Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Keep the Fun in Food

   I don't believe in annual resolutions. Mostly because promises made this way are doomed to failure, especially those related to weight, diet, and exercise. I see it every year at the gym. The classes I attend are packed with new faces in January. And by the end of February, virtually all of them are no-shows.
It's the same with edicts to self forbidding consumption of sugar, fat, fast food, red meat, salty snacks ...or whatever form your bogeyman of edibles assumes. What starts out seeming like a sensible idea usually leads to anxiety and a punishing sense of defeat when we fail to abide by the rules we've set.
   I am convinced that fretting over every forkful is harmful to health just as carrying an excess of pounds cane be, and I know that the pleasures of a good meal make life better. For me what is more doable over the long haul is moderation and thoughtfulness about what I eat and how much, and an ongoing quest to treat my body well. Sometimes I get it right, often I don't, and every day is a chance to have at it again.
  And so today, the day of beginnings and fresh starts, as we go hungrily and eagerly forth into 2014,  I share these wise words from James Beard, a man who loved what happened in the kitchen and at the table. "A gourmet who counts calories is a like a tart who looks at her watch."
  The same applies to sweating the origins, ingredients and resume of every bite. Because if you're not enjoying yourself, it's just a job.

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