I love thinking about food, and reading about food, and planning food. I could spend hours poring over recipe books and my newest love, food blogs. Sometimes just reading new recipes is almost as good as trying the food itself. I have never understood the people who are so busy with life that they will make an offhand comment something like: "I was so busy I just forgot to eat lunch today". WHAT???!!! How is it possible to FORGET to eat? I realize that there are some out there, like my father-in-law, that eat to live. For example, this is a man who, when down in Mexico working in a remote village and living for a few weeks by himself, will open up cold cans of food and eat them, and be content. But that is just not me. I am a person who lives to eat.
But then there's the other side of the coin. Eating too much food, especially good food, can lead to weight gain and health problems, like high blood pressure and diabetes. I came to realize many years ago that to stay at a healthy weight, I have to put in time and effort. I have to sweat and work hard. I have to (and here's the hardest part for me) watch what I eat. Meaning, I have to limit how much I eat, and what I eat, so that I don't gain weight. I seem to always be battling to lose the last 5-10 pounds. And I hardly dare enter into the cellulite conversation - let's say I have not come anywhere even close to accepting what the backs of my thighs look like and being comfortable with it. I cringe every time I turn and look at them in the mirror. I consider myself an active, healthy, fit woman, but this is one part of my body that hasn't changed much. And I'm not sure what to do about it.
Have any of you seen this comparison of 2 very different women on the internet? It sure got me thinking! it's from the blog "Diary of a Domestic Goddess".(http://diaryofadomesticgoddess.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/re-gillian-mckeith-vs-nigella-lawson/)
She is a TV “health guru” advocating a holistic approach to nutrition and ill health, promoting exercise, a pescetarian diet high in organic fruits and vegetables. She recommends detox diets colonic irrigation and supplements, also making statements that yeast is harmful, that the colour of food is nutritionally significant, and about the utility of lingual and faecal examination.
This woman is 50.
She is a TV cook, who eats nothing but meat, butter and deserts [sic].
Only you can decide which woman you want to be!
Okay, so obviously Nigella Lawson looks beautiful, and healthy and happy. While the other woman, more so like a prune. Of course we all want to be the happy, healthy looking woman! But what about what's under the surface? What's Nigella's blood pressure, cholesterol numbers, and blood sugar numbers? What do her arteries look like, after eating so much butter and desserts?
So this is my dilemma, as a food lover. How do I enjoy food, discover new foods, enjoy life and all that it has to offer, without obsessing over calories, fat grams, and weight gain, while also staying healthy? At this point in life, there is certainly some vanity on my part with regard to how I look, say in my jeans, or a bathing suit. But as I get older, it's also becoming more and more about health too. About warding off high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Since a family vacation to Hawaii in November and then the holidays in December, I've been trying to lose the weight I gained during that time. It just hasn't happened. I've resorted to using a free online food tracking website, where I keep track of what I eat (everything I eat) to count calories and stay within an allotted number of calories per day. And it's working. I'm starting to lose the weight. And it allows me to eat whatever foods I want, as long as I'm keeping track of how much, so I know how many calories I've consumed, and how many I have left for the day. It's a bit cumbersome, and time consuming, and annoying, but so far it's working. I'm just not sure how long I'll be able to keep it up. Maybe I won't have to. Maybe I'll learn portion control, and learn what it looks like to eat an appropriate number of calories for my height and activity level. But I have a feeling that might not be the case, that this might be something I try to balance my whole life - my love of food, and my desire to be fit and healthy and look my best.
So tell me - how do you balance enjoying food with staying healthy and fit? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
5 comments:
I've been thinking about this picture comparison for a while too. For me, I'm not really doing anything YET, but am formulating my plan to lose about 35 pounds. I do think though, that Nigella probably has a more balanced diet than the person suggested in the picture. Did you see this article on her website about her book "How to Eat"? Looks like a great book. She says "I cook what I want to eat – within limits."
http://www.nigella.com/books/view/how-to-eat-13
Great thoughts, Heidi. Remember back to our grade 9 gym class days, running around the track? Little did we know then how important that skill would be to us now!
Rachel, thanks for your comments. I DO remember those days in highschool gym class. Running was so difficult for me, but it sure helped to have you as a running buddy! Thanks for the tip about Nigella's book - I'll definitely check that out.
Good for you for beginning to formulate a plan. Cause without a plan, it's hard to get anywhere, isn't it?
Heidi
Hi Heidi,
I love eating too! Flavors are fantastic - we are blessed with some much good food eh?
