Hi Friends!
Time to have a little chat. I’ve been reading some great posts lately, Perfect Eating is an Illusion and My Perfect (for me) Diet to name a few, and I’ve decided now is the perfect time for me to add my two cents.
Let’s back up a little. Last week I tweeted this:
Day after day I read blogs, news articles etc that focus on people calling themselves carnivores, vegans, paleo…whatever the case may be…and the more I thought about it, the more I decided it’s annoying for me to have to label the way I eat.
For those of you that don’t know, hubby and I decided to go meat-free back in August of 2011 as a one month challenge to ourselves. The challenge was more for him because he was a huge meat eater and I wasn’t. I’d also previously gone meat-free in 2010 for several months on my own so I knew I could do it. After the month was up, both of us decided that we didn’t really miss eating meat, so we opted to continue our vegetarian lifestyle.
One of the most annoying things, to me, about not eating meat was having to qualify my statements every time someone asked me about the way I ate. Did I consider myself a vegetarian? Yes. Did we eat seafood? Yes. So didn’t that technically mean we were pescatarians? Yes. So did we still eat eggs and drink milk? Yes. So we weren’t vegan? No.
That’s a lot of questions to have to go through with every person you talk to about the way you eat.
Last week, hubby was heading over to have dinner with some friends. They were having ribs. Ribs sounded good to him…and so, just like that- after 21 months of not eating meat, he ate ribs for dinner. And he enjoyed them. A couple days later, he ate wings for dinner- the one thing he said he missed most about being vegetarian. And he loved those too. In between, we had lentil veggie mac and cheese, one of our favorite vegetarian meals.
We started talking about what this meant for our diet and I told him my thoughts on hating to have to label the way we ate. I can honestly say that during the time we stopped eating meat, I probably only missed eating it 4-5 times. So, not very often. But there were a few times when a piece of chicken or a pulled pork sandwich sounded pretty darn good.
So, I’ve decided that from now on, I’m freeing myself of labels. If I want to eat meat, I’ll eat it. If I want to eat meat one night, then not eat it for 3 weeks, I will. Instead of focusing on whether I’m a carnivore, vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian….I’ll focus on making healthy choices, eating a well-balanced diet, choosing correct portions sizes and enjoying my food!
To sum it up:
- I don’t think there’s one perfect diet for everyone.
- I think meat can be a part of a well-balanced diet.
- I think you can absolutely get all the nutrients you need without eating meat.
- I think there are more important things to focus on than labeling the way you.
- I think you should do what works for YOU and not worry about everyone else.
So what does this mean for the blog? Not much.
- I’ll continue to show you my weekly eats. Some weeks you may see meat, some weeks you won’t. Some days I might eat meat at every meal. Some days I won’t eat it at all.
- I probably won’t eat red meat. I didn’t eat it before I went vegetarian. I’ve never liked steak, or hamburgers…so I won’t eat them.
- I’ll continue to post recipes. Some will be vegetarian. Some will have meat. As I do now, I’ll continue to recommend ways to make changes to certain recipes for those of you that want to add or take away meat!
- I’ll continue to focus on what I believe to be the most important: weekend food prep for healthy weekday eating, eating balanced meals, making your meals colorful, making at least half your plate fruits and veggies, treating yourself occasionally and enjoying your favorite foods in moderation.
I’d say the best thing about not eating meat for almost two years was that it gave me a chance to come up with some delicious vegetarian recipes. It also gave hubby a chance to realize that he can enjoy meals meat-free. I now have a whole arsenal of go-to vegetarian recipes that I didn’t have before. I’ve come to love things like black beans and lentils…two things I hated for almost my entire life! It’s been a great growing experience and I don’t regret a second of it!
But as happy as I was as a vegetarian, I’m even happier to have this newfound sense of relief that comes with being label-free!
Side note- If you like to label the way you eat, then by all means go for it. If you’re a vegan and proud of it, heck yeah you should rock that label. If you’re a meat-loving carnivore and you want to tell the world about it, go for it. I’m just saying that FOR ME, labeling is not the answer. And if trying to fit the way you eat into a certain category is stressing you out, maybe you should consider going label-free as well 🙂
So that’s all for today, friends!
Let’s chat: How do you feel about labeling the way you eat? Love it? Hate it? Never really thought about it?
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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Great message Lindsay! I love this. I really dislike labelling the way I eat, it’s constantly changing all the time anyways and labels just don’t really sit well with me. Sometimes, I’ll have to explain I eat differently than people which I don’t mind too much, they just are always curious that I eat so healthy;)
You do what works for you and that’s the most important thing!
Exactly, do you and don’t worry about other people.
I just hate labels! I went through the exact same ‘diet changes’… I was technically pescatarian for 2 years and then began eating meat a few months ago… I too don’t understand the need to label diets… Especially if you’re eating in a healthy way that works for you! Hence the name of my blog: labels are for tin cans! 😉
haha i LOVE the name of your blog 🙂
I agree 100%; I think that labeling the way you eat is limiting and unnecessary. Just eat what you want and everything in moderation, and you’re good to go!
I follow a mostly vegetarian way of eating but like you said, sometimes a burger on the grill in the summer or chicken parm sounds really good. I get the same question a lot – what are you? Why do people feel like you have to put a label on everything? I eat what sounds good to me at the time. That may mean no meat at all for a year or it may mean chicken a couple of weeks out of the year. My body is happy this way and so am I.
love love love hearing that Angela. Hearing you’re happy makes me happy 🙂
my diet is this: i eat what i want! 🙂 labels are annoying 🙂
I made the same realization (healthforagers.com/our-new-diet) about 6 months ago. I had given up red meat about 6 years ago and then about a year ago I gave up all meat. I never really missed it and I loved how adventurous it made us in cooking. We had never liked beans or mushrooms and now they are a normal part of our diet. In the back of my mind, I always knew a non-processed diet was what I really wanted to do. So a few months ago I looked it up one night and decided to add all quality foods back into our diet. We eat meat (though probably only one serving a week), we eat fish, we eat grains, fruits and vegetables. We try to get the best quality items though. We only eat local, organic, cage free, antibiotic free meat, wild caught fish, whole grains and organic fruits and vegetables. And we try to stay away from packaged foods, and refined sugars and oils.
that’s awesome, Lindsay! kudos for you for doing what works for you guys!!
