MidwestBeast
Legend
Food isn’t Good or Bad: Stop Giving Human Traits to Inanimate Objects
“Clean” foods – I’m sure you’ve heard that plenty of times, along with many other similar terms or phrases. I must admit, it wasn’t until not that long ago that I stopped buying into it, myself. In fact, I’m a bit ashamed I fell into the trap for as long as I did, but I’m human just like everyone else and making mistakes is not something I’m above. If you’re around the fitness industry long enough, you’ll tend to find yourself changing your stance on a decent amount of things – hopefully it’s because of research that backs your new stance.
So, when you hear about “clean” foods or “good” fats and “bad” fats, what do you picture? Generally, “clean” eating is linked to ideas of tilapia, broccoli, brown rice, sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, and more of the same. You may hear someone talking about being on a “dirty” bulk and reference the McDonald’s he ate after his workout or the box of doughnuts he downed before his Saturday morning lift. Most of the time, the “dirty bulk” is just an excuse for people to overeat in gluttony while claiming it’s a quest to gain muscle and being okay with “a little extra fat” gain during the process. But that’s another story for an entirely separate piece. Anyway, the point here is that “dirty” is attributed to fast food, junk food, etc.
On the surface this doesn’t seem that outlandish, does it? In a sense, it isn’t. I mean, you probably shouldn’t make a habit of living off of McDonald’s or Twinkies. That said, there are also stories where people have lost weight when doing just that!
*See: Invalid Link Removed and
Invalid Link Removed
The bottom line here is this – one can lose weight so long as there is a difference in caloric expenditure (how much you burn throughout the day) and caloric intake (how much you eat). I’ll discuss that in more detail in a separate piece. The important part of this particular message? Stop giving human traits to food! It’s no different than stories about gun violence. That gun didn’t make a conscious choice what to shoot – a person holding it did! Inanimate objects are just that – and food is no different. So stop giving power to foods that they don’t have!
You know what foods are clean? The ones I rinse off in my sink after I bring them home from the produce section at my local grocery store or farmer’s market. You know what foods are dirty? The ones I dropped on the kitchen floor (where my cat likes to hang out and beg for chicken) and then quickly picked back up (5 second rule!) and decided to eat. Clean or dirty, good or bad – food is none of these things. Food is simply energy in different forms. Food is a sum amount of kilocalories comprised of some combination of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Now here’s the deal – are there wiser choices than others? Oh, of course there are! The reason those “clean” foods got the reputation they did is because they are chock-full of more vitamins and minerals than their processed counterparts and they’re not as calorically dense (read: 4 oz. of chicken breast is going to have less calories and still be filling/satisfying compared to 4 oz. of a higher fat cut of meat like pork). You’re looking at something that can be very complicated if you make it, but is also really easy to understand, too. At the very base level it’s calories in vs. calories out – if you consume less calories than what your body burns (through your daily routine, including exercise), you’ll lose weight. At a more complex level, the macro-nutrient makeup of those calories can play a role in body composition (e.g. losing fat vs. muscle, etc.). Again, I’ll discuss those issues in much more detail at a later time.
What is the takeaway from this? The biggest thing I’d like people to see is that we shouldn’t give power or stigmas to food. It’s simply energy and we all need energy to survive; that’s a fact. I’m someone who has dealt with body image issues for a very long time and I would feel guilty whenever I would eat a piece of pizza, fast food, chocolate, or anything else that was seen as a “dirty” or “not clean” food. It didn’t matter that at the end of the day I was still burning more calories through all the physical activity I did; I felt shame for the choices I made. I’d wager that some others of you out there have experienced this and maybe still continue to. That’s why I wrote this. I want you to STOP THAT! Food doesn’t have the power – you do. This isn’t a battle call for us to all run out to the buffet and chow down; don’t get it twisted. This is a statement that you need to take the power back. You’ve had it all along; you’ve just chosen to give it to food. Take it back.
The reason “diets” fail a majority of the time are because they’re not set up to be sustainable. This is all about lifestyle changes and something that you can do for the rest of your life. Don’t make it so strict that you can’t follow and adhere to it. And don’t overthink it, either. Eat quality foods and just make sure to eat the right amounts. Don’t get all of your calories from pizza, but if you like pizza, don’t restrict yourself from enjoying a slice or two on occasion!
Food isn’t good or bad – but we are. So choose a good plan and enjoy your life. Make it a point to learn as much as you can along the way without getting overwhelmed by the details. And remember, we all have to eat to survive – so enjoy it!
I am not a registered dietitian. I am simply someone with a passion for fitness and nutrition. I was in the process of beginning a Master’s of Science in Nutrition with East Carolina University when I had planned to move to North Carolina. I completed all of the pre-requisite coursework for the program, including basic coursework in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, anatomy & physiology, nutrition and others. Beyond that, my learning has simply been reading and researching on my own for pleasure.
