It's been a long long struggle to try and "eat healthy", and I am always losing. To quote Justin Bieber from his autobiography: ""Singers aren't supposed to have dairy before a show, but we all know I'm a rule breaker. Pizza is just so good!" Experts have said that the over-stuffing of the gut that some of us do on the regular is a product of unbalanced emotions. But have we looked that the fact that some things are just too delicious? I am certain there is a component of habit as well; just doing something over and over without thinking about it, but I wonder if these expanations are just fooferaw, hiding what is the real obvious solution to my torment about food. It's just too good.
A certain member of my household, who shall remain nameless, recently begged me to stop baking so many cakes and cookies. And I get it; no one wants to get so plump that they can't tie their shoes (I am currently too plump to tie my shoes without considerable effort). But there is an equal draw just to celebrate life: we are here, we are safe at home, we like each other, and we have enough to eat. If that isn't cause for celebration, I don't know what is.
We also have ample time to prepare good food, and not eat on the go. I made a promise to myself a couple of years ago, when I would grab a sandwich from the vending machines at school to stave off the body's cravings for sustenance, that I was never going to eat shitty food again. I am sticking to that promise to myself, and honestly, this time in lock-down has made me appreciate and indulge in the culinary arts as never before. I have gone overboard, of course, but still... think about what Justin Bieber said...
Since April, I have maintained two new habits that I hope will counterbalance the deleterious effects of over-consumption of foodstuffs: a strength workout 3x a week, and 2-3 times a week walking more than 10k, usually up Mount Royal from my house in NDG. If I cannot be svelte because I am searching to quench my emotional wants through food, or simply because I fucking love pannetone, I am at least somewhat healthy of limb and lung, due to these precautions.
Now that we are done with the obligatory "feel-good inspiring" part of the post, let's get back to food. I think one of the proudest of my latest kitchen accomplishments, (aside from learning how to do Bain-Marie cheescake), was made last week, when, in aid of a Star Wars mini-marathon, I once again celebrated life by making a plate of not-too-bad nachos under the broiler, and a large tub of buttered popcorn on the stove in a mere 10 minutes. Boy was I chuffed!
I find myself reminded of a song from my distant past; a song of celebration, filled with wisdom:
"In heaven, there is no beer; that's why we drink it here".
Gordon Pinsent reads from Justin Bieber's autobiography:
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