Resolution Check-In

I was just surfing the internet while eating my lunch, and I came across this little gem of a slideshow from msn. com Seven Decades of Wacky Dieting Trends. It really is amazing what people will subject themselves to in order to drop a few pounds. Seen with the cool eye of reason and a several decades of perspective, some of these plans (smoking, cabbage soup, diet pills) seem insane. Not that it stops people from continuing them to this day! I, for one, must confess to the 3-day diet (hot dogs, cottage cheese, you get the picture), weight watchers (which does work as long as you can count your points) and various other crazy things. Being as it is March and usually a time when resolutions have been long forgotten, I wonder if there isn't a better way to diet? Is it possible to change your relationship with food: to love it, rather than hate it; to understand it, rather than fear it? As the Weight Watchers commercials tell us, "Diets don't work", but changing our attitude toward food might. For more on this approach to eating, I suggest French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Giuliano. While I may not agree with everything she says, the central wisdom of the book is right. Enjoy food of the best quality you can in judicious quantities. Don't feel guilty for loving, desiring, or even (gasp!) eating chocolate if that is what you really want. Savoring the moment leads to satiety and a greater appreciation of the amazing mechanics of the human body that allow us to enjoy food rather than simply photosynthesizing it out of the air. Until next time, Adieu and Bon Apetit!