My work group went to lunch in Boston the other day. We went to a restaurant that was noted as,
“very good and high profile.” So I sit
down to look at the menu. Soups…loaded
with cheese and what must be other dairy like milk or cream. No salads.
Bowls of pasta coated in cream sauce…many with red meat that looked like
it had been cooked in lard. No chicken
or fish to speak of. Every sandwich was
on heavy white bread and loaded with, yes, cheese again. I looked at this menu and just laughed.
My work buddy, Rick, looked over at me and laughed himself
and said, “You won’t be eating much here!”
Just some observations here.
This menu disgusted me.
Not after I thought about it, which is when these thoughts usually hit
you. It was while I looked at it. As I scanned it, every food choice was
bad. Red meat, dairy, processed food…an
endless menu of very beautifully prepared junk.
Even the soups had been ruined.
The plates came out and were very decoratively prepared…as though chef
school must teach them how to make beautiful looking food using the worst
possible material. At first, when you
start to eat well, you will be discouraged but still tempted to just pick
something on the menu. After you have
eaten well for a while, it will occur to you how bad this menu is, after you
give it thought. Once clean eating has become
your life, you move to where I am now.
You look at the menu and, without a thought, put it down. I scoured it for something I could eat. I had the one soup without cheese…mussel
soup. Basically, it was five mussels in
a broth. Then I ordered the asparagus
appetizer. Six sticks of asparagus and
two halves of a boiled egg. Needless to
say, I had to stop on the way back to the office for a clean salad of nutrient
rich vegetables.
The second observation I would make is that many around me
not only know of my dietary discipline, but have seen its impact on me and
accept it. My eating habits have become
so well known that people close to me just need to look at the menu and then
say, “Dick won’t eat this at all.” My
dietary routine has become so ingrained in me that others accept it as
gospel. That’s kind of neat.
The third observation is that others around me are actually
judging what they eat in comparison to me.
I am making others think about their food choices. I’m not doing the judging. I never say anything about what others eat
(with the exception of my kids because I see that as an obligation and teaching
opportunity). I just will do everything
in my power to eat right for myself.
Sometimes people will try to help by saying, “Why don’t you have the Blah-blah-blah?” I will just smile and tell them, “No.” When they persist (and some will) I will
explain why it is a poor choice. And
then I won’t eat it. I find a lot of
people with me looking down at their plates.
Very soon, I expect that either the people around me will eat well or I
will get no invitations to lunch!
It has taken some time, but I have gotten to a point where
my food choices are healthy or none at all.
There is no meal that I cannot wait to eat. There is nothing so urgent that I have to
“sacrifice” and “give in” and eat junk when it is offered. My eating habits have become a discipline for
me.
It has paid off.
After four years, I have managed to keep the weight off and I have
learned that a diet of fruit, vegetables and some lean meats will allow me to
live a healthful life for the remainder of the time I have left on this planet.
Let me say this about my eating habits. When I describe them to folks, I hear a lot
of people remark, “I could never do that.”
That bothers me a little bit. I
know that many would love to do what I have done. I know that many think that it’s ‘hard.’ It is difficult, but there are many things
waiting on the doorstep of your life that will make watching your food intake
look like a walk in the park. It’s
simply not that hard. The benefits far
outweigh the work involved.
Over the past four years, with constant vigilance and
thoughtful choices, I have managed to solidify a foundation of habit for my
health. I look forward to every meal,
but not like many do. I don’t
romanticize it. I simply enjoy it as the
food that it is.
So remember…food as fuel.
It’s not entertainment. It’s not
a love affair. You don’t have to become
engrossed in it.
And…if you ARE going to treat your body like an amusement
park, make sure you inspect and do maintenance on the rides daily. With P90X and Insanity.
Have a great day!
THE WORKOUT
Tonight was simple.
Pure Cardio. At this point in
Insanity, it’s Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs.
I have been doing Ab Ripper X three days per week and some weight work…so
I am leaving the Cardio Abs out for now.
I have been tired all week.
Every day it seems, I have had to do things after work and then have to
work out late. But, I have not missed a
day. Friday is my off day and I am
looking forward to it. I think my body
is telling me I need a break.
That’s important.
Listen to your body. But, make
sure it isn’t just tired. If it’s sore
and broken, it needs a break. If it’s ‘tired,’
you may have to really think about the break you are going to give it. Is it real?
Have a great day!
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