Can All Foods Really Fit?
“All foods fit” is a term frequently used in the Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size (HAES) frameworks in opposition to diet culture’s attempt to frame food as being either “good” or “bad” for health. The term speaks against food restriction and supports making peace with all foods as part of a healthy lifestyle. Saying that all foods fit might feel like a radical idea in a society that encourages us to cut out major food groups to shrink or change our bodies, so in this post, we will explore why all foods really can fit.
The Stomach Doesn’t Have Eyes
Diet culture has polarized foods as being either “good” or “bad.” But the truth is, no food is good or bad – it’s all just food. Period. If we are trying to categorize food, let’s sort them by what they are: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. To our bodies, carbs are carbs, proteins are proteins, and fats are fats. Our body recognizes food as being one or more of these macronutrients. When eating a cheeseburger with a bun, cheese, and beef patty, the stomach recognizes the bun as carbs, the patty and cheese as protein, and oils used in cooking as fat. The stomach doesn’t have eyes to know the difference between this meal and a salad bowl with rice for carbs, chicken breast for protein, and an oil-based dressing as fats. The difference between these two meals is in the micronutrient content. We obtain those micronutrients when eating a variety of foods; a big part of the all foods fit philosophy.
We Are What We Eat: How Food Enriches Identity & Culture
Food has strong cultural ties to our identities. We are rooted in the recipes passed down through generations, and we grow from the family dinners where we laugh and cry. Every culture has its cuisine that developed from the foods native to its land and is now how we bond with our family and friends and stay connected. By cutting out certain foods or putting foods into “good” or “bad” categories, we are depriving ourselves of feeling a solid connection to our familial roots and preventing deep conversations that shape who we are.
Food is Fuel for Life
Food supports our well-being, mentally and physically. A central tenet of many diets is limiting caloric intake... but what are calories? Simply put, calories are a unit of energy. Calories are the energy in our food that gives us the power we need to go on walks or allow our brain to function efficiently through a workday. There are mental and physical benefits to consuming all foods since all foods provide us with energy through macro and micronutrient content.
All Foods Really Do Fit
All food is meant to be enjoyed, which is why chefs dedicate their lives to making flavorful dishes that make our mouths water, or why we show love through cooking for a loved one when they’re sick. We receive satisfaction by listening to our bodies and honoring our cravings. Cutting out foods negates that satisfaction and negatively impacts our lives physically, socially, and mentally. By understanding that all foods fit, we are honoring our body’s hunger, enriching our identity and culture, and fueling ourselves for all the adventures life brings.
