Monday, November 17, 2014

The Battle of the Bulge



 

I do not like to use the phrase going on a diet.   A friend of mine responded to me that instead of calling it a diet, I should call it a Live-It.  My problem with the phrase is that it means doing something for a short period of time for an expected outcome, then more often than not, continuing with the same eating habits that we previously had.  A few years ago, after a visit to the doctor (which I do not go as regularly as I should), I was informed that my numbers from my blood test were good, but at the higher end of where he would like them, so he recommended cutting back on certain foods.  At the same time, I was at my highest weight and felt uncomfortable with it, so it was an appropriate time to revaluate my eating habits.  After talking to some people, and reading a recommended book, I changed my eating habits.  I did not go “on a diet” because my choice was to change the way I eat every day and be diligent about my food choices.

In the animal kingdom or in primitive societies, where one must forage or hunt for their meals, eating sustains life.  I believe that we are one of the only creatures on this planet that eat for fun (e.g., go out for ice cream), for stress (e.g., a couple of beers), for boredom (e.g., candy bar), or watching TV (e.g., potato chips).  Even the foods that we eat for our meals contain many things in it that we would not load up on a spoon to ingest, but are in the contents to enhance flavor (e.g., salt) or seem to give us a feeling of happiness (e.g., sugar).  Recently, we had a chance catch up with some friends and we found out that he had become diabetic and needed to cut out all sugar.  He told us that he did not realize how much sugar is used in the products we purchase, natural foods (e.g., fruit) or in the food preparations when we go out to eat (e.g., the sticky rice used for sushi).  He related that his son’s positive comment on his situation was that he is now eating healthy and exercising, both good things.  Needless to say, his story is not unique.

OK – so how good am I at being persistent at following my own words?  I am usually pretty good…however, this past week; a vendor invited a few of us out for dinner.  The dinner was in appreciation of us being a good customer, an opportunity to discuss some future projects and to socialize.  Happily, we accomplished all of our objectives before we left to go home.  We started the meal with a few appetizers for the table.  When the waiter asked what we wanted for our main courses, the six of us all ordered from the menu with the intention of sharing our meals with each other and ended up ordering enough food to comfortably feed nine people, but we still attempted to finish what was in front of us.  It was clear that there was no room left for dessert.  Occasionally, it is still fun to eat for the pleasure of eating, even if glutinous; and, yes, I did have to pay the price as I walked into my home complaining of eating too much.  The next day, it was back to the way I should eat every day…

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