Well said! I was talking to my bf about this exact topic in the car today. I’m trying to shred down for a fitness competition and even though I’m following a nutrition plan, I’m unsure if what I’m eating is the best for my body. I 100% agree that everyone should eat according to their needs. Thank you so much.
Those string of questions you get asked about your diet are the exact ones I go through when people find out I’m a vegetarian!
I’ve been mean free for 6 years now and think the only time I may ever eat it again is if I’m traveling overseas.
I absolutely love this. I was thinking about becoming a pescatarian because I love fish and, like you, I’m not the biggest meat eater. But I still love chicken and pork (but not red meat, also like you!). A balanced diet that works for me is…well, the best one for me! Seems simple, and you’ve conveyed that so amazingly here. 🙂
thanks so much Alison. Do what works for you. don’t worry about labeling it!
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!
I really love to see this. You remind me so much of my good friend who is an RD. This is her approach as well. I think it is helpful for people to see that you can be healthy w/o taking on any sort of elimination diet.
yes!!! definitely the message i’m trying to spread!
I don’t know why there has to be food labels, or labels of any kind for that matter. Eat the food you love, and enjoy the food you eat. Period. 🙂
love love love that. couldn’t agree more!
Thank you so much for posting this. I cannot stand it when people label their diets. To me it gives an air of superiority like “oh well *IIIIIII* eat Paleo dahling so *you’ll* always be stuck on a plateau/never be as thin/healthy, etc.” I’ve seen it. The only labels we should be worried about is food labels and if they fit into what healthy lifestyle we choose for ourselves.
haha i agree…people with certain diets can definitely get a superiority complex…and what for? focusing on food labels is way more important than labeling our diet.
I hate labels too!! I post paleo recipes but I’m definitely not 100% paleo. I like veggies. I like meat! I also believe balance is key. Great post
I hate hearing something about how I eat so clean, and if I eat say wings, hearing something along the lines of “doesnt that go against your diet?” Hello?! My diet is what I make it, because it’s mine, stop pushing my into a corner!
I totally agree!
yes! i’m right there with ya. it’s your life. do what you want!
Thank you for this post!
The whole “diet mentality” drives me absolutely crazy. Diet is noun not a verb.
Your diet is what you eat every day. It could be a diet full of pizza, a diet full of kale, or a diet full of both. When someone “goes on a diet” I always wonder, “then what?”
Your diet is part of your day to day life….everyday, not just leading up to bikini season!
couldn’t agree more! i wish there was a different term for the diet that you eat and the silly verb diets that everyone is always on!
I totally agree, why do you have to put a label on how you eat or justify why you eat what you do. I have been eating cleaner since the new year and people often are commenting about my diet, it’s not a diet it’s a lifestyle change
yes!!! making it a lifestyle change is such an important message. great job Dana!
I love this! Since when did eating get so complicated that we needed to start making labels for everyone’s diet/lifestyle?! Why must I play “24 questions” when someone finds out I don’t eat meat? Ha! Thanks so much for sharing this Lindsay!
i agree! eating can be simple and delicious…everyone just seems to try to make it more complicated!
I’m a vegetarian and I love it! So is my hubby. It wasn’t a hard challenge or transition for me because although I used to eat meat, at my house, my mom was the cook and being a vegetarian, that’s all she cooked. Both REB and I are ovo-lacto vegetarians. I don’t think veganism is for me. I like honey and don’t consider that “cruelty to bees” or whatever and I enjoy baking and cooking with real eggs and real milk, although I prefer to drink Soy milk straight up in my cereal. I was a pescatarian for a while, but I realized I only ate fish when we’d go out for dinner since I didn’t keep it in the house so then I asked myself, “What’s the point?” I think what drives me nuts is people who think fish isn’t meat. It is. It always was and always will be 😛 And I’m sticking to that! LOL
Thanks! This is a very freeing post. I’ve been thinking a lot about this recently. I think I would call myself a “flexible eater.” For example, right now, I’ve been focusing on getting more servings of veggies into my meals. To accommodate that, I’ve been cutting down on carbs, which I had been getting more than enough of, but I don’t think that makes me “low carb.” I think it just means I’m being flexible in trying different tweaks for a period of time to focus on areas where I could do better. It doesn’t mean that I’ll have to consciously concentrate on “higher veggie” or “lower carb” intake for all time. Rather, it’s a tool to help me build some long-term healthy habits. Thanks for sharing your story.
i think flexible eater is a great term! i love it!
This is so inspiring! There have been stretches where I’ve gone vegetarian, pescetarian, or gluten-free, and then stretches where I haven’t and once I start “eating normally again,” people always ask me “what happened to your diet?” I don’t know, I got bored of it? I wanted to eat bread? Sue me. 🙂
haha, i love it Beth. really why should they care? it’s your life! more power to you!
I couldn’t agree with you anymore! It’s freeing to not be labeled as a certain way! Glad you shared this! I pretty much posted a similar sentiment on my FB status yesterday regarding losing weight. The How and Why shouldn’t be determined by anyone else but you. Great post!
yes!!! you are most important in making decisions for YOU!
What a great post and message! I’ve never understood why people feel the need to question personal health and eating choices, and am glad I’m not alone in feeling that way!
you are definitely not alone!! i don’t get it either!
nor does mine… LOVE this post, thank you Lindsay! I decided to take meat, dairy and eggs out of my diet a year ago. For a while I ‘labeled’ myself vegan, it was just easier to explain it to people that way. In the last few weeks I have been going through a lot and learning that I need to give my body what it needs instead of forcing one way of eating 100%. Does that mean I’m going to add all of that back in? Probably not, but it gives me the freedom to do what I feel is best for me and my health.
