in almost any town, and there are tons of fun date ideas that aren't taken advantage of. Here are nine fun winter dates to go on.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments