I'm graduating, in less than a month, from Tufts' Friedman School - one of the top institutions in the country devoted to the study of nutrition. My degree in nutrition communication, is something of which I'm proud, but it's also something that carries a tremendous burden.
When people hear that I study nutrition, comments and questions abound. Unlike, say, physics (no offense to you quantum-theory buffs), my chosen field is at the center of a national obsession. Nutrition is a showstopper, a headline grabber, holding a prominent spot on nightly news broadcasts and morning papers almost daily.
And that, although good for my impending career, is not so good for the country as a whole.
There is simply too much misinformation out there; too many articles that choose sensationalism over good journalism. Why promote a balanced diet and moderation when "Tofu Cures Cancer!" is what will really prompt magazine sales?
And so, when friends, family and even random strangers come to me seeking an expert opinion on what diet works best or what supplement will make them live the longest, time and again, I disappoint. I can't offer a magic answer because, truth be told, there isn't one.
Nutrition is a science - an emerging science at that. It may seem more tangible than organic chemistry, and it's definitely sexier than meteorology, but at its core, it is still a science. And science, by definition, involves theories and inquiries, studies and more studies and change, change, change.
Not to leave you readers despondent - I will share a few lessons I've learned here at Tufts. They may not be groundbreaking, but I think they speak to one of the keys to living a healthy and happy life: moderation.
There are no bad foods.
A Big Mac, a Whopper, an X-tra Cheese Taco Supreme - these are not the enemy. While laden with colossal calories, sodium and cholesterol, and up to half of your daily saturated fat intake, an occasional fast food splurge is permissible. The key word is occasional. As I just mentioned, our diets - our lives - are about moderation. As long as you eat a well-balanced diet the majority of the time, a visit to the drive-thru or an extra serving of dessert once in a while will not kill you. While this is by no means a permission slip to gorge on frappes and fries, it is an acknowledgement that food is meant to be enjoyed, not feared.
If you want ice cream...eat ice cream!
A surefire way to exacerbate your cravings is by avoiding them. If you crave chocolate, nibbling on carrot sticks or rice cakes will only make you feel more deprived. And chances are, most of us will actually eat more of the stuff we don't want while trying to avoid what we really do. Sometimes a substitute simply will not do. If only the smooth, creamy taste of genuine ice cream will satisfy, why begrudgingly down an entire pint of frozen yogurt? Instead, opt for a small portion of the real stuff - be it ice cream or chocolate - and practice what the experts call "mindful eating."
If you're going to splurge, enjoy it: Savor the flavors and the texture and enjoy your treat slowly. It's amazing how one Hershey Kiss enjoyed mindfully can satisfy more than an entire handful of M&Ms.
Every step counts.
Stop fighting it out at Gantcher for the last treadmill. Exercise does not have to mean slaving away at the gym for hours a day. Time and again I'm met with bored or scowling faces as fellow students trudge through another mindless workout. Just last week I overheard two students complain that they would rather be out enjoying the sun than stuck on an elliptical.
So go outside! When did working out become synonymous with being at the gym? A long walk on a beautiful spring day will benefit your inner thighs and your inner self. In fact, walking is one of the best forms of physical activity. Better still, a number of short walks throughout a day can really add up. So stop complaining that you never "work out" - a walk down to Davis and a few treks through our hilly campus and you're well on your way. Invest in a pedometer and you may be surprised at how active you truly are.
So, that's it. My words of wisdom. Not flashy or attention grabbing, but true nonetheless. As you navigate your way through the minefield of newspaper and magazine headlines that promise everlasting life and ever-slimmer waistlines, remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Our relationships with food and exercise do not have to be black and white. It's never all or nothing. If you're "good" most of the time, it just makes your occasional mishaps that much more enjoyable. Because, as we all know, being "bad" is what makes life so much fun.
Sarah Wally is a graduate student in nutrition communications at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She has a BS in journalism from Boston University.
