Eating, in some circles, has become a matter of what is chic.

Foodies are those for whom food is “their favorite art form.”

The term was coined in 1984, in Ann Barr and Paul Levy’s “The Official Foodie Handbook,” which continues to hold true and expand.

Fine food is becoming available to the masses through television shows like Bravo’s Top Chef and websites such as yelp.com.

Diego Mejia, senior social science major, loves food but will not eat just anything. He uses Yelp to find restaurants to visit.

“There are a lot of places I still don’t know about, so I check out other peoples’ opinions before I decide if it’ll be worth it,” he said.

Mejia’s favorite Yelp find thus far is the Tower Cafe for breakfast.

There is, however, a less renowned group which appreciates food just as much.

The name of the group is “fatties.”

The difference between foodies and fatties is simple to explain: fatties love eating, foodies love grading how food tastes.

Fatties can love exquisite meals like taco trucks and putting chips inside sandwiches.

We are just slightly less refined, slightly more indulgent and far more shameless.

And while the term “fatties” is not an official term being used to describe food lovers, it is recognized in many different circles.

This love of food has nothing to do with being skinny or fat. There are slender folks in bounty who are as carb-loving and indulgent as those of us who show it.

They are just the metabolically endowed.

In spite of how thin and large people can be either fatties or foodies, there is a strange societal standard that seems to guilt us for enjoying food.

There needs to be a total shift in how we portray consumption.

We need to re-evaluate how we think about food.

You know what makes me happy? Churros. And social justice – but you can’t buy that at River Cats games.

Loving carbs is only disconcerting when you are having trouble finding comfortable jeans or when your health is in question.

And the jeans thing is a personal standard.

But really? Your worth as a human being has nothing to do with body weight.

Unless you’re Rush Limbaugh who, even after his recent weight loss, is still 200 pounds of unnecessary.

But health is always a viable concern. According to Ecosalon.com, grapefruit, spicy foods, green tea and turkey can boost your metabolism.

Clearly food has gone beyond sustainability. It is long overdue that we allow ourselves to eat without guilt.

As long as we take into consideration our health and well-being, what is most chic is self-enjoyment.

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