This was always something that I've been having trouble with. The deadly word that whips its way throughout our culture. Staining the food industry with its presence. Ah! What are you doing here?! This is for meat eaters only.

If you're on a diet, and you've eaten out with a group of people, you might hear this response:

Oh you're having a salad for dinner? What, are you trying to be healthy?

Oh boy. Rant mode initiated:

First of all, I fail to understand why anything separate from eating the "fake nutrition" that comes neatly packed with a red bow that is the, highly processed, made under two minutes, questionable meat you call food, is considered bad yet in some paradoxical way, better for you than a salad that probably just what current Drake collaborator Future would consider: too much sauce (Roll Credits).

Yet, it being better for you is automatically chastised into the endless nebula that is filled with comments about one being too "hipster" or any other derogatory term that equates itself to one being arrogant. Why is it weird to order "just the salad" when eating out with a group of friends? Salad is a viable option just like the bacon, double cheese burger with the extra side of fries. If anything, food should not make someone feel immensely bloated, tired, worn out like I just went on a quest to destroy the most amount of food possible in the least amount of time.

(My reward for the quest was a large vanilla shake.)

Pay the waitress/waiter and let them know that the coma inducing, heap of fried/refried/re-re-fried, clearly out of the freezer French Fries were, alright at best. Though, that Large vanilla shake that I ordered came in handy as I needed to wash the tasty burger down.

Where's Samuel L. Jackson when you need him?

(Pulp Fiction reference anyone? No? Ok. I'll laugh by myself then..)

Sorry, I got sidetracked.

As the late Billy Mays would say (Rip Billy Mays, still think about you ❤️).

But WAIT! There's more.

I also fail to see why there's a stigma with people trying different lifestyles especially when it comes to what they eat. If you're on the Paleo diet, or if you're a dreaded Vegan; then people will look at you in disgust like you just told a crude joke.

(When you and your squad are trying to find out what to eat, and that one person says)

Vegan: Oh wait do they have vegan options?

Squad:

Rant done.

But of course, you have to look at it from the other perspective as well. It's like, really? And I get it, sometimes it can hinder from a great eating experience, but goals are more important, and if you're trying to stay fit for the upcoming summer; then keep doing you, you are doing great! If you aren't then that's cool too. Ultimately the choice relies on yourself and where you align, but let's not judge others because they choose to be slightly different.

With this in mind, can we really blame ourselves? Yes, we can (and this should not be a major excuse) but it can be difficult to try new things when we are constantly being beamed with information about consumption, but not the side effect of over-consumption. Because of how "media" displays products, families are never told to think about what they are eating. They just need to eat it, and buy more.

For example: (And I'm not calling out any names because I'm not about to throw shade, but)

Let's say that a certain business within the Fast Food industry were to have a location almost anywhere in Busy-America. Let's also say this same company were to constantly show television ads, radio ads, ads on social media, ads on clothing, ads for products that compliments their products such as a beverages. Not only that, but they also create a catchy ring for you to never forget, make cameos in various movies for all ages, and endorse popular idols along with public figures that people tend to follow religiously. All just to tell you to buy their products with paid actors that do not look like the average consumer of their products, but will leave you to thinking their scapegoat fits the "good ol' Joe" role. This business probably sounds familiar to you. The sad part is, is that if you were to say one company; then you'd be wrong because Fast food companies follow the same formula. Why? It's effective.

I'm also not saying to not buy from these companies. People often see these companies as beneficial. Reasons including but not limited to: economic issues, income levels, educational status, or just personal preference. With that said, I do want to help raise awareness to this. Especially since there are areas where parents could choose a better option for their children, but aren't equipped with the knowledge to do so. We have to push towards educating both children and adults in this matter simply because it effects all of us, young and old.

Turns out this article was not just about eating healthy, but it's about becoming aware of what you're eating and how it affects your body. It's ok to eat a burger, it's ok to eat a salad, but realize the extra that comes with either your burger or salad. You could have a salad with too much cheese, pecans, ranch, and it just went from a salad to a dressing bar. You could very well have a lean Bison burger with eggplant buns, some lettuce and some sweet potatoes fries made, go full artisan with it. Create your own experience with food!

If it's still a topic of question, think about it like this. Eating "healthy" means that you are consciously saying that you're eating differently from how you would normally consume. Once you can clearly say that you're simply just eating regular food; then it's no longer separate from what you would usually eat. Rewire your brain and normalize what would be deemed socially awkward from mainstream media.

In conclusion, make the better choice, and make the smarter choice about the foods you consume and your body will thank you. Being healthy doesn't come with eating the "food" because sometimes, whether or not the food is healthy can be subjective. It comes with understanding and knowing what's in the food you consume.