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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