If I ever feel the need to explain what I'm up to, my go-to phrase is very open-ended and simple. “I have some specific needs", I'll say with a smile.

If you’re eliminating junk and embracing only real whole foods, you have to be a little bit punk rock. Get used to being the kid who always packs her own lunch.

It's hard to nail a healthy, whole foods lifestyle without this habit. It’s about caring a little more, prepping ahead, or altering what's on offer to meet your needs when eating out. 

And if carrying around a lunch bag feels funny to you...caring a little less.

As for lunch bags, I love toting mine, which I’ll show you when I get a chance. (I don’t carry the one shown on Luke, in the photo. He pulls that one off best.)

Some mornings I bring mine to an outdoor coffee shop. I buy coffee & a container of plain oatmeal. I pull out my lunch bag and replace half the oatmeal with a banana & some nut butter. I say grace. I’m set.

As for eating out, some days I know I'll be able to get a quality protein-and-veggies dish, and I just need to boost the quantity of produce. (I rarely see a restaurant meal that provides close to the quantity of produce needed if you’re getting a large chunk of your nutrients from fruits and vegetables as I do.) Sometimes I can just add a veggie side dish to my order, but sometimes that feels pricey or impractical. So, seriously...unless it’s some really formal setting, I will pull an apple from a bag-within-my-handbag or finish off my meal with a small pre-packed salad when I get back to the car.

These self-care work arounds may feel a little weird initially, but it’s a practice of gently showing up, maybe even standing up, for myself. I’ve found that people are usually perfectly accepting or oblivious to what I’m doing. If I ever feel the need to explain, my go-to phrase is kind of lighthearted and open-ended. “I have some specific needs", I’ll say with a smile.