Nutrition writer Ariane Lang, BSc, MBA, shares what healthy eating means to her, how it’s changed over the years, and her tips for making it easier.
If you ask a group of people what eating healthy means to them, you’ll probably get a different answer every time.
For some, healthy eating means reining in a fast food habit or consuming more fruits and vegetables, while for others it may mean occasionally enjoying a piece of cake without feeling guilty.
Still, those who have certain medical conditions and even food allergies may think of healthy eating in their own unique way.
In short, there’s no single right answer to what healthy eating means.
Healthy eating is human, and as humans, we all have different wants and needs, which inevitably affect our food choices.
What’s more, what healthy eating means to you may even change throughout the different stages of your life as you grow and adapt to your ever-changing needs.
This article explores the human side of healthy eating, and I provide my own go-to tips to make it easier.
What healthy eating means for me
The definition of healthy eating has changed for me a couple of times in the past few years.
By the time I was in college, healthy eating was about following nutritional guidelines and doing everything by the book. However, it meant that my view of the food on my plate had changed. I went from seeing meals I enjoyed to only seeing nutrients.
Suddenly, I went from seeing traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto (rice and beans) to seeing complex carbohydrates (carbs) and plant-based proteins.
Then, when I started practicing as a nutritionist, the notion that a dietitian should look a certain way or fit into a specific body type led me to believe that healthy eating meant measuring my food to know exactly what I was consuming. I would eat whatever I wanted, as long as the nutrients I needed were accounted for.
I gave my body everything it needed to be healthy, but healthy eating goes beyond the nutrients. It’s also about how it makes you feel, and with food being an essential part of culture and social events, eating should be something we enjoy.
Today, I have a different approach to healthy eating. I’m far more flexible with my meals, and I understand that balance is key to being nourished and happy with food.
Healthy eating now means that, most of the time, I make sure to have food from all food groups on my plate without measuring anything or thinking about plant-based vs. animal-based protein or simple versus complex carbs.
It also means that I get to enjoy a bit of everything — including sweets, fast food, and desserts — with moderation and without the need to measure or account for it.
As you can see, finding the balance that worked for me didn’t happen overnight. On the contrary, my definition of healthy eating has been changing as I’ve gone through the different stages of my life.
As long as you aim to nourish your body and listen to what it needs, you can also give healthy eating your own meaning, because healthy eating is for everyone.
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