I agree, the focus should be on whole foods, and making from scratch when you can. Anyone can be a junk food vegan, omnivore, paleo, whatever. It’s getting back to the basics of meal prep, etc, just as you said. In the end, it should be about being kind to yourself.
yay for freedom!!!! so glad you’re listening to your body and figuring out what works for you! keep it up!
I LOVE this post! This is how I eat. I don’t want to say I eat a certain way, I just want it to be healthy
yes! keep it up girl!
I love this!! People automatically assume that I do Paleo or the Zone because I CrossFit. I’ve tried both and had disastrous outcomes. Not that they are bad…just didn’t work for my body. I’m looking forward to responding with, “My healthy diet has no label!” Thanks for an awesome post!
right there with ya. people always ask me i eat paleo bc i crossfit. i say no because i know it would never work for my body..but i also know people who have had great success with it!
Love this! You have to do what feels right for you, and nothing anyone else says should change that. We don’t need labels. As long as you take care of yourself and are happy, that’s all that matters. Very well said, Lindsay.
thanks ang!! i agree. do what’s right for you!!
I love this post because I seriously feel the same way about labels. Besides, I feel like giving yourself a label is automatically setting yourself up for feeling deprived. I like that when I don’t want to eat meat I don’t have to but if I am out to dinner and someone has meat in their dish I can try it and not think I am doing something “wrong.” Honestly, I think people should eat in a way that makes them happy and healthy, and not have to worry about what other people think about it.
yes. as soon as i restrict myself, i just want something more usually. love what you said about eating to make yourself happy! keep it up!
I love this. I am with you. So often b/c I don’t eat a lot of meat people ask am a vegan? A vegetarian? A pescatarian? haha I guess I am nothing.
I am focusing more on a plant based diet, but I do eat meat. I have cut out a lot of diary, but I do sometimes eat cheese. It just what I eat – no label required
exactly, girl! i love it! keep doing what works for you!
Love love love this post! Last year I didn’t eat meat for 4 1/2 months but I never called myself a “vegetarian.” I was just trying to figure out what worked for me. Now, my bf and I are eating mostly paleo after completing Whole30 but there’s a really good chance that I’m going to have french fries or froyo in the near future and I don’t want to “paleo police” or any other label police to criticize me for it.
Everyone should do what works for them and if that includes mixing and matching – go for it.
yes! sometimes mixing and matching is the best way to switch things up and find what works for you!! keep it up girl!
Great post!! Too funny that I posted such a similar topic today. Great minds think alike 😉 I agree with no labels, they are silly for me personally. Love this! <3
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately myself! I get into these mindsets about I can’t eat this, I can’t eat that, I need to eat at this time, I need to eat something else at another time…it’s crazy! Healthy, whole food and preparation is key…you are so right! Thanks for the encouragement.
you’re welcome Abby! Keep it up. Never feel like you can’t eat this or have to eat this. focus on a balanced, healthy diet and the rest should take care of itself!
I love this too.
I feel like the minute I place a label on how I am eating it’s like the food police come out…friends, family and even my husband start to scrutinize everything that I eat. It’s my body. I decide what I will be eating and if there are ramifications for what I am doing then it’s my responsibility to deal with those. I don’t need to justify what I am doing to anyone other than myself…and I’m not even sure I need to do that. Thanks for the great post!
yes! labels definitely bring scrutiny that no one needs! love your attitude. focus on making you happy, not everyone else 🙂
I am totally with you on this one! I always get really frustrated when people want to put you in a certain box, based on your diet. I have days that I eat vegetarian, vegan, paleo, etc etc but not one of them defines my diet. I prefer to watch my calories in/out by eating (whatever I want) in moderation while focusing on my body getting balance nutrition. That’s what’s important, making sure your body gets the right fuel…no matter what label your diet has.
exactly! focusing on giving your body what is needs is so much more important than focusing on the labels!
This is an AWESOME post! I love it! We’re so sick of reading post after post about people saying they won’t eat this or that and how they’re so much better off because of it, and how other people should eat the way they do or they are “less healthy” or “not as good”. No, those words were never actually directly said in the post, but they were certainly implied. Brit and I both will sometimes go days without eating meat without even realizing it, and then all of the sudden decide to have it 3 nights in a row. Whatever you want to eat (while still being mostly healthy, obviously) is what you should be eating, right? Labels are for packages not for people! 🙂
yes! i love that last sentence! save the labels for the packages 🙂
I love your comment about doing what works for YOU and not worrying about anyone else – so much truth to this statement in all areas (not just food!).
Great post, Lindsay! I 100% understand how you feel in regards to the whole “label” thing. I myself currently do not eat meat, but do eat seafood as well as eggs and occasionally milk. I am fine with it and I know that I eat a well-balanced diet, but others are not fine without me having a label. When they ask if I want to have a dish containing meat, the answer is always no, but because I eat “animal products” I don’t like the labels that I may qualify for. I think there is no need to make things so confusing! 🙂 Thanks for posting this 🙂
i agree Tara! It can get complicated and confusing really quickly, so eliminating the labels definitely makes it easier!
So wonderfully written.. I have been stuck under self-made labels for so long (until 3-4 months ago) when I started to eat meat again. (I had been meat free for over half my life) And really it came down to two things- I had to listen to my body, and get over myself. Maybe it comes with getting older, or with being fed up with being under fed, either way it was a much easier transition than I could have ever imagined. I feel healthier and more vibrant than I have in a very long time and now just focus on the highest quality food I can afford to nourish my body.
i’m so glad to hear that coco! keep it up…sounds like you’re making great choices that work for you!
