All Things In Moderation

It's post-Thanksgiving, and as I stare at the left overs in the fridge, I wonder how many days I can go eating a turkey dinner.

Majority of the year, I eat clean, meaning I stick to whole, non-processed foods. Because of this lifestyle choice, what I'm eating seems to always end up as topic of conversation at the turkey-day dinner table. "Aren't you vegan?" "Is that on your diet plan?" "You're eating pie??" Why are my food choices such a concern? It makes me laugh every year.

I've come to the conclusion that people are constantly comparing themselves to others. Be it body types, hair length or food choices, there seems to always be an underlying comparison between what they're doing and what the rest of the world is doing.

Before I came to this realization, it bothered me that I couldn't enjoy mindlessly stuffing food in my face. I mean, I only allow it once, maybe twice a year. Not because I put those kinds of restrictions on myself, but because I love and respect my body, and eating that way doesn't make me feel the greatest. I typically end up with a belly ache and bloat, and it takes me a few days to recover. I get a food hangover, most likely because I don't typically eat Thanksgiving type foods, ever.

Now, I simply answer their questions without any judgement. "I'm vegan most of the time, but something my body craves meat, and when it craves something, I allow it." "I don't have a diet plan, I eat to nourish my body." "I love pie and will never turn a slice down."

I'm human. A human who just so happens to love things in moderation. There is nothing wrong with still enjoying the foods that are bad for us, but it must be in combination with foods that are good for us.

80% of the time I eat foods that my body needs and 20% of the time I eat the foods my body craves. The great thing about eating this way is that the 80% of foods I eat have turned into the food my body wants. I LOVE eating healthy. I LOVE the way it makes my body feel. Because I've been eating this way for quite a while, when I do eat something that isn't the greatest for me, I instantly feel it. I get bloated, gassy, my kidneys are inflamed. My body simply isn't use to it anymore.

With that being said, I've turned eating healthy into a lifestyle. I do it daily, with the occasional sweets or Thanksgiving feast. I don't beat myself up over it. All things in moderation.