Sometimes You Just Want The Greasy Pizza

You might be thinking this is a weird title for a blog post, but bare with me. I wrote in a past “Truth Is…” post how I sometimes crave greasy pizza, but rarely give into the craving for various reasons.

Some of those reasons aren’t bad, like the nutritional value of said pizza is zero, full of preservatives, etc. Other reasons may be a reason for concern. I shortly explained how the fear of what other’s may think or say if they saw me eating greasy pizza, keeps me from consuming a few greasy slices.

This had me thinking of how health can be a little too much of an obsession. Some may argue it’s a healthy obsession, but in reality obsessions to anything aren’t healthy. Balance is healthy. Health becomes an obsession because we sometimes fear judgment from others. Or at least I do. I feel since I am a nutritionist, and I have a blog I have a reputation to uphold.

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But I am here to tell you, that sometimes in life you need the greasy pizza!! This doesn’t have to literally mean a slice of greasy pizza either. This so called greasy pizza can stand for so many things. It can stand for an extra rest day, a few missed speed workouts, a couple mornings of hitting snooze, a ice cream cone to end the day, a candy bar, french fries, etc.

When I begin to live my life out of fear of what others may think of me, I begin to stress, worry, and may even stop doing what I love. This fear of failure creates havoc in our lives. I begin to obsess over the little things, and the bigger things like food and running.

Let’s be honest, we rarely see anyone posting pictures of their unhealthy fare on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Instead, we post pictures of the great, wholesome meal we are about to consume, all those healthy veggies or green juices. Why? Maybe it’s because we fear what others would think. Or maybe I am the only one that skips a selfie with my Ben & Jerry’s or boxed Mac’N’Cheese (even if it’s always organic Mac’N’Cheese).

I definitely don’t consume “unhealthy” foods on a regular basis, but I will admit I sometimes feel bad when I do. As if I am doing something wrong, like I need to do it in secret. This is where obsession becomes a problem, a dangerous problem. 

There’s pressure in our society to be perfect, healthy, skinny, pretty,etc. There’s pressure for Nutritionists or others in the health field to be perfect 100% of the time, but we aren’t. I would argue none of us are PERFECT, and we never will be. That’s what makes us great though. I don’t think we would be able to relate to someone who was entirely PERFECT.

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We shouldn’t feel judged for our choices, food choices, running choices, parenting choices, etc. I realized I have judged. If I saw a RD or nutritionist post a picture of a food I didn’t think was healthy, I would think to myself “I can’t believe he/she would eat that. And she’s/he’s supposed to be a nutritionist.” Or I would scoff at some of the recipes of others in the nutrition field, thinking I would never make something that unhealthy.

Was I really becoming a food snob? Was I really so perfect that I never consumed anything unhealthy? I was that girl years ago in my later years of high school and college. A food snob, and lately I have become that health obsessed nazi again. It’s termed orthorexia (a post of it’s own).

During those years, I would pack my own meals for school and work. Would rarely eat on campus in the dining hall, and even wrote articles on how unhealthy our college food was, causing a change on campus in our food. I read everything that was in my food, and would only have water, no ice when dining out with friends, either eating before hand or afterwards, because even the salads at restaurants weren’t good enough. They were rarely made using organic produce.

I checked menus before going out, and looked at nutritional values to plan ahead. Researched nutritional data and wouldn’t eat fast food if my life depended on it. In fact, I haven’t had fast food in nearly 10 years. Let’s just say it wasn’t pleasant for family to be around me when it came time for dinner.

Not to say any of this is bad, being health conscious and eating whole foods, but when it becomes an obsession, it’s a problem. During my last year and half of college I eased up a bit, and allowed myself to enjoy some of those foods on my bad list, which had become quite long.

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I realized healthy is having a slice of greasy pizza once in a blue moon, and maybe even some ice cream too. I realized I had an eating disorder that some probably wouldn’t recognize, but I was obsessing over food. Just because I wasn’t starving myself or binging and purging didn’t mean I didn’t have disordered eating. Up until the last couple months I was living a balanced, healthy relationship with food. Then I found myself making judgments and becoming a food snob.

Why? It stemmed from fear of what other’s may say if they saw a so called nutritionist eating a Costco frozen yogurt before loading the groceries into the car. Balance is important and learning to feel secure in yourself. This way when you do need a Ben & Jerry’s and french fries fix once in a blue moon, you’ll just do it, because after all it’s only once and a blue moon!!

It’s okay to splurge sometimes. In fact, it’s healthy to enjoy some of the things that others may deem as unhealthy. It’s sad that we feel judged by simply having an ice cream cone or soda. I, a nutritionist, is saying that the occasional treat is healthy!! It allows for balance. A treat is different for everyone too. For me it’s dark chocolate or coconut bliss, for other’s it may be a snickers and diet pepsi. But hey, we just learned, DON’T JUDGE!!

Perfection isn’t obtainable, but that’s why God made greasy pizza!! (or at least created the hands who crafted it).

Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit

Do you feel judged if you make certain choices? Have you struggled with the fear of what others may think or say?