I live this!!! I went veg for a while and it just wasn’t for me. However, I surprised myself by being worried others would judge me when I went back to meat. It turns out, people were more excited that I made a choice that was good for me. Sooo… Way to go! Listening to your body is a great thing.
I don’t label what I eat. I eat certain foods to prepare myself for my competition but that’s simply the food I eat to prepare. If I’m not competing, I follow a ‘diet’ (food I consume) that works for me. I don’t call it anything. I just eat. lol
love it. love you! keep rockin’ girlfriend!
Healing my gut, I used to follow the GAPS diet pretty closely. But then I realized, like everything else in life, I am not the same as *anyone* else. Today I follow what I call the GAPS Diet…Gut and Psychology SARAH:)
i LOVE that, Sarah 🙂 kudos to you!
Totally agree with you! I hate to be an all or nothing type of person, so I try not to get caught up in labels. More than the label itself (and explaining to people) I just hate feeling like I can’t eat something because of a label. So dumb.
exactly. what’s the point of that? i say have it if you want it!
Really think this post hits home for me a lot Lindsay. I don’t know if I have mentioned but I’m diabetic, so have to be pretty careful of my diet. That being said, though I don’t do it purposely, I don’t eat a lot of meat (but still eat it). Do I label myself as anything? No, I don’t even tell people I’m diabetic most of the time because that is just another label and they’ll sterotype.
I didn’t know you were a diabetic, Hollie…but i love your attitudue. You’re so right that it doesn’t define you, so there’s really no need to talk about it unless you want to!
Thank you so much, Lindsey. This post has me almost in tears. In fact, I’m fighting to keep them back at the moment. I’ve been going through the same thing recently, with everyone questioning my eating habits. I’m mostly meat-free. But I still eat fish. And if it looks/sounds good, I might even eat chicken. But it has become SO ANNOYING to explain to nearly everyone how/why/what I eat. No one questions them when there’s a burger on their plate, but oh dear god – if my plate is filled with veggies and whole grains, might as well throw me in an interrogation room, the way it feels. So thank you for this. I don’t want to label myself, or my eating habits. It sucks. I try not to label my personality, so why add labels elsewhere in my life? I’m eating the way that’s healthiest for me and my body.
So again. Thank you. I needed to read this; to know that I’m not alone. Really, this will help me a lot.
oh Christina, i know exactly how you feel. it can be exhausting to have to continually discuss it with people and to defend yourself. keep it up girl. you know what’s best for you…and it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks!
This is EXACTLY how I feel when people ask me about my diet. It shouldn’t make you uncomfortable to answer what you like to eat? It’s just an awkward conversation and if you don’t give it much thought… Why does everyone else? I absolutely love this and it’s 100% true. I just commented on another blog about trying samples of meals at restaurants which contain meat. If you want it, eat it! Especially when it’s a one and a lifetime chance to sample something. If YOU want it, it shouldn’t matter what the “label” is on your diet… It’s YOUR LIFE.
exactly! you do you best…so just go for it!
Thank you so much for writing this! I hardly ever eat meat when I’m out, but I do buy it from some local farms I am comfortable with and cook it about once a week at home. I never know what to say when people ask if I’m a vegetarian… ‘no, but I won’t eat meat if you cook it’???
haha, it can be tough trying to explain things to other people…but it sounds like you’ve figured out what you’re comfortable with eating so keep it up! and who cares what other people think!
I am a vegetarian (sometimes pescatarian) but I have such weird preferences that it’s hard to explain my diet to people when they ask. Do you eat fish? Yes, only if I know where it comes from or if it’s caught sustainably, so the answer is more often “no” than “yes.” Do you eat eggs? Only if they’re baked in something. Do you drink milk? No, but I eat ice cream, yogurt, and cheese.
What really gets me though, is when people who have obviously never done research on the vegetarian diet begin attacking me for my values and my beliefs. I don’t care if you eat meat, why do you care if I don’t?! I also get a lot of people telling me I’m not healthy. I’ve been a vegetarian for 4 years, everything looks good (except maybe my iron levels), I’ve done a TON of research to make sure I’m getting what I need, so how am I not healthy? On the other hand, I get “oh, you’re a vegetarian? But you look so strong and healthy.” Thanks? I take care of myself! I’m not starving!
I just choose not to discuss my diet unless it comes up like on a dinner date or when i’m headed to a new friends house for cooking. It’s not a topic of daily conversation because it doesn’t define me.
yes! that can be so frustrating when people attack you because they don’t understand! i’m glad you’re doing your research and you know what works best for you so i say more power to ya!
Love this! I love seeing what people eat! I just posted about it today.
I agree–no labeling. We’re mostly vegetarians who eat meat occasionally. And when people think you’re vegetarian and see you eat meat, it’s uncomfortable, right?
Keep it up 🙂
exactly! so if removing the label is better for everyone, why not do it then, right?!
I LOVE THIS POST! You nailed it right on the head… it’s got to be about what works FOR YOU!! And that is different for us all.
Thanks for sharing this! I think there are many of us out there that need to hear this and be reminded of it. I agree, it isn’t about a label. It’s about living a healthy and balanced lifestyle. 🙂
yes yes yes. everyone’s different and there’s not one right way!
Just as I thought I would, I loved this! Labels are dumb and can add a lot of pressure by having to fit a certain mold. Good for you for making the choice to do what works for you!
yes! so much pressure that’s unnecessary! i feel so much better now!
I totally agree with you! I like to just keep it clean and live that 80/20 balance… why does your diet need a label. I’m right with you!
love your attitude Laura!
Love this. I couldn’t have said it better myself. This post is exactly how my husband and I are. No labels. We try and eat whole clean foods most of the time. That’s it. Sometimes that means a meal is vegan. Sometimes it’s “paleo”. Sometimes it includes wheat. Sometimes . . . . To each their own!!
i agree Michelle! Love that you and your hubby share the same attitude!
