Can we talk?

Giving Up For Lent

         I've been reading about all the bad things in our food for years, and it's finally beginning to sink in. So I've decided for health's sake, I'm going to give up fried foods, including hamburgers, indefinitely. I can eat baked fish, etc., but not fried. The list also includes potato chips and other junk foods and pizza.

         I have made a lot of progress in giving up sweets and sodas or carbonated beverages, even though I was keeping track of calories. When you do that you can have a 300 calorie doughnut, just leave out some protein or whole grain. I knew that wasn't healthy, but at least I wasn't over my calorie budget. Then I decided "no doughnuts", since my dad buys some every week. I did well on that, too, once I made that decision. But now it's time to up my game.

         I just read about the acids that these foods store in your cells all through your body. Supposedly, these acids interfere with your sleep, your energy, joint pain, memory, digestion, blood pressure, and metabolism. Since we're into Lent, that's my excuse for doing this, only 1 1/2 weeks late. If I actually feel better by Easter, I'll just keep doing it.

         I'm recording this here, even with the possibility that no one else may see it, to commit to myself not to consume unhealthy things like fried foods and packaged snack foods.

         This is a sacrifice in that food consumption is often influenced or controlled by other people. The boss buys your lunch, you eat what's there in small quantities. You live with someone who wants his fish fried and his beans "greasy", and you have to prepare his or her food, you give him what keeps him quiet. But Lent gives the perfect excuse to be different. It gives the excuse to fix two different dinners in your own home or not eat what you cooked. Once I have some success or a good report that will be the only excuse I need.