Junk food? No thank you.

They say that you shouldn’t feel “guilty” for eating junk food. They say that if you feel that kind of guilt after eating certain foods, then the media has really gotten to your head or something and you’re far too obsessed with trying to be a size zero.

“They” is a a few of my friends, guidance councilors, teachers.

And you know what, I’m sick of it.

The reason for this rant (which may be a overreaction, but I’ve been thinking about it for a while) is that many times, a conversation like the following will occur, and I will actually feel guilty for it.

Friend: You want to go get some bubble tea after school?
Me: No thanks, I had a muffin this morning.
Friend: So?
Me:  So I don’t want to overload on too much sugar in one day.
Friend: Sure, if that’s your story. You need to stop with the lose weight, dieting thing. It’s not like you need to weight or anything.
Me: I’m not trying to.
Friend:  Okay, health freak.

And immediately I feel bad because they temporarily (aka for a few seconds) convince me that I’ve been sucked in by the media to be weight obsessed. But then I realize I haven’t.

I am not a health freak. I don’t get enough exercise or sleep or vegetables. But I try. I think I was in sixth grade when I saw the nutrition information for some of those muffins from Timmy’s, and I was thinking that they were just like donuts, and … it made me try to avoid muffins after that. Except the ones that I make myself, because I put in about 1/4 the amount of sugar the recipes tell me to and they turn out fine.

I am tired of “feeling guilty” for not wanting to eat too much junk food in one day. By junk food I mean empty calories. That’s what they are. I do not count calories, count carbs, or count any of that stuff. I count how many empty calorie ridden items I eat in one day, and try to limit that. That does not mean I am obsessed with losing weight or dieting. If you really want to know how often I check my weight, it’s about once a month.

Why do I hate taking in empty calories if I’m not diet obsessed? I don’t know, perhaps because I’m more health obsessed (do not read that as health freak, haha). And I’ll admit, I’d like to maintain my weight, seeing as I’m not exactly going through a growth spurt or anything right now. Actually, right now, I don’t have the money nor time to go buy a bunch of new jeans and slacks a size bigger or smaller.

As well, I know that too much sugar (or sodium!) isn’t healthy.

I’m not saying here that I wouldn’t want to lose five pounds. I’d still be able to fit in my old jeans, and maybe  I could have more toned arms and less belly fat. I’m short, so my size one/three doesn’t mean anything. I’m still nowhere as  thin as my 5′8 and size 5 friend. But there’s a difference between not minding something and being obsessed. If I was obsessed, I would exercise like crazy and eat 10 servings of fruits and vegetables and drink 8 glasses of water every day. Do I do that? Hell no.

It’s just that I like to keep a balanced diet. I feel bad if I eat more than one significant ‘junk food item’ in one day. And I don’t want to feel bad about feeling that. I want people to stop telling me that I’m “diet obsessed” or “sucked in by the media.” Thank you.