This post couldn’t have come at a better time for me! I just finished reading Eat & Run, which is (in part) about Scott Jurek’s belief in a vegan diet. Now, i’m reading Wheat Belly and recently saw a piece on PBS about fasting — aCk! I’m so confused as to which way is “right” way to eat. Seems like everyone i know is doing the paleo-thing or juicing like crazy. I feel almost defensive when people go on and on about how they’re eating and how everyone should do the same thing, because no one should be eating this, that or the other thing. In some ways, i admire the heck out of these people, but in other ways i worry that it’s almost to the point of an eating disorder because i think some of the satisfaction comes from having this complete control over what you put in your mouth. Like if that one “no-no” food were to cross your lips it would be the downfall of the whole venture.
i agree….controlling what you eat can definitely be a slippery slope…and there’s so much info out there it can be hard to sift through. i think a lot of it is trial and error on a personal level to find out what works best for you!!
Lindsay, I love love LOVE this post!!! I feel like we’ve all gotten so caught up lately in this diety is “healthy” and oh this blogger follows X diet so it must be “right”. I love making foods that fit into many different diets and eating what makes my body feel good, and some days it might look like one thing, and other days it will look like something totally different. I think you have it so right with focusing on colors and preparation!
couldn’t agree more. there are so many people out there following diet trends that i don’t personally think are going to last…finding out what works for you is definitely the way to go!
I think the real question to ask ourselves is why (& when) did we feel the need to explain/defend/praise/brag/complain about our diet to others?
Lindsay, I absolutely love this! I was a vegetarian for a little over two years and I always felt the need to have to justify my decision and explain to everyone why I wasn’t eating the meat, etc. at dinners. Since I travel frequently and didn’t want to have to worry about always asking what was in each entree or limiting myself on what foods I could try when visiting new countries, I decided to stop labeling myself a few years ago. It has given me SO much freedom! I don’t love meat so I don’t cook with it frequently at home but I love being able to order a burger for dinner if that is what I’m craving when out to eat 🙂
that’s awesome, Becky! i love that you feel so much more free now!
Thank you! I love this! I have a tendency to fall into the “labeling” trap because I feel like I need to be eating a certain way or a certain thing, or leaving a certain thing out or whatever. As long as I am eating healthily, I feel pretty good about it 🙂
interesting, i’ve never thought of it as the labeling trap! but it totally is! just like the comparison trap for other areas of life. keep feeling good about yourself, girl! you know your body best so do what it wants, not what everyone else wants!
I don’t eat wheat, dairy, gluten, sugar, soy & nuts. Is that a label? I think my label is: I don’t have a large intestine and I have extreme IBS to the point that I look pregnant after only drinking water… That’s sexy, no? LOL
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It’s so true. In the effort to be healthy, sometimes we get stuck worrying too much about labels. I know that sometimes I feel bad if I blog about a dish that has meat in it because the “thing to do” is to be vegetarian or vegan. But ultimately, I know that I eat organic, local meat when I can and if I have the craving for it, but often I eat vegetarian without labeling it that. Cheers to label freedom!
that’s awesome Lauren! you should never feel bad about posting your recipes or eating the way you want to!!
Amen, my friend!! I love this and totally agree with you, what’s with the labels. So unnecessary. People are so nosy too, like, what works for you may not work for them and vice versa. That is always how I see it. Hey, if you want to eat meat, go for it. If you want to not eat carbs, go for it. I know what works for me, I know what tweaks to make and why and how and I just listen to my body. Just like you. I do agree though on the plus on not eating meat the last couple years, all of your vegetarian recipes are awesome 🙂
haha thanks lady, glad you like them 🙂
AMEN & AMEN. This is so me. I totally dislike labeling myself with a certain way of eating–it’s so short sighted & so limiting! I eat what I want to eat, when I want to eat it. Sometimes I’ll eat more chicken than other weeks. ANd sometimes I’m in an egg/dairy mood & I go for it. Life is SO much happier when we live without limiting ourselves by our labels.
yes!!! eating the foods we like and want = so much happiness 🙂 you go girl!
I LOVE this post!!! Thanks so much for posting it 🙂
Amen. I get so tired of having to defend my choices and be asked constantly why and where I stand. Why can’t people just worry about their own food choices and stop asking about everyone else?
exactly. food should be enjoyable! we shouldn’t always feel like we have to be on the defensive about our choices!
I eat what I want and don’t eat what I don’t want. I find “labels” very annoying and the justifications people have for them (the preachy ones).
Just curious… if you use to hate black beans and lentil but like them now than how do you know you don’t like red meat now?
that’s a good point. perhaps i’ll try it at some point. i suppose i just feel like if it ever sounds good then i’m ok with trying it…and so far it hasn’t sounded good. but you never know what the future holds!
I love this post! I think a lot of people think their way of dieting is the only right way! I think if it works for you than great! but what works for one might not work for someone else.
couldn’t agree more. there’s no one right way to do things. everybody is different!
Well said!! I don’t eat beef or pork, but I still eat chicken and fish and most dairy products. People always get confused about what I am… Vegetarian? Vegan? I get a lot of unintentionally (?) hurtful comments about my lack of red meat, especially because of my culture, but I do what makes ME feel good. Here’s to being label free!
more power to you! you know your body best!
This post was AWESOME to say the least!!! Many times I prefer not to eat meat simply becasue I do not crave it. So often my friends think then I’m vegetarian…which is not true because I do love chicken every once in awhile or turkey. Lately I have been on a “chicken” kick. I also do not crave breads or pastas so people (my parents included) think I am trying the whole “paleo.” I just do not crave the “carb” like others. It is all about what our bodies crave, not a LABEL!!!
exactly! good for you for listening to your body and giving it what it wants!
