In the Midwest we are known for Olympic-style eating. Maybe it's the cold weather? The days grow shorter, the temps go lower, we end up putting on multiple layers of clothes, and the meals, hot, steaming meals start adding up. We begin to resemble those fat, furry, slow-moving squirrels in the backyard. Overstuffed.
What has lately been on the menu? Pizza. I actually ate a whole 16" pizza (mushroom & onion) in one sitting. It was kind of like a snake eating a whole pig. Yikes. It was not my intention. I have been quite disciplined, eating less, moving more, but confronted with a beautifully contructed pizza I was helpless. As Oscar Wilde once remarked: "I can resist everything, except temptation." Exactly. It was great, chowing down, a legendary performance. I was so hungry, voracious. It was like I had never eaten before in my life. Even I was shocked.
"Jimmy ate the whole pizza by himself!"
Yep. And later I ate 4 little pieces of chocolate, they were wrapped up in a delicate little box, sitting inside like exotic, precious jewels. Memorable, delicious, decadent.
The next day we ate at one of our favorite Asian restuarants. A much more delicate performance. Miso soup, broccoli and brown rice, vegetarian sushi. Yes. That was more in line with my philosophy of eating light and super-healthy.
Yesterday, we plunged back into pasta-land. A beautifully-made vegetarian lasagna. I was on a short leash. My partner was monitoring my performance. Three servings max. We saved the leftovers for another day. Whew. As per William Blake: “You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.” Yikes! That is a tricky saying and a slippery slope. Maybe not the best way forward? Could lead to lots of misadventure and mischief.
This morning, back to a much more Spartan type approach to food. You know, maybe less is more? It's all a balancing act. Food is medicine, food is fuel. Food keeps us going. And variety is the spice of life. Right?! Whatever keeps us going, keeps us in the game. It is important to be light on our feet, always be moving. Patience. Discipline. Clear-headed. Focused. We truly are what we eat. Eating smart, smartly. That's the way to do it.