Being a food writer is the best job in the world. It may not pay a lot, but it involves going to fancy events where you get to meet famous chefs, experimenting with incredibly expensive gadgets to see if they make home cooking easier, and – of course – eating! With so many burgers to eat and so little time to eat them, a common question is how to stay healthy and in shape as a food writer. The answer isn’t fun or exciting, but it is the only way to have your cake, to eat it too, and to not go on Lipitor at age 28.

Exercise

I’m not saying join a running club or sign up for an Ironman. Don’t even go work out regularly if you don’t want to. But if your nights consist of chocolate soufflés and frying your own potato chips, you need to keep active somehow. This could be walking stairs instead of taking escalators, cleaning your own house instead of hiring outside help, or wearing a pedometer to make sure you walk 10,000 steps a day. It isn’t about vanity here; it’s about keeping your heart healthy through all the BLTs.

Portion Control

This is by far the most important part of being a food writer. Truth is, you can never finish your plate. Ever. At a tasting event, have two bites and put down the fork. At a lunch with friends, eat only half the plate, maybe two thirds, but no more. You have to eat at least  meals a day, sometimes, more, and that’s just during the working part of the day! You should never feel stuffed, just pleasantly sated, like you could eat more in a couple of hours if you needed to. And you will need to.

Day Off Fasting

The least fun part of the job is fasting. This isn’t traditional fasting or juice fasting. You still need to eat because it’s important to keep up your strength and metabolism. However, it does mean that you only eat raw veggies, fruits, and very lean proteins. So, at least once a day, say goodbye to fluffy baked potatoes, cheesy risotto, and rare steak. Give your body a rest and feed it some roughage. It will thank you in the long run.