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Sunday Musing: Do you eat to live, or live to eat?

The thinking for today's musing is twofold. The first thought is the cellulitis that has currently flared up in my lower right leg, as it's largely a result of my not properly taking of my diabetic condition. I have been telling folks a lot the past couple of days that I will look at my right leg and now say to myself, "say no to donuts."

Second thought is that we are heading into the holiday season, and what better to say "I love you" than with tasty food full of carbs, sugar, and saturated fats?

Here in the United States, we sometimes identify parts of the country with the types of food served there, most of the time unhealthy foods, especially when taken internally. The landscape is also dotted with many monuments to excess, McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc. The town I live in has three pizza places for a population of 7000. In our quest for a more convenient life, we are gradually losing sight of our toes.

And the all you can eat buffet is another phenomenon of our times. There are many places where you can come in, pay a set fee, eat until you get sick, then eat some more. Or you can eat healthy and just hit the salad bar. Get a little lettuce, some tomatoes, celery, cucumber...ham chunks, bacon bits, croutons, egg, then top it off with a cup of ranch dressing then a lot of shredded cheddar cheese. By the time you're done, you are eating a lettuce sundae.

But as I mentioned two paragraphs ago, we have some very notorious holidays coming up in regards to our culinary health. First up will be Halloween. The little beggars go around saying trick or treat and getting enough sugary delights to make sure their dentist can keep up on his BMW payments. I suppose the people could pass out things like granola bars, but then the next few days there will be a shortage of bar soap and toilet paper in most stores.

The fourth Thursday in November we give thanks that the Lord has brought us safely through another year and has provided our needs.We celebrate this by eating trukey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, candied yams, cranberry sauce. For dessert we have some pumkin pie with a large dollop of whipped cream on top. We then take a nap, watch football, get out the leftovers, and start all over again.

Then all during the month of December, as we argue whether to say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", we are also getting into the holiday spirit by going around enjoying all the sugary delights that everybody has to offer. Every church I've belonged to pass out goodie bags after the Christmas program, complete with a sample of every candy known to man. And yes, baked goods abound. And on that big day, the family once again gets together for a food orgy.

Before we know it, it's New Years Day, and after we have our saurkraut and pork, we make our resolution to lose weight and join the gym to try to lose all these pounds we put on in the previous months. Only problem is for these memberships to work, we have to use them.

Remember that our mindset should be that we eat to live, not live to eat.

Comments

Maggie said…
Sounds like a catch 22

I think food does attack us at most every corner and beg us to just take a taste.

I am also a diabetic but so far I have kept it under control by a diet where I eat most anything I desire but try and control the amounts I devour :) ...sometimes I win and sometimes...food wins.
Ms Hen's said…
The Fast foods actually have so many healthy food now.

You can get salads and fat free dressing.

Some have veggie burgers.

When I buy a $1.00 Junior Whopper .. I say no bread; mayonaisse or Ketchup/.. they put it in a little side salad container with an big piece of lettuce.. so it is healthier with lettuce/tomato/onion/ meat.. and no fatty dressing..

Just a little trick.

You can get the 4 piece chicken nuggets to add for another 1.00 and even take off the outer layer in a few seconds.

And have your own water bottle or something with you.

Very low calorie intake.. for a woman that would get filled on such a meal.

A man might need more.
Syd said…
I eat to live and definitely don't overdo eating. I exercise a lot which helps. I'm nearly 6 ft. tall and weigh 175 lbs. so I'm fairly trim. But I realize that the older I get the more I have to watch what I eat.
Pat Jenkins said…
good promo for tuesday's start of the biggest loser wixy!

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