“Clean” foods – I’m sure you’ve heard that plenty of times, along with many other similar terms or phrases. I must admit, it wasn’t until not that long ago that I stopped buying into it, myself. In fact, I’m a bit ashamed I fell into the trap for as long as I did, but I’m human just like everyone else and making mistakes is not something I’m above. If you’re around the fitness industry long enough, you’ll tend to find yourself changing your stance on a decent amount of things – hopefully it’s because of research that backs your new stance.
So, when you hear about “clean” foods or “good” fats and “bad” fats, what do you picture? Generally, “clean” eating is linked to ideas of tilapia, broccoli, brown rice, sweet potatoes, chicken breasts, and more of the same. You may hear someone talking about being on a “dirty” bulk and reference the McDonald’s he ate after his workout or the box of doughnuts he downed before his Saturday morning lift. Most of the time, the “dirty bulk” is just an excuse for people to overeat in gluttony while claiming it’s a quest to gain muscle and being okay with “a little extra fat” gain during the process. But that’s another story for an entirely separate piece. Anyway, the point here is that “dirty” is attributed to fast food, junk food, etc.
On the surface this doesn’t seem that outlandish, does it? In a sense, it isn’t. I mean, you probably shouldn’t make a habit of living off of McDonald’s or Twinkies. That said, there are also stories where people have lost weight when doing just that!
*See: Invalid Link Removed and
Invalid Link Removed
The bottom line here is this – one can lose weight so long as there is a difference in caloric expenditure (how much you burn throughout the day) and caloric intake (how much you eat). I’ll discuss that in more detail in a separate piece. The important part of this particular message? Stop giving human traits to food! It’s no different than stories about gun violence. That gun didn’t make a conscious choice what to shoot – a person holding it did! Inanimate objects are just that – and food is no different. So stop giving power to foods that they don’t have!
You know what foods are clean? The ones I rinse off in my sink after I bring them home from the produce section at my local grocery store or farmer’s market. You know what foods are dirty? The ones I dropped on the kitchen floor (where my cat likes to hang out and beg for chicken) and then quickly picked back up (5 second rule!) and decided to eat. Clean or dirty, good or bad – food is none of these things. Food is simply energy in different forms. Food is a sum amount of kilocalories comprised of some combination of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Now here’s the deal – are there wiser choices than others? Oh, of course there are! The reason those “clean” foods got the reputation they did is because they are chock-full of more vitamins and minerals than their processed counterparts and they’re not as calorically dense (read: 4 oz. of chicken breast is going to have less calories and still be filling/satisfying compared to 4 oz. of a higher fat cut of meat like pork). You’re looking at something that can be very complicated if you make it, but is also really easy to understand, too. At the very base level it’s calories in vs. calories out – if you consume less calories than what your body burns (through your daily routine, including exercise), you’ll lose weight. At a more complex level, the macro-nutrient makeup of those calories can play a role in body composition (e.g. losing fat vs. muscle, etc.). Again, I’ll discuss those issues in much more detail at a later time.
What is the takeaway from this? The biggest thing I’d like people to see is that we shouldn’t give power or stigmas to food. It’s simply energy and we all need energy to survive; that’s a fact. I’m someone who has dealt with body image issues for a very long time and I would feel guilty whenever I would eat a piece of pizza, fast food, chocolate, or anything else that was seen as a “dirty” or “not clean” food. It didn’t matter that at the end of the day I was still burning more calories through all the physical activity I did; I felt shame for the choices I made. I’d wager that some others of you out there have experienced this and maybe still continue to. That’s why I wrote this. I want you to STOP THAT! Food doesn’t have the power – you do. This isn’t a battle call for us to all run out to the buffet and chow down; don’t get it twisted. This is a statement that you need to take the power back. You’ve had it all along; you’ve just chosen to give it to food. Take it back.
The reason “diets” fail a majority of the time are because they’re not set up to be sustainable. This is all about lifestyle changes and something that you can do for the rest of your life. Don’t make it so strict that you can’t follow and adhere to it. And don’t overthink it, either. Eat quality foods and just make sure to eat the right amounts. Don’t get all of your calories from pizza, but if you like pizza, don’t restrict yourself from enjoying a slice or two on occasion!
Food isn’t good or bad – but we are. So choose a good plan and enjoy your life. Make it a point to learn as much as you can along the way without getting overwhelmed by the details. And remember, we all have to eat to survive – so enjoy it!
I am not a registered dietitian. I am simply someone with a passion for fitness and nutrition. I was in the process of beginning a Master’s of Science in Nutrition with East Carolina University when I had planned to move to North Carolina. I completed all of the pre-requisite coursework for the program, including basic coursework in chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, anatomy & physiology, nutrition and others. Beyond that, my learning has simply been reading and researching on my own for pleasure.
