I’ve been feeling incredibly positive since the first of the year, and I seem to be enjoying the company of quite a few other optimistic perspectives as well – from bloggers, from friends, from my sister/roommate. Positivity seems to be radiating from the top of 2010. It’s nice.
So, I hate to bring up something negative. But I’m being plagued again by the same issue that attacks me every January, and I wish it weren’t seeping into my cloud nine existence. ”It” would be those same mantras that appear each new year, permeating every corner of our existences: on billboards, on subway cars, on television commercials, in water cooler chatter. I’ve even spotted some on signs at local coffee shops [is no place sacred anymore?]. You might know what I’m getting at: the January diet talk.
I do recognize the reason for all this. It’s a new year. People make resolutions. There is an obesity problem in this country. Really, I get it.
What I don’t understand, is why we’re pushed to go to such extremes with our behavior. Why the need to go from December exorbitance to January restriction? Why are we so rarely encouraged to find a manageable medium?
french macarons: a holiday treat courtesy of my sister.
Within balance, I believe there is a realm of acceptable extremes. It’s ok to go overboard, and it’s ok to cut back: balance is a trend in flux, not a straight line. Cutting back doesn’t mean subsisting a day – or five – on leaves and an apple, and going overboard doesn’t mean eating six pizzas in one sitting. Likewise, it doesn’t signify freedom one month and a diet the next, as all the commercials I hear seem to imply.
In the past year, I have worked hard to experience the ebb and flow of the year in a manner that works for me. I’ve taken a lesson from the indulgences of the holidays, reminding myself that I am free to be extravagant whenever I choose, whether it be Thanksgiving Day or a random Monday in January. Right now, I’m already anticipating my next family dinner outing, a celebration of my Dad’s birthday at Daniel in just a couple weeks. The holidays may have ended, but that certainly doesn’t mean I am going to stop eating anything rich or sweet.
current dessert of choice: simple, pure chocolate.
Still, I do see a place for the general ideas of those January television commercials. By the end of 2009, my sister and I had filled our pantry with quite the assortment of treats: my homemade cookies, chocolate covered fig truffles, French macarons, a neverending wine supply. We’re keeping it a bit simpler now, with a plain bar of 85% dark chocolate. Dessert still exists, but perhaps we don’t need quite as much choice. Keeping things reigned in for a bit is ok as well.
But this isn’t a plan I follow or rules I abide by. It’s a lifestyle of my own making. No extremes necessary.
I guess I’ll just have to tune out the diet and deprivation talk until Valentine’s Day arrives.
Do you feel frustrated by the December/January extremes? Do you ever fluctuate between extremes of your own?
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Amen to this post! I, too, hate the december/january themes of eating. I feel like one should be able to indulge whenever, and never feel like they MUST restrict because of the indulgence. I look at indulgences as little treats. or a meal consisting of favorite foods that you don’t get to eat often.
I really hate the new Campbell’s soup commercials. Ugh. They communicate that an 80 calorie fat free soup is a better meal choice than a “310 calorie/8g of fat” frozen entree. I’m sorry, but I feel that 310 calories for a meal is a bit on the low side. Seriously, 8g of fat? that’s nothin!
So yeah, that’s my frustration with the media lately.
Thanks for posting on this, it’s a great issue to discuss and debate.
Love,
Lexi
YES, I completely agree. Going from one extreme to the next is not a good mentality. It’s really no wonder our country is in an obesity epidemic- people don’t know how to listen to their bodies! It’s not about “perfection,” like you said. It’s the “squiggly line effect”
I like that you refer to balance more as an active and dynamic verb than a noun. Balance is constantly changing; it just reminds me of standing on one foot: sometimes your weight leans to the right, sometimes to the left. Good for you for describing it in this way instead of just the static “balance”. :-)
Ahhh I want to go to Daniel!! Let me know how it is!
For the record – I will have eaten out for dinner/ brunch at least five times this week, and I have no shame. I’m freakin’ excited because I’m eating at awesome restaurants with fun people. Why not? We’re young, we live in New York (read – amazing eats) and our metabolisms haven’t slowed down just yet. Live it up, girl! :)
Daniel is amaaaaazing. I’ve only been once, and have gone to Cafe Boulud and Bar Boulud a few times… you’ll love it.
I find it extremely frustrating too- and as harsh as this might sound, I sort of lose a little bit of respect when people I know repeatedly buy into that (i’ve seen it on facebook stati etc, year after year the same people constantly need to advertise their need to diet/not eat because their expensive jeans are feeling tight or they ate too much pie, etc). Its all in the name of business this diet craze- gyms, weight loss programmes, diet food, etc- trying to make money off our insecurities. Also with our culture obsessed with instant gratification, that is why everyone falls off the bandwagon quickly since going to such extremes, creates…well the opposite extreme. You said it well- its all about balance.
We are totally on the same page! I absolutely loathe the January Diet because of the same examples you stated. It’s like, why was it totally acceptable to indulge like crazy in December ['tis the season, my ass. lol] and then do a complete 180 once the new years arrives to ‘fix’ themselves as quickly as possible. It’s times like these I wish I lived in Europe!!
leslie you totally read my mind with this post. i dont want to give up the little treats that i enjoyed spontaneously over the holidays. and i shouldn’t have to. i want to enjoy myself year round!
i know it takes practice but it all goes back to that silly word: moderation. if only the media would wake up and smell the coffee. but for now, we have nothing to worry about. we eat enough rabbit food to make up for it!
keep living and eating happily. life is too short! xo
It’s very frustrating. I hate being bombarded with signs in every grocery store you walk in to. But I try to tune them out as best I can.
I do not do extremes: been there, done that. And I know that eating out and/or enjoying myself a few times a week or month won’t hurt a thing, because the other 90% of the time, I lead a stable healthy life.
FYI – do you know we still have those figs in the pantry? I found them last night.. they were delightful.
xoxo –
your sister/roomate