This is a statement that most Filipinos often utter in defense of how and what they choose to eat when someone questions their choices: “Minsan lang naman eh.” While the statement may ring true for people who make conscious efforts to truly eat healthy, for most people, it is an overused and heavily misunderstood security blanket.

 

“Minsan” of what?

The “minsan lang” statement is often uttered when one eats something that is rich, unhealthy, and prohibited. The premise behind it is obviously to help the one consuming the food. The only problem with this blanket statement is that people tend to overuse it depending on the specific food that is being eaten. For example, one may say “minsan lang naman eh” when eating a slice of chocolate cake, then repeat the same statement again while eating chicharon. The statement is then repeated during snack time while finishing a cone of ice cream, then again when ordering pizza for a midnight snack.

The problem here is that “minsan” is really a regular thing and not an uncommon occurrence. There seems to be always something that can be consumed “minsan lang.” Even worse, this doesn’t even include the regularly consumed bad food options such as fast and junk food.

 

It builds up over time

Taking into account what was mentioned above, your “minsan lang” builds up in your body over time. The amount of refined sugars, MSG and bad oils, you’ve consumed in moderate quantities in each “minsan” food adds up and results in your type 2 diabetes, hypertension, clogged arteries, fatigue, acidity; or worse, finds a way to wake your cancer cells up.

Don’t fool yourself by saying “minsan lang” to every little opportunity to eat bad food. The only one you are fooling is yourself and the only body that suffers is yours.

 

The best way to do “minsan lang”

In the Baron Method program, I introduce patients to the best way to do “minsan lang” eating. It’s called a Cheat Day. The Cheat Day principle involves being good and eating truly healthy for a length of time (7 days, 1 month, etc.) then choosing 1 day wherein one can eat whatever he likes then reverts back to eating clean the next day. This way, all the bad food is concentrated on a full day’s consumption. One can take only so much bad food in the span of one day and that way you can limit your bad food intake without feeling totally deprived. Plus, for you to deserve a cheat day, you must be absolutely good before it.

So, the next time you feel like saying “minsan lang naman,” stop yourself and check if that “minsan” is truly worth ruining your health for.