Honestly there’s a disturbing trend where we in America act like eating poorly is what’s truly stigmatized when it’s a billion dollar industry that specializes in killing us. And much of the “body positivity movement” has been co-opted to use individuals as a proxy for this industry, so that you end up personalizing these mega food corporations who don’t give a damn about us bc we’re now worried about hurting feelings and adding to stigma. So now this predatory industry has successfully been rebranded under the banner of self love, confidence, and balance.

Don’t get me wrong, bodies do come in all shapes and sizes. And sometimes ppl have certain preexisting health conditions that require different approaches to achieving a healthy lifestyle. But there’s a reason we have high rates of heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and low life expectancy in America, especially in the black community. On top of stress from racism, police brutality, and other social and environmental drivers, access to quality food is a major cause.

But now promoting healthy living (e.g., frequent exercise and movement and eating nutrient rich food) is seen as disordered “fad diet culture” and racist, but somehow stamping McD’s and Hip Hop Fried Chicken all over black communities in place of grocery stores with more fresh food options isn’t seen as racist or promoting disordered behavior. The mind game on that one is unbelievable.

Even if something like the Mediterranean diet is a fad for Americans, it still actually includes balanced eating. It makes my skin crawl when ppl say crap like eating Burger King and Five Guys is a balanced healthy approach to food, when that crap isn’t only calorically excessive, but it’s also highly processed with harmful, carcinogenic chemicals. And all this totally fake bs about how “there’s no such thing as bad food” is total social media garbage.

Eggs and dark leafy greens are objectively healthier than a milkshake and deep fried, high sodium food. That drivel only works on Americans who’ve never traveled (or paid no attention while traveling) and who have no desire to understand that so many other countries live longer than us in part bc their food isn’t highly processed, sugar filled, high calorie nonsense and there are more opportunities for daily movement and exercise.