A happy stomach makes a happy person. In these busy times of college, between class, internships, extracurricular activities and attempting to have a social life, worrying about the particulars of your diet should really be the last of your worries.

In Malibu and Calabasas, self-image is everything. While the cultures of these neighborhoods emphasize the importance of health and wellness, it can also make you feel a little self-conscious about your own diet and eating habits. But, spending copious amounts of time constantly judging whether food is “good” or “bad” is not really healthy at all.

Whether you are patting yourself on the back for eating carrots or hitting yourself over the head for eating cake, it is just food. There is not any morality tied to it. What we should do instead is re-frame our beliefs about food because I believe that all food is “good” food.

Between all of the protein shakes and kale salads, people seem to think that the answer to happiness lies within their food. Our social media feeds have been cluttered with food trends for staying healthy, fit and young. Don’t focus on what others are doing, focus on what you are doing instead. It is making everyone stir crazy as they eat by the clock or are too busy counting their own calories. Sometimes when we are focusing on keeping up with the latest food trends, there can be a disconnection in what we are actually trying to do for ourselves.

So, eat for yourself. If you want to hit the Taco Bell drive-thru after a long day, go for it. If you want to try a new diet to make yourself feel better, go ahead. Do whatever your mind – and stomach – tells you to do. Knowing what your body is communicating to you is a key factor in being a happy eater. The most important thing is that you are choosing your meals for yourself, uninfluenced by the external factors of judgement and shame, because no one knows your own body better than you do.

Tags:  advice column diet food health Jennevieve Fong nutrition self self conscious trends