Great Post!! I too HATE labels and feeling as though I should follow a specific diet trend. I love meat, I also love grains, fruits, veggies and milk products. Every where I look someone is telling me to eat clean, eat paleo, stop drinking milk, and frankly I am tired of it. I truly believe that as long as I choose a diversified diet that focuses on whole foods I will be healthy.
there are so many diet trends out there and it can be so overwhelming and annoying. there’s no way you can do it all….gotta pick what works for you!
THANK YOU! I’m so sick of food labels and they in NO way define who we really are! Life is way more than just what we eat. I hate when people say “hello, my name is ___, oh and I’m a Vegan” Ok, that’s great, but are you: a nice person, a philanthropist, a runner, a dog person, an architect, a mom…? You know? I love food and I love people being so passionate about food, but we should all be able to say that we just eat what makes us feel good and happy, and not be judged on it. 🙂
great point! there is so much more to people than the way we eat 🙂
I totally agree with you! I’ve found that especially more recently as people hear more about diets like paleo, they seem to ask more questions. I eat everything but in the past few months I’ve come to really enjoy tons and tons of veggies and as long as I know I’m getting my protein and necessary nutrients somewhere, I see nothing wrong with switching it up every now and then. Great post!
i agree! switching it up can be great for your body 🙂 sounds like you’re doing a great job! keep it up.
this is great!! i was a sort of pescetarian for two years, but it got so confusing explaining what i wanted to eat. Then I ate meat a year ago, and now I technically eat everything. Except I don’t choose meat often and prefer lots of vegetarian things. Talk about confusing! Much easier with no label.
exactly how i am!! just eating what you love it so much easier 🙂
I am not much into labels and would just listen to my body and eat the way I want as long as its mostly fresh, balanced, and wholesome. Ultimately, its your body, your health and happiness – so people should choose whatever makes them at peace with their choices.
couldn’t agree more! you summed it up perfectly!
Good for you! I have celiac, so I know how annoying it is to have to go through (what feels like) an interview any time you sit down to eat with someone new! It’s crazy, and having the “gluten-free” label out there just makes it worse!! So thank you for taking a stand and accepting your eating habits the way the are, without feeling the need to label 🙂
thanks so much Sarah! I can imagine that it’s so annoying for you, especially with gluten-free being so trendy right now!
Love this post – hate the labels. My biggest problem with labelling is that it can lead to a pretty restrictive mindset and force people to deny what their body craves/needs just to fit into a nice category.
There are days when I eat vegetarian. Days where I eat high raw. Days where I eat lots of veggies. Days where I eat none. Days where I really crave protein. Days where all I want are carbs. I just eat and don’t worry about classifying myself as anything.
i couldn’t agree more. it can be SO restrictive…which isn’t good for anyone. keep rockin’ girl!
Lindsay, great post. I totally agree with you, the label thing is such a drag!
I wouldn’t call myself a vegetarian by any means, but I also go through phases where I don’t eat a lot of meat-not on purpose, it just …doesn’t come up. I’d say I try to eat local/sustainable/non-gmo as much as possible, and the area I live…people just don’t get that. I find it’s an uphill battle trying to explain it, so I’ve mostly given up. Thanks for this post. It’s nice knowing that I am not the only one who gets tired of defining my diet.
you are definitely not the only one!!! it can be exhausting. hang in there. and continue to do your thing and enjoy food!
We don’t have a label for what we eat. We do not eat dairy due to sensitivies in some of my family memebers. We are also doing a trial of gluten free to see if that helps these same family members as well. So far we are seeing a good response. We have not chosen these elminations because they are on trend in the eating world but instead because they have drastically improved the health of my family. It has been a difficult adjustment for me as the primary food preparer but I am learning ways to modify some of our old favorites and finding some new delicious dinners as well. Our pediatrician didn’t completely dismiss the idea of doing food sensitivity testing in my 3 year old son but instead commented that why would we really want to know if meant we would have to eliminate certain things from our diet. My little guy was diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth last summer and we stuggled for 5 months to keep him healthy. Magically he got better when we eliminated dairy. He no longer complains on a daily basis that his belly hurts after eliminating gluten. I say do what works best for you. What makes you feel healthy and energized.
i’m so happy to hear that! it’s awesome when people can find a certain way of eating that helps minimize problems they’ve been having! hope it continues to work for you guys!
I totally agree with you! I’ve been trying to explain this to people for years because I just don’t prefer meat but I love fish. I eat what my body wants and needs.
exactly! you go, girl!
I love this post! I’m not a vegetarian, but people always think I am just because I eat tons of vegetables. I eat tofu and love a good vegan restaurant, but I also eat meat. It’s impossible to label everyone’s diet. Just eat what you enjoy!
i agree! there’s just too many ways of eating out there to label them all, so why worry about it?!
so so SO agree. My rule of thumb: eat real, natural, whole foods in their natural state as much as possible. Be mindful of portions. Look for hunger cues vs. eating out of habit or boredom. No labels, no “do not eat ever” lists. No ‘diets.’ The one thing I HAVE done the past two years is food log — and just this past month, I’ve stepped away from the log, realizing it had become my crutch when I’m now no longer in weight loss mode and in maintenance mode, and do not need the log to know what I can eat, or how much. My body just knows now. and that feels SO good, to be able to trust myself and my body, I can’t even begin to describe it. LOVE this post.
i agree so so much with your rule of thumb. LOVE IT!
I totally agree! As long as it works for you….
By the way, just found your blog through bloglovin’ and you can consider me as a loyal reader from now on.
Love Sam
thanks so much Sam! glad you found me!
I LOVE this post!!! So so so much!! I’ve been “vegan” for a year now… a vegan who cheats… and this is stressful to feel like I’m letting myself or other people down every time I cheat! I would like to modify myself by eliminating labels as well! I love this. Thank you so much for writing this!
go for it girl! no need to get all stressed about a cheat! just make the way you’re eating less restrictive and eat what you want when you want it!
