Unlike many college students, I choose to eat healthy foods. No, I’m not on a diet. I just enjoy eating well and how my body feels when I do. I get a lot of crap about this from my friends, and thought it was time to address health shaming.
Your eating habits don’t have to be the same as your healthy friend.
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Just because your friend eats a certain way doesn’t mean you have to eat that way as well. It’s okay to have different lifestyles.
On the other hand, if you’re eating ice cream, you don’t have to try to pressure your friend to eat some as well. What isn’t okay is judging your friend for what they eat every time you go to the dining hall with them. If your friend is trying to make you eat what they’re eating, then by all means say something. But if they’re not, let them eat their chicken and broccoli in peace.
Your friend doesn’t comment on your foods.
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Your friend doesn’t judge you for eating unhealthy foods, so don’t judge them for eating healthy foods. At the same time, if they get dessert one night or have a burger and fries for dinner, don’t make a big deal about it. Just because they don’t eat those things often doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy them every once and while. Nothing is worse than having to defend your food choices to your friends, so don’t be the person to put them in that position.
No, they don’t want to eat something else.
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If they wanted to eat something else they would. Asking “Don’t you want some pizza or ice cream?” every night gets old. Saying “Come on, eating this won’t kill you!” is just as bad. I know it won’t kill me, I just really don’t want to eat it no matter how much you try to convince me otherwise. Even worse is asking, “Don’t you want some real food?” Unless you see me eating the plastic food you played with as a kid, I am eating real food, thank you very much.
Don’t shove your food in their face.
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Yes, I’m aware of how delicious pizza, brownies, and alfredo pasta are. No, I don’t need you to tell me how delicious it is the entire time you’re eating it.
The moral here is this: Support your friends regardless of their lifestyle decisions and stop making comments about their food choices.