Food — we all need it and we definitely couldn’t livewithout it. However, in a day and age where social media reigns supreme, it isoften difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with food.
In a society of ever-changing ideals and narratives of howthe average person should look, many people develop a restrictive outlook onwhat they are eating. The foods we consume are often directly correlated withour body image.
People might think that a healthy diet will ultimately leadto society’s physique du jour. This perspective perpetuates a negative mindsetsurrounding food that has historically been portrayed as “unhealthy,” andpeople begin to categorize foods as “bad” or “good.”
Good food is commonly perceived as fruits, vegetables andlean sources of protein. Don’t get me wrong, these foods are wonderful for yourbody and provide people with the nutrients and energy that they need.
However, junk foods are given a bad rap due to the fact thatthey are often high sources of fat, sugar or carbohydrates. These kinds of foodare seen as impediments to living a healthy lifestyle. It has become all toocommon for the average person to eat what they believe is a healthy diet onlyto think they’ve “ruined it” with a small treat or snack.
I can even admit to doing this myself. While I’m notcondoning eating junk food all day, everything is perfectly fine in moderation.
Eating high calorie foods is just a part of life for mostpeople. It is unsustainable to think that the average person can eat whole,natural healthy meals 24/7. In fact, allowing yourself to have a nice treatevery once in a while can actually spare you from binge eating later.
Our society’s portrayal of food fuels these misconceptionsof how people should eat and, by extension, body image. People feel like theyhave to eat a certain way and if they don’t follow that routine all of thetime, they have somehow failed to achieve their goals.
This type of mindset may lead to eating disorders orrestrictive eating, where people refuse to consume anything other than whatthey deemed as necessary to achieve a particular physique.
At the end of the day, all food is fuel for the human body.
More importantly, food is also a huge part of life. Manysocial events and gatherings are entirely based around it. If you are afraid toeat certain things, how can you truly enjoy yourself in these settings? Some ofthe best memories in life are those turkey dinners with your family, ice creamdates with your significant other or movie dates with friends.
Maintaining a healthy relationship with food can translateto a better social life and a healthier outlook on life itself.
It is so important to always remember that you control whatyou eat and what you eat should not control you. Each and every person in thisworld is special in their own way, regardless of how they choose to eat or howthey look.
Instead of worrying so much about not looking like thatInstagram model after you at a big meal with loved ones think about how youfeel. As well, please refrain from making comments about what other people eatbecause they may be facing demons that you are unaware of.
Food should ultimately be your friend, not your enemy. Maintaining a healthy relationship with what you eat is a crucial part of loving yourself. Instead of labelling food as “good” or “bad,” take into account what makes you feel the best. Life is too short to place your self-worth in the hands of the food that you eat.
This op-ed was written by a University of Saskatchewan undergraduate student and reflects the views and opinions of the writer. If you would like to write a rebuttal, please email opinions@thesheaf.com.
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Thea Pearce
Graphic: Shawna Langer/ Graphics Editor
