As a writer for the Collegiette Health section of Her Campus uOttawa, I starting really thinking about what “healthy” means to me and realized that my personal definition may be different than someone else’s. While there are some obvious, clear-cut definitions to being healthy, I can acknowledge that there are a variety of ways you can practice healthy behaviours. I asked the Her Campus uOttawa team what “healthy” meant to them to help promote healthy living while recognizing that we may all go about it differently (and that’s ok!).
Daniella B. offered this video series that she found on YouTube, that questions what wellness is. There are eight episodes to watch that follow Camille Rowe from British Vogue. The journey includes nutrition, psychology, mindfulness, fitness and more! She talks to some of the experts to orient herself in the “world of wellness.” You are able to learn alongside Rowe through these videos. Great recommendation, Daniella! (Video link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHlfmUA9UkXaXB9dDn6BElvanB6oZEDX6)
Allie P. from our Collegiette Life team stated that “Healthy to me means that I’m happy with how I look & how I feel. It means that I can eat a Dairy Queen blizzard one night and not feel guilty or like I need to go to the gym right away. It’s about feeling good and eating balanced while not having any major health risks that could really affect you in the future.” Allie knows it’s all about BALANCE!
Shannon C. from our fantastic marketing team added, “Healthy doesn’t mean a number on a scale. It also doesn’t mean eating salad for every meal. Being healthy involves your heart and your mind, just as much as it involves your body. Everyone’s version of healthy is different. To me, treating every part of myself with respect, listening to my body, and feeling strong and happy is what makes me healthy.”
Hermona K., our Health editor, added “if [you’re] trying to lose weight, there are apps like “my fitness pal” that help [people] track what they eat; it’s pretty much an online food diary.” I love this tip because I use MyFitnessPal everyday! It was a real eye-opener when I first started using it because I was suddenly able to see very plainly what I was eating. It breaks down how many calories you eat at each meal, your macronutrient profile for the day, and counts calories as well as nutrients. Be in the know about your own nutrition!
Lisa O., also on the Health team, recently wrote an article about multiple teas to drink throughout the week! This is another healthy tip, since tea and water are among the best drinks we can give our bodies! Check it out here.
As for me, my health mantra is similar to Gigi Hadid’s famous quote: “Eat clean, stay fit, and have a burger to stay sane.” This is a simple quote, but it really covers all of my healthy-bases: nutrition, fitness, and mental wellness. Maintaining a healthy weight and getting energy from nutritious meals is incredibly important to my idea of a healthy life. I believe in the 80/20 rule: 80 percent healthy, 20 percent treats (cookies). While I thoroughly enjoy having a little sweet treat, I do recommend cutting out sugar wherever you can. For me, this means buying sugar substitutes (that contain 0 g of sugar or sugar alcohols) so that I can bake the treats I love while minimizing my sugar intake. Another way to lighten up your favourite treats is to run a cost-benefit analysis of what you’re eating. Simply: does it have more good qualities than bad ones? My sweet-spot (pun intended) of the treat food world, that I never feel guilty about, is salsa and whole grain chips. This snack is very low in sugar, adds to your vegetable intake for the day, and is so so good. It’s all about making the best choices for your body.
Seeing all of these subjective opinions on health combined, we can all agree that balance is incredibly important in health and wellness. Having a good relationship with food and with yourself is the message I, and our Her Campus team, would like to send to you. Love yourself, love food, be well.
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