•8:24 PM
"Come on, let's get a stir-fry," he said.
"Why?" she asked. "Let's get some pizza."
"I just want to eat something relatively healthy," he explained.
""What?" she said. "Do you think I am getting fat? Look at me. Do you think I am getting fat?"
"No," he answered.
"No, really," she pressed. "Do you think I've put on weight? Look at me."
"No, it's not about that," he said, getting frustrated. "It's about eating something with some nutritional value."
"Well, the only reason you need to worry about eating healthy is if you need to lose weight. So, you must think I need to lose weight."
He sighed, obviously frustrated.
"Listen, I ate at McDonald's AGAIN last night," he said. "And, I feel like shit. I just want some vegetables."
"Look at me," she demanded again. "Do I look like I need to worry about eating vegetables?"
A big sigh was (over)heard ....
This is a conversation I overheard standing in a food line in the University Centre. It made me chuckle for two reasons ... girls still have the same (body image) insecurities they did when I attended University twenty years ago, and the boy makes a good point about food options on a University Campus.
While the boy was right on point, the girl completely missed the point. The boy was concerned about health and not weight ... which was great to hear. He understands food as fuel for your body, and the importance of eating fresh food. The girl, unfortunately, was wrapped up in appearances.
As far as the choices available, I'm not really sure what could change or how to make it better. I mean, they are trying to make food for thousands of people ... there is no time to make large quantities from scratch. But what about a soup from scratch? With actual fresh vegies? Or a huge batch of fresh, homemade tomato sauce? Leftovers in the freezer?
Perhaps I am too ambitious. But I do agree with the young man in line behind me. Some fresh vegies would be nice.
There is a totally awesome fresh salad bar ... with a Southwest Salad that cannot be beat! So, if I lived on Campus, I would eat salad for lunch and dinner.
I wish girls did not have equate their worth with how they look. We have all done it, at one time or another. Fortunately for me, I have never had a weight problem ... yes, I know that I am lucky. This does not mean that I have always loved the way I looked. In fact, a couple of years ago, in a moment of self-(body)loathing, I checked out the BMI Index. I thought that it might inspire me to get my act together and get serious about eating healthy. And do you know what? My weight was in the healthy range for a woman of my height and age. And yet, I hated my body.
Women's bodies should not be skeletal. Bones do not need to be sticking out. And, skinny does not equal healthy. Do girls know this?
I say these things with caution because there is a large obesity problem in North America. No pun intended. People eat too much fast food, junk food and processed food. I have written about this many times.
When did food and eating become such a problem? Shouldn't it just be something you enjoy with some people you like? Guess not.
"Fine," she said. "I'll have a stir-fry. But I still don't think I need to."
Sigh ...
"Why?" she asked. "Let's get some pizza."
"I just want to eat something relatively healthy," he explained.
""What?" she said. "Do you think I am getting fat? Look at me. Do you think I am getting fat?"
"No," he answered.
"No, really," she pressed. "Do you think I've put on weight? Look at me."
"No, it's not about that," he said, getting frustrated. "It's about eating something with some nutritional value."
"Well, the only reason you need to worry about eating healthy is if you need to lose weight. So, you must think I need to lose weight."
He sighed, obviously frustrated.
"Listen, I ate at McDonald's AGAIN last night," he said. "And, I feel like shit. I just want some vegetables."
"Look at me," she demanded again. "Do I look like I need to worry about eating vegetables?"
A big sigh was (over)heard ....
This is a conversation I overheard standing in a food line in the University Centre. It made me chuckle for two reasons ... girls still have the same (body image) insecurities they did when I attended University twenty years ago, and the boy makes a good point about food options on a University Campus.
While the boy was right on point, the girl completely missed the point. The boy was concerned about health and not weight ... which was great to hear. He understands food as fuel for your body, and the importance of eating fresh food. The girl, unfortunately, was wrapped up in appearances.
As far as the choices available, I'm not really sure what could change or how to make it better. I mean, they are trying to make food for thousands of people ... there is no time to make large quantities from scratch. But what about a soup from scratch? With actual fresh vegies? Or a huge batch of fresh, homemade tomato sauce? Leftovers in the freezer?
Perhaps I am too ambitious. But I do agree with the young man in line behind me. Some fresh vegies would be nice.
There is a totally awesome fresh salad bar ... with a Southwest Salad that cannot be beat! So, if I lived on Campus, I would eat salad for lunch and dinner.
I wish girls did not have equate their worth with how they look. We have all done it, at one time or another. Fortunately for me, I have never had a weight problem ... yes, I know that I am lucky. This does not mean that I have always loved the way I looked. In fact, a couple of years ago, in a moment of self-(body)loathing, I checked out the BMI Index. I thought that it might inspire me to get my act together and get serious about eating healthy. And do you know what? My weight was in the healthy range for a woman of my height and age. And yet, I hated my body.
Women's bodies should not be skeletal. Bones do not need to be sticking out. And, skinny does not equal healthy. Do girls know this?
I say these things with caution because there is a large obesity problem in North America. No pun intended. People eat too much fast food, junk food and processed food. I have written about this many times.
When did food and eating become such a problem? Shouldn't it just be something you enjoy with some people you like? Guess not.
"Fine," she said. "I'll have a stir-fry. But I still don't think I need to."
Sigh ...
food,
student life
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2 comments:
Unfortunately, there's still a lot of that girl in me. It's easy to be super-sensitive when you have always battled weight gain. So glad you are able to find some good food chioces at the U.
Oooops! I meant "choices"---sorry!