Food Blues
I am an old-school country music fan and a fan of Bobby Bare. Among my favorites is ‘Food Blues’. Now, I have not resigned myself to “beer, whiskey, women and sweet red wine”, yet, but the song inspires me to worry a little less about what I eat and to eat for health with the perspective of enjoyment, as well.
I am wrapping up a bit of a “recomp-ing” (body recompositioning, i.e., trying to gains some muscle and lose some fat to hit a specific goal by the end of the month). I am close to the goal. I’d be closer, if I chose to be strict with my eating—meal plans, more careful calorie and macro counting, and no beer or wine—but I am doing fine. After this end date, I just want to be more conscious of my eating but remain relaxed about it too.
We can get very stressed about our food. Almost daily, I see an article about the “5 foods you should never eat” or the “5 foods you should always eat” (it is always 3 or 5 things!). Now there are some foods to avoid, but we don’t have to go overboard. There is some truth to the waiter’s advice at Rosie’s, even 37 years after Bobby Bare recorded the song, but worry will likely lead to a speedier death.
So, as I begin my 55th year, I will continue to be conscious of the foods I eat, but not let it overwhelm me. I’ll make good choices, overall, but I will all room for some less than good choices. I’ll be fine. Push come to shove, I’ll just remember that “he did not mention beer, whiskey, women (i.e., the lovely wife) and sweet red wine”!
Carpe momento
“I was waitin’ in Rosie’s Restaurant
When the waiter came up and said what do you want
I looked at the menu and it looked so nice
Till he said lemme give you some advice.
He said spaghetti and potatoes got too much starch
Pork chops and sausage are bad for your heart
There’s hormones in chicken and beef and veal
Bowl of ravioli is a dead man’s meal.
Bread got preservatives there’s nitrites in ham
Artificial coloring in jellies and jam
Stay away from donuts run away from pie
Pepperoni pizza is a sure way to die.
Sugar rots your teeth and makes you put on weight
But artificial sweetener’s got cyclamates
Eggs got cholesterol, there’s fat in cheese
Coffee ruins your kidneys and so does tea.
Fish got mercury, red meat is poison
Salt’s gonna send your blood pressure risin’
Hot dogs and bologna got deadly red dyes
Vegetables and fruits are sprayed with pesticides.
So I said what can I eat that’s gonna make me last
He said a small drink of water in a sterilized glass
And then he stopped and he thought for a minute
And said never mind the water, there’s carcinogenics in it.
So I got up from the table and walked out in the street
Realizin’ there was nothin’ I could eat
I ain’t eaten for a month and I’m feeling fine
‘Cause he did not mention beer, whiskey, women and sweet red wine…”
(Lyrics by Shel Silverstein)