It’s amazing the things that pizza, chocolate, and burgers can get us to say. The lure of crummy junk food is all too powerful, and we’ve all gotten to the point where it’s hard to resist. Why can’t junk food be the stuff that’s healthy for us? Get on that, science.
Deep down, none of us ever want to give up eating unhealthy, because it’s just so satisfying. Who would rather eat brussels sprouts and broccoli over a bacon cheeseburger?
In order to make stuffing our faces with carbs and sugar seem totally reasonable, we fabricate elaborate excuses, which on the surface seem alright. But in reality, they mean nothing.
Here are ten of the most popular ones we’ve heard. Don’t let your stomach lie to your brain any longer.
“I’ve already ruined my diet anyways, so it’s no big deal if I keep eating bad.”
Oh, so you’ve destroyed yourself beyond repair and it’s too late to turn back? Are you like 100 years old and on your deathbed? If not, then it’s obviously not too late to turn your life around. 99% of the time, eating healthier is going to provide you nothing but good benefits.
“I deserve this chocolate cake, I’ve been eating healthy all day.”
Eating something unhealthy because you’ve been eating well kind of defeats the whole point of a diet. Michael Jordan never said, “Hmm we just beat the Boston Celtics last night by 30 points tonight and I’m feeling good, so I think 10 minutes into tomorrow’s game I’ll just lie down in the middle of the court and take a nap because I’ve earned this.” Don’t sabotage yourself when you’ve done so well up to this point.
“They say wine is good for your heart, so I should probably keep drinking it.”
That may be true, but we’re pretty sure chugging a whole bottle isn’t going to help you, though. And don’t even get us started on the six beers you had last night.
“I’m just stressed, okay?”
It’s easy to turn to junk food when stress hits. But ultimately, eating crap is only going to make you feel good for so long. After the sugar high wears off, you’re going to be just as miserable and stressed as you were before.
“Well, So-and-So eats crappy and he’s still skinny.”
Yeah, but you’re not So-and-So. You’re a completely different person with a different metabolism. And also, just because he’s staying skinny doesn’t mean that his crappy diet isn’t hurting his body in other ways.
“Life is too short, so I just eat what I want.”
Yeah, and it’s going to be even shorter if you keep ordering the large curly fries. Eating healthy isn’t about making yourself miserable—it’s about keeping food from ruining all the other great things in life.
“It’s fat free.”
Okay…But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other unhealthy things in it, pal. Calories are a thing. Sugar, it exists. Fat is simply one factor in the nutrition equation.
In summary, put down the junk food and eat a broccoli or something. At the very least, be aware of what you’re eating and don’t try to rationalize away a crappy diet.