But what is most exciting today is the dinner I am going to at Daniel tonight. This is a three Michelin starred restaurant, arguably one of the best in New York City, if not the country. I love cooking, new recipes, etc. Recently, I've been experimenting with Indian flavors, including a shopping trip to a HOOOGE Indian market in Jacksonn Heights. Accordingly, last night I cooked and served to A. pani poori flavored (tamarind, mint, jaggery, etc.) steamed fish, stuffed with jalepano, lime and cilantro and a side of coconut rice, with a lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and lime flavored butternut squash puree.
Is this is why I am fat? Because I love to cook? Because I love to experience different cultures on the palate? Because I love to cook for people, feed, people, see happy faces around my table? Not really.
Mostly it is because I will eat at McDonalds and cook two boxes of Rice-A-Roni and eat all of it and half a pizza and sneak a full sixed bag of Cool Ranch Doritos YESTERDAY! Six days before I start my pre-op diet! There is an amazing book out called The End of Overeating, by David Kessler. Please bear with me and read the following blurb taken from Amazon's website:
Conditioned hyper-eating is a biological challenge, not a character flaw, says Kessler, former FDA commissioner under presidents Bush and Clinton). Here Kessler (A Question of Intent) describes how, since the 1980s, the food industry, in collusion with the advertising industry, and lifestyle changes have short-circuited the body's self-regulating mechanisms, leaving many at the mercy of reward-driven eating. Through the evidence of research, personal stories (including candid accounts of his own struggles) and examinations of specific foods produced by giant food corporations and restaurant chains, Kessler explains how the desire to eat—as distinct from eating itself—is stimulated in the brain by an almost infinite variety of diabolical combinations of salt, fat and sugar. Although not everyone succumbs, more people of all ages are being set up for a lifetime of food obsession due to the ever-present availability of foods laden with salt, fat and sugar. A gentle though urgent plea for reform, Kessler's book provides a simple food rehab program to fight back against the industry's relentless quest for profits while an entire country of people gain weight and get sick. According to Kessler, persistence is all that is needed to make the perceptual shifts and find new sources of rewards to regain control.
I've skimmed the book, and basically the idea is the same that many people such as Michael Pollen and Mark Bittman have been advocating: eat real food. Nothing is BAD or GOOD, but in general, eat real food, with the least amount of additives. Eat whole grains as opposed to white flour. Limit refined sugars. Don't eat things you can't pronounces. This is not a diet book, and he doesn't really lay out specific eating plans, just ideas on how you should think about food. I highly recommend checking it out, and plan to get my own copy soon.
I want to end with something my friend Emily - the one I spoke with last night - said to me: Yana, I didn't know what kind of issues I had with food. I thought I did, but just couldn't control it, but I could not imagine what I learned about my food issues this past year...I had to choose between food or no pain. And I chose no pain. And something changed fundamentally. I am not always thinking about what I am going to eat next all the time.
And if this is true, then this will be priceless.
It's so interesting to read this Yana, because I was just thinking about this last night. What Emily says is 100% true for me right now at this level of restriction. After a few weeks of choosing no pain over food, and thus making better food decisions, I don't care about food like I used to. Yes, I still love the taste of an incredible appetizer, or the idea of eating in a wonderful foodie restaurant, but I don't care about it as much. I feel like I eat because I have to now, not because I am bored, or have a desire for something. It's a fundamental change, and one that the band has made significantly easier for me to make. I know that I couldn't have made that shift on my own. So excited for you! Six days to pre-op! Have so much fun at Daniel...take pics of the food! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am getting to be the same way as Jenny... food is now becoming something I have to eat to keep the hunger away (cos I hate the feeling of a rumbling stomach too) and less about being picky and wanting to just gorge on other crap.
ReplyDeleteYou are getting onto the business end now too - how exciting.. only six days left to pre-op.. and we are all here with you doing the countdown!! Whooo
Yep, I'm with Jenny and Cara, which is not to say I don't have my moments-- but now they are more stark and I can see them more clearly for what they are and am beginning to address them in a whole new way. It's hard to describe but when you have the band and you finished your meal a half hour ago you know you have no business eating and likely no room! So that crazy quest for food seems even more "out of place" than it always did. It's like shining a big, giant spotlight on the stuff behind the scenes that drives us to over eat.
ReplyDeleteGreat insights to share Yana, I find myself going back to basics as well with the approach of protein first, then veggies and then fruits, I have eliminated the white flour stuff.. seems to work, and seems to normalize my carb urges..That has been the true discovery for me.. carbs are my danger zone.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ all the above posts. When you get to a good level of restirction you are pickier about what you put in your body. And sometimes you feel sad you can't have "that" or "this", but you make it through b/c you know what it most important to you. Little moments of struggle all come together in the end to help change the way you look at food!
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