Friday, June 12, 2009

Food for Thought

Since I've been in the process of shedding a few pounds (Just a few--10 down, only five left to go), I've been thinking more and more about what it is about food that is so enticing.

And what I've come up with is this: Eating has become a pastime for many people.  Ideally, we are supposed to eat to fuel our bodies.  That really is the main purpose.  But I think many people do something a friend of mine says she's guilty of doing.  Her father once said to her, "Most people eat to live.  You live to eat."

Let's think about this.  What kinds of commercials do we see on television?  We are enticed to go to family restaurants in the name of fun.  In the commercial we see smiling families sitting around a table enjoying such goodies as hot fudge sundaes, French fries, sodas and various other high-calories foods.  We also see commercials for pizza joints in which the message tells us to have fun by enjoying a nice big, cheesy, gooey, fattening pizza with our favorite friends or family.  Or see a movie on a Friday night and eat a great big fat, overpriced bucket of buttered popcorn.  And on and on it goes.

So if we strip away the fun trips to ice cream shops, pizza joints, baseball games, barbecues, movie theaters, house parties, bars, and all of the other potential places to eat food, what's left?

Well not much.  Basically, a person would stay home and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at home.  (Okay, if it's a work day, one would probably eat someplace other than home.)  But the point is, take away the fun aspect of going out, and you're left with making your own meals at home.  So the possibility of eating the right foods is much better.  Yes, it might be kind of boring.  But when you make your own meals, you know exactly what ingredients are going into them.  You don't always know that when you're at a restaurant.  So therefore you have more control over how much sugar, salt, fat and other lovely things get added to your food.

That's my revelation in a nutshell.  Stay home and eat.  Don't go out and have any fun.

So I guess this summer I'll be reading lots of books, cleaning my house, and writing at my computer.  I'll be anti-social, but I'll be slimmer and perhaps a little smarter...

or at least a little more interesting.




4 comments:

  1. Kathy,
    congratulations on your goal - you will attain it!

    we are lucky to live in a beautiful world...
    we can hike it, kayak in it, and
    burn calories at the same time!

    great post - thank you!
    peace~
    Chuck

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  2. Thanks, Chuck.

    So, are you suggesting that I can still eat what I want as long as I get out there and hike or do some other kind of exercise? Hmm, sounds good.

    I do exercise. Never tried kayaking. I can't swim, so if i fell overboard, I'd be screwed.

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  3. hey, Kathy!
    the kayak will float.
    (just wear a life preserver & stay with the boat.)

    i've never tipped over -
    you ride soo low in the water
    that you're very stable.

    might be good to try with a friend, sometime!

    yes... life is short!
    you can play hard AND treat yourself!

    peace & richness~
    Chuck

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  4. Okay, I'm going kayaking next week.

    No, I'm only kidding. Although I really would love to go on a boat ride sometime. I've never been on any kind of boat before.

    I've lived a very sheltered life I'm afraid.

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