Okay, this is a fabulous post. I have so much to say in response, I’m probably going to do a response post to this! Right on!
oh definitely let me know when you post it! i wanna read 🙂
I can’t agree more. There are so many labels, diet books, restrictions, and plans that sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what’s “good” to eat. If we focus on eating real, clean food and making general healthy decisions, it’s actually a no-brainer! I’ve eliminated processed food from my diet completely and it pretty much forced a set of healthy, natural practices without stressing over plans, books, and prescribed diets.
that’s awesome Victoria! i’m so happy you’ve found something you’re having such success with! keep it up!
I think you should do what works for YOU and not worry about everyone else.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I preach that too! We are all different so we need to find what works for us. I dislike this my way or the highway in eating & exercise & life! 🙂
i agree Jody! there’s definitely more than one right way!
Love this! I think sometimes as humans we crave well-defined boundaries, but life isn’t always that tidy. Good for you for listening to your heart, stomach, and taste buds! 😀
oh i agree. i definitely crave boundaries in lots of areas, but i’m slowly learning that food isn’t one of those areas that i need them!
I’m with you – labels are stupid. At the same time, it can make ordering in restaurants easier. 🙂 I have a made up label anyway — mostly plant-based. It takes me a full paragraph to explain what that currently means to me on my about page. Haha!
i love that! i’m off to check out your about page!
Love this post! I am vegan, but I hate when people assume that, because I’m vegan, I think everyone else should label themselves too. Do your thang, gurl.
i agree! i think it’s great that you rock the vegan label…but even more awesome that you support others not having to label themselves!
I love this!! When I stopped being vegan, I realized I was only doing it as a label. I really missed eggs and fish. It is really annoying to have to put a label on how you eat. I’m gluten free and dairy for medical purposes but other than that, I refuse to label myself anymore! It is so freeing isn’t it? I love you and your way of thinking!
yes! so freeing! and good for you for listening to your body and not restricting the things you missed!
I love it Lindsay! I don’t eat red meat either. Just doesn’t appeal to me. I eat whatever I want, meat or not! And really, it is all for the label. Unless you’re allergic or anything, what’s so great about vegan or paleo?
i agree Leigha! i like to just call it a meal. not “this certain kind of meal”
I have never put a label on the way I eat, because I honestly eat everything and that works for me, my lifestyle, and my training. Sometimes peoples constant announcements of their “diets” gets annoying, but most of the time I do not pay attention to it, because I like the way I eat and it makes me feel good. Great post Lindsay!
that’s awesome! i agree…constantly hearing people say they’re gonna try this diet or this cleanse can get annoying really quickly!
This is a great post—to be reminded that it’s ok not label my “diet” and that I need to be careful about labelling other people as well. I really don’t believe that there is one perfect way and that we should do what works for us and makes us happy 🙂
i have trouble with that too. i’ve caught myself a few times thinking “oh, are they a vegetarian?” and then i remind myself that i’m not labeling the way i eat and they might not be either 🙂
I think it’s great that you feel that you DON’T have to label your diet. I think it is important to stay true to yourself! For me, it is being vegan, but I don’t necessarily want to wear it on a label, you know?! It just fits with my my core values and that makes me happy 🙂
that’s awesome! i think it’s great when people find something that works for them…whether it has a label or not doesn’t matter…as long as you’re happy!
Love this post Lindsay. I hate having to qualify or explain my eating. I was vegetarian for a long time and people always wanted to know if it was for health reasons or ethical reasons and frankly, it was simply because I didn’t eat a lot of meat and didn’t really like it. Labels always felt too confining to me but it’s about finding a balance that makes sense for YOU.
yes! what’s the point in having so much restriction! it does nothing but add pressure that no one needs!
Your blog is one of the only food-related blogs I read for that reason – you have always been open and “free” of pushing what you eat on your readers. I really love this post – you and Nicole hit every single thing that’s been going through my mind (but much more eloquently!). Thank you for sharing your insightful words with us. Label free is the way to go =)
thanks so much Michele, that means a lot!
I absolutely love the way you put it as “label free” eating. I’m getting my Ph.D. in Nutrition and we talk ALL THE TIME in our seminars about how diet labels (paleo, atkins, etc) get the average consumers to “buy in” and make unrealistic food choices that they can’t maintain overtime, deterring them from eating healthy in the long run. If only these “experts” would influence them to focus on making healthier choices in general and not living and dying but a certain “diet label”, I feel as though more people would have healthier eating habits. Great post, Lindsay!
oh i couldn’t agree more!!!! So. true.
Oh, amen to this!!! Completely agree. I had to remove any sort of labels from my eating because it always ended badly. I focus on healthy. That’s all that matters to me.
right on, lady! Healthy is best 🙂
good perspective!!
This is such a great post. I totally agree that we each need to figure out the best diet for ourselves and spend less time worrying about labels. I am so happy to have found your blog Lindsay and explore all of your recipes!
I’m so glad you found me as well 🙂
Probably my favorite post! I do not eat meat simply because I do not like meat. To explain to people that I eat fish and eggs and dairy and them just sit there and look at me like I have 5 heads is probably the most frustrating thing you can imagine. Who cares what it is called, stop labeling me, if I want to try a bite of my husbands chicken finger to see if I like it, then let me!
I know!! I don’t know why people worry so much about what everyone else is eating!
Love this!! I think it is so important not to label ourselves. If you want meat one day, eat it! No worries about it! I’m so proud of you for opening up and sharing that the food you eat isn’t what defines you. You shouldn’t have questions asked everytime you say what you’re eating. No one needs that! Puts too much pressure on everything!
Thanks so much Heather!
First, I’ve gotta say it. I love you. I love everything your blog stands for. Honestly.
Second, here’s something funny…I never noticed you were “vegetarian” (for lack of a better way of describing it). I never thought of a label when it came to seeing your eats or your recipes. I never noticed they lacked meat. All I saw was healthy, whole, and the wonderful word “moderation”. I’ve been drafting a post about my diet and what I’ve learned and what I hate about the word “diet” and the labels everything gets.
