Back to bloggin’, and all things CreComm and IPP-related. No more frolicking in sunflower fields for this girl. Adieu summer, see ya next year!
Throughout the last three years working at a salon, one thing has become evident to me – hairstylists do much more than simply cut, colour, and style hair. They’re confidants, advice-givers, and very often (under-paid) therapists. And because many clients are comfortable divulging intimate details with their stylist, I’ve been privy to some pretty juicy gossip.
A few weeks ago, I was at the coffee bar when I heard one stylist and their client talking about something that piqued my interest – dieting. Diets, cleanses, and fitness routines are topics that are frequently discussed at the salon. Perhaps working in the beauty industry makes us more image-conscious than those in other industries. But what caught my attention about this conversation was one simple phrase “you should eat for pleasure only once a week.”
What!? Eat for pleasure ONLY once a week? The stylist and client both agreed that “you should eat purely for nutrition and have one cheat meal a week, or have one ‘cheat’ day.”
Why can’t eating healthy be pleasurable? I think it can! With that being said, I think there’s an assumption that healthy eating requires certain food/food groups to be off limits. I’ve made a conscious effort over the last couple of years to not demonize any food/food groups. However, I avoid certain dairy products because I’m lactose-intolerant. 😥
This conversation made me think about the idealized notion of what it means to be “healthy.” I don’t think healthy eating should revolve around any sort of restriction. Moderation and balance are two concepts I try to always keep in mind. Adhering too much to an idealized version of health can lead to orthorexia, the obsession with eating food that fits into a preconceived paradigm of health. I’ve definitely had my issues with restrictive eating, but until recently I didn’t know that it was a recognized eating disorder; I just thought I was a health-nut.
I’m currently working on creating a e-cookbook of healthy recipes–for those of you who didn’t already know–and I’m struggling about how to position and market it. I want to stray away from representing it as something that idealizes what a healthy breakfast should be. I don’t eat only foods that will be included in my e-cookbook. Sometimes, if a girl wants bacon and pancakes, a girl has gotta eat just that. It’s not a cheat/dirty meal; It’s just a meal.
On Saturday afternoon while I was microwaving a frozen burrito, a coworker asked me, “why are you eating that if you have a health and fitness Instagram account?”
My response: “Because, moderation. If I don’t eat what I want, I know I’ll just binge at some point.”
I don’t think it really got through to her. I guess, I should have just said, “Oh, this? This is my cheat meal…”
PS. follow me on my ~new~ health and fitness Insta account – @thelifeof_lucky
The Life of Lucky 