Hi guys,
Wanted to write you a quick, little letter.
Some of you were questioning why I had Vani of Food Babe on my blog & some of you have questioned why I eat certain things because they have GMO’s/chemicals.
I just want to clear up a couple of things:
1.) As far as Food Babe goes, I personally think she’s awesome. She’s standing up to bigger name companies to represent what she believes is right. I may not personally agree with EVERY.SINGLE.THING she has ever said BUT the point of The Skinny Confidential is to showcase women from all walks of life & share different perspectives and opinions. Vani’s perspective is inspiring, interesting, & extremely entrepreneurial. That’s why I had her on the blog. And she has some great advice about food.
In saying that, I want you all to know just because I interview someone doesn’t mean I agree with every single thing they’ve ever said. It means that they’re inspiring in some capacity & I want to share them while empowering women everywhere. That’s what this blog is about. Women coming together sharing their tips/tricks.
If you get one thing that works for you out of their interview then GREAT!!! My goal was met. I’m not telling you to agree with every single thing I say or a person I interview says.
Does that make sense?
2.) It’s come to my understanding that some of you think I don’t ever eat chemicals or GMO’s.
Ok to clarify: I DO eat chemicals & GMO‘s every so often.
A life without chemicals/GMO’s for me is unrealistic. Sometimes I’m traveling, sometimes I’m eating a delicious dessert, & SOMETIMES I JUST WANT A FREAKING BOWL OF CHEEZ-ITS. If you read my book you know I love Flaming Hot Cheetos. THEY’RE SOOOOO BAD FOR YOU, but again…
I balance my diet like my checkbook, I subtract foods I don’t absolutely have to have to make room for foods that I LOVEEEEE.
For instance, when it comes to almond milk I DON’T need carrageenans in my everyday cup. So I eliminated it from my diet. But I’ll definitely have a small bowl of Cheez-It’s if I am craving one.
Does that make sense?
If I can avoid GMO’s/chemicals, 90 percent of the time I will. But sometimes? I gotta share a post on a 5 second, GMO-filled cake & have a slice, guilt-free, without judgement— ya know?
This is not to say I eat chemicals and GMO’s everyday. It’s to say to you all:
Hey!!! I’m human! Sometimes I want a freaking Corona Light ( full of GMO’s ) or bowl of Cool Ranch Doritos.
3.) I’m not perfect. I don’t claim to be. I am showcasing what works for ME. This lifestyle may not work for you. I like balance. BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE. I don’t ever want to feel deprived. I’m just sharing my journey along the way. Instead of calling each other out, let’s remember we’re all different & what may work for me, won’t work for you.
Thoughts? Opinions? Questions? Would love to hear.
Ok, I’m off to eat some Cheez-It’s.
But for dinner I think I’ll have some scrambled eggs, kale salad, & green tea.
Balanceeeee is key ; ).
Lauryn, xx
P.S. “I really want to be perfect!” -said no one ever ( perfection can be a real bore! )
Hi Lauryn,
I’ve never commented on anyone’s blog before but I just wanted to say that I completely agree with Your post and having recently bought your book in the UK – I couldn’t agree more! Life is all about balance and making the most of every moment. Worrying and stressing over every little decision or food choice won’t stop the bad stuff happening, it just prevents you enjoying the good!
You’ve not only inspired me to start my own blog but also have inspired a healthier and more positive daily attitude to life! Thanks. Jules
I love this balanced approach and think it is SO important! Thanks for sharing – and for all the amazing interviews you do.
Hey Lauryn, great post that’s why I’m keeping it short:
1. That’s what REAL interviewers do, so keep up the good work!
2. that is why you’re not completely vegan/vegetarian..it’s all about a balanced life 🙂
Greetings from Germany :*
I’m with you, some people are way too sensitive with this stuff. We’re blogging for YOU people, to help you… calm down. Someone the other day commented on my post saying it isn’t wise that I suggest people using sunscreen when out in the sun. OKAY THANKS! ha anyways, love love love your posts and your (writing) voice, you do an incredible job. xx misslifestyler.com
I completely agree with your stance on diet!! Personally, I don’t think its even possible nor psychologically healthy to emulate a perfect immaculate organic diet (or vegan diet) 100% of the time.
The fact that you said “SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO EAT A FREAKING BIG BOWL OF CHEEZ-ITS” is the reason I keep reading!
Hi Lauryn,
I love the idea of a good balance of things in life! As someone who has battled weight for a long time, I’d love to hear tips on how you do this. Thank you for sharing lots of perspectives.
Hi Lauryn! Thanks for addressing these issues openly and I totally agree with you about both! It can be frustrating when readers critique your every move and I admire you being open about not being “perfect.”
Since I was one of the ones who ragged on the Food Babe post, I feel like I should comment here. 😉 Some thoughts, in no particular order:
– I’m sad to hear that people were giving you hate for not having a perfectly saintly diet. For me, I know Krispy Kreme is THE WORST for about 328423 reasons but I LOVE donuts. So sue me. It’s sad you have to apologize for this kind of thing. As you said, balance is key and deprivation is unhealthy (to that point, I am glad that you do not promote orthorexic-type behavior on this site).
– I think it is totally cool that you want to feature inspiring women because they are successful. I did like that your Vani Hari interview focused more on her as a person and healthy eating rather than her latest anti-chemical crusade.
– That said, I was and still am concerned that the inspiration and positive influence brought on by featuring her (encouraging eating real food, showcasing successful women) was far outweighed by the bad and even dangerous potential outcome of people flocking to her and swallowing her “gospel” wholesale (I think her business practices are dishonest on both scientific and ethical levels, and every time I read a comment that said “wow I’d never heard of her, she really knows her stuff!” I died a little inside). Judging from this post, you don’t agree with me that the bad outweighs the good, BUT I certainly DO NOT think you are a bad person for having your own opinion.
– I am glad that my criticism of the previous post (which I like to think was constructive criticism rather than hate) was allowed to be published rather than censored simply because I disagreed (which happens sooooo often on blogs). Thank you for allowing dialogue in your comments and even going so far as to address some of them yourself in both comments and posts like this. I know it is not an easy job.
Sorry this comment turned into a novel. 🙂
Well said!
I have a total crush on you and your gorgeous blog, girlfriend! You are really rocking the house with your inspiring and uplifting perspective. Thank you for sharing!
Stay fabulous!
Tara
Totally agree. You are human after all, not an alien. Love your blog & your book, even if I can’t afford everything on & in it ;), love the fact that it introduced me to Kayla Itsines (who’s workout I’m now doing)…but I am and have been wondering one thing……..I’ve seen posts about how you only wash your hair once a week? So how often do you workout? Are you not showering afterwards? I’m only asking because the Kayla workouts kick my butt and there’s no way I could not wash my hair after the sweaty mess it becomes….
This post is awesome! Your amazing and so inspiring AND I LOVE your blog!! xoxoxo Erin
Love this post, spot on. Live life!!! I just lost a 59 year old friend to Cancer. Ate completely vegan, Non GMO, perfect water, biker, yoga, skier and gone!! Live life with faith, family, balance/diet/exercise and love what you do. Every day is a gift!! bre
100 emoji! Balance is key in life.
Don’t worry, you go girl. And thanks for the heads up on Almond milk.
×× m
This is why I love you, my friend. You keep it real. You build others up and want the best for people. You interview other women and collaborate-it’s not a competition to you. You want to see others succeed and you do what you can to help make that happen. You respond to negativity with class. Take notes ladies! Try to be genuinely happy for others. Don’t envy. Share the love, compliment others, and try to find something good in every situation. It’s pretty simple: if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.
L – I am shocked to read this post. It seems so silly to me that you would have to clarify/explain yourself. But it was very well written ; ) maybe it’s bc I’ve been reading your blog for a couple years and read your book and I feel like I get you. Carry on – ppl love to criticize the ones who are brave enough to put yourself out there the way you do. Xo
THIS IS SO AMAZING. Preach it!! I love hearing how you balance out everything…coming from an eating disorder and trying to recover its been hard for me to let up on myself, but after reading this i actually feel a little better. very inspiring!! 🙂 xx
Hi girl,
First time commenter on your blog! Just wanted to say how INSPIRING you are. Everything you aid in this post? Agree 100% I’m not one to leave gushy comments, but one this post? I had to 🙂
Much love, keep rocking!
xox
Interviews are the best because you get to look inside people’s lives and find out what they do and what works for them! With any luck we each find a tip that works for us… and if not… Well, then you’ve just met a cool-ass person, which to me is worth the read!
This post is exactly why I stay tuned in with you Lauryn… Spot on, right on!!! Love your style and realness. Keep up the good work girl☺
I can’t believe you had to write this post. People are cray cray. Its all about balance and context, customization, individual needs, wants, desires and what works for one may not for another. I love that you share and celebrate fellow women, we can cheer for and learn from and be inspired by women speaking their truth!
Balance is key and everything in moderation. Sometimes I want Cheez-its too! We are not robots.
http://www.FashionSnag.com
It is SO refreshing to hear you say this! As a holistic health coach, I see people (oftentimes other coaches) making a big deal about what other people choose to eat. Balance is something I stress SO MUCH to my clients, because it is so, so important for a physically and emotionally healthy lifestyle. No one is perfect, and there is no single way of eating that is right for everyone. Props to you for posting this (even though you shouldn’t have to defend yourself), and thank you for being authentic.
I absolutely love this article, I think balance is absolutely important in anybodies diet and I love the interviews that you do, its a great way to see different perspectives on life.
Moderation and balance is the key to any healthy lifestyle. You eat those Cheese Its!
http://www.divaandthedivine.com
I’m with Abby above. The fact that you had to write this post is completely insane and I’m sorry that people were so critical. People get very opinionated, rude and fanatical from behind a keyboard and it’s really a shame.
On a lighter note- I’m headed to One&Only in Cabo thanks in part to seeing your Insta posts. Can’t wait and thank you for the inspiration!!
OMG! Praise!! I so agree with you 😀
“SOMETIMES I JUST WANT A FREAKING BOWL OF CHEEZ-ITS.” My life Lauryn, my life.
But real talk don’t ever feel like you have to clarify anything. You inspire me daily to up my game with blogging, videos, photos… and freaking life man. YOU ROCK.
This is the best post I’ve ever read. I love that you’re being so honest & real with everyone. There is no point in putting a facade for the world, because clearly everyone will see right through you and lose respect. You seem to be a great HUMAN being so just keep doing what you’re doing! It’s clearly working 😉
http://www.littleblackshell.com
I. Freken. Love. YOU!!! Thank you for addressing that. I picked up her book and it is so informative. I am educating myself about what is in the foods I am eating. Once I know, I make the choice of what I eat. Balance is key! We are human and have cravings, but we should all try to be the best version we can possibly be. Thanks Lauryn!!
<3
Thanks for being REAL and not pretending to be someone you’re not <3
OH lauryn, you are one cool human!
I’m completely with you on that it’s all about balance. Truth be told, finding balance can be easier said than done, especially when trying to draw the line between what is “too much” and taking care not to go overboard.
Definitely with you on the whole thing. Doritos hold a special appeal to me, and while I haven’t had them in a while, I know that when the day comes that I crave them, I’ll allow myself without any reprimand or internal hate. I believe that as long as I treat my body and mind with tender loving care, it can handle the occasional unhealthy treat.
Lots of love!
{Teffy’s Perks} X
People need to relax, this is a blog! For education, entertainment, and mostly for fun… there are way bigger things in life people could be getting worked up over. Lauryn your blog is amazing, keep doing your thing!
Balance is so important! It would be so unhealthy to focus on eating all natural/non-GMO foods. Sometimes ya gotta live!
I’m grateful right now! For all the different perspectives that are posted by Lauryn and all the readers. The different views are what make everyone unique and help us learn from each other! Thanks Lauryn for providing the opportunity for us to do that here! You rock!
Great post and couldn’t agree more, it’s all about balance 🙂
Hi Lauryn, I could not agree more with you! I also read and reviewed the Food Babe Way on my blog! Do I 100% agree with everything Vani has ever said? Maybe not but I am inspired what she is trying to do and the education she is trying to bring to the world around food! Does this mean that I dont occasionally want want reduced fat cheezits (they are crispier, so serious!) or a chocolate dipped cone from DQ?! Heck no, I need those in my life. You keep doing you girl and keep up the great work!! XX
I completely agree! I’ve never commented before but I had to on this one 🙂 Keep doing what you’re doing, I love all of your posts!
Hi Lauryn. I just want to say I really love what you’re doing with your blog and inspiring women so much that you have given me the push I needed to put the wheels in motion for my own blog.
Balance is so important in leading a healthy, happy life. No one is perfect and I admire that you put that out there that it is OKAY to indulge as long as you maintain balance! Continue to keep it real girlfriend!
Lauryn, I completely agree with you and your take on balance. We live in the real world….and in the real world, we sometimes eat things or do things that may not be the best choice for our bodies, but that’s ok…..as long as we’re trying to stay healthy and make good choices the majority of the time, the small percentage of time that we’re not making the best choices is not going to hurt anything……it’s all about balance…..it’s all about doing the best we can do, and when we veer off the path every now and then, we know what it takes to get back on……it’s all good !!!!! Thanks for your great interviews and articles !!! They are very inspiring !!!!
Well said! It’s all about balance. 🙂
Saying “I don’t eat cookies and cake” is like saying “I don’t like fun.”
It is all about balance. I find eating extremely healthy and saving the toxins for cookies and vodka to be the best balancing act.
I really appreciate you showcasing The Food Babe (I had not heard of her before) I bought the book. After one week I am already feeling better, clearer skin, less nasty bloat, etc. Some people don’t feel the affects of nasty toxins in food as much as others. These people don’t understand how badly toxins affect others so are quick to call nonsense on people’s eating habits who really can tell the difference between the different types of foods they put in there body. It is annoying.
I love this post. I always appreciate how real you are in all of your interview type posts. I think you are fabulous. xoxo
http://modernensemble.com
And this is why I follow your blog. like daily 🙂 you are so real and I love it.
PS folks who read the comments – I went to san diego and asked Lauryn for suggestions on places to see…she emailed me back, quickly, with a full list. Such a cool babe and actually approachable too.
Love it. TSC can do no wrong IMO. Thanks for what you do and keep on truckin <3
amen sister! all moderation. just like a checkbook – like i tell everyone else. keep on being awesome (and not perfect) 😉
Your quote at the end of your blog is so true! Being perfect is so boring! Thanks for writing that! Enjoy your weekend!
I totally agree – I actually love the Food Babe and the points she delivers about food. I used to love Pumpkin Spiced Lattes from Starbucks but when the Food Babe pointed out all of the chemicals they used – you know what – I quickly ditched the drink and was so happy to!!
I buy local and try to eat organic whenever possible. Perfection should never be an end goal, but just knowing that you are trying to make a change for the better – feels pretty perfect to me <3
I totally agree with our approach to eating chemicals and GMOs–it sounds similar to my approach to my diet! I eat what makes my body feel awesome and energized most of the time, like green juice, green vegetables, sunbutter, oatmeal and so on. You know. But every so often you better believe that I am about some non-organic corn chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant, or non-organic tofu that a friend made for me, or whatever.
I’m a scientist and one of my big, philosphical problems with these man-made chemicals and GMOs is that they’re a big, uncontrolled experiment and we–the public–are like the lab rats. The long-term impacts of consuming them on us are unknown. Maybe they’re harmful, maybe they’re not, but why risk it when we have so many options that we know are good for us, and we know work.
On a separate note, I think as women we need to focus more on lifting each other up, rather than tearing each other down. We’ll all be stronger for it, I think. So thanks for sharing your thoughts and an interview with a strong, courageous woman. Have a great weekend!
I know it’s been said time and time again but balance is so key to a healthy, happy lifestyle Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect! Sometimes you just need to eat the fries haha, xo
Nice letter, love!! Two thumbs up : ) <3
Life shouldn’t be an acconplishment, it should be enjoyed! And so I totally agree with you:) happy weekend!
Life shouldn’t be an accomplishment, it should be enjoyed! And so I totally agree with you:) happy weekend!
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I think balance is so important, but it’s also really important to express to people that just because you follow someone or are inspired by them doesn’t mean that you agree with EVERYTHING they do/say. For example – I LOVE your blog and relate to you on many levels…but I would never eat Doritos or Cheetos. And that’s fine – cheese is my guilty pleasure and I’ll have some of it here and there – BALANCE is key! 🙂
My issue with the post you made about Skinny Cow was that you were compensated for a product that is contradictory to what you typically promote on your blog. It feels inauthentic. You chose to feature the products on your blog for a price, which says to me as a reader that the values you promote on this site (your brand) can be altered for the right price. I understand sponsored posts that are in line with your brand, such as the Suja juices. However, this one just didn’t sit right with me and I would understand if others felt the same.
I am not saying that you cannot ever eat something with preservatives, thickeners, artificial ingredients, etc. It is your life and you can of course eat whatever you’d like. Learning that you eat hot cheetoes or cheez-its does not change my opinion of you or make you seem like less of a representative of healthy eating because I also believe in balance. I think if you are being paid or compensated to promote a product that is not in line with the values of your website, then it is going to bring up questions at the very least. Honestly, I think it cheapens your brand. This is your website and I am not telling you how to run your website; I am simply giving you my opinion and perspective.
I enjoy reading your website and I can tell that you put a lot of thought and hard work into it. It is nice to see someone who cares about their reader’s perspective and addresses the concerns.
Hi Amie, I’ve actually eaten Skinny Cow for years on special occasions. I don’t put anything on my blog I wouldn’t eat/use myself. I’ve turned down a lot of money because the product isn’t something I would eat/use. Hope that clears that up! Thanks for reading! x
first time comment, just wanted to say I really love the blog, so uplifting and comforting (that sounds weird I know:) keep at itxx p.s I just read the post with Michael, really really enjoyable, Hugs from Irelandx
Yes. it is all about balance 🙂
It’s all about 80/20 gurl… don’t let the haters get to you.
I am so sad that people made you feel like you owed us an explanation… Props to you for giving them clarification.
You are absolutely right when it comes to balance though! Although your blog is perfect and gives the illusion of blogger’s facade, we definitely understand that there are times you need to splurge! Like Who freaking doesn’t? I’m sure super models do… Right?
Keep being great! We love your tips and different perspectives offered on TSC
Life has to be all about balance!
YESSSSS!
I’m coming to the same realization. I have a thing for homemade chocolate chip and dolce sandwiches. Totally a mouthfull (but a delicious one) & balancing what I would like to forgo to what I want instead. Plusthe fact that we all have different opinions based off of our views and experiences I completely agree!
YUM!! : ) xx
You go girl – you’re spot on!! People love hiding behind their computer screen full of criticism and hate. You keep doing you, I’m inspired every time I read a post!
Now… If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go grab a box of Cheez-its.
AMAZING. Lauryn, you are truly on of the best bloggers I have ever come across. I love your philosophy on balance, and I couldn’t imagine a better approach to life. THIS IS IT. My hope is that you never tire of this and always pursue this path of empowering women and informing your readers. We need you!
xo
Ahhh, thanks lady! You made my day!
This is awesome. I think what makes your blog so appealing to readers is that you are relatable! You also make me feel less guilty when I indulge with my gmo snacks!