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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/04/clean-eating-sucks-the-joy-out-of-food-where-is-the-fun-in-that
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| Clean eating sucks the joy out of food. Where is the fun in that? | Clean eating sucks the joy out of food. Where is the fun in that? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| "Drop those!" a friend of mine | "Drop those!" a friend of mine |
| screamed at her husband. "They are calorie bombs!" The man had made | screamed at her husband. "They are calorie bombs!" The man had made |
| the mistake of reaching over to grab a few - horror of horrors - fresh | the mistake of reaching over to grab a few - horror of horrors - fresh |
| blueberries. "I've heard they are meant to be good for you," I | blueberries. "I've heard they are meant to be good for you," I |
| interjected as my friend's husband looked on sheepishly. "Yes but they are | interjected as my friend's husband looked on sheepishly. "Yes but they are |
| also full of sugar,” my friend said. “And at the end of the day he's going to | also full of sugar,” my friend said. “And at the end of the day he's going to |
| come to me asking how many calories he's consumed that day and I don't want to | come to me asking how many calories he's consumed that day and I don't want to |
| be the one delivering bad news." | be the one delivering bad news." |
| I was at a party with 20 or so other adults – all of whom, incredibly – seemed to be on a diet. A few were fasting - part of | I was at a party with 20 or so other adults – all of whom, incredibly – seemed to be on a diet. A few were fasting - part of |
| a 5:2 diet; a couple were on sugar-free diets; while others seemed to be on | a 5:2 diet; a couple were on sugar-free diets; while others seemed to be on |
| some kind of grain-free, carb-free combo. My husband and I looked at each other | some kind of grain-free, carb-free combo. My husband and I looked at each other |
| incredulously - could it be that we were the only ones here not on some kind of | incredulously - could it be that we were the only ones here not on some kind of |
| a diet - and if so, did that mean the whole world was going Paltrow on us? The thought made my stomach churn, but most likely it was a reaction to | a diet - and if so, did that mean the whole world was going Paltrow on us? The thought made my stomach churn, but most likely it was a reaction to |
| the kale smoothie I was politely sipping. | the kale smoothie I was politely sipping. |
| Yes, I get it, it's the start of the year. It's | Yes, I get it, it's the start of the year. It's |
| a time to put those promises of turning our lives around into action. And I | a time to put those promises of turning our lives around into action. And I |
| know, this kind of vigour with which we approach matters of health and exercise | know, this kind of vigour with which we approach matters of health and exercise |
| usually only lasts until March - when we slowly slide back into our slothful | usually only lasts until March - when we slowly slide back into our slothful |
| normalities. But still, how could I be at a party where everyone happened to be | normalities. But still, how could I be at a party where everyone happened to be |
| dieting? | dieting? |
| Later as a friend and I munched on carb-loaded | Later as a friend and I munched on carb-loaded |
| baguettes, I mentioned the party. "It's all that clean eating stuff," | baguettes, I mentioned the party. "It's all that clean eating stuff," |
| she said. "Everyone's gone mad for it." | she said. "Everyone's gone mad for it." |
| It's true - they have. Ashy Bines- Australia's very own “clean-eating guru” has made millions off of it. This is | It's true - they have. Ashy Bines- Australia's very own “clean-eating guru” has made millions off of it. This is |
| despite the fact that the 24 year-old has no qualifications in diet and | despite the fact that the 24 year-old has no qualifications in diet and |
| nutrition or that her "Clean Eating Diet Plan" has been deemed to be one of the | nutrition or that her "Clean Eating Diet Plan" has been deemed to be one of the |
| worst diets around by Australia's eminent nutritionists. | |
| It’s | It’s |
| not just clean eating that has its detractors. The | not just clean eating that has its detractors. The |
| 5:2 diet (created by Michael Mosley) has been criticised by some nutritionists | 5:2 diet (created by Michael Mosley) has been criticised by some nutritionists |
| for leading to unhealthy eating. | for leading to unhealthy eating. |
| Similarly the Atkins diet (created by Robert Atkins) is thought to be bad for the heart; the | Similarly the Atkins diet (created by Robert Atkins) is thought to be bad for the heart; the |
| Dukan diet (created by Pierre Dukan) was voted the worst diet to follow by | Dukan diet (created by Pierre Dukan) was voted the worst diet to follow by |
| British dieticians for three years in a row; and | British dieticians for three years in a row; and |
| going sugar free (most famously championed by Sarah Wilson) | going sugar free (most famously championed by Sarah Wilson) |
| might not be as good for you as you think. | might not be as good for you as you think. |
| What strikes me most about all these diets are | What strikes me most about all these diets are |
| the rules and regulations restricting your consumption of food – which means you | the rules and regulations restricting your consumption of food – which means you |
| end up spending an enormous amount of time fixating on what you eat. And if there's | end up spending an enormous amount of time fixating on what you eat. And if there's |
| one thing going to an all-girl's high school has taught me - fixating on what | one thing going to an all-girl's high school has taught me - fixating on what |
| you eat can quickly get dangerous. I'm not saying these green-smoothie sipping, | you eat can quickly get dangerous. I'm not saying these green-smoothie sipping, |
| quinoa munching, diet-fixated adults are like the bulimic, anorexic girls who | quinoa munching, diet-fixated adults are like the bulimic, anorexic girls who |
| were a familiar sight at my school - but what they do have in common is that by | were a familiar sight at my school - but what they do have in common is that by |
| restricting their diet, they are also restricting the joy they get from food. | restricting their diet, they are also restricting the joy they get from food. |
| I’m a firm believer in the old "everything in moderation" adage. Yes, if a diet is making you feel healthier, and | I’m a firm believer in the old "everything in moderation" adage. Yes, if a diet is making you feel healthier, and |
| better about yourself then stick with it, but don’t lose yourself in it. It’s | better about yourself then stick with it, but don’t lose yourself in it. It’s |
| ok I think, if you're at a party, to enjoy yourself. It's ok to once in a while | ok I think, if you're at a party, to enjoy yourself. It's ok to once in a while |
| have those so-called "dirty" foods so they don't become something | have those so-called "dirty" foods so they don't become something |
| you'll hate yourself for eating. It's ok to enjoy food. To give yourself the | you'll hate yourself for eating. It's ok to enjoy food. To give yourself the |
| permission to feel that enjoyment - because really, munching on pumpkin seeds | permission to feel that enjoyment - because really, munching on pumpkin seeds |
| and doing perfect poos does not an exciting life make. | and doing perfect poos does not an exciting life make. |
| Yes, healthy food can be very enjoyable, but | Yes, healthy food can be very enjoyable, but |
| once in a while so can chocolate cake - that's made with butter, eggs and | once in a while so can chocolate cake - that's made with butter, eggs and |
| flour. And it’s OK to not only want to eat some, but to eat some without a care. | flour. And it’s OK to not only want to eat some, but to eat some without a care. |