While rearranging my office, I came across books I had not read in a while. One of them was Food Rules by Michael Pollan. I enjoy reading Pollan’s books and adopted his signature line Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. as a healthy approach to balanced eating in my household. In this book he lists off several “rules” for eating more nourishing and sustainable food. He has rules such as “Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry.” and “Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.” It’s a fun, little book! I highly recommend it!
After skimming through most of the book, to procrastinate the rearranging task – of course, I thought about the food rules I keep. I think I have lots of little quirks, but these four “rules” are pretty consistent.
I avoid demonizing foods and food groups. Food is not the enemy. Food is inanimate. It holds no power. It is meant to be enjoyed frequently so our bodies can glean nourishment. Take for example the produce section at the grocery store. It’s beautiful! The different colors, shapes, and textures are incredible to take in. Have a bulk section? 
The same rainbow of color between different grains, legumes, dried fruit, and nuts are displayed here too. Call me a nutrition nerd, but I love to see the bounty of nourishment we have before us.
The best thing about this variety of food is that it nourishes us. This stunning array provides vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals that keep us healthy. Not too mention the macronutrients – carbs, fat, and protein – to keep us energized and crushing SLAM workouts.
To hate on a food group becomes extremely limiting. Obviously I try to choose more nutritious foods more often – but I’m not going to swear off tortilla chips or cinnamon rolls or carbs or nightshade veggies. In moderation, they are part of a balanced diet.
Meals and snacks are enjoyed at the table. I grew up always eating at the table. We did not eat in the car or standing at the kitchen counter or in the bedroom. As an adult, it seems weird to me to eat in a bedroom or at the counter. That’s not to say I never eat standing up or in the car or in the living room. But, for the most part, we eat at the table. I enjoy meals at the table with my hubby and boys. We “have conversation” (when we can get a word in edgewise) about our day or plans for the day. We “practice” manners – because they are still young and well, you know how that goes. And, we know what we’re there for – to eat. 
Sitting down actually lets your body relax and process food to the best of its ability. The mind knows the mouth is eating and is more likely to respond to fullness cues because it is not focused on other things such as flying down the highway or writing an email or watching a show.
This is not a hard and fast rule because, life. If we are running errands after class instead of heading home for lunch, I will have a snack in the car to refuel. I still don’t eat in the bedroom, though.
I eat sugar. No, I’m not taking a spoonful of sugar on the sly. I mean I treat treats as treats. I want to know that I’m enjoying a cookie or chocolate chips, not getting the same amount of sugar in a cup of sweetened yogurt or cereal. I try to avoid food products that have added sugar. It’s not easy as that stuff creeps into everything! But, for the most part, I want to save my sugar for treats – not load up on added sugar in food products.
And, I want to eat my treats, not drink them. I do not drink sugar often. I weaned myself off of sweetened coffee and diet soda (yes, back in the day I was a big Diet Pepsi fan – before I was an RD) years ago and have no desire to incorporate them into my daily routine. Every once in a while, I’ll enjoy a root beer on a hot day or hot chocolate when it’s cold outside. But for the most part, it’s just water. And LaCroix. And wine.
I don’t do fad diets. After the holidays or vacation, I’ll reset my habits by limiting treats and alcohol, especially when we eat out frequently or have lots of joyful gatherings (read: lots of sweet treats and wine). But I do not diet. Not all diets are harmful, and some can actually be helpful for people who are faced with brittle diabetes or crippling obesity. Unfortunately for most dieters, the weight does not stay off and the dreaded yo-yo cycle persists. The goal of diets is to lose weight. There is little to no effort focused on maintaining weight loss.
Fad diets are notorious for this. The rules of the diet are so restrictive that they are not sustainable long-term. So, weight loss may occur, but it is not going to stay off once the dieter returns to pre-diet habits.
Fad diets also demonize one food or food group or macronutrient. Most diets twist the science to sound legitimate, only to radically confuse the dieter who then has trouble adopting a balanced approach to eating because she’s been plagued by so many silly food rules.
These scenarios are enough to keep me away from ever trying a fad diet. That and the fact that most of them hate on carbs. I’m a carb lover and will defend that macronutrient till the bitter end.
Approaching nutrition with rigid rules can take the pleasure out of food. So, my “food rules” are not hard and fast rules, but rather habits that have evolved over time and seem to be the “normal” when it comes to eating. Rules are meant to be broken, but habits set the atmosphere. And, as with all things in life, there are always exceptions. As a mom and an athlete, you know that nutrition is not black and white…and it’s better for that!
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