Healthy living is an aspect I am passionate about. Though, allow me to clarify, not in a celery-alfalfa kind of way - but more of an everything-in-moderation path. A plethora of ingredients and flavours thrown in, with indulgences every now and then. I certainly don't believe the Nazi approach to eating clean. Although you're allowed junk food every now and then, there are some exceptions, like McDonalds (which, btw, is the absolute foulest meal to ever exist in the fast food industry, have you seen how the meals are prepared, from scratch? Ugh).
Life, is all about moderation - that is my mantra. Some simple meals in between, letting myself loose occasionally. They don't necessarily have to be bland every time; fresh food - crunchy salad, corn, mangoes, avocados - taken naturally is sometimes the best way to enjoy a meal, without the horrible feeling like you've just been stuffed like a turducken for Christmas afterwards.
On the other hand - as much as an epicurean lifestyle is enticing, our daily consumption shouldn't ultimately be filled with rich, luxurious ingredients. Besides the obvious health reasons of artery-clogging and making your pee a colony of ants' communal rendezvous, it wouldn't feel so indulgent if you have lobster for breakfast, roast chicken and potatoes for lunch, and a juicy steak for dinner, would it? Too much of a good thing - you tend to lose the appreciation for such niceties. In return, you'll turn to ultra posh ingredients (yeti paw roasted by dragon's breath with a reduction of eagle tears, perhaps?) just to satisfy an indulgence.
What greatly bothers me are people who can't seem to get the concept right. They are either stuffing their faces (then moan about the regrettable weight gain afterwards) or get all anal and preachy about "really healthy" living: no processed food, no carbohydrates, no dessert, no fat, no sugar.... What kind of sad f*king life is that? Just chop me into tiny little pieces please if that ever happens! Junk food is a no-no but I'm not saying that we should completely avoid burgers and chips - no! Made properly with good quality and fresh ingredients - is a win.
I work onboard a ship, incarcerated up to 5 weeks at a time. Limbs suffer downtime through this period and needless to say, I am surrounded by largely chubby (understatement) personnel. Even after a week onboard, I can feel the immediate effects of senses dulling, torpor-like syndromes settling in. It does not help matters that the vessel is stocked with sweeties, cans of soda, deep fried items, frozen and processed food... you get gist. Which is why I usually get really conscious about what I eat once I get onboard. It's quite surprising how much you crave for fresh, green crunchy lettuce and how a prodigious amount of varied fruits will make your day... Things that the average adult (or child, really) refuse to eat on a daily basis.
Simpler and oft taken-for-granted things like going on long walks, lush greenery and eating fresh food have become the new indulgence for me.