Have you read any of Michael Pollen's books? I was a vegan for 7 years, because of ethical reasons. Then we started raising our own chickens and turkeys for meat and I began to eat meat again. Eating vegan had me watching that I got enough of this and that (protein,v.b12 etc). I'm saying this as the background story that I have spent years eating 'nutritionally.' Pollen's book "In Defense of Food" has helped us really value local, whole foods and eating more cultured. "Food Rules" is a shorter read and summarizes some of his points in "In Defense of Food."
Pollen seems really against nutritionalism and into looking at what people have eaten for years, in their culture and seeing how long they live etc. We eat from many cultures, and that includes some high fat foods too. Moderation and celebration are a part of our life. A little nutrionalism is helpful and interesting too. For example, I've been learning about the benefits of fermented foods lately.
I don't think the keeping track of everything would be sustainable, either. I've done that before, when recovering from an eating disorder in college - no fun. And I would be concerned that my kids would ask me, "What are you doing Mom?" I am sensitive to Sarah being confident in her self-image, as she is and for those reasons, try not to let her see me when I apply make-up (when I do), or shave my legs or make comments about body image (I feel fat).
I have struggled with parts of my body for years too and I remember my Mom's comment that she, as a young woman, was never content with her body, but looking back, she can see she was beautiful.
And Heidi, you and I are beautiful.
I too, try to keep active without going to the gym and with kids (most of the time). I run, I play with them on the playground (loving those climbing walls lately), try and get in some ab work etc.
I also should say that I am trying to be content. These last two years I have grown out of a pair of jeans during winter. Come summer, they will fit again, with increased activity level. And my doctor, at a summer appointment, said I need to gain weight, so I guess this slim-fitting-jeans-not-fitting-anymore situation is 'just what the doctor ordered.'
Re: the pictures you posted...I wonder if the health guru has spent a lot of time outside in a garden? Her skin looks weathered. Also, we can't see Lawson's face in enough detail to see her lines etc. It would be more of a comparison if they were both in the same setting :)
Blessings and direction from God to you Heidi as you navigate this journey. ~Cara
Scroll down to bottom of this page for book review http://abundantacre.wordpress.com/blog/page/2/
Oh Heidi. Thought I was the only one out here that read recipe books for entertainment. I think I love you! Ask me about a holiday and first words out of my mouth will be about a meal I had while I was there. Terrible afliction but wonderful at the same time. I'm packing for Palm Springs and what's the first thing I pack?? Recipes and spices. Yes, I travel with spices. Drives security nuts. Even travelled to Calgary with stuffing already made for Thanksgiving. (They had a good laugh at that one) I also neec to lose about 30 pounds but I've been pretty lucky over the years. Dr. Atkins for three weeks is my best friend so I can live to eat again. Take away everything I have but my love for good food ( Or at least half decent food). Good luck girl but enjoy anyway.
Aunt Dawn
Heidi, I've been meaning to read this for days and just finally got around to it. I'm so glad I did!
I really appreciate your thoughts, and those of the other commenters. This is also something I struggle with, lately especially. I also 'live to eat', and I find it so hard to know where/how to draw the lines between enjoying food, eating healthily, losing/not gaining weight, and also not obsessing about it all.
I also find it really hard to read and hear so much conflicting information...'Eat mostly vegetables' (Pollen), 'Eat mostly protein and fat' (low carb diets), 'Everything in moderation' (my mom :)).
Have you watched 'Fat Head' on netflix? Very interesting, but another source of information that just makes me second-guess every single thing I put into my body!
I enjoyed reading everyone's comments - it's reassuring to know we all have insecurities about our bodies. For instance, you are obviously so beautiful, I've *never* thought you needed to lose any weight. And who knew you, Cara (if you're reading this), would have body issues...I have always envied how slim you are.
Here's what I'm trying to do these days, and trying to be OK with: I'm exercising regularly, avoiding sugary snacks during the day and replacing them with veggies and nuts (which I actually crave anyway), cutting out sugary drinks, and eating lots of meat and veggies (less carbs) at dinner. I'm also REALLY not into depriving myself, so I have sugary snacks here and there, wine in
the evenings, and when I go out try to just eat what I feel like. I feel like this is a good way to be balanced and healthy, and I'm trying to be OK with this, regardless of how it affects my weight. I'm also trying hard not to live by counting calories or grams, but eating what I'm craving, and just not going overboard.
Rationally, this sounds like a healthy and balanced lifestyle to me, but I still beat myself up whenever I eat something unhealthy or miss a few days of exercise.
Sigh...
Holly
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