Instagram as my picture of broccoli. Ice cream is fun and yummy and scandalous and broccoli is boring and blah and so last season. 
I’ve been desperately wanting to write this post for weeks now. I like sharing pictures of ice cream and pizza on Instagram because I want—no, I NEED—you all to understand how much of a “normal” (what does that word even mean?) person I really am. I went to Cleveland last weekend and ate out for nearly every meal, including pizza and pancakes galore. What can I say? I loved food before I even loved nutrition. I really am a foodie at heart. So when I post a What I Ate Wednesday and you don’t see any ice cream, it’s not because I don’t ever eat ice cream. I’m sick and tired of people portraying themselves to be something they’re not, painting a picture of the ideal woman who only eats Quest bars and broccoli slaw and making everyone else feel like crap. The truth is that I work out often and I balance fun foods with green smoothies, which I actually adore. I don’t force myself to eat healthy to be thin—I eat healthy because I actually love the taste of hummus, sweet potatoes, lentils, and bananas. I love how healthy tastes and feels, but you won’t see me passing on pasta, either. I live in a world where people judge and pick apart everything I do. That’s what happens when you’re a food blogger or health professional. If I post a picture of ice cream, is some vegan girl going to unfollow me? If I didn’t eat any green veggies today, is everyone going to think I’m a big fat phony? The ridiculousness of it all! I’m only human. You’re not healthy if you don’t live life. But whether you like it our not, there is constant comparison going on all.the.time. Forget the haters! Be YOU. You’ve got one life to live and you sure as hell shouldn’t be living some one else’s. 
I thrive on balance. I’m not some one who can avoid all added sugar or gluten or caffeine for a month—I’m just not. I get cranky and weird. Sometimes I go out on the weekends and drink vodka sodas and eat pizza at 2am. Sometimes I wake up feeling hung over and lazy and too tired to work out. But I always, always, always find my way back to balance. I don’t try to be perfect because I don’t want to be perfect. Perfect isn’t real. Perfect is weird. So find the beauty in your imperfections. Life will be a lot tastier that way.
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For more Life Lessons posts, check out: —On Being Too Healthy —On Natural Body Care —On Counting Ingredients, Not Calories —On Beer & Kale —On Packing a Lunch ]]>
Thank you for this. Soooo my philosophy as well – I appreciate your honesty and real ness ( and I understand about the unfollow thing-LOL ) .
I’m so glad it spoke to you, Amanda!
This is awesome.. thanks 🙂
You are very welcome, Kristen!
I can only say that *this* vegan girl will NEVER unfollow you! And, because I’m vegan, I am also expected to eat super healthy at every moment- um, no. I am vegan cuz I lurve ALLLL the animals, not for health reasons, so I struggle to eat healthy just like everyone else! The things I want are coffee, chocolate and pb anything, pasta, bread…and I eat/drink them! I also have a green smoothie most days to help balance the other stuff! 🙂
You, my friend, are the BOMB. Seriously, you’re one of those people that I can remember commenting from the beginning. Love ya!!!
Amazing post. Being new to this blogging world I am constantly surprised at how many people talk only about the healthy stuff they make or eat. Life is about eating all the food – the ‘good’ and the ‘bad,’ but everything in moderation. I may have had steel cut oats and a green smoothie for breakfast today, but last night I rocked double chocolate brownies and a mojito.
hanks so much Melissa! I’m glad it resonated with you 🙂
It honestly does suck that we even have to work to look “normal.” (like you said, wtf is normal though) What I mean is, why do we consciously have to balance out the pictures we share? It’s craziness! And even then, you still will get people calling you out. I can relate- I can’t even count the times people are surprised I eat meat (uh I always have) or are shocked to see me eat a hunk of cake.
If I could use emojis here, I would use the two hands up emoji (preeeeeach).
BRING ON DA CAKEEEE!
Great post girlfriend! I could not agree with this more. We are young and SHOULD be having fun and living life to the fullest. It actually makes me really sad when I see bloggers who swear off everything – alcohol, sugar, bread, caffeine, etc. That is booooooring. I eat healthy beause I like the way it makes me feel and how much energy I have and because I want to take care of myself, but I could never and would never remove foods that I love from my life in order to be “healthy”. I love food too much. End of story. 🙂
No bread is like the epitome of boring! I’m with ya on loving food too much, as if that’s even possible 🙂
This is great, Alexis! I was shocked when I posted a photo of a burger a few weeks ago and people said “oh you eat burgers” or “what a big difference from vegan zoodle pasta”… well, yeah. Because I eat what I feel like. It’s all about balance. I just hate when people judge how others eat!
Hahah like take a chill pill! We’re real people, too! XO
AMEN. We need to hear this over and over for some reason to understand it. Ice cream and broccoli make a killer combo of an evening, and yes, Instagram makes me want to pull out my hair out when my sexy healthy bowl of noms isn’t liked compared to an ice cream cone. BUT you are such a great model of balance for all of us and I love that this reminds us to be REAL.
Hahaha love that sexy healthy bowl of noms. Love ya!!
LOVE this post. I’m all about balance and sometimes I have weeks where my balance is all off and it takes me a few days to get back into the swing of things. Life is far too short to deprive yourself!
Amen sista!
PREACH. I love this because it’s the actual definition of balance and real. I find that so many people say they believe in “balance” but, well, their idea of balance isn’t actual balance. We are only human and should never NOT do what we want (ie eat ice cream) because we’re worried what others will think.
TRUTH! You’re so spot on when it comes to balance–everyone’s definition is different!
You know what, this post ROCKED! And I know what you mean. I certainly don’t eat the way I photograph or present the food on my blog; it’s much messier and in much larger quantities and I will add an egg on top or some cheese or a scoop or two of brown rice. No such thing as “perfect,” especially when it comes to eating. Certain days I crave certain things and eat them, other days, I don’t. I think we need to feed our bodies with what works for us. And, I too, couldn’t give up sugar or caffeine for a month -not for me. I think people believe you’re supposed to be this squeaky clean specimen of a human when you’re a health profession and food blogger, like yourself. Having to “hide” or “sneak” other non-kale-ish foods is no way to live and you should never ever have to do that!
I agree 100% with this: “I don’t force myself to eat healthy to be thin—I eat healthy because I actually love the taste of hummus, sweet potatoes, lentils, and bananas. I love how healthy tastes and feels, but you won’t see me passing on pasta, either.”
From one ice cream eater/weekly pasta devourer/foodie to another, I truly loved reading this. Your candor is inspiring, girl! (PS Sorry for taking up the entire comments section hehe.)
Wow–best commenter ever award!! I really appreciated everything you said and I’m so glad to know that I’m not the only one who eats huge quantities of food with an egg on top!! XO
Wow I’m do glad you wrote this! Life is about balance and this is the perfect example! I love your honesty and should probably start following you on Instagram lol! Thanks again for the honesty!
Awww thanks doll!
LOVE this. There will always be people who say something or unfollow for some reasons, but honestly, being real and human is what everyone SHOULD do! Balance is what it’s all about 🙂
Preach girlfriend!
Preach it *name I called you earlier*
You can never satisfy anyone but yourself- eat your broccoli, eat your ice cream, just not together. That’s just naaaaaaaasty.
Literally loling. You slay me steakie boo boo.
Eat what you want – don’t worry about the haters! I don’t even like the labels of “healthy” foods and “junk” foods – anything is good in moderation! Having a balanced diet is the most healthy diet of all – for both your body and your sanity.
Fo shoooo girl! I agree to the max.