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Though its very name—junk food—would imply that this type of food is garbage, trash, or useless, I still think it has a place in a healthy lifestyle. Remember that being healthy isn’t just about being physically healthy. We have to take emotional and mental wellness into account, too. Somebody could be in peak physical condition, as far as a physician is concerned, but be grappling with emotionally devastating behaviors that actually result in that “perfect body.” In fact, many of the people we perceive to be in perfect shape may feel that their minds are prisons. Nothing is ever quite what it seems. I eat junk food sometimes. I have a lot of fond memories of junk food, in fact. As a kid, every Saturday was what we called “Candy Day” in our household. On Candy Day, my dad would take my sister and I to Taco Bell, and then to the candy store, and then to the movie rental store. These are some of my happiest memories, but it was all a part of developing a healthy relationship with junk food.
Make it social
When I get fast food, I make it a social event with friends. We make a plan. We say, “On Saturday, we’re going to Steak ‘N Shake.” Making it a plan does a couple of good things, including giving me plenty of notice to eat healthy until then—knowing on Saturday, I’m splurging. It also makes it a fun, festive activity that I do with friends rather than something I do all alone in my living room. We feel like a bunch of teens again, having milk shakes on a weekend.