<3 you.
Thanks so much Melissa! I’m so glad to hear that…because that’s exactly the image i’m trying to portray by showing my meals!
Love this post Lindsay! I think we get too caught up in the ‘identity’ of the diet we’re on gives us rather than focusing on eating in a way that’s good for us and sustainable!
You could call every meal of mine a different ‘thing’… the main thing is I’m eating mostly foods that are clean, natural and non-processed and I love exercise! If that’s not a recipe for staying lean I don’t know what else will work for ya…
couldn’t agree more!
I am SO glad you wrote this post. As you (hopefully?) know, I’ve been using the convoluted label of ‘vegan with benefits’ for the past year (plus some), to sort of get away from labels while also allowing me to relatively quickly address any food ‘needs’ I had when out at restaurants or in social situations. [Funny how at home it never really matters what you are or are not eating…]
Once I started eating yogurt (the ones my stomach could tolerate) regularly, I just sort of thought of it as ‘vegan who eats Chobani.’ Then, I had fish or seafood a few times and remembered how delicious they were. I definitely ate some cakes or other treats that had eggs baked into them. Now, I’ve been adding eggs (in various forms) back, and the grasp on the vegan label is slipping farther and farther from me.
I have to say, I am mulling over a similar post in my head, but I’m still not really sure what I want to say. Thanks for making it clear to your (much more numerous than my) followers that labels aren’t necessarily for everyone. In fact, I think they are mostly for everyone ELSE. [If you know what I mean…as far as judgement and defining what others do.]
you’re welcome, friend 🙂 labels are a confusing beast to tackle! which is why i avoid them!
I SO hate when people inquisition you about your food. It happens to me all the time and I am not even blogging or talking about what I am eating most of the time. I always have people say “Ohh, are you on a diet?” because I say no to sugary sweets. I either then say “No”, explain that I am diabetic or that I am eating healthy. Sometimes this leads to more questions. We occasionally go to chipotle (sp?) and they ask us a million questions and act like we are aliens when we say we don’t want rice. Drives me insane! I told my Husband that one of these days I am going to say “None of your f*ing business”. For now I tell food workers that I am allergic. It avoids dirty looks and questions. Lol.
I have a love/hate relationship with labels. I feel they can be helpful for someone to stay on track with a certain diet, at the same time it gives strangers expectations for the way you should live your life.
A little late to the comments, but let me add a resounding YES! to all the others. My 75lb weight loss and continued work on maintenance is constantly peppered with questions as to what SPECIFIC diet I used. No one wants to hear “healthy food in decent portions with exercise”. Everyone wants a label. I try to be supportive when friends aporoach me asking for advice but when they mention pakeo or juice fast or all raw-vegan-organic-artisinal, I just have to say, “Choose to eat the way you can still do a year down the road.”
Also, I was raised by vegan parents (who were bad cooks), so an occasional roast meat is AWESOME!
Dan (came for foodie pen pals, stayed for the blog!)
i love that advice about choosing something you can sustain down the road. so true!
Gosh, I love this post….Though I enjoy being “pescatarian,” I absolutely hate explaining the “why” to people – I also really can’t stand when I get judged for it (especially by family)…I think that you’re right in that we shouldn’t have to label ourselves! We should put our focus on our health. I also think that our society needs to stop judging people based on how they choose to eat, especially when their motive is to be healthier….This is such a great discussion topic! I could go on for hours 🙂
couldn’t agree more, girlfriend!
Love it!
Like I always disclaim that I am “paleo-ish” because sometimes, I like to eat pancakes. Or yesterday, I had a chicken shawarma sandwich. While I do pretty strict M-F, the weekends I let myself indulge in whatever.
It’s hard not to label yourself especially on the blogging/Twitter world!
i agree. there’s so many labels floating around out there it can get overwhelming and stressful if you’re not careful.
This was a fantastic post! I’m sort of a silent lurker on your blog, until now anyway. I agree so much, and I see it everywhere, people who know me, know I love my junk food, but I do try to eat healthily and make balanced decisions for the way I eat, if there’s a time when I’m eating more healthily than others I’m automatically bombarded with “Oh, are you on a diet? Which one? I’ve heard that this diet is better” etc… I’m not on a diet, It’s an on going lifestyle process in which I’m trying to instil healthier habits, and everything is different for every person, your diet may well be perfect for you, but that doesn’t mean that it’s the best for every one else. I find it with the gym too!! “I don’t think you should go to the gym, you don’t need to lose weight” I’m not trying, nor do I want to lose weight. I’m going as part of a healthy lifestyle, and to get stronger. It can be frustrating.
i agree! it can be so frustrating to explain to people!!! keep up with great work!
I have always really admired your work as a blogger, an influential and organized social media chick, and an overall caring and outgoing person – but this post really is your best work ever. I think it’s awesome that you are comfortable enough as a person to be willing to free your life, and your diet from labels. I think often times people label themselves to feel a part of a group – and sometimes that’s awesome, but paving your own path and funding what works for you, diet or otherwise, is a huge part of personal growth. I’m happy for you, and I know you are doing the right thing! Thank you for sharing this with your social circle – I know it will reach someone who really needs to read it.
thank you so much, Martha!
Very inspiring! LABELING my eating habits is primarily the reason why I can never succeed on any diet plan. I wake up in the morning with a plan in mind; then if the plan gets too complicated, and I face obstacles (say, I have a huge sugar craving) then I’ll change it to a plan with more variety. If all that fails (and I end up binge eating a certain food group), then I’ll let my efforts go for the day and claim to “start tomorrow”. It’s a vicious cycle that never starts or ends for me. In fact, the word “DIET”and the all-together-label it represents, causes psychological emotion in me (and its not good). Label-free sounds like a great idea. If you don’t have a Label, and simply make better choices, then who is to say that you are playing the game the wrong way?