By Elizabeth Meyer, RD, LRD
I am beat. It was a long, GREAT weekend at the lake. Lots of laughs, lots of kids (8 to be exact with far fewer parents), lots of food, some drinks, sun, water sports, fishing. All the things. We did them all. And now, I’m exhausted!! Too much food? Maybe? Too much sun? For sure! Too much fun? Never!!
Now I’m left feeling like I should get back on track. But was I ever off track? I ate food that I like, I ate foods some would say aren’t healthy and so did everyone else I was with! Is anyone else feeling the guilt that I was? I also managed to go for a walk with my friend both Saturday and Sunday.
Apparently, I’m not alone. I heard a few gals while I was working out mention they need to really eat clean. Not the first time I’ve heard it; does it make a difference? What does it even mean? I saw a post online earlier this week from a fellow dietitian joking about clean foods being the ones that you’ve washed. It made me laugh, because I agree. I’m not one to get hung up on diet fads and all of that. They don’t last, they don’t work. And it’s not the first time you’ve heard me say this, either.
No refined foods. Nothing processed. Lots of organic fruits and veggies. No GMOs. No fast food. No sugar. You know that long list of things. Is it possible to do? Of course. It’s not necessary though.
I say it probably every time I write this; we need more fruits and veggies. Does choosing organic make them clean? No. I, personally, don’t buy organic produce. I just don’t. I don’t feel its necessary for good health. If you buy them, that’s great but I’m still counting my fruits and veggies as an excellent nutritional choice. Organic or not, eat more fruits and veggies.
White bread versus whole grain bread. Is one clean and the other considered dirty? I fed the kids in my world white bread this weekend. And I didn’t feel guilty about it for a second. No reason to. That bread still provided them nutrition, calories for energy and vitamins. Sounds like a win to me! I don’t always give them white bread; they get whole grain too. It depends on what’s in the pantry or what was on sale that week.
What about alcohol? Clean wine? Can that really be marketed as something that’s better? Alcohol doesn’t give us health benefits, so can it even be considered clean? My answer is no. I’m not saying you can’t drink it. Go right ahead if you’d like – but it doesn’t ever count as a healthy food or a clean food for that matter. Having drinks in moderation can fit into a lot of different lifestyles. Enjoy it! And don’t feel bad if you didn’t order that clean, hangover-less wine that targeted you on Instagram! Drink what you enjoy and relax.
Things always seem to come down to making good choices most of the time, but working in those foods we love, that make us happy or bring us memories when we want them too!!
Food and guilt are never a good combo. Cheese and wine, certainly. Apples and regular old peanut butter, another win. Smores and a campfire? Another excellent choice!
Elizabeth